Endoscope system having an endoscope and a tissue-collecting apparatus

• US 8,382,660 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasztejna, Matthew J
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENDERSON, RYAN N
• Application Number:
  US12/047,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 600/104, 600153-159, 600562-574, 604317-326, 604540-544, 422/527, 422/534, 423/92, 606113-115
• US Class Current: 600/156
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0096 Casings for storing test samples A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/02; containers for retaining a material to be analysed B01L3/50; containers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/16; swab-sampler being part of enzymology or microbiology container C12M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/79 Filters for solid matter specially adapted for dental use A61C17/065

Abstract

An endoscope system includes: an endoscope having an insertion section extending from an operation section operated by an operator into a human body, and an operation channel having a first end section having an opening at a distal end of the insertion section and a second end section passing through the insertion section and having an opening at the operation section; a tissue-collecting apparatus connected to a connecting pipeway branching from a branch section formed to the second end section in the operation channel, and capable of seizing tissue retracted into the operation channel; an aspirator for producing suction force for suctioning the tissue into the operation channel; and a suction pipeway connecting the tissue-collecting apparatus to the aspirator. The tissue-collecting apparatus has: a tissue-collecting case having a first chamber connected to the connecting pipeway, a second chamber connected to the suction pipeway, and a communication path provided to lateral walls of the first chamber and the second chamber and causing the first chamber to communicate with the second chamber; and a tissue-collecting filter detachably enclosed in the first chamber.

Claims

1. An endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope having an insertion section extending from an operation section operated by an operator into a human body, and an operation channel having a first end section having an opening at a distal end of the insertion section and a second end section passing through the insertion section and having an opening at the operation section;

a tissue-collecting apparatus connected to a connecting pipeway branching from a branch section formed in the vicinity of the second end section in the operation channel, and capable of seizing tissue retracted into the operation channel;

an aspirator for producing suction force for suctioning the tissue into the operation channel; and

a suction pipeway connecting the tissue-collecting apparatus to the aspirator, wherein

the tissue-collecting apparatus has;

a tissue-collecting case having a first chamber connected to the connecting pipeway, a second chamber connected to the suction pipeway, and a communication path provided between a lateral wall of the first chamber and a lateral wall of the second chamber to cause the first chamber to communicate with the second chamber; and

a tissue-collecting filter detachably enclosed in the first chamber,

the first chamber comprises the lateral wall of the first chamber being formed in a cylindrical shape and a bottom section formed in a planar shape, and

a distance between the bottom section of the first chamber and an opening of the communication path which opens in the first chamber is shorter than a distance between a bottom section of the second chamber and an opening of the communication path which opens in the second chamber.

2. The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein

the communication path communicates with an inside of the second chamber at a lower position than the opening of the suction pipeway in the second chamber, and

a first volume of the second chamber obtained based on the height between the bottom section of the second chamber and a lower end of the opening of the suction pipeway is equal to or greater than a second volume of the second chamber obtained based on the height between a bottom section corresponding to a lateral wall of the second chamber having the opening of the communication path thereto and an upper end of the opening of the suction pipeway.

3. The endoscope system according to claim 2, further comprising a water-level-adjusting section having a part of which is disposed to be located in a space defining the second volume.

4. The endoscope system according to claim 1, wherein the communication path is provided such that an axis line of the communication path is perpendicular to an axis line connecting an opening of the connecting pipeway with the bottom section of the first chamber.