ENDOSCOPE INCLUDING A VARIABLE STATE OPTICAL MEMBER

• US 20110105847A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Dayton, Peter L.
• Application Number:
  US12/917,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20110105847A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/165
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0019 characterised by variable lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus may include an elongate member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. A variable state optical member may be coupled within the distal end portion of the elongate member. The variable state optical member may include a first configuration and a second configuration different from the first configuration. An imager may be disposed within the distal end portion of the elongate member. The imager may be configured to produce an imaging signal associated with a tissue distal to the elongate member when the variable state optical member is in the first configuration. The imager may be also configured to produce an imaging signal associated with a tissue lateral to the elongate member when the variable state optical member is in the second configuration.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an elongate member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

a variable state optical member coupled within the distal end portion of the elongate member, the variable state optical member having a first configuration and a second configuration different from the first configuration; and

an imager disposed within the distal end portion of the elongate member, the imager being configured to produce an imaging signal associated with a tissue distal to the elongate member when the variable state optical member is in the first configuration, and wherein the imager is further configured to produce an imaging signal associated with a tissue lateral to the elongate member when the variable state optical member is in the second configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable state optical member is configured to reflect optical energy when the variable state optical member is in the first configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable state optical member is configured to pass optical energy through the variable state optical member when the variable state optical member is in the second configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable state optical member is configured to absorb optical energy when the variable state optical member is in the first configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable state optical member includes a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the imager and the first end portion of the variable state optical member being separated by a first distance, and the imager and the second end portion of the variable state optical member being separated by a second distance less than the first distance.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of the elongate member defines a distal aperture and a side aperture, the apparatus further comprising:

a first lens fixedly disposed within the distal aperture of the elongate member; and

a second lens fixedly disposed within the side aperture of the elongate member.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable state optical member is configured to be moved between a first position and a second position different from the first position, and wherein the imager is configured to produce an imaging signal associated with a tissue disposed between the tissue distal to the elongate member and the tissue lateral to the elongate member.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

an elongate member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion of the elongate member being configured to be inserted into a patient and defining a distal aperture and a side aperture;

a first variable state optical member coupled within the distal end portion of the elongate member, the first variable state optical member having a first configuration and a second configuration different than the first configuration and configured to reflect optical energy from the distal aperture when the first variable state optical member is in its first configuration; and

a second variable state optical member coupled within the distal end portion of the elongate member, the second variable state optical member having a first configuration and a second configuration different than the first configuration and configured to pass through optical energy from the side aperture when the second variable state optical member is in its second configuration.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first variable state optical member is configured to pass through or absorb optical energy from the distal aperture when the first variable state optical member is in its second configuration.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second variable state optical member is configured to absorb or reflect optical energy from the side aperture when the second variable state optical member is in its first configuration.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

an imager disposed within the distal end portion of the elongate member, the imager having a first portion and a second portion different from the first portion, the first portion of the imager being configured to receive optical energy reflected by the first variable state optical member when the first variable state optical member is in its first configuration and the second variable state optical member is in its first configuration; and

wherein the second portion of the imager is configured to receive optical energy from the second variable state optical member when the second variable state optical member is in its second configuration and the first variable state optical member is in its second configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a first imager disposed within the distal end portion of the elongate member, the first imager being configured to receive optical energy reflected by the first variable state optical member when the first variable state optical member is in its first configuration and the second variable state optical member is in its first configuration; and

a second imager disposed within the distal end portion of the elongate member, the second imager being configured to receive optical energy from the second variable state optical member when the second variable state optical member is in its second configuration and the first variable state optical member is in its second configuration.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the elongate member defines an axis, the apparatus further comprising:

an imager disposed within the distal end portion of the elongate member, wherein an image plane of the imager is substantially parallel to the axis defined by the elongate member, the first variable state optical member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the first variable state optical member and the imager being separated by a first distance, the second end portion of the first variable state optical member and the imager being separated by a second distance less than the first distance.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the elongate member defines an axis, and wherein the second variable state optical member is parallel to the axis defined by the elongate member.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the side aperture is a first side aperture, and the distal end portion of the elongate member defines a second side aperture different from the first side aperture, the apparatus further comprising:

a third variable state optical member coupled within the distal end portion of the elongate member, the third variable state optical member having a first configuration and a second configuration different than the first configuration, being configured to reflect optical energy from the second side aperture when the third variable state optical member in its first configuration, and being configured to pass through optical energy from the second side aperture when the third variable state optical member is in its second configuration.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the distal end portion of the elongate member defines a third aperture between the distal aperture and the side aperture, wherein the first variable state optical member includes a first position and a second position different from the first position, and wherein the first variable state optical member is configured to receive optical energy from the third aperture when in the second position.

17. A method, comprising:

sending an imaging signal associated with a tissue distal to an elongate medical device while a variable state optical member of the elongate medical device is in a first configuration;

changing the variable state optical member from the first configuration to a second configuration after sending the imaging signal while the variable state optical member is in the first configuration; and

sending an imaging signal associated with a tissue lateral to the elongate medical device while the variable state optical member is in the second configuration.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the variable state optical member is a first variable state optical member, the method further comprising:

changing a second variable state optical member of the elongate medical device from a first configuration to a second configuration;

wherein the imaging signal associated with the tissue distal to the elongate medical device is sent while the first variable state optical member is in the first configuration and the second variable state optical member is in the second configuration; and

wherein the imaging signal associated with the tissue lateral to the elongate medical device is sent while the first variable state optical member is in the second configuration and the second variable state optical member is in the first configuration.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

moving the variable state optical member from a first position to a second position; and

sending an imaging signal associated with a tissue distal and lateral to the elongate medical device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the variable state optical member is a first variable state optical member, the method further comprising:

moving a second variable state optical member of the elongate medical device from a first position to a second position.