System for distending body tissue cavities by continuous flow irrigation
First Claim
1. A system for distending body tissue cavities of subjects by continuous flow irrigation during endoscopic procedures, said system comprising:
- a fluid source reservoir containing a low viscosity physiologic fluid;
a fluid supply conduit tube connecting the fluid source reservoir to an inlet port of a variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and an outlet port of the said inflow pump being connectable to an inflow port through an inflow tube for pumping the fluid at a controlled flow rate into the body tissue cavity, the flow rate of the said inflow pump being termed as the inflow rate;
an outflow port connectable to an inlet port of a variable speed positive displacement outflow pump through an outflow tube for removing the fluid from the body tissue cavity at a controlled flow rate, the flow rate of the said outflow pump being termed as the outflow rate;
an outlet port of the outflow pump being connected to a waste fluid collecting container;
a tube having a controllable constriction site provided between the fluid source reservoir and the inflow tube such that the tube by-passes the inflow pump, wherein the tube provides a route for any excess fluid being pumped by the inflow pump to bypass the inflow pump to maintain a constant cavity pressure in the body tissue cavity regardless of the outflow rate and without a controller operating the variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and the variable speed positive displacement outflow pump, wherein the constant cavity pressure in the body tissue cavity allows for endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of body tissue cavity walls; and
an endoscope having an imaging device for endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of the body tissue cavity walls while constant cavity pressure is maintained in the body tissue cavity.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a system and a method for distending a body tissue cavity of a subject by continuous flow irrigation such that minimal or negligible fluid turbulence is present inside the cavity, such that any desired cavity pressure can be created and maintained for any desired outflow rate. The present invention also provides a method for accurately determining the rate of fluid loss, into the subject'"'"'s body system, during any endoscopic procedure without utilizing any deficit weight or fluid volume calculation or flow rate sensor. The system and the methods of the present invention described above can be used in any endoscopic procedure requiring continuous flow irrigation few examples of such endoscopic procedures being hysteroscopic surgery, arthroscopic surgery, trans uretheral surgery, endoscopic surgery of the brain and endoscopic surgery of the spine.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for distending body tissue cavities of subjects by continuous flow irrigation during endoscopic procedures, said system comprising:
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a fluid source reservoir containing a low viscosity physiologic fluid; a fluid supply conduit tube connecting the fluid source reservoir to an inlet port of a variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and an outlet port of the said inflow pump being connectable to an inflow port through an inflow tube for pumping the fluid at a controlled flow rate into the body tissue cavity, the flow rate of the said inflow pump being termed as the inflow rate; an outflow port connectable to an inlet port of a variable speed positive displacement outflow pump through an outflow tube for removing the fluid from the body tissue cavity at a controlled flow rate, the flow rate of the said outflow pump being termed as the outflow rate; an outlet port of the outflow pump being connected to a waste fluid collecting container; a tube having a controllable constriction site provided between the fluid source reservoir and the inflow tube such that the tube by-passes the inflow pump, wherein the tube provides a route for any excess fluid being pumped by the inflow pump to bypass the inflow pump to maintain a constant cavity pressure in the body tissue cavity regardless of the outflow rate and without a controller operating the variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and the variable speed positive displacement outflow pump, wherein the constant cavity pressure in the body tissue cavity allows for endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of body tissue cavity walls; and an endoscope having an imaging device for endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of the body tissue cavity walls while constant cavity pressure is maintained in the body tissue cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of distending a body tissue cavity of a subject by continuous flow irrigation, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) dispensing a low viscosity physiologic fluid from a fluid source reservoir to an inflow port through a fluid supply conduit tube, a variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and an inflow tube; (b) providing the low viscosity physiologic fluid into the body tissue cavity for distending the body tissue cavity of the subject; (c) removing a waste fluid from the cavity via an outlet port through an outflow conduit tube, a variable speed positive displacement outflow pump and a waste fluid carrying tube; (d) providing a tube having a controllable constriction site between the fluid source reservoir and the inflow tube such that the tube provides a route for any excess fluid being pumped by the inflow pump to bypass the inflow pump to maintain a constant cavity pressure in the body tissue cavity regardless of the outflow rate and without a controller operating the variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and the variable speed positive displacement outflow pump, wherein the constant cavity pressure in the body tissue cavity allows for endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of body tissue cavity walls. and (e) performing endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of the body tissue cavity walls while constant cavity pressure is maintained in the body tissue cavity.
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23. A system for distending a uterine cavity by continuous flow irrigation during endoscopic procedures, said system comprising:
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a fluid source reservoir containing a low viscosity physiologic fluid; a fluid supply conduit tube connecting the fluid source reservoir to an inlet port of a variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and an outlet port of the said inflow pump being connectable to an inflow port through an inflow tube for pumping the fluid at a controlled flow rate into the uterine cavity, the flow rate of the said inflow pump being termed as the inflow rate; an outflow port connectable to an inlet port of a variable speed positive displacement outflow pump through an outflow tube for removing the fluid from the uterine cavity at a controlled flow rate, the flow rate of the said outflow pump being termed as the outflow rate; an outlet port of the outflow pump being connected to a waste fluid collecting container; a tube having a controllable constriction site provided between the fluid source reservoir and the inflow tube such that the tube by-passes the inflow pump, wherein the tube provides a route for any excess fluid due to physiological contraction of uterine cavity walls to bypass the inflow pump to maintain a constant cavity pressure in the uterine cavity regardless of the outflow rate and without a controller operating the variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and the variable speed positive displacement outflow pump, wherein the constant cavity pressure in the uterine cavity allows for endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of the uterine cavity walls; and an endoscope having an imaging device for endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of the body tissue cavity walls while constant cavity pressure is maintained in the body tissue cavity.
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24. A method of distending a body tissue cavity of a subject by continuous flow irrigation, said method comprising the steps of
(a) dispensing a low viscosity physiologic fluid from a fluid source reservoir to an inflow port through a fluid supply conduit tube, a variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and an inflow tube; -
(b) providing the low viscosity physiologic fluid into a body tissue cavity for distending the body tissue cavity of the subject; (c) removing a waste fluid from the cavity via an outlet port through an outflow conduit tube, a variable speed positive displacement outflow pump and a waste fluid carrying tube; (d) providing a tube having a controllable constriction site between the fluid source reservoir and the inflow tube such that the tube provides a route for any excess fluid due to physiological contraction of body tissue cavity walls to bypass the inflow pump to maintain a constant cavity pressure in the body tissue cavity regardless of the outflow rate and without a controller operating the variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and the variable speed positive displacement outflow pump, wherein the constant cavity pressure in the body tissue cavity allows for endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of body tissue cavity walls; and (e) performing endoscopic imaging and endoscopic visualization of the body tissue cavity walls while constant cavity pressure is maintained in the body tissue cavity.
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Specification