Holding device, endoscopic device, and operating method of endoscopic device

• US 7,833,150 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation), Hironori Yamamoto, SRJ Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation), SRJ Incorporated
• Inventors: Takano, Masayuki, Kadouno, Yoshinori, Sakamoto, Toshio, Sekiguchi, Tadashi, Yamamoto, Hironori, Fujikura, Tetsuya, Machida, Mitsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak; Linda C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nia; Alireza
• Application Number:
  US11/094,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20050234293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,056 Days
• Field of Search: 600/102, 600114-116, 600/119, 600121-125, 600/227, 600/228, 600/231, 604/95.03
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00135 Oversleeves mounted on the endoscope prior to insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00148 using anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00149 using articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/303 specifically adapted for manipulations within body lumens, e.g. within lumen of gut, spine, or blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/57 Accessory clamps

Abstract

A hand operation portion of an endoscope is held by an endoscope holder of a holding device, and an insertion auxiliary member is held by an auxiliary member holder. The endoscope holder and the auxiliary member holder are slidably supported along a guide rail on a stage, and linearly moved toward a mouth of a patient.

Claims

1. A balloon control apparatus, comprising:

an insertion auxiliary member which is bendable and placed over an insertion portion of an endoscope to help insertion of the insertion portion, the insertion auxiliary member having a balloon for the insertion auxiliary member at a tip end thereof that expands and contracts by supplying and sucking air;

a holding device which has an insertion auxiliary member holder for holding the insertion auxiliary member and an endoscope holder for holding a hand operation portion of the endoscope, a driving device for the insertion auxiliary member to move the insertion auxiliary member in an insertion direction or a withdrawal direction, and a driving device for the endoscope to move the endoscope holder in an insertion direction or a withdrawal direction;

an air supplying and sucking device for the insertion auxiliary member which supplies and sucks air to and from the balloon for the insertion auxiliary member;

an operation device; and

a control device which controls, in accordance with operation of the operation device, driving of the air supplying and sucking device for the insertion auxiliary member and the driving device for the endoscope,

wherein the operation device includes a step advancement instruction device which instructs advancing of steps so that the predetermined operation steps advance in sequence and;

wherein the predetermined operation steps comprise;

a first step of moving, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the insertion portion in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount by driving the driving device for endoscope to move the endoscope holder in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount;

a second step of contracting, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the balloon for insertion auxiliary member by driving the air supplying and sucking device for insertion auxiliary member to suck air from the balloon for insertion auxiliary member;

a third step of moving, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the insertion auxiliary member in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount by driving the driving device for insertion auxiliary member to move the insertion auxiliary member holder in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount;

a fourth step of expanding, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the balloon for insertion auxiliary member by driving the air supplying and sucking device for insertion auxiliary member to supply air to the balloon for insertion auxiliary member;

a fifth step of moving, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the insertion portion and the insertion auxiliary member in a direction opposite to the insertion direction by a predetermined amount by driving the driving device for endoscope and the driving device for insertion auxiliary member to move the endoscope holder and the insertion auxiliary member holder in a direction opposite to the insertion direction by a predetermined amount; and

a sixth step of moving, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the insertion portion in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount by driving the driving device for endoscope to move the endoscope holder in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount;

where after the sixth step, the second to sixth steps are repeated in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps; and

wherein the control device controls, in accordance with the instruction by the step advancement instruction device, driving of the air supplying and sucking device for the insertion auxiliary member, the driving device for the insertion auxiliary member, and the driving device for the endoscope, so that the operation steps advance in sequence.

2. The balloon control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation device includes a mode switching device for switching operation mode to manual operation mode, an air supplying and sucking instruction device for instructing supplying and sucking air to and from the balloon for the insertion auxiliary member, a movement instruction device for insertion auxiliary member holder, and a movement instruction device for the endoscope holder to instruct movement of the endoscope holder, and

when operation mode is switched to the manual operation mode, the control device controls, in accordance with instruction by the air supplying and sucking instruction device, the movement instruction device for insertion auxiliary member holder, and the movement instruction device for instructing movement of the endoscope holder, driving of the air supplying and sucking instruction device and the driving device for the insertion auxiliary member, and the movement instruction device for the endoscope holder.

