Single-use endoscope with built-in optical fibers and fixtures
Inventors
Wei, Xibo • Liu, Geping • Wei, XiYi
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11129519-B2
Publication Date
2021-09-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
This present invention proposes new methods of designing single-use endoscopes with built-in optical fibers and operating fixtures. As compared to conventional endoscopes, a separate lumen is reserved for integrating a laser fiber along the insertion tube of the proposed endoscope, and an optical fiber placement device (OFPD) is correspondingly added in the endoscope handle for controlling the movement of the laser fiber. By sliding the slider or dialing the wheel of OFPD, a surgeon can conveniently control movement of the laser fiber. By pressing a retractable control stick in the OFPD, the surgeon can either push the laser fiber out from the endoscope's distal-end or pull back the laser fiber, further unlocking or locking the power switch of the laser fiber to avoid mis-operations. All these above operations can be performed by the surgeon's one-hand, including the routine deflections and rotations of the endoscope. Four implementations of the OFPD are introduced in this invention. In addition, an ultra-small optical fiber based pressure sensor can be added at the distal end of the endoscope upon applications.
Core Innovation
An endoscope or medical tube is configured with an endoscope handle that can be controlled and operated with only one hand of a user, and an elongated conduit having a distal end configured and dimensioned for insertion into a patient's organ and a proximal end coupled with the endoscope handle. At least one optical fiber is partially embedded in and along the conduit and the endoscope handle and is partially extended out of the endoscope handle, where the optical fiber is movable in the Z and -Z directions.
The endoscope or medical tube further includes at least one optical fiber placement device for holding and moving the optical fiber in the Z or -Z directions, including a detachable optical fiber placement device inserted into a proximal end of the endoscope handle or into a proximal end of the working channel. The optical fiber placement device includes an optical fiber box fixture, an optical fiber holder movable in Z and -Z directions, an optical fiber slider that is slid-able by a human finger in both Z and -Z directions, a retractable control stick that actuates stepwise movement, and an optical fiber lock that slidably locks and unlocks the optical fiber slider.
To control laser activation, the endoscope or medical tube includes at least one laser safety switch in series connection with an external on/off switch for turning on/off an external laser generation source, where the laser safety switch is turned on once the retractable control stick is pressed and latched and otherwise is turned off. Additional disclosed implementations include an optical fiber placement device partially built inside the endoscope handle, a wheel-based optical fiber drive mechanism, marks to indicate distal-tip positions for laser therapy readiness, distal imaging and illumination components, an ultra-small pressure/perfusion sensing option integrated into the distal end/catheter, and heat dissipation related features using disclosed materials such as graphene nano-filler.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00020, and each specifies core coverage of a one-hand controllable endoscope or medical tube having a Z/-Z movable optical fiber and an optical fiber placement device with a laser safety interlock with an external laser on/off switch. The inventive features repeatedly include an optical fiber placement device architecture for moving an optical fiber and a laser safety switch turned on only when the retractable control stick is pressed and latched.
One-hand controllable endoscope or medical tube with Z/-Z movable optical fiber
An endoscope handle configured and dimensioned to require only one hand of a user for controlling and operating the endoscope handle, an elongated conduit with a distal end configured and dimensioned for insertion into a patient's organ and a proximal end coupled with the endoscope handle, and at least one optical fiber partially embedded in and along the conduit and the endoscope handle, partially extended out of the endoscope handle, and configured and dimensioned movable in the Z and -Z directions.
Detachable optical fiber placement device with finger-actuated slider and retractable control stick
At least one optical fiber placement device for holding and moving the optical fiber in the Z or -Z directions, where the optical fiber placement device comprises a detachable optical fiber placement device inserted into a proximal end of the endoscope handle or into a proximal end of the working channel, comprising an optical fiber box fixture, an optical fiber holder inside the box movable in the Z and -Z directions, an optical fiber slider slid-able by a human finger in both Z and -Z directions positioned outside a housing but coupled to the optical fiber holder via a coupler, a retractable control stick movable and latch-able in the Y and -Y directions and latch-able when pressed once in the -Y direction, and an optical fiber lock slid-able in both Z and -Z directions to lock and unlock the optical fiber slider.
Laser safety interlock enabling external laser on/off only when RCS is pressed and latched
At least one laser safety switch inside the detachable optical fiber placement device or inside the endoscope handle in series connection with an external on/off switch for turning on/off an external laser generation source, where the laser safety switch is turned on once the retractable control stick is pressed and latched and otherwise is turned off.
Internal optical fiber placement device implementation with integrated optical fiber box and handle-mounted control
An optical fiber placement device implementation partially built inside the endoscope handle comprising an optical fiber box as a fixture built inside the endoscope handle, an optical fiber holder inside the optical fiber box holding a section of the optical fiber and movable in the Z and -Z directions, an optical fiber slider with a sliding block slid-able by a human finger in both Z and -Z directions positioned outside the housing but coupled to the optical fiber holder via a coupler, and a retractable control stick through the sliding block and movable and latch-able in the Y and -Y directions with latch when pressed once in the -Y direction.
Wheel-based optical fiber placement device actuation coordinated with laser safety switch and position marks
An optical fiber placement device actuation mechanism using inner and outer drive wheels and a driven wheel to move an optical fiber in Z or -Z directions while coordinating a laser safety switch with an external on/off control, and using marks to indicate distal-tip positions for laser therapy readiness.
The independent claims focus on an endoscope or medical tube with an endoscope handle operable with one hand and an optical fiber placement device that moves an optical fiber in Z/-Z directions using a finger-actuated slider and a retractable control stick with an optical fiber lock, in detachable or handle-integrated form. A laser safety switch in series with an external laser on/off switch enables external laser activation only when the retractable control stick is pressed and latched, with additional disclosed drive alternatives and distal position readiness marks.
Stated Advantages
Requires only one hand of a user for controlling and operating the endoscope handle.
Prevents laser activation by turning on the laser safety switch only once the retractable control stick is pressed and latched and otherwise turning the laser safety switch off.
Enables turning on/off an external laser generation source using the laser safety switch in series connection with an external on/off switch.
Provides laser therapy readiness indication via marks indicating distal-tip positions.
Documented Applications
Laser therapy readiness in an endoscope or medical tube using marks to indicate distal-tip positions.
Surgical treatment using laser generation sources associated with optical fibers.
Insertion of the distal end into a patient's organ as an endoscope or medical tube use context.
Medical treatment tools or medications delivered through a working channel connected with an outlet port and fluid handling via an irrigation port and working channel geometry.
Ultra-small pressure/perfusion sensing options integrated into the distal end or catheter as a disclosed sensing use.
Imaging and illumination at the distal end using disclosed image sensors and lighting sources.
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