JPH11508459A - Endoscope with protruding member and method - Google Patents

Abstract

Endoscopes include an elongated endoscope body sized to be inserted into a passage, such as a tube, in a patient's body. The optical element is supported by the endoscope body, and the passage can be inspected within the field of view of the endoscope in a distal direction of the distal end of the endoscope body. An elongated elastic member is mounted on and supported by the endoscope body, forming an integral assembly that allows the endoscope body and the elastic member to be inserted together into the passage. The resilient member protrudes from the distal end of the endoscope body, contacts the material in the passage or the material forming the passage, and moves the material to the distal end of the endoscope body and within the field of view of the endoscope. To improve the inspection of the passage by the endoscope.

Description

Description: Endoscopes and Methods with Protruding Members Background of the Invention Endoscopes are widely used to view the internal passages of objects. An endoscope typically includes an endoscopic body and an optic supported by the endoscopic body and capable of viewing a passageway within the field of view of the endoscope at the distal end of the distal end of the endoscopic body. Containing the components. These optical components include, for example, illumination and visualization fibers within the endoscope body for directing light at the distal end and images at the proximal end of the endoscope body.

In industrial applications of endoscopes, endoscopes are used, for example, to view passages within industrial equipment. obtain. Endoscopes also have medical uses, where they view passageways within a patient's body. used for

Medical endoscopes used for angiography usually use a guide wire to traverse blood vessels. placed in the system. For example, a guidewire would first be placed in the blood vessel.

The lumen of the endoscope receives a guidewire, thereby guiding the endoscope to the desired position. can be moved along the wire. In addition, blood vessels that are completely different from endoscopes Shaping catheters are also known. It has a fixed guidewire that allows the operator to The catheter can be tracked and placed at the desired site in the vasculature.

One problem with these operations is that the passageways may bend, collapse, or is that it is difficult to see partially collapsed parts. In addition, Materials within the tract tend to interfere with viewing through the endoscope within the endoscope's field of view.

Efforts to solve this problem include removal or ablation of unwanted tissue. It is known to use a resection endoscope to Also, for example the rice of Auhll et al. As shown in US Pat. No. 5,207,213, an attempt to spray a substance from the distal end of an endoscope. It is also known to use nozzles with only one. However, these techniques are posed by a passage that is curved, collapsed, or partially collapsed It does not address visualization issues that are commonly used, and resection can injure and traumatize the patient. enhance sexuality. Similarly, for example, Hiltebrandt U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,585 These also include the use of techniques to radially separate the distal end objective lens of an endoscope so that it can be is not effective in dealing with the problem of

Endoscopes have also been introduced through a hollow sleeve with a sharp tip for puncturing the abdomen in laparoscopic surgery, as shown in Hiltebrandt U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,589 and Yoon U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,762. rice field. However, hollow sleeves and their sharp points are unsuitable for many surgeries and curved passages where tissue penetration must be avoided because of their rigidity. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves these problems. The present invention enhances viewing of passageways in which the endoscope is placed by relatively displacing the distal end of the endoscope and the material within or forming the passageway. This relative displacement of the distal end of the endoscope and such material widens the collapsed or partially collapsed passageway and displaces the distal end of the endoscope body from the wall of the passageway, resulting in visual obstruction. It is possible to displace material in the passageway, or to stretch the curved passageway portion. This can be accomplished with both industrial and medical endoscopes. For medical endoscopy, this can be achieved without increasing the likelihood of tissue penetration. Aspects of the present invention are applicable to any endoscope with or without a working channel or lumen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes an elongated endoscopic body having a distal end, the endoscopic body being a subject. It can be embodied in an endoscope sized to be inserted into the passageway of an object. be. An object can be a patient's body or an industrial device. The endoscope is It also includes optical elements carried by the endoscope body. This optical element allows Viewing the passageway through the end of the distal end within the field of view of the endoscope while the endoscope is in the passageway can do.

To achieve the desired relative displacement, the endoscope may be mounted on or on the endoscope body. an elongated member supported by the endoscope body and the elongated member co-located within the passageway; It is an integral assembly that can be inserted together. In this connection, the elongated member is endoscopic. It may be fixed in the longitudinal direction with respect to the scope body, or it may be substantially longitudinal with respect to the endoscope body. It may be mounted on the endoscope body so that it can be moved in the hand direction. However, when In any event, the endoscope body and elongated member are a unitary assembly that can be inserted together into the passageway. be. This unitary assembly contrasts with conventional guidewire devices.

