Medical instrument for endoscope and treatment method

• US 8,562,601 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2008
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yanuma, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): STOHR, LEAH C
• Application Number:
  US12/136,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20100298634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 606/32, 606/34, 606/39, 606/41, 606/45, 606/46, 606/127, 604/916
• US Class Current: 606/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/221 Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22067 Blocking; Occlusion A61B2017/22054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00535 Biliary tract
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/144 Wire

Abstract

A medical instrument for an endoscope according to the invention is the medical instrument to be used in the endoscope by being inserted therein, and the medical instrument includes: a flexible elongated sheath having a first lumen and a second lumen; a conductive wire which is inserted into the first lumen and of which a portion of a distal side is exposed to the outside of the sheath as an instrument unit; and a balloon which is attached to the sheath and is expandable with the supply of fluid from the second lumen. The balloon is configured such that an axial dimension thereof is larger than a radial dimension upon expansion and a distal end of the balloon upon expansion is located closer to a proximal side than the treatment unit exposed from the sheath.

Claims

1. A medical instrument for an endoscope to be used in the endoscope by being inserted therein, comprising:

a flexible elongated sheath having a first lumen and a second lumen;

a conductive wire which is inserted into the first lumen and of which a portion of a distal side is exposed to the outside of the sheath as a treatment unit; and

a balloon which is attached to the sheath, is expandable with a supply of fluid from the second lumen, and is in close contact with the outer circumference of the sheath and an outer diameter of the balloon is equal to or less than an outer diameter of the sheath that is proximal to said balloon in an initial state of the balloon, and

the outer diameter of the balloon is substantially constant in an axial direction,

wherein the balloon is configured such that an axial dimension thereof is larger than a radial dimension upon expansion and a distal end of the balloon upon expansion is located closer to a proximal side of the sheath than the treatment unit exposed from the sheath.

2. A medical instrument for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the balloon is made of a non-elastomeric material and is folded and wound around an outer circumference of the sheath before expansion, and

a proximal end of the treatment unit exposed from the sheath is disposed apart from the distal end of the balloon by 10 mm or more.

3. A treatment method using a medical instrument having a flexible elongate sheath, a conductive wire which is inserted into the sheath and of which a portion of a distal side is exposed to the outside of the sheath as a treatment unit, and a balloon which is attached to the sheath located closer to a proximal side of the sheath than the treatment unit and is configured such that an axial dimension thereof is larger than a radial dimension upon expansion, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting the sheath into an instrument channel of an endoscope to be introduced into a body cavity;

applying electric current to the treatment unit to incise a tissue in the body cavity and enlarge a diameter of a body channel;

inserting the sheath into the body channel and moving the balloon up to a position of the incised tissue;

expanding the balloon for a first time to further enlarge the diameter of the body channel at the position of the tissue

after expanding the balloon for the first time, shrinking the balloon and then advancing the sheath further into the body channel to move the balloon to a position deeper than a calculus in the body channel;

expanding the balloon for a second time such that an axial dimension thereof is smaller than that in the step of expanding the balloon for the first time; and

removing the sheath from the body channel in the state in which the balloon is expanded to discharge the calculus from the body channel.

4. A treatment method using a medical instrument having a flexible elongate sheath, a conductive wire which is inserted into the sheath and of which a portion of a distal side is exposed to the outside of the sheath as an instrument unit, and a balloon which is attached to the sheath located closer to a proximal side of the sheath than the instrument unit, is configured such that an axial dimension thereof is larger than a radial dimension upon expansion, and is in close contact with the outer circumference of the sheath, and an outer diameter of the balloon is equal to or less than an outer diameter of the portion of the sheath that is proximal to said balloon in an initial state of the balloon, and

the outer diameter of the balloon is substantially constant in an axial direction,

the method comprising the steps of:

inserting the sheath into an instrumental channel of an endoscope to be introduced into a body cavity;

applying electric current to the treatment unit to incise a tissue in the body cavity and enlarge a diameter of a body channel;

inserting the sheath into the body channel and moving the balloon up to a position of the incised tissue; and

expanding the balloon to further enlarge the diameter of the body channel at the position of the tissue.