Insufflating system, method, and computer program product for controlling the supply of a distending media to an endoscopic device

• US 9,987,439 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2012
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Endoscopy Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: United States Endoscopy Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Williams, Jr., Robert C., Kurzyna, Peter M., Wolcott, Kenneth E., Cushner, Jeffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): OSINSKI, BRADLEY JAMES
• Application Number:
  US13/402,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 13/003 Blowing gases other than for carrying powders, e.g. for inflating, dilating or rinsing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0007 introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0225 Carbon oxides, e.g. Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3344 Measuring or controlling pressure at the body treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system, method, and computer program product for controlling the supply of a distending media (such as an insufflating gas) from a distending media source to an endoscopic device so as to prevent the excess venting and/or waste of distending media. More specifically, the present invention provides for the detection of a pressure level within a lumen of an endoscopic device and adjusts a supply parameter of the distending media based at least in part on the detected pressure level, and in some cases, on the relationship between the detected pressure level and a user-defined threshold.

Claims

1. An insufflating system adapted to be in fluid communication with a source of a distending media and an endoscopic device so as to deliver the distending media to the endoscopic device, the insufflating system comprising:

a controller;

a valve assembly in communication with said controller and in fluid communication between the source of distending media and the endoscopic device for delivering the distending media to the endoscopic device and adjusting a flow rate of the distending media delivered to the endoscopic device; and

a user interface, in communication with said controller and said valve assembly, for receiving a user input;

wherein the endoscopic device comprises a control portion operable by a user and configured to enable distending media to be sent through an insufflating flow pathway in response to a first user action via the control portion and further configured to enable distending media to be sent through a sensing flow pathway in response to a second user action via the control portion, wherein the insufflating flow pathway directs distending media from the source of distending media into an anatomical cavity, and wherein the sensing flow pathway directs distending media from the source of distending media to atmosphere,

wherein said controller is adapted to control said valve assembly to increase the flow rate to an insufflating flow rate in response to the first user action selecting the insufflating flow pathway, and wherein said controller is further adapted to control said valve assembly to decrease the flow rate to a sensing flow rate in response to the second user action selecting the sensing flow pathway;

wherein the first user action and the second user action are switchable with each other; and

wherein the user input comprises at least a first pressure threshold and a second pressure threshold, wherein the first pressure threshold comprises a low pressure transition point and the second pressure threshold comprises a high pressure transition point,

and

further wherein said controller is adapted to control said valve assembly to increase the flow rate from a sensing flow rate to an insufflating flow rate if the detected pressure rises above the low pressure transition point and wherein said controller is further adapted to control said valve assembly to decrease the flow rate from the insufflating flow rate to the sensing flow rate if the detected pressure falls below the high pressure transition point.

2. An insufflating system according to claim 1, further comprising a disposable tubing set in fluid communication between an output of said valve assembly and a lumen of the endoscopic device.

3. An insufflating system according to claim 1, further comprising a filter device in fluid communication between an output of said valve assembly and a lumen of the endoscopic device, said filter device selected from a group consisting of:

a biological filter, and

a hydrophobic filter,

so as to prevent passage of a pathogen from the endoscopic device to said valve assembly.

4. An insufflating system according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a display for displaying data selected from the group consisting of:

a volume of distending media delivered to the endoscopic device;

a volume of distending media remaining in the distending media source;

the user input; and

combinations thereof.

5. An insufflating system according to claim 1, wherein the insufflating flow rate is between about 1 and 20 liters per minute, and wherein the sensing flow rate is between about 0.05 and 0.5 liters per minute.

6. An insufflating system according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a pressure transducer.

7. An insufflating system according to claim 1, wherein said valve assembly comprises an electro-pneumatic valve.

8. An insufflating system according to claim 1, wherein the distending media is selected from the group consisting of:

carbon dioxide;

anti-spasmodic gaseous media;

relaxant gaseous media; and

combinations thereof.

9. An insufflating system of claim 4, wherein said controller is adapted to control said valve assembly to increase the flow rate to an insufflating flow rate if the detected pressure level is greater than the first pressure threshold, and wherein said controller is further adapted to automatically control said valve assembly to decrease the flow rate to a sensing flow rate if the detected pressure level is less than the second pressure threshold.