In conventional guidewire devices, the guidewire is first placed in the vessel and then endoscopically. A speculum or catheter is slid over the guidewire to the desired site within the vessel. .

An elongated member protrudes beyond the distal end of the endoscope body to remove material or material within the passageway. can contact the material forming the passageway. The elongated member is the endoscope body. Visual inspection of the passageway with the endoscope by relatively displacing the distal tip and material within the field of view of the endoscope improve sexuality.

For applications where penetration of the wall of the passageway being inspected is not problematic The member may be rigid, if desired. However, most medical applications and for certain industrial applications, penetration of the passageway wall being inspected should be avoided . The elongated member may be made resilient to greatly reduce the possibility of penetrating the wall of the passageway. good. Elasticity allows the elongated member to flex elastically, removing the flexing force. It can return to its original stress-free state due to its resilience or resilience.

The elastic member is also flexible in the sense that it can be elastically deflected very easily. but not flexible in the sense that it is a length of string that does not have the ability to return to its original state. . Preferably, the elastic member is highly elastic and flexes fairly easily. As the elastic member bends If sufficient force is required, the risk of penetrating the wall of the passageway would be increased. . Since there are quite a few applications in which penetration of the passageway wall being inspected is In the following description of the specification, it is often called an elastic member.

For medical applications where tissue penetration must be avoided, or for For any other application where penetration of the workpiece must be avoided, the ends of the elastic member may be enlarged. preferably a distal tip. This enlarged distal tip provides a ratio for visual inspection. May have a smaller distal tip to provide a relatively large radial cross-sectional area . For certain medical applications, the distal tip extends at least in cross-section through the distal end of the endoscope body. It is preferable to have a maximum cross-sectional area approximately as large as the product. fallopian tube examination , the maximum cross-sectional area of the distal tip is approximately 0.15 mm and 1.2 mm. preferably between To further reduce the possibility of tissue penetration in medical endoscopy Additionally, the elastic member region at the proximal end of the distal tip may be made more flexible. stomach.

In some cases, this region becomes progressively more flexible as it approaches the distal end. It is better to

To further reduce the likelihood of tissue penetration, the elastic member can be easily flexed. , is so elastic that it returns to its normal unconstrained state when the bending force is removed. It is preferable to have A variety of materials can be used, but nickel-titanium alloys are the solid preferred for its elasticity.

The distance between the distal tip and the distal end of the endoscope body is selected according to the nature of the passageway to be examined. you can For example, for examination of the fallopian tubes, the distal end of the distal tip Approximately 1 to 15 millimeters from the distal end of the body.

Endoscopes may be rigid or flexible depending on their use. For medical applications, it is permissible It should be flexible and sized to be received within the desired body region of the patient. is usually preferred.

In one preferred embodiment, the resilient member is longitudinally fixed with respect to the endoscope body. specified. In a preferred construction, the endoscope body has an endoscope lumen and the elastic member Housed in the lumen. This is because the elastic member may separate from the endoscope body and remain in the passageway. has the advantage of reducing the The elastic member can be longitudinally mounted on the endoscope body in various ways. direction, but without an adhesive that bonds the elastic member to the endoscope body within the endoscope lumen. It is preferable to use Alternatively, crimp elastic members, fasten fasteners or other mechanical techniques. It may be fixed to the endoscope body by surgery.

In one preferred construction, the endoscope body has a proximal end and the endoscope lumen extends proximally. It extends through the endoscope body from the end to the distal end. The endoscope is positioned at the proximal end of the endoscope lumen Including a hub connected to the endoscope body in the vicinity thereof with a resilient member extending through the endoscope lumen. It's running into the hub. It is best to apply an adhesive to the hub that bonds the elastic member to the hub. stomach. If the endoscope contains illumination and viewing fibers, these fibers It is preferable that it penetrates into the hub through the main body.

Various other techniques can also be used to attach the elastic member onto the endoscope body. . For example, a clip that allows the elastic member to be clipped to the outer surface of the endoscope body. A pop-on assembly may be coupled to the elastic member. Similarly, if the endoscope lumen A separate lumen near the plane that does not extend the full length of the endoscope body. stomach It is also possible. In this case, the elastic member and the longitudinal axis of the endoscope main body are aligned with the endoscope. Radial offset at the distal end of the body. Decrease the amount of radial offset A resilient member is provided at the distal end of the endoscope body to bring these axes closer together. may be deflected distally.

