Method and apparatus for magnetically controlling endoscopes in body lumens and cavities

• US 6,902,528 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1999
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stereotaxis, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stereotaxis, Inc.
• Inventors: Blume, Walter M., Epplin, Gerard H., Garibaldi, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/292,096
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: 600/117, 600/118, 600/146, 600/424, 600/407, 128/899
• US Class Current: 600/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00071 Insertion part of the endoscope body A61B1/0055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/01 Guiding arrangements therefore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure

Abstract

A magnetically navigable endoscope system includes an endoscope having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a magnetic body; a component which transmits an image, associated with the distal end; a display component for displaying the image; a magnetic field generating apparatus for generating a magnetic field to orient the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope; and a controller coordinated with the display for controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to selectively change the magnetic field to change the orientation of the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope.

Claims

1. A magnetically navigable endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a magnetic body;

an imaging device which transmits an image, associated with the distal end;

a display component for displaying the image;

a magnetic field generating apparatus for generating a magnetic field to move the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope;

a controller on the endoscope, adjacent the proximal end, the controller coordinated with the display for controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to apply a magnetic field to change the position of the magnetic body and thus the position of the distal end of the endoscope, the controller controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to apply a magnetic field of a specific direction to change the orientation of the magnetic body and thus the orientation of the distal end of the endoscope.

2. A magnetically navigable endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a magnetic body;

an imaging device which transmits an image, associated with the distal end;

a display component for displaying the image, the display including indicia indicating an orientation of the displayed image;

a magnetic field generating apparatus for generating a magnetic field to move the magnetic body and thus the distal end of the endoscope;

a controller coordinated with the display for controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to apply a magnetic field to change the position of the magnetic body and thus the position of the distal end of the endoscope, the controller controlling the magnetic field generating apparatus to apply a magnetic field of a specific direction to change the orientation of the magnetic body and thus the orientation of the distal end of the endoscope, the controller being operable in at least two mutually perpendicular directions, movement in the first direction causes the magnetic field generating apparatus to change the magnetic field to move the distal end of the endoscope in a first plane indicated in a first direction relative to the indicia, and movement in the second direction causes the magnetic field generating apparatus to change the magnetic field to move the distal end of the endoscope in a second plane, perpendicular to the first plane, indicated in a second direction relative to the indication and perpendicular to the first indicia, the indicia including at least one marker aligned with the first direction and at least one marker aligned with the second direction.