Rotate-to-advance catheterization system

• US 20060206002A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Endo Technology America Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Endo Technology America Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Andrews, Richard M., Frassica, James J., Ailinger, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,377,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/101
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00071 Insertion part of the endoscope body A61B1/0055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/126 provided with means for cleaning in-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• 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 25/0021 characterised by the form of the tubing A61M25/0054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0113 Mechanical advancing means, e.g. catheter dispensers

Abstract

A system of rotate-to-advance medical devices including catheters, dilators, occluders, stents, suprapubic catheters and camera introducers configured with external screw threads and depending substantially on rotation for means of advancement and emplacement in mammalian genitourinary and gastrointestinal passages and organs.

Claims

1. A threaded introducer system for accessing a bodily passageway, said introducer system comprising:

a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending between said distal end and said proximal end, and a lumen extending from said distal end to said proximal end, said lumen being sized to receive visualization apparatus for visualizing structures disposed adjacent to said distal end of said tube;

apparatus for connecting visualization apparatus received within said lumen to said tube;

an external thread disposed over said distal end of said tube, said external thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when said tube is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of said tube about said longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of said tube along said bodily passageway; and

a powered drive for rotating said tube.

2. The threaded introducer system of claim 1, wherein said powered drive is configured to be attached to the flexible tube before insertion of the flexible tube into the bodily passageway.

3. The threaded introducer system of claim 1, wherein said powered drive is configured to be attached to the proximal end of flexible tube.

4. The threaded introducer system of claim 1, wherein said powered drive is configured to be received within the bodily passageway.

5. The threaded introducer system of claim 1, wherein said powered drive comprises a lumen for receiving the visualization apparatus.

6. The threaded introducer system of claim 1, further comprising user controls for activating the powered drive.

7. The threaded introducer system of claim 1, wherein said powered drive is configured to rotate the tube in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

8. The threaded introducer system of claim 1, wherein said powered drive includes a mechanism for varying the speed of rotation of the tube.

9. A threaded introducer system for accessing a bodily passageway, said introducer system comprising:

a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending between said distal end and said proximal end, and a lumen extending from said distal end to said proximal end, said lumen being sized to receive visualization apparatus for visualizing structures disposed adjacent to said distal end of said tube;

apparatus for connecting visualization apparatus received within said lumen to said tube;

an external thread disposed over said distal end of said tube, said external thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when said tube is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of said tube about said longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of said tube along said bodily passageway; and

a lavage system for irrigating the region adjacent the distal end of the tube.

10. The threaded introducer system of claim 9, wherein the lavage system comprises a lumen for delivering fluid to the region adjacent to the distal end of the tube.

11. The threaded introducer system of claim 9, wherein the lavage system comprises a lumen for removing fluid from the region adjacent to the distal end of the tube.

12. The threaded introducer system of claim 9, wherein the lavage system further comprises a fluid source.

13. The threaded introducer system of claim 9, wherein the lavage system further comprises a suction source.

14. A threaded introducer system for accessing a bodily passageway, the introducer system comprising:

a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end, and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end, the lumen being sized to receive an object to be transported through the bodily passageway;

apparatus for connecting the object received within the lumen to the tube, the apparatus comprising a rotary coupling attached to the tube such that the rotary coupling may rotate freely about the longitudinal axis of the tube while being longitudinally fixed to the tube; and

an external thread disposed over the distal end of the tube, the external thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when the tube is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of the tube about the longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of the tube along the bodily passageway;

wherein the rotary coupling comprises a collet rotatably mounted to the tube, wherein the collet selectively grips the object.

15. A threaded introducer system according to claim 14 wherein the rotary coupling further comprises a low friction lining disposed within the tube.

16. A threaded introducer system according to claim 15 wherein the low friction lining comprises a sleeve.

17. A threaded introducer system according to claim 14 wherein the low friction lining comprises surface coating.

18. A threaded introducer system according to claim 14 wherein the object comprises visualization apparatus.

19. A visualization system for deployment in a bodily passageway, the visualization system comprising:

a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end, and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end;

visualization apparatus received within the lumen of the tube; and

an external helical thread disposed over the distal end of the tube, the external helical thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when the tube is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of the tube about the longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of the tube along the bodily passageway.

20. A rotate-to-advance endoscope comprising:

an endoscope having a longitudinal axis and an exterior sidewall; and

an external helical thread attached to the exterior sidewall, the external helical thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when the endoscope is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of the endoscope about the longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of the endoscope along the bodily passageway.

21. A method introducing visualization apparatus into a bodily passageway, the method comprising:

providing a threaded introducer system comprising;

a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending between said distal end and said proximal end, and a lumen extending from said distal end to said proximal end, said lumen being sized to receive visualization apparatus for visualizing structures disposed adjacent to said distal end of said tube;

apparatus for connecting visualization apparatus received within said lumen to said tube;

an external thread disposed over said distal end of said tube, said external thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when said tube is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of said tube about said longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of said tube along said bodily passageway;

positioning the visualization apparatus within the lumen; and

rotating said tube with a powered drive.

22. A method for accessing a bodily passageway, said method comprising:

providing a threaded introducer system for accessing a bodily passageway, the introducer system comprising;

a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending between said distal end and said proximal end, and a lumen extending from said distal end to said proximal end, said lumen being sized to receive visualization apparatus for visualizing structures disposed adjacent to said distal end of said tube;

apparatus for connecting visualization apparatus received within said lumen to said tube;

an external thread disposed over said distal end of said tube, said external thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when said tube is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of said tube about said longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of said tube along said bodily passageway; and

a lavage system for irrigating the region adjacent the distal end of the tube; and

positioning the threaded introducer system within-the lumen; and

rotating said tube as desired so as to move the tube within the bodily passageway, and operating the lavage system as desired so as to irrigate the region adjacent the distal end of the tube.

23. A method for delivering an object within a bodily passageway, the method comprising:

providing a threaded introducer system for accessing a bodily passageway, the introducer system comprising;

a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end, and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end, the lumen being sized to receive an object to be transported through the bodily passageway;

apparatus for connecting the object received within the lumen to the tube, the apparatus comprising a rotary coupling attached to the tube such that the rotary coupling may rotate freely about the longitudinal axis of the tube while being longitudinally fixed to the tube; and

an external thread disposed over the distal end of the tube, the external thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when the tube is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of the tube about the longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of the tube along the bodily passageway;

wherein the rotary coupling comprises a collet rotatably mounted to the tube, wherein the collet selectively grips the object;

positioning the object within the lumen; and

rotating said tube.

24. A method for visualizing interior anatomy, the method comprising;

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

a flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end, and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end;

visualization apparatus received within the lumen of the tube; and

an external helical thread disposed over the distal end of the tube, the external helical thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when the tube is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of the tube about the longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of the tube along the bodily passageway;

positioning the visualization system in a bodily passageway;

rotating the tube so as to position the visualization system in the bodily passageway; and

visualizing the interior anatomy.

25. A method for visualizing interior anatomy, the method comprising;

providing a rotate-to-advance endoscope comprising;

an endoscope having a longitudinal axis and an exterior sidewall; and

an external helical thread attached to the exterior sidewall, the external helical thread having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when the endoscope is disposed in a bodily passageway, rotation of the endoscope about the longitudinal axis will result in longitudinal motion of the endoscope along the bodily passageway;

positioning the endoscope in a bodily passageway;

rotating the endoscope so as to position the endoscope in the bodily passageway; and

visualizing the interior anatomy.