The elastic member also has an endoscope for generally longitudinal movement relative to the endoscope body. It can be attached to the mirror body. This mounting method ensures that the elastic member and the endoscope body are actually one. an assembly of bodies that can be inserted together into a passageway to be inspected In this respect, it is different from sliding an endoscope along a pre-installed guide wire. It's becoming In this form of the invention, the endoscope body has an endoscope lumen and the elastic member is slidably received within the endoscope lumen. The endoscope also has a longitudinal axis within the endoscope lumen. It includes a controller mounted on the endoscope body for moving the elastic member in a direction. may contain. The controller is connected to an elastic member and slides over the endoscope body. It may include a movably mounted control slide. Alternatively, this The controller may have gears, wheels, pull wires or other Mechanical means may also be used.

Another feature of the present invention is that the elastic member is very easily flexed for insertion into the passageway. objects in or forming a passageway with the distal end of the endoscope body It can be made nearly elastic so that it can be used in displacements relative to the texture There is a thing. This can be done, for example, by using a material with a transition temperature This can be achieved by making In this case, the elongate member is above the transition temperature It will flex more easily at temperatures below the transition temperature rather than the temperature. Flexibility can, for example, give flexibility to elongated members, making them fairly easy to bend permanently or change. It can be obtained by making it possible to shape it. Arui the flexibility should be such that the flexibility is greater at temperatures below the transition temperature You can get it with Certain known shape memory materials, such as nickel-titanium alloys, It has this property and is flexible in the austenitic state below the transition temperature. Yes, but somewhat inelastic.

The transition temperature is at various levels depending on the properties of the alloy chosen for the elongated member. get. For medical applications, it is desirable that this transition temperature is approximately below the temperature inside the human body. may be wrong. This facilitates insertion of the elongated member into a body vessel. Able to flex and then above the transition temperature to be within the desired region of the body tube It is possible to increase the elasticity when the temperature is increased. Of course, the transition temperature The degree may be higher or lower. Transition temperature using various heating devices The elongate member may be heated up to . For example, by passing an electric current The material may be directly electrically heated, fluid may be passed through the proximal side of the elongated member, or heat may be applied. A thermal device may be provided.

Although the endoscope of the present invention can be used in many different applications, one important Applications include medical applications for viewing vessels or passageways within a patient's body. . In this case, the endoscope is configured such that the elastic member is positioned against the endoscope when it is in a region of the body canal. It will protrude from the distal end of the body and be advanced into the patient's body canal. Elastic member In embodiments in which the can be moved longitudinally relative to the endoscope body, the resilient member can move the desired length of the passageway. It need only protrude from the distal end of the endoscope body in a region. Endoscope body The distal end of the and the material in or forming the passageway is visible in the endoscope's field of view. Inside, they are relatively displaced using an elastic member. The distal end of the endoscope and the material are then phased together. An endoscope can be used to view the interior of the passageway during the relative displacement. within At least some of the displacement of the material at the distal end of the scope occurs radially, and this displacement preferably occurs as a result of contact between the elastic member and the material. this contact into the passage It may occur wholly or partially during the advancement of the endoscope. Elastic member can move longitudinally with respect to the body of the endoscope, the material and the distal end of the endoscope You may move to help your position or to do so. This method Can be performed in various tracts of the patient, e.g. vasculature, gastrointestinal tract, intracerebral neural tract, epidural tract and is particularly suitable for visual inspection of the interior of the fallopian tubes.

Another feature of the present invention is the ability to move the endoscope at least part way through the curve of the passageway. Most notably, the elastic member can be used as a guiding aid. This is 1 When using an endoscope in a passage containing one or more bends, such as the fallopian tubes important to

The invention, together with additional features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side view of an endoscope constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

2 and 3 illustrate the use of a conventional endoscope and the endoscope of the present invention near a bend in a passageway. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional fragmentary elevational view for comparison in use.

4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view generally taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1; FIG.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary axial cross-sectional view through the hub, proximal region of the endoscope body;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the distal region of the endoscope;

7-9 are fragmentary elevational views of the distal region of three different elastic members.

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional fragmentary elevational view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the distal region of an endoscope according to a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the main body in phantom lines;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary axial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the endoscope in which the elastic member is longitudinally movable; Description of the Preferred Embodiments FIG. The endoscope body 13 also has one or more illumination fibers 17 (four shown in FIG. 4) and imaging or visualization fibers 19 (FIG. 6), held within a bushing 22. and a GRIN lens 20 .

