GB2271283A

GB2271283A - Inflatable Surgical Speculum

Info

Publication number: GB2271283A
Application number: GB9221381A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Azim Fazal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-10-12
Filing date: 1992-10-12
Publication date: 1994-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 2012-10-12
Also published as: GB9221381D0; GB2271283B

Abstract

An inflatable speculum especially a vaginal speculum for dilating a body passage or cavity is described. The speculum comprises a tubular structure open at both ends, the structure being inflatable from a collapsed state to an inflated state when inserted in a body passage or cavity whereby the diameter of the tube progressively increases to dilate the passage or cavity. The inflatable speculum causes less patient discomfort than rigid metal specula. In one embodiment the speculum is composed of a network of hollow tubular members which also allows the walls of the body passage or cavity to be inspected when the structure is inflated. <IMAGE>

Description

SURGICAL SPECULUM The present invention relates to a surgical speculum for dilating a body passage or cavity, particularly the female vagina.

At present, dilation of the vagina is normally performed with Cuscoe's or Simm's speculae. Cuscoe's speculum is a rigid beak-like metal instrument which is not only uncomfortable for the patient, but obscures the walls of the vagina when inserted.

A speculum embodying the present 'invention comnr,s- a t ~ t~ structure open at both ends, the structure being inflatable from a collapsed state to an inflated state when inserted in a body passage or cavity whereby the diameter of the tube progressively increases to dilate the passage or cavity.

The walls of the structure preferably consist of a network of hollow tubular members interconnected and communicating with one another, the interstices between the members permitting inspection of the walls of the passage or cavity when the structure is inflated. The continuous internal air space formed by the network of members is preferably inflated through a single air inlet to one of the members.

One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which the sole figure is a perspective sketch of a speculum for dilating a vagina.

Referring to the drawing, the speculum 10 is formed of transparent, plastics material with long hollow vertical tubes 11 interconnected by short hollow bridging tubes 12 to form an open grid generally cylindrical structure. The tubes 11 and 12 communicate internally with one another to form a continuous air passage.

One of the vertical tubes 11 has an air inlet 13 which receives one end of a flexible tube 14, the other end of the tube 14 being fitted to a manually operated pump device including a bulb 15 which is repeatedly squeezed to pump air into the continuous air passage formed by tubes 11 and 12. This inflates the structure so that it assumes the cylindrical shape illustrated in the figure. The inlet 13 may include a valve to prevent the escape of air.

The vertical tubes 11 may have a degree of stiffness such that they are self-supporting even before being inflated. This assists insertion of the instrument into the vagina. Once inserted the tubes are inflated such that the vertical tubes 11 are forced apart from one another as the bridging tubes 12 inflate from a collapsed state to an extended state. The bridging tubes 12 in effect form a series of hoops which expand radially outwardly against the walls of the vagina as the pressure within each hoop progressively increases.

The interstices between the inflated tubes 11, 12 allow the physician to examine the walls of the vagina while at the same time the cylindrical structure formed by the tubes dilates the vagina to permit examination of the cervix and/or the womb. The deformability of the cylindrical structure allows it to conform more closely to the shape of the vagina than is possible with a rigid metal structure.

It is not essential that the vertical tubes 11 should themselves be inflatable since they may serve only as hollow passages to feed air into the expandable hoops formed by the tubes 12.

In one alternative embodiment" (not illustrated), the hollow tubes 11, 12 are replaced by continuous walls such that the speculum consists of a hollowwalled inflatable hollow tube open at both ends and having an air inlet.

Claims

1. A surgical speculum for dilating a body passage or cavity, the speculum comprising a tubular structure open at both ends, the structure being inflatable from a collapsed stated to an inflated state when inserted in a body passage or cavity whereby the diameter of the tube progressively increases to dilate the passage or cavity.

2. A speculum according to claim 1 in which the structure consists of a network of hollow tubular members interconnected and communicating with one another, the interstices between the members permitting inspection of the walls of the passage or cavity when the structure is inflated.

3. A speculum according to claim 2 in which the continuous internal air space formed by the network of hollow members is inflated through a single air inlet to one of the members.

4. A speculum according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the hollow tubular members are transparent.

5. A speculum according to any one of the claims 2-4 in which the hollow tubular members include a plurality of parallel self-supporting members extending the length of the structure and a plurality of expandable rings interconnecting the self-supporting members at spaced intervals along the length of the structure.

6. A speculum according to claim 1 in which the tubular structure consists of a hollcwwalled inflatable hollow tube.

7. A surgical speculum for dilating a body passage or cavity and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.