Inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope with magnetic guide
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Publication Number
US-11684246-B2
Publication Date
2023-06-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
An inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope and method of operation is provided. The inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope may include a sensing device for capturing in-vivo images and one or more permanent magnets for magnetically guiding the endoscope, housed interior to a capsule-shaped body. The inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope may include an inflatable buoy attached externally to the capsule-shaped body. An inflation device may inflate the in-vivo capsule endoscope to reduce its specific gravity by injecting gas into the inflatable buoy, such that when the inflatable buoy is injected with an above threshold volume of gas, the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope floats in liquid. The inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope may be magnetically guided via its permanent magnets when exposed to an externally generated magnetic field. A reduced magnetic field strength and external magnet size may be used to magnetically navigate an inflated capsule floating in liquid than a conventional uninflated capsule.
Core Innovation
An inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope is introduced in an uninflated state into a cavity comprising liquid inside an organism. The capsule endoscope comprises a capsule-shaped body with one or more image sensors for capturing in-vivo images housed interior to the capsule-shaped body, and an inflatable buoy external to the capsule-shaped body. An ex-vivo inflation device positioned outside of the organism inflates the inflatable buoy inside of the organism by injecting an above threshold volume of gas to reduce the specific gravity of the in-vivo capsule endoscope, causing the capsule endoscope to float in a liquid cavity of the GI tract.
The inflated capsule endoscope is magnetically navigated by exposing one or more permanent magnets housed interior to the capsule-shaped body having a permanent magnetic dipole moment to an externally generated magnetic field. During inflation, the ex-vivo inflation device is attached to the buoy by an elongated tether that traverses at least a portion of the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract of the organism. After inflating the buoy, a releasing step separates the elongated tether from the capsule-shaped body, enabling magnetic navigation of the floating capsule endoscope.
Additional operating concepts include causing the capsule endoscope to float by injecting a volume of gas such that the density is less than or equal to the density of water, and causing floating by a combination of injecting a volume of gas and magnetically lifting the capsule using an externally generated magnetic field. The method can further include deflating the inflatable buoy by expelling gas such that the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope sinks in the liquid, and tuning a floatation height level by injecting or expelling gas to a desired volume or pressure relative to the liquid height.
The inflatable buoy can have a corkscrew-shaped surface such that the inflatable capsule endoscope rotates in a spiral motion when magnetically navigated through a channel, where magnetically rotating about a longitudinal axis propagates the corkscrew-shaped surface. The inflation buoy can also be positioned asymmetrically relative to a radial axis of the capsule body to orient the capsule-shaped body by inflating the inflation buoy.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims cover nine inventive features relating to ex-vivo tethered inflation, magnetic navigation, buoyancy control, and buoy geometry-driven motion and orientation.
Tethered ex-vivo inflation of a buoy by above-threshold gas to reduce specific gravity for floating
Inflating an inflatable buoy inside the organism using an ex-vivo inflation device attached to the buoy by an elongated tether traversing at least a portion of the GI tract, wherein the ex-vivo inflation device injects an above threshold volume of gas into the inflatable buoy to reduce the specific gravity of the in-vivo capsule endoscope so that the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope floats in a liquid cavity of the GI tract.
Magnetically navigating a floating capsule using internal permanent magnets exposed to an externally generated magnetic field
Releasing a connection between the elongated tether and the capsule-shaped body and magnetically navigating the floating in-vivo capsule endoscope by exposing one or more permanent magnets housed interior to the capsule-shaped body having a permanent magnetic dipole moment to an externally generated magnetic field that magnetically guides the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope.
Floating by density reduction to less than or equal to density of water
Causing the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope to float by injecting a volume of gas such that the density of the in-vivo capsule endoscope is less than or equal to the density of water.
Floating by combination of gas injection and magnetically lifting exposure
Causing the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope to float by a combination of injecting a volume of gas and magnetically lifting the capsule by exposure to an externally generated magnetic field.
Deflating the buoy by expelling gas to sink
Deflating the inflatable buoy by expelling gas such that the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope sinks in the liquid.
Tuning floatation height level by injecting or expelling gas to a desired volume or pressure
Injecting or expelling gas to a desired volume or pressure to tune the floatation height level of the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope relative to the height level of the liquid.
Corkscrew-shaped buoy surface producing spiral rotation during magnetic navigation through a channel
Wherein the inflation buoy has a corkscrew-shaped surface such that the inflatable capsule endoscope rotates in a spiral motion when it is magnetically navigated through a channel.
Magnetically rotating about longitudinal axis to propel spiral motion
Magnetically rotating the in-vivo capsule endoscope about its longitudinal axis to propel the corkscrew-shaped surface.
Asymmetric buoy positioning for orientation of the capsule body
Wherein the inflation buoy is positioned asymmetrically relative to a radial axis of the capsule body, comprising orienting the capsule-shaped body by inflating the inflation buoy.
The claim set focuses on operating an inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope by making it float through gas-based buoyancy control, including tethered ex-vivo inflation with above-threshold gas to reduce specific gravity followed by release, and by magnetically navigating the floating capsule using internal permanent magnets exposed to an external magnetic field. Additional inventive features cover floating via density constraints, combined gas injection with magnetic lifting, deflation to sink, tuning floatation height by gas injection or expulsion, and buoy-shape and placement features that create spiral rotation and orientation.
Stated Advantages
Reduced magnetic force requirements for navigating the capsule compared to conventional sunken capsules.
Improved imaging by suspending the capsule above the cavity floor/walls, reducing obstruction and glare/refraction.
Documented Applications
Imaging within the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract using an inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope having one or more image sensors while magnetically navigating the floating capsule.
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