Endoscope body 13 is flexible and has a proximal end 21 and a distal end 23 . proximal end 2 1 is housed in an axial passage 25 of hub 15 (FIG. 5). strain relief A tube 27 receives an area adjacent the proximal end 21 of the endoscope body 13, where of strain relief tubing is also housed within passageway 25 . like urethane adhesive Adhesive 28 (FIG. 1) bonds endoscope body 13 to tube 27 . Endoscope Body 13 and tube 27 may be formed by any suitable method, such as urethane It is attached to hub 15 by adhesive 30 .

Illumination fiber 17 extends through passageway 25 from distal end 23 the entire length of endoscope body 13 . A leg 19 of hub 15 extending inwardly and adapted to connect to a light source (not shown). i.e. extending through the lighting connector. Similarly, the imaging fiber 19 is also connected to the distal end 2 3 into the passageway 25 for the entire length of the endoscope body 13 and the legs 31 of the hub 15 extends through. A suitable adhesive, such as an epoxy adhesive 32, is used to attach the foil. The ends of fibers 17, 19 may be joined to legs 29, 31, respectively. leg 31 It may be coupled to an eyepiece (not shown) for direct illumination or a camera (not shown). ) to display the image on the monitor. Hub 15 is of any suitable rigid material It may be made of any material, preferably a polymeric material such as ABS.

The optical elements of endoscope 11 are optional to permit visual inspection of vessels, such as regions within a patient's body. It can be of any kind. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, these optical elements are , an illumination fiber 17, an image fiber 19 and a GRI acting as an objective lens. It includes an N lens 20 (Fig. 4).

As explained above, in the description of the preferred embodiment, endoscope 11 is a Baci Shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,280 to ch et al., incorporated herein by reference. It may be substantially similar to the endoscope 11 shown in FIG. The endoscope of the present invention is The inclusion of an elongated elastic member 35 is a departure from the prior art. this In the embodiment, the elastic member 35 is longitudinally fixed with respect to the endoscope body 13. . The elastic member 35 extends axially or longitudinally from the distal end 23 of the endoscope body 13. Protruding.

The endoscope main body 13 has an endoscope lumen 37 (FIGS. 4 and 6), and an elastic member 35 Housed within the endoscope lumen. In this embodiment, the endoscope lumen 37 is Extending completely through endoscope body 13 from 21 to distal end 23, the elastic member It extends through the endoscope lumen to leg 31 of hub 15 .

In this embodiment, elastic member 35 is secured to epoxy 39 near distal end 23 (FIG. 6). and epoxy 32 (Fig. 5). fixed in the hand direction. Epoxy 39 is located closely to distal end 31, but , the joining of the elastic member 35 to the endoscope main body 13 is substantially arbitrary in the longitudinal direction of the elastic member. can be done at

The elastic member 35 terminates in an enlarged distal tip 41 (Figs. 1 and 6). . This enlarged distal tip 41 has a smoothly curved peripheral surface 43 which Far It is blunted at the posterior extremity 44 . That is, it has a non-penetrating shape. bottom Therefore, tissue is not perforated when the endoscope 11 is advanced or retracted within the passageway. Minimize the chances of passing. For example, distal tip 41 is spherical Alternatively, it may be approximately oval and may be made of polymeric material or stainless steel or may be made of a metal such as a nickel-titanium alloy.

The elastic member may also be elongated highly elastic strands or strands extending substantially along its entire length. or wire 45. In this example, if a high degree of resilience is desired, Ear 45 is made from a nickel titanium alloy. Due to the elasticity of the wire 45, the elastic member 3 5 becomes more flexible and can be easily flexed, but does not flex when the flexing force is removed. It is also possible for the solder elastic member to return to its natural stress-free shape. Wire 45 must be It is preferred, but not necessary, to have a lubricious outer surface. Outside this lubricity The surface can be coated in various ways, e.g. or impregnated with polytetrafluoroethylene, silicone oil, It can be obtained by coating with a suitable lubricating substance such as silicone wax. can. The distal tip 41 is a separate member attached to the wire 45. , or may be an integral enlarged portion of wire 45 .

In this embodiment, the endoscope 11 is flexible and can be received within a region of the patient's body. It is a size that can be More specifically, the endoscope 11 is designed for use in the fallopian tubes. in which case the distal tip 41 traverses the distal end 23 of the endoscope body 13 It is preferred to have a maximum cross-sectional area that is at least as large as the area.

In one preferred construction for fallopian tube applications, distal tip 41 is about 0.6 millimeters. It is preferred to have a maximum cross-sectional dimension of torque. Additionally, in this preferred configuration, the distal Distal end 44 of tip 41 is about 6 millimeters from distal end 23 of endoscope body 13. It's there.