3. The balloon control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined operation steps further comprises a step of expanding, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the balloon for insertion auxiliary member by driving the air supplying and sucking device for insertion auxiliary member to supply air to the balloon for insertion auxiliary member, as a step previous to the first step.

4. A balloon control apparatus, comprising:

an insertion auxiliary member which is bendable and placed over an insertion portion of an endoscope to help insertion of the insertion portion, wherein the endoscope has a first balloon which is placed at tip end side of the insertion portion and expands and contracts by supplying and sucking air;

a second balloon which is placed at a tip end side of the insertion auxiliary member and expands and contracts by supplying and sucking air;

a holding device which has an insertion auxiliary member holder for holding an insertion auxiliary member, an endoscope holder for holding a hand operation portion of the endoscope, a first driving device for moving the endoscope holder in an insertion direction or a withdrawal direction, and a second driving device for moving the insertion auxiliary member in an insertion direction or a withdrawal direction;

a first air supplying and sucking device for supplying and sucking air to and from the first balloon;

a second air supplying and sucking device for supplying and sucking air to and from the second balloon;

an operation device; and

a control device which controls, in accordance with operation of the operation device, driving of the first air supplying and sucking device, the second air supplying and sucking air, the first driving device, and the second driving device,

wherein the operation device includes a step advancement instruction device which instructs advancing of steps so that the predetermined operation steps advance in sequence and

wherein the predetermined operation steps comprise;

a first step of moving, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the insertion portion in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount by driving the first driving device to move the endoscope holder in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount;

a second step of expanding, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the first balloon by driving the first air supplying and sucking device to supply air to the first balloon;

a third step of contracting, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the second balloon by driving the second air supplying and sucking device to suck air from the second balloon;

a fourth step of moving, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the insertion auxiliary member in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount by driving the second driving device to move the insertion auxiliary member holder in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount;

a fifth step of expanding, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the second balloon by driving the second air supplying and sucking device to supply air to the second balloon;

a sixth step of moving, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the insertion portion and the insertion auxiliary member in a direction opposite to the insertion direction by a predetermined amount by driving the first and second driving devices to move the endoscope holder and the insertion auxiliary member holder in a direction opposite to the insertion direction by a predetermined amount; and

a seventh step of contracting, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the first balloon by driving the first air supplying and sucking device to suck air from the first balloon;

a eighth step of moving, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the insertion portion in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount by driving the first driving device to move the endoscope holder in the insertion direction by a predetermined amount;

where after the eighth step, the second to eighth steps are repeated in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps; and

wherein the control device controls, in accordance with the instruction by the step advancement instruction device, driving of the first air supplying and sucking device, the second air supplying and sucking air, the first driving device, and the second driving device, so that the operation steps advance in sequence.

5. The balloon control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the operation device includes a mode switching device for switching operation mode to manual operation mode, a first air supplying and sucking instruction device, a second air supplying and sucking instruction device, a first movement instruction device for instructing moving the endoscope holder, and a second movement instruction device for instructing movement of the insertion auxiliary member holder, and

when operation mode is switched to the manual operation mode, the control device controls, in accordance with instruction by the first air supplying and sucking instruction device, the second air supplying and sucking instruction device, the first driving device, and the second driving device, driving of the first air supplying and sucking device, the second air supplying and sucking device, the first driving device, and the second driving device.

6. The balloon control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined operation steps further comprises a step of expanding, in accordance with a next instruction by the step advancement instruction device to advance steps, the balloon for insertion auxiliary member by driving the air supplying and sucking device for insertion auxiliary member to supply air to the balloon for insertion auxiliary member, as a step previous to the first step.