Sheath for protecting and altering the bending characteristics of a flexible endoscope
First Claim
1. A sheath adapted for use with an endoscope having a flexible insertion tube, the sheath comprising:
- an elongated, compliant tube having an interior area adapted to be occupied by a first portion of the flexible insertion tube and adapted to isolate the first portion of the flexible insertion tube from an external environment; and
an elongated shape-retaining tube attached to and coaxially aligned along a portion of the compliant tube and adapted to extend axially along a region adapted to be occupied by a second portion of the flexible insertion tube when the first portion of the flexible insertion tube is positioned in the interior area of the compliant tube, the shape-retaining member having a stiffness sufficient to retain the region in a selected shape.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sheath for use with an endoscope having a flexible insertion tube to isolate at least a portion of the insertion tube from an external environment, and to alter the bending characteristics of at least a portion of the insertion tube, is shown and described. The sheath includes a compliant tube and an elongated shape-retaining member attached to the compliant tube. The compliant tube has a proximal end having an interior area configured to receive a first portion of the flexible insertion tube. The shape-retaining member extends axially along a second portion of the flexible insertion tube when the first portion of the flexible insertion tube is positioned in the interior area of the compliant tube. The shape-retaining member is sufficiently stiff to remain in a selected shape or position, and to retain the second portion of the flexible insertion tube in the selected shape or position. The shape-retaining member in one embodiment is rigid, and in another embodiment is sufficiently bendable to allow the operator to conform the insertion tube to other selected shapes or positions. In another alternate embodiment, the sheath has a rigid, shape-retaining member along a first portion of the sheath, a bendable shape-retaining member along a second portion of the sheath, and the compliant tube along a distal portion of the sheath.
524 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A sheath adapted for use with an endoscope having a flexible insertion tube, the sheath comprising:
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an elongated, compliant tube having an interior area adapted to be occupied by a first portion of the flexible insertion tube and adapted to isolate the first portion of the flexible insertion tube from an external environment; and
an elongated shape-retaining tube attached to and coaxially aligned along a portion of the compliant tube and adapted to extend axially along a region adapted to be occupied by a second portion of the flexible insertion tube when the first portion of the flexible insertion tube is positioned in the interior area of the compliant tube, the shape-retaining member having a stiffness sufficient to retain the region in a selected shape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A sheath adapted for use with an endoscope having a flexible insertion tube, the sheath comprising:
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an elongated, compliant tube having an interior area adapted to be occupied by a first portion of the flexible insertion tube and adapted to isolate the first portion of the flexible insertion tube from an external environment; and
an elongated, shapeable tube attached to and coaxially aligned along a portion of the compliant tube and adapted to extend axially along a region adapted to be occupied by a second portion of the flexible insertion tube when the first portion of the flexible insertion tube is positioned in the interior area of the compliant tube, the shapeable member being bendable to a selected position and having a stiffness sufficient to retain the region in the selected position. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A sheath adapted for use with an endoscope having a flexible insertion tube, the sheath comprising:
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an elongated, compliant tube having an internal area adapted to be occupied by at least a first portion of the flexible insertion tube and adapted to isolate the first portion of the flexible insertion tube from an external environment; and
an elongated, rigid tube coupled to and coaxially aligned along a portion of the compliant tube and adapted to extend axially along a region adapted to be occupied by a second portion of the flexible insertion tube when the first portion of the flexible insertion tube is positioned in the internal area of the compliant tube. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
an elongated, shapeable member attached to the rigid tube and positioned to extend axially along a second region adapted to be occupied by a third portion of the flexible insertion tube when the first portion of the flexible insertion tube is positioned in the internal area of the compliant tube, the shapeable member being bendable and having a stiffness sufficient to remain in the selected position.
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19. A device for performing intrabody diagnosis, therapy or surgery, the device comprising:
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an endoscope having a flexible insertion tube;
an elongated, compliant tube having an interior area configured to receive at least a first portion of the flexible insertion tube and isolate at least the first portion of the flexible insertion tube from an external environment; and
an elongated shape-retaining tube attached to and coaxially aligned along a portion of the compliant tube and extending axially along a second portion of the flexible insertion tube when the first portion of the flexible insertion tube is positioned in the interior area of the compliant tube, the shape-retaining tube having a stiffness sufficient to retain the second portion of the flexible insertion tube in a selected shape. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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- 22. An endoscope assembly, comprising an endoscope having a flexible insertion tube with a first bending characteristic, the insertion tube having a stiffness, and a sheath positionable to cover at least a first portion of the insertion tube, the sheath including a flexible tube portion and a shape-retaining tube portion attached to and at least partially coaxially aligned with the flexible tube portion, the shape-retaining tube portion being substantially more stiff than the stiffness of the first portion of the insertion tube to provide a second bending characteristic different from the first bending characteristic.
- 24. A method for affecting the bending characteristics of a flexible endoscopic insertion tube having a first bending characteristic, the method comprising inserting the flexible insertion tube into a sleeve until a first portion of the flexible insertion tube is within a compliant tube having a second bending characteristic and that extends along a portion of the sleeve and a second portion of the flexible insertion tube that has a third bending characteristic different from the first bending characteristic of the insertion tube and that aligns with a shape-retaining tube connected to and coaxially aligned with a portion of the compliant tube and that has a sufficient stiffness to remain in a selected shape and to retain the second portion of the insertion tube in the selected shape.
Specification