FIG. 2 shows a conventional tube used to view the interior of a fallopian tube 49 having a curved portion 51. The usage of the endoscope 47 is shown. This conventional endoscope 47 has a reversing catheter 5 3 to a site within the fallopian tube 49 . This reversal catheter is Lowery U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,023, et al., incorporated herein by reference. It may be of the type that is As shown in FIG. 2, the endoscope 47 It has a field of view 55 blocked by a wall surface 57 of the curved portion 51 .

FIG. 3 shows a transvaginal route to the same area of the fallopian tube 49 by a reversing catheter 53. 1 shows an endoscope 11 of the present invention delivered through. More precisely, this introspection When the speculum 11 is in the desired region of the fallopian tube, the elongated elastic member 35 is pushed into the endoscope body. protrudes from the distal end 23 of the tube and into the fallopian tube 49 in the patient's body. Position in Fig. 3 The distal tip 41 of the elastic member 35 comes into contact with the wall surface 57 of the curved portion 51 when advanced into position. , displaces the distal end 23 of the endoscope and the wall 37 relative to each other. As a result, the field of view 55 is obstructed by the wall 57 of the bend 51 more than in the conventional configuration of FIG. becomes considerably less. Then, using the endoscope 11 to inspect the fallopian tubes 49 can be done. At this time, the distal end 23 of the endoscope body and the wall 57 remain relatively displaced. is. At least some of the displacement of wall 57 relative to the distal end of the endoscope body is Radial direction. Contact between distal tip 41 and wall 57 may be used to advance endoscope 11 or Contact occurs during retraction and also when the endoscope 11 is stationary within the fallopian tube 49. . Due to the enlarged rounded shape of spherical surface 44, the distal tip penetrated the tissue of the fallopian tube. It is less likely to be torn or damaged. A somewhat schematic representation of this property Figure 3 shows the endoscope 1 in other human tubes such as the gastrointestinal tract, blood vessels, neural tube and epidural tube. 1 as also showing how to use it. Also, the endoscope through the bending portion 51 11, in effect, the elastic member 35 guides the endoscope through the bend. It serves as a fixed guidewire inside.

FIG. 7 shows an elastic member which may be the same as the elastic member 35 in all respects not described here. The distal region of sexual member 35a is shown. Corresponds to the elastic member 35 portion of the elastic member 35a The same reference numerals are added with "a" for the parts that do. The difference between the elastic members 35, 35a A conductive member 35a is placed between wire 45a and enlarged distal tip 41a with epoxy or other suitable material. The only difference is that it has a fillet 61 of the correct material. Fillet 61 is proximal It tapers in the direction. that is, progressively in the proximal direction The cross section of the endoscope of which the elastic member 35a forms a part is retracted. designed to minimize injury to human tissue when

Figures 8 and 9 show elastic members 35b and 35c, respectively, for each bullet. elastic member, the region immediately proximal to the distal tip is the region of the elastic member immediately proximal thereto; is more flexible than In FIG. 8 this means that the wire 45b is far The diameter of region 54 gradually decreases as it goes distally toward tip 41b. achieved by reducing This region 54 is more sensitive than its immediate proximal region 56 also has a reduced diameter and terminates in a distal tip 41a. in Fig. 9 At , the increased flexibility is caused by winding the wire 45c into a coil 55 and expanding its ends. A distal tip 41c is provided with this coil adjacent to the unwound portion 56c of the wire 45c. This is achieved by In all other respects, the elastic members 35b, 35c are elastic. It may be the same as the sexual member 35 . Elastic members 35a, 35b, 3 in FIGS. 7 to 9 5c can be used with any of the endoscopes of FIGS. 1 and 10-12. can be

FIG. 10 shows an endoscope which is identical to endoscope 11 in all respects not described here. Mirror 11d is shown. A portion of the endoscope 11d corresponding to the portion of the endoscope 11 are denoted by the same reference numerals with a "d". The endoscope 11d has an endoscope lumen 37d. formed on the outside of the tube forming the body 13d and thus the elastic member and and the axis of the endoscope body 13d is at the distal end 23d of the endoscope body, the endoscope Differs from endoscope 11 in that it is radially offset from the position in 11 . Another difference is that the elastic member 35d bends distally of the distal end 23d of the endoscope body 13d. barbs 69 to bring the longitudinal axes of the elastic members closer together and to It is said that the elastic member is displaced so as to align the portion 41d with the axis of the endoscope main body. That is. In this embodiment, this amount of displacement causes the distal tip 41d to move from the body of the endoscope. It is a sufficient amount to be positioned almost directly in front of 13d. Of course, the bent portion 69 The degree of bending can be varied as desired.

