Endoscope tip protection system

• US 6,761,684 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2000
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Linvatec Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Linvatec Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Speier, Craig J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/636,198
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 600/121, 600/125, 600/129, 600/175, 600/176, 600/182, 600/114
• US Class Current: 600/121
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/317 for bones or joints, e.g. osteoscopes, arthroscopes

Abstract

An endoscope tip protection system for shielding the optical component at the distal end of an endoscope. The system comprises a tubular sheath which is optically transparent at least at its distal end, and adapted to fit onto and be retained on the scope tip. The scope/sheath assembly is then inserted into an open ended tubular fiberoptic illuminating cannula which is adapted to receive the scope/sheath assembly and prevent the tubular sheath from falling out.

Claims

1. An endoscope tip protection system comprising:

an optically transparent, hollow and disposable tubular sheath comprising an outer surface, an open proximal end, a closed, optically transparent distal end and a hollow internal bore extending therebetween, said bore adapted to receive a distal portion of an endoscope;

an endoscope comprising a proximal, viewing end and a distal end, said distal end comprising an objective lens system and adapted to be received within said internal bore;

attachment means for selectively and non-hermetically attaching and detaching said distal end of said endoscope within said internal bore of said tubular sheath, said tubular sheath outer surface having a cross-section which is substantially the same as the cross-section of the outer surface of said endoscope at a point proximal to said tubular sheath, said attachment means effected by cooperative action between said tubular sheath and said endoscope at a point intermediate said distal and proximal ends of said endoscope; and

a fiberoptic illumination cannula having an internal bore, an open proximal end and an open distal end, said illumination cannula adapted to selectively receive therein said distal end of said endoscope and said tubular sheath.

2. An endoscope tip protection system according to claim 1 wherein said attachment means comprises an annular rib on said tubular sheath and a complementarily shaped mating annular groove on said endoscope.

3. An endoscope tip protection system comprising:

an optically transparent, hollow and disposable tubular sheath comprising an open proximal end, a closed, optically transparent distal end and a hollow internal bore extending therebetween, said bore adapted to receive a distal portion of an endoscope;

an endoscope comprising a proximal, viewing end and a distal end, said distal end comprising an objective lens system and adapted to be received within said internal bore;

attachment means for selectively attaching said distal end of said endoscope within said internal bore of said tubular sheath; and

a fiberoptic illumination cannula having an internal bore, an open proximal end and an open distal end, said illumination cannula adapted to selectively receive therein said distal end of said endoscope and said tubular sheath wherein said open distal end of said illumination cannula comprises a radially inwardly directed projection means for preventing longitudinally outward movement of said tubular sheath.

4. An endoscope tip protection system according to claim 3 wherein said projection means comprises an annular, inwardly directed flange adapted to abut said distal end of said tubular sheath.

5. A surgical endoscope comprising:

an elongated optical viewing member having a distal end for viewing a work site, a proximal end for presenting an image to an observer and an intermediate section for transmitting an image from said distal end to said proximal end;

an elongated illuminating light transmission cannula having a proximal end adapted to receive said elongated optical viewing member therethrough and to receive illuminating light from a light source, a distal end for illuminating said work site, and an intermediate section for transmitting said illuminating light from said proximal end to said distal end, wherein said distal end of said illuminating light transmission cannula comprises an inwardly extending projection for preventing motion of said protective tip means from said sheath;

a selectively attachable optically transparent, hollow protective tip means having an open proximal end and a closed distal end, said tip means interposed between said distal end of said optical viewing member and said illuminating cannula, said tip means having a hollow internal bore extending between its proximal and distal ends for being received on said distal end of said optical viewing member; and

means for releasably attaching said protective tip means over said distal end of said elongated optical viewing member.

6. A surgical endoscope according to claim 5 wherein said distal end of said illuminating light transmission cannula comprises an inwardly extending annular flange.