10. A method for delivering distending media to an endoscopic device in fluid communication with a source of a distending media, the method comprising:

delivering the distending media to the endoscopic device;

adjusting a flow rate of the distending media delivered to the endoscopic device in response to an on-demand user action so as to prevent excess supply and waste of the distending media, wherein the adjusting step further comprises;

receiving a first on-demand user action enabling distending media to be sent through an insufflating flow pathway, wherein the insufflating flow pathway directs distending media from the source of distending media into an anatomical cavity,

increasing the flow rate to an insufflating flow rate in response to receipt of the first on-demand user action enabling distending media to be sent through the insufflating flow pathway;

receiving a second on-demand user action enabling distending media to be sent through a sensing flow pathway, wherein the sensing flow pathway directs distending media from the source of distending media to atmosphere; and

decreasing the flow rate to a sensing flow rate in response to receipt of the second on-demand user action enabling distending media to be sent through the sensing flow pathway;

wherein the first on-demand user action and the second on-demand user action are switchable with each other;

receiving a user input for controlling the adjusting step, wherein the user input comprises a first pressure threshold and a second pressure threshold; and

wherein the first pressure threshold comprises a low pressure transition point and the second pressure threshold comprises a high pressure transition point, and wherein the adjusting step comprises adjusting a flow rate of the distending media in response to the low pressure transition point and the high pressure transition point, and

wherein the adjusting step further comprises;

increasing the flow rate from a sensing flow rate to an insufflating flow rate if the detected pressure rises above the low pressure transition point; and

decreasing the flow rate from the insufflating flow rate to the sensing flow rate if the detected pressure falls below the high pressure transition point.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising filtering a fluid pathway between the source and the endoscopic device so as to prevent passage of a pathogen from the endoscopic device to the source of the distending media.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the insufflating flow rate is between about 1 and 20 liters per minute, and wherein the sensing flow rate is between about 0.05 and 0.5 liters per minute.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the adjusting step further comprises:

increasing the flow rate to an insufflating flow rate if the detected pressure is greater than the first pressure threshold; and

decreasing the flow rate to a sensing flow rate if the detected pressure is less than the second pressure threshold.

14. A computer program product capable of controlling an insufflating device in fluid communication between a source of a distending media and an endoscopic device so as to be capable of delivering the distending media to the endoscopic device, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising instructions for performing the following steps:

delivering the distending media to the endoscopic device

adjusting a flow rate of the distending media delivered to the endoscopic device in response to an on-demand user action so as to prevent excess supply and waste of the distending media, wherein the adjusting step further comprises;

receiving a first on-demand user action enabling distending media to be sent through an insufflating flow pathway, wherein the insufflating flow pathway directs distending media from the source of distending media into an anatomical cavity,

increasing the flow rate to an insufflating flow rate in response to receipt of the first on-demand user action selecting the insufflating flow pathway;

receiving a second on-demand user action enabling distending media to be sent through a sensing flow pathway, wherein the sensing flow pathway directs distending media from the source of distending media to atmosphere; and

decreasing the flow rate to a sensing flow rate in response to receipt of the second on-demand user action selecting the sensing flow pathway;

wherein the first on-demand user action and the second on-demand user action are switchable with each other;

and wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise instructions for performing receiving a user input for controlling the adjusting step, and the user input comprises at least a first pressure threshold and a second pressure threshold;

further wherein the first pressure threshold comprises a low pressure transition point and the second pressure threshold comprises a high pressure transition point, and wherein the adjusting step comprises adjusting a flow rate of the distending media in response to the low pressure transition point and the high pressure transition point, and wherein the adjusting step further comprises;

increasing the flow rate from a sensing flow rate to an insufflating flow rate if the detected pressure rises above the low pressure transition point; and

decreasing the flow rate from the insufflating flow rate to the sensing flow rate if the detected pressure falls below the high pressure transition point.

15. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the insufflating flow rate is between about 1 and 20 liters per minute, and wherein the sensing flow rate is between about 0.05 and 0.5 liters per minute.

16. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the adjusting step further comprises:

increasing the flow rate to an insufflating flow rate if the detected pressure is greater than the first pressure threshold; and

decreasing the flow rate to a sensing flow rate if the detected pressure is less than the second pressure threshold.