FIG. 11 shows an endoscope which may be the same as endoscope 11 in all respects not described here. 11e. A portion of the endoscope 11e corresponding to the portion of the endoscope 11 is The same reference numerals are shown with an "e". The main difference between the endoscopes 11, 11e is that the endoscope 11e in the form of two snap-on or snap-on clamps 75,77 73 in that it includes a clip-on or clip-on assembly 73 . As a result, the elastic member 35e is clipped to the outer surface of the endoscope main body 13e, You can remove it from here. The clamps 75 and 77 are elastic and hold the endoscope main body 13 e It extends over half the circumference. According to the embodiment of FIG. 11, the conventional inner A scope can be modified to include features of the present invention. Clamps 75, 77 fixes the elastic member 35e to the endoscope main body 13e.

FIG. 12 shows an endoscope 1 identical to endoscope 11 in all respects not described here. 1f is shown. A portion of the endoscope 11f corresponding to the portion of the endoscope 11 is the same. are shown with the same reference numerals but with an “f”. The main difference between endoscopes 11 and 11f is that endoscope 1 1f, the elastic member 35f can move substantially in the longitudinal direction with respect to the endoscope main body 13f. It is attached to the endoscope main body 13f as follows. In this example, the bullet The elastic member 35f is slidably accommodated in the endoscope lumen 37f so that the endoscope uses the elastic member. A control slide mounted on the endoscope body for longitudinal movement within the endoscope lumen. It contains a controller in the form of an id 81 . The endoscope lumen 37f is the endoscope main body 1 It is open at the distal end 23f of 3f. The control slide 81 is attached to the endoscope main body 13 It is slidably mounted in a slot 83 at f. proximal end of elastic member 35f are bent to form tabs 85 . This tab is housed in the control slide 81. installed there. The elastic member 35f is adapted to slot the control slide 81. longitudinally with respect to the endoscope main body 13f by moving back and forth within the endoscope 83. can be moved.

All of the embodiments of the present invention are identical to those described above with respect to endoscope 11 with reference to FIG. can be used in the same manner. Furthermore, in the case of the endoscope 11f, the elastic member 35f During longitudinal movement of the body 13f or while the endoscope body is stationary, the endoscope This elastic member and the end portion 2 of the endoscope body are moved longitudinally with respect to the body 13f. Any object such as wall 57 (Fig. 3) which engages 3f and is moved against it A relative displacement between quality can be produced. For example, the endoscope main body 13f , the elastic member 35f is moved back and forth until the desired visual inspection inside the fallopian tube can be performed. can remain stationary within the fallopian tube 49 while

The invention will be described in relation to an endoscope for medical use, in particular an endoscope for viewing the fallopian tubes. However, the features of the present invention are applicable to industrial applications such as inspecting the passages of machines and equipment. Wear.

An optional feature of the present invention applicable to all of the above embodiments is to set the transition temperature to Elongated member 35 (FIG. 1) is constructed of a nickel-titanium alloy having a Allowing elastic members to flex more easily at temperatures below the transition temperature but not high is. For example, a temperature below the transition temperature at which the elongated member becomes austenitic degrees, the elongated member becomes flexible and somewhat inelastic. in the martensitic state At temperatures above the transition temperature of the elastic member 35 becomes elastic. transition temperature inside the human body slightly lower than the temperature of As a result, the endoscope 11 is transvaginally introduced into the fallopian tube 49. At this time, the elastic member 35 is within the reversing catheter 53 and disconnected from the patient's body. It is at a temperature below the transition temperature as a result of being heated. However, the endoscope Advancing, in particular, advances elastic member 35 distally to reversing catheter 5 . Heated by the patient's body by placing an elastic member in the fallopian tube outside of 3 , assumes its desired elastic state, is used for visual inspection and, if desired, further through the oviduct. can proceed to

While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Many changes, modifications and substitutions may be made without necessarily departing from the scope .

