Intra-abdominal medical method and associated device

• US 20060229653A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WILK Patent LLC
• Original Assignee: WILK Patent LLC
• Inventors: Wilk, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00135 Oversleeves mounted on the endoscope prior to insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3474 Insufflating needles, e.g. Veress needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00278 Transorgan operations, e.g. transgastric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3445 used as instrument channel for multiple instruments catheters A61B2017/22072
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3488 Fixation to inner organ or inner body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound

Abstract

In a surgical method, a hollow needle is inserted into a hollow internal organ of a patient through a natural body opening. A wireless scanning apparatus is operated externally of the patient to obtain data as to internal structures of the patient on a side of a wall of the organ opposite the body cavity. A distal tip or free end of the needle is passed through the wall of the organ only upon detecting, via the wireless scanning apparatus, an absence of internal organic tissues of the patient in contact with the wall of the organ on the side of the organ opposite the body cavity. Upon the passing of the distal tip or free end of the needle through the wall of the organ, pressurized CO2 gas is conveyed through the needle into the patient on the side of the wall opposite the body cavity. The needle may be connected to the distal end of an elongate flexible hollow shaft and an endoscope may be optionally used to view the needle deployment procedure.

Claims

1. A surgical method comprising:

inserting a hollow needle into a hollow internal organ of a patient, said organ communicating with the ambient environment via a natural body opening, said organ defining an internal body cavity, said needle being inserted into said organ through said natural body opening;

operating a wireless scanning apparatus externally of the patient to obtain data as to internal structures of the patient on a side of a wall of said organ opposite said body cavity;

passing a distal tip or free end of said needle through said wall of said organ only upon detecting, via said wireless scanning apparatus, an absence of internal organic tissues of the patient in contact with said wall of said organ on the side of said organ opposite said body cavity; and

upon the passing of the distal tip or free end of said needle through said wall of said organ, conveying a pressurized fluid through said needle into the patient on the side of said wall opposite said body cavity.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said needle is located at a distal end of an elongate flexible shaft member, further comprising inserting said needle into the patient along a nonlinear path having at least one bend or turn.

3. The method defined in claim 2, further comprising inserting a distal end portion of an endoscope insertion member into said hollow internal organ and using said endoscope to view said wall of said hollow internal organ from said body cavity, said endoscope having a sheath with a longitudinally extending channel, said needle being inserted into said body cavity via said channel.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said wireless scanning apparatus is an ultrasound apparatus, further comprising transmitting ultrasonic pressure waves into the patient and sensing echo waveforms reflected from internal tissues of the patient.

5. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising inserting a distal end portion of an endoscope insertion member into said hollow internal organ and using said endoscope to view said wall of said hollow internal organ from said body cavity.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the passing of said distal tip or free end of said needle through said wall results in a perforation in said wall, further comprising:

removing said needle from said wall;

inserting a port element in a collapsed configuration into said body cavity;

deploying said port element in said organ wall so that parts of said port element are disposed on opposing sides of said wall; and

after the deploying of said port element, expanding said parts of said port element into expanded configurations so that said wall is sandwiched between the expanded port element parts.

7. A surgical method comprising:

inserting a hollow needle into a hollow internal organ of a patient, said organ communicating with the ambient environment via a natural body opening, said organ defining an internal body cavity, said needle being inserted into said organ through said natural body opening, said needle being located at a distal end of an elongate flexible shaft member, the inserting of said needle into the patient including passing said needle and a distal end portion of said shaft member along a nonlinear path having at least one bend or turn;

inserting a distal or free end of said needle through a wall of said organ; and

upon a passage of said distal or free tip of said needle through said wall of said organ, conveying a pressurized fluid through said needle into the patient on the side of said wall opposite said body cavity.

8. The method defined in claim 7, further comprising inserting a distal end portion of an endoscope insertion member into said hollow internal organ and using said endoscope to view said wall of said hollow internal organ from said body cavity.

9. The method defined in claim 8 wherein said endoscope has a sheath with a longitudinally extending channel, said needle being inserted into said body cavity via said channel.

10. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the passing of said distal tip or free end of said needle through said wall results in a perforation in said wall, further comprising:

removing said needle from said wall;

inserting a port element in a collapsed configuration into said body cavity;

deploying said port element in said organ wall so that parts of said port element are disposed on opposing sides of said wall; and

after the deploying of said port element, expanding said parts of said port element into expanded configurations so that said wall is sandwiched between the expanded port element parts.

11. A surgical device comprising:

an elongate flexible hollow shaft or tube;

a hollow needle connected to one end of said shaft or tube; and

coupling means at an opposite end of said shaft or tube for operatively connecting said shaft or tube and concomitantly said needle to a source of pressurized carbon dioxide gas.

12. The device defined in claim 11 wherein the shaft or tube is insertable though a working channel associated with a flexible endoscope.

13. A surgical kit comprising:

a surgical instrument having an elongate flexible hollow shaft and a hollow needle disposed at a distal end of said shaft; and

a port element with parts disposable on opposite sides of a body organ wall, said port element having an aperture enabling passage of a distal end portion of an elongate medical instrument into a body cavity through the body organ wall.

14. The surgical kit defined in claim 13 wherein said port element has a collapsed insertion configuration and an expanded use configuration.

15. The surgical kit defined in claim 13, further comprising said medical instrument, said medical instrument having an elongate flexible shaft and an operative tip at a distal end thereof, said operative tip being different from a needle.

16. The surgical kit defined in claim 13 wherein said shaft is insertable though a working channel associated with a flexible endoscope.

17. The surgical kit defined in claim 13 wherein said shaft is provided at a proximal end with a coupling element for operatively connecting said shaft and concomitantly said needle to a source of pressurized carbon dioxide gas.