Rotate-to-advance catheterization system

• US 8,747,300 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Endo Technology America Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Endo Technology America Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Frassica, James J., Ailinger, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANDRY II, GERALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US13/527,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 600/105, 600/112, 600/137, 604/264, 604/500
• US Class Current: 600/112
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00148 using anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12099 characterised by the location of the occluder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12109 in a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12159 Solid plugs; being solid before insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/006 having a special surface topography or special surface properties, e.g. roughened or knurled surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0191 Suprapubic catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1086 having a special balloon surface topography, e.g. pores, protuberances, spikes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0017 specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0075 Valve means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0105 Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning systems for detection of markers A61B
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/008 pre-shaped, for use in the urethral or ureteral tract

Abstract

A method for visualizing the interior of a bodily passageway, comprising providing a visualization system comprising a tube having a distal and a proximal end, at least a portion of the distal end being rotatable; visualization apparatus disposed within the system; and a helical thread disposed on the exterior surface of the rotatable portion of the tube, the helical thread having a sufficient structural integrity and surface profile, such that when the tube is disposed in the passageway and the helical thread engages the wall of the passageway, rotation of the rotatable portion of the tube induces a relative movement between the tube and the wall of the passageway; inserting the system into the passageway; rotating the rotatable portion of the tube so as to bring together a site which is to be visualized and the visualization apparatus; and using the visualization apparatus to visualize the interior of the passageway.

Claims

1. A method for visualizing the interior of a bodily passageway at a remote location, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a visualization system for deployment in the bodily passageway, the visualization system comprising;

visualization apparatus;

a tube having a non-rotating proximal portion and a rotatable portion disposed at a distal end of the non-rotating proximal portion and rotatable relative to the non-rotating proximal portion, the tube being sized to receive visualization apparatus, wherein the rotatable portion is disposed between a non-rotating distal portion of the visualization apparatus and the non-rotating proximal portion;

a drive unit disposed within the tube, rotating the rotatable portion; and

a helical thread disposed on the exterior surface of said rotatable portion, wherein rotation of the rotatable portion induces a relative movement between the tube and the side wall of the bodily passageway;

inserting the visualization system into the bodily passageway at a location remote from a site which is to be visualized;

rotating the rotatable portion of the tube using the drive unit so as to bring together the site which is to be visualized and the visualization apparatus; and

using the visualization apparatus to visualize the interior of the bodily passageway.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the drive unit transmits power for rotating the rotatable portion from a lumen of the non-rotating proximal portion to the rotatable portion.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the drive unit comprises a rotatable drive shaft, delivering rotational motion as the power to a distal side of non-rotating proximal portion, a circumferential gear secured to an inner surface of the rotatable portion, and a transmission gear unit for transferring the motion between the drive shaft and the circumferential gear so as to rotate the rotatable portion.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the transmission gear unit comprises a pair of transmission gears.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the visualization apparatus comprises an endoscope, and further wherein the tube receives the endoscope.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the visualization apparatus and the tube comprise components of an endoscope.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the bodily passageway comprises a gastrointestinal tract.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the visualization system is inserted into a small bowel.

9. A method according to claim 7 wherein the bodily passageway comprises one from the group consisting of the small bowel, the colon, the genitourinary tract, and a man-made passageway.

10. A method according to claim 7 wherein the visualization system is inserted in an antegrade fashion.

11. A method according to claim 7 wherein the visualization system is inserted in a retrograde fashion.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the tube comprises a flexible tube.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the rotatable portion is rotated by a powered driver.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the rotatable portion rotates independently of the visualization apparatus.

15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the visualization apparatus may be releasably locked to the rotatable portion of the tube so that longitudinal motion of the rotatable portion of the tube results in longitudinal motion of the visualization apparatus.

16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the visualization apparatus extends beyond the rotatable portion.

17. A method according to claim 1 wherein, after a portion of the bodily passageway has been drawn onto the tube, the visualization apparatus is advanced further into the bodily passageway.

18. A method according to claim 1 wherein, after a portion of the bodily passageway has been drawn onto the tube, the rotatable portion of the tube is rotated in an opposite direction so as to displace the bodily passageway off the tube.

19. Apparatus for visualizing the interior of a bodily passage way, the apparatus comprising:

a tube having a non-rotating proximal portion and a rotatable portion disposed at a distal end of the non-rotating proximal portion and rotatable relative to the non-rotating proximal portion, said tube being sized to receive visualization apparatus, wherein the rotatable portion is disposed between a non-rotating distal portion of the visualization apparatus and the non-rotating proximal portion;

a drive unit disposed within said tube, rotating the rotatable portion; and

a helical thread disposed on the exterior surface of said rotatable portion.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein rotation of said rotatable portion induces a relative movement between said tube and a side wall of the bodily passageway.

21. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said tube comprises a non-rotating distal portion disposed between said distal portion of the visualization apparatus and the rotatable portion.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said non-rotating distal portion is formed short relative to said non-rotating proximal portion.

23. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the apparatus comprises visualization apparatus disposed within the lumen of said tube.

24. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said drive unit transmits power for rotating said rotatable portion from a lumen of said non-rotating proximal portion to said rotatable portion.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said drive unit comprises a rotatable drive shaft disposed within said lumen of the non-rotating proximal portion, delivering rotational motion as said power to a distal side of said non-rotating proximal portion, a circumferential gear secured to an inner surface of said rotatable tube, and a transmission gear unit for transferring said motion between said drive shaft and said circumferential gear so as to rotate said rotatable portion.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said transmission gear unit comprises a pair of transmission gears.

27. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said visualization apparatus comprises an endoscope, and further wherein said tube receives the endoscope.

28. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said visualization apparatus and said tube comprise components of an endoscope.

29. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the helical thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when said tube is disposed in a passageway so that said helical thread engages an interior side wall of the passageway, rotation of the rotatable portion will induce a relative movement between the rotatable portion and the side wall of the passageway.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29 wherein said helical thread comprises a hollow construction.

31. Apparatus according to claim 29 wherein said helical thread has a semi-ovoid cross-sectional thread profile.

32. Apparatus according to claim 29 wherein said helical thread has a non-symmetrical cross-section.

33. Apparatus according to claim 29 wherein said helical thread has a profile which varies along the length of the helix.

34. Apparatus, according to claim 19 wherein said apparatus comprises a torque limiter.

35. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein a spline connection is provided along said drive shaft so as to accommodate changes of shaft length due to bending of the tube.