Ear visualization and treatment system

Inventors

Bendory, Ehud • Bendory, Eran

Assignees

3NT Medical Ltd

Abstract

A device for visualizing and providing suction for a surgical procedure in an ear may include a handle, a main shaft extending from the handle, an imaging sensor at a distal end of the main shaft, a light source at the distal end of the main shaft, and a suction shaft extending from the handle. The device may also include a spring coupled with the suction shaft and/or the handle, such that when the suction shaft is advanced in a distal direction and then released, the suction shaft retracts automatically. The suction shaft may have a distal curved portion, and the device may have a thumb depress portion that allows a user to spin the suction shaft to suction in different directions. Some embodiments may include a suction shaft with a sharp distal tip that is configured for placing an ear tube in the tympanic membrane.

Core Innovation

The