Flexible vacuum grabber for holding lesions

• US 6,383,198 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1999
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Priddy, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US09/456,835
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 606/115, 606/110, 606/113, 606/114, 606/127
• US Class Current: 606/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22031 Gripping instruments, e.g. forceps, for removing or smashing calculi A61B17/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/308 with suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation

Abstract

A grabbing device includes a transparent flexible cup that can be placed adjacent to a selected region of an inner surface of a body cavity. The flexible cup is visually put in place by the surgeon, and a vacuum is applied to draw a selected amount of tissue into the flexible cup, so that it may, e.g., be excised. The device may also retrieve the tissue excised from the body cavity.

Claims

1. A vacuum grabber device for insertion into a body cavity via an insertion device, the insertion device having a working channel extending therethrough from a proximate end to a distal end thereof, the vacuum grabber device comprising:

a vacuum line slidable within the working channel, the vacuum line having a distal end insertable in the insertion device;

a substantially transparent and airtight flexible cup attached to the distal end of the vacuum line, the flexible cup being foldable to fit within the working channel and, wherein when deployed from the working channel, the flexible cup is expandable into a funnel having a maximum diameter greater than that of the working channel; and

means for applying a vacuum to the vacuum line.

2. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible cup is formed of a clear flexible polymer.

3. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 2, wherein the clear flexible polymer is a plasticized silicon.

4. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 1, wherein the maximum diameter of the flexible cup is predetermined based on a size of the selected portion of tissue, plus a safety margin portion of tissue.

5. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 1, further comprising a sample catcher disposed between the flexible cup and the means for applying a vacuum.

6. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 5, wherein the sample catcher is a mesh disposed in the vacuum line.

7. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible cup is biased so that, when not constrained within the working channel, the flexible cup expands to a substantially funnel shaped configuration.

8. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 7, wherein the flexible cup further comprises resilient elastic elements to bias the cup to the substantially funnel shaped configuration.

9. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 1, wherein the means for applying a vacuum is adapted to provide an adjustable vacuum pressure.

10. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 9, wherein the means for applying a vacuum may selectively provide one of a positive pressure and a vacuum.

11. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible cup comprises a membrane adapted to prevent contamination of the selected portion of tissue drawn in the flexible cup.

12. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 1, wherein, when the flexible cup is not constrained within the working channel, the body cavity is observable by a vision device through the substantially transparent flexible cup.

13. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum line is adapted to be rotated about the axis of the vacuum line within the working channel.

14. The vacuum grabber device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible cup is angled about the axis of the vacuum line.

15. A vacuum grabber device for insertion into a body cavity via an insertion device, the insertion device having a working channel extending therethrough from a proximate end to a distal end thereof, the vacuum grabber device comprising:

a vacuum line slidable within the working channel, the vacuum line having a distal end insertable in the insertion device;

a substantially transparent flexible cup attached to the distal end of the vacuum line, the flexible cup being foldable to fit within the working channel and, wherein when deployed from the working channel, the flexible cup is expandable into a funnel; and

means for visually positioning the deployed flexible cup adjacent to a selected portion of tissue within the body cavity, such that the body cavity is observable by a vision device through the substantially transparent flexible cup.

16. A vacuum grabber device for insertion into a body cavity via an insertion device, the insertion device having a working channel extending therethrough from a proximate end to a distal end thereof, the vacuum grabber device comprising:

a vacuum line slidable within the working channel, the vacuum line having a distal end insertable in the insertion device;

a flexible cup attached to the distal end of the vacuum line, the flexible cup being foldable to fit within the working channel and, wherein when deployed from the working channel, the flexible cup is expandable into a funnel having a maximum diameter greater than that of the working channel;

means for applying a vacuum to the vacuum line; and

a sample catcher disposed between the flexible cup and the means for applying a vacuum.