──────────────────────────────────────────────────── ──── continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Quick Richard Lee United States California 92679 Trabuco Canyon Falls River Road 32181 (72) Inventor Nguyen Hien Van United States California 92704 Santa Ana West Virtua 3106 Road Avenue (72) Inventor Nguyen Tuoc Thang United States California 92683 Westminster Topaz Treat 15881 (72) Inventor Greerith John Patrick United States California 92656 Alisovieyo Verdin lane 78

Claims (45)

[Claims] 1. An elongated endoscopic body having a distal end for insertion into a passageway of an object. and an elongated endoscope body that is sized and supported by the endoscope body to allow the endoscope to pass through the passageway. The passageway can be viewed distally of the distal end within the field of view of the endoscope when in the and an elongated elastic section supported by and attached to the body of the endoscope. a one-piece assembly that includes an endoscope body and an elastic member that can be inserted together into the passageway. The elastic member protrudes from the distal end of the endoscope main body to prevent objects in the passage. contact with the material or material forming the passageway, and displacing the proximal end and the material relative to each other to enhance endoscopic viewing of the passageway; An endoscope characterized by being able to 2. Claim 1, characterized in that the elastic member is fixed to the endoscope main body. endoscope. 3. the endoscope body such that the elastic member can move substantially longitudinally with respect to the endoscope body; 2. An endoscope according to claim 1, which is mounted thereon. 4. The elastic member is connected to the elastic member so that the elastic member can be clipped to the outer surface of the endoscope body. 2. An endoscopic device as claimed in claim 1, including a clip-on assembly. mirror. 5. 10. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the elastic member terminates distally in an enlarged distal tip. The endoscope of claim 1. 6. The distal tip is at least about the same size as the cross-sectional area of the distal end of the endoscope body. 6. An endoscope according to claim 5, having a maximum cross-sectional area. 7. The elastic member and the endoscope body are radially turned off at the distal end of the endoscope body The resilient member has a longitudinal axis set and the resilient member deflects distally of the distal end of the endoscope body. The elastic member and the axial line of the endoscope main body are brought close to each other by The endoscope according to item 5. 8. A region of the elastic member proximal to the distal tip is a region of the elastic member immediately proximal to this region. Claim 1, characterized in that the flexibility is greater than that of the region. speculum. 9. A region proximal to the distal tip of the elastic member gradually flexes distally 2. An endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that it has increased flexibility. Ten. An endoscope body has an endoscope lumen, and an elastic member is slidable within the endoscope lumen. and for moving the elastic member longitudinally within the endoscope lumen Claim 1, characterized in that a controller for is mounted on the endoscope main body The endoscope described in paragraph. 11. The endoscope lumen is open at the distal end of the endoscope body and the elastic member extends distally. 11. The interior of claim 10, characterized in that it terminates at an enlarged distal tip at speculum. 12. The controller is connected to the elastic member and mounted so that it can slide on the endoscope body 11. An endoscope according to claim 10, characterized in that it includes a control slide which . 13. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the elastic member has a lubricious outer surface. Endoscope. 14. An elongated endoscopic body having a distal end for insertion into a passageway of an object. and an elongated endoscope body that is sized and supported by the endoscope body to allow the endoscope to pass through the passageway. The passageway can be viewed distally of the distal end within the field of view of the endoscope when in the and an optical element mounted on the endoscope body and longitudinally fixed relative to the endoscope body. and an elongated elastic member extending from the distal end of the endoscope body. , in contact with material in or forming the passageway, and within the field of view of the endoscope. displacing the distal end of the scope body and the material relative to each other to direct viewing of the passageway by the endoscope; An endoscope characterized in that it can be raised. 15. An endoscope body has an endoscope lumen, and the elastic member is accommodated in the endoscope lumen. 15. The endoscope according to claim 14, wherein the endoscope is 16. An adhesive may be included for bonding the elastic member to the endoscope body within the endoscope lumen. 16. The endoscope according to claim 15, characterized by: 17. An endoscope body has a proximal end and an endoscope lumen extends through the endoscope body distally from the proximal end. A hub connects to the endoscope body adjacent the proximal end of the endoscope body. a resilient member extending through the endoscope lumen and into the hub; The endoscope according to claim 15, wherein: 18. Claims including adhesive in the hub joining the elastic member to the hub 18. The endoscope according to claim 17. 19. sized such that the endoscope is flexible and can be received within a region of the patient's body and wherein the distal end of the elastic member is provided with an enlarged distal tip 15. The endoscope according to claim 14. 20. maximum cross-section at the distal tip between about 0.15 millimeters and 1.2 millimeters 20. The endoscope of claim 19, having dimensions. twenty one. The distal tip is approximately 1 mm to 15 mm from the distal end of the endoscope body 20. An endoscope according to claim 19, having a distal end at . twenty two. Claim 2, characterized in that the elastic member is made of a nickel-titanium alloy. 19. The endoscope according to item 19. twenty three. Viewing passageways within a patient's body with an endoscope having an elongated endoscopic body with a distal end. a method of performing an examination, comprising advancing an endoscope into a passageway within a patient's body, the endoscope having a field of view; and protrude from the distal end of the endoscope body when the endoscope is in a region of the passageway. A step having an elongated elastic member, and utilizing the elastic member, an internal device within the field of view of the endoscope. relative to the distal end of the scope body and the material in or forming the passageway; displacing and relatively displacing the distal end of the endoscope body and said material and viewing the passageway using an endoscope between . twenty four. At least some of the displacement of the material and the distal end of the endoscope body is radial. 24. The method of claim 23, characterized by: twenty five. Claim 2, wherein the displacement step includes contact between the elastic member and the material. 3. The method according to item 3. 26. 26. Claim 25, characterized in that the contacting step occurs during the advancing step. the method of. 27. The passageway has a bend, and the elastic member is adapted for endoscopic viewing when the endoscope is near the bend. The elastic member protrudes from the distal end of the speculum body and is used to flex the curve during the advancement phase. It is specifically designed to at least help guide the endoscope at least part way through. 24. The method of claim 23. 28. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the internal passageway is a fallopian tube. 29. including the step of longitudinally moving the elastic member relative to the endoscope body during the displacement step; 24. The method of claim 23, comprising: 30. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the internal passageway is the gastrointestinal tract. 31. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the internal passageway is a blood vessel. 32. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the internal passageway is the neural tube. 33. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the internal passageway is an epidural tube. . 34. The elastic member has a transition temperature and the elastic member loses its elasticity at a temperature below the transition temperature. lose at least some, and heat the elastic member to a temperature above the transition temperature, The elastic member is above the transition temperature at least when the endoscope is at said region of the passageway. 24. A method according to claim 23, characterized in that the temperature is set at a higher temperature. 35. An elongated endoscopic body having a distal end for insertion into a passageway of an object. and an elongated endoscope body that is sized and supported by the endoscope body to allow the endoscope to pass through the passageway. The passageway can be viewed distally of the distal end within the field of view of the endoscope when in the and an elongated member mounted on and supported by the endoscope body. a one-piece assembly in which the endoscope body and elongated member can be inserted together into the passageway a body, the elongated member projecting from the distal end of the endoscope body to remove objects within the passageway; contact with the material or material forming the passageway, and displacing the proximal end and the material relative to each other to enhance endoscopic viewing of the passageway; An endoscope characterized by being able to 36. Claim 35, wherein the elongated member is fixed to the endoscope body The endoscope described in paragraph. 37. The endoscope body is positioned so that the elongated member can move substantially longitudinally relative to the endoscope body. 36. An endoscope according to claim 35, which is worn on the body. 38. Connects to the elastic member so that the elongated member can be clipped to the outer surface of the endoscope body 36. A clip-on assembly according to claim 35, comprising a clip-on assembly. Endoscope. 39. A claim characterized in that the elongate member terminates distally in an enlarged distal tip. 36. The endoscope of claim 35. 40. The distal tip is at least about the same size as the cross-sectional area of the distal end of the endoscope body. 40. An endoscope according to claim 39, having a maximum cross-sectional area. 41. An endoscope body has an endoscope lumen, and an elongated member is slidable within the endoscope lumen. and for moving the elongated member longitudinally within the endoscope lumen. Claims characterized in that a controller for adjusting the 36. An endoscope according to paragraph 35. 42. The elongated member has a transition temperature above the transition temperature wherein the elongated member flexes more readily at temperatures lower than 35. The endoscope according to item 35. 43. An elongated endoscopic body having a distal end for insertion into a passageway of an object. and an elongated endoscope body that is sized and supported by the endoscope body to allow the endoscope to pass through the passageway. The passageway can be viewed distally of the distal end within the field of view of the endoscope when in the and an elongated member attached to and supported by the endoscope body. the elongated member has a transition temperature and a transition temperature greater than the transition temperature an elongated member that flexes more readily at a temperature lower than the temperature, said elongated member protrudes from the distal end of the endoscope body and is the material within or forming the passageway contacting the material and displacing the material relative to the distal end of the endoscope body within the field of view of the endoscope. An endoscope characterized in that it allows for improved viewing of the passageway by the endoscope. . 44. Claim 4, characterized in that the transition temperature is substantially lower than the temperature inside the human body. 3. The endoscope according to item 3. 45. The elongated member is flexible at temperatures below the transition temperature and is flexible at temperatures above the transition temperature. 44. An endoscope according to claim 43, wherein the endoscope is elastic at a certain angle.