GB1078036A - Instrument for illuminating the interior of cavities - Google Patents

Abstract

1,078,036. Endoscopes. AMERICAN CYSTOSCOPE MAKERS, Inc. Aug. 21, 1964 [Aug. 29, 1963; Sept. 16, 1963; Sept. 27, 1963 (2); Oct. 10, 1963; Oct. 21, 1963]; No. 34398/ 64. Heading A5R. [Also in Division G2] An instrument for illuminating the interior of a cavity comprises a hollow member having an axially extending passage therethrough, and light-conducting means located between the inside and the outside wall portions of the hollow member and formed by a plurality of optical fibres extending from approximately the proximal end to approximately the distal end of the hollow member, the proximal end being adapted to receive light from a light source and the distal end being adapted to emit light to illuminate the interior of the cavity. A light-conducting sheath of a proctoscope comprises an outer tube 102 (Figure 5) containing a coaxial inner tube 104, the space between the tubes being filled with an annular optical fibre bundle 106 in which the fibres are bonded together and are arranged along the length of the tubes. The distal end of the bundle is a solid annulus, optically ground. At the proximal end, the fibres are gathered together to form a rod 120, the end of which is optically ground and extends outside the sheath. The rod terminates in a connector fixed to the mounting member 112 of the sheath for connection to a flexible light carrier 124 connected to a light source. The mounting member supports a telescope 140 and a handle 134. A cap 126 has a conduit controlled by a valve 128 for connecting an insufflation medium to the lumen of the inner tube. A laryingoscope is similarly constructed, but the tubes forming the sheath taper towards their proximal ends (Figure 18, not shown) and a bracket carrying the telescope also supports a breath deflector comprising a nozzle from which a curtain of gas is produced. A similar light-conducting sheath is provided in a suction device, the lumen of the inner tube being closed at the distal end by an apertured tip (Figure 52, not shown) and the proximal end of the lumen being connected through a handle with a nozzle connected to a source of suction. A urethroscope comprises an outer tube 236 (Figure 11) connected at its proximal end to a mounting member 242 which has a connection 250 for supplying irrigation fluid. The lightconducting sheath has a mounting member 228 which fits the mounting member 242 of the outer tube and may be withdrawn from the outer tube. An elongated tube of a telescope 206 (Fig. 14, not shown) may be inserted in the light-conducting sheath and connected to it at the proximal end. In a bronchoscope, apertures are provided in the sheath (Figures 23 and 24, not shown) and the mounting member for entry and discharge of breathing air and a telescope inserted in the sheath extends beyond the distal end of the sheath. Alternatively, in a surgical telescope or a cystoscope, the inner and outer tubes 524, 520 (Figure 30) of the sheath are eccentrically arranged to form a chamber 528 of crescent-shaped cross-section. A bundle 530 of optical fibres bonded together extends longitudinally of the chamber 528 and is formed into a rod which extends at its proximal end outside the sheath for connection to a light source. At its distal end, the bundle is located adjacent a polished metal tip 538. In the telescope, a lens system 554 is disposed in the inner tube. In the cystoscope, (Figure 34, not shown), the light-conducting sheath receives a removable telescope and, at the distal end, has a rounded tip adjacent a fenestra. The sheath may be mounted so that an electrical cutting instrument (Fig. 41, not shown) and a telescope may be passed through it to the site under examination and manipulated from the proximal end. The sheath of a choledochoscope is made in two sections 1112, 1114 (Figure 48) at an angle to one another. The tubes forming the proximal section are eccentrically arranged and those forming the distal section are coaxial. The light-conducting fibre bundle 1128 extends through the proximal section and the mounting members connecting the sections and fills the space of annular cross-section between a middle tube 1124 and a telescope tube 1126 in the distal section. A continuous telescope lens system is arranged in the inner tubes of both sections. Irrigation fluid supplied to a coupling 1162 at the proximal end passes through a conduit located between the tubes of the proximal section, conduits in the mounting members and in the distal section between an outer tube 1114 and the middle tube 1124. The inner and outer tubes of the sheath may be made of thermosetting plastic which, during heat treatment following the insertion of optical fibres between the tubes, fuses with thermosetting material, bonding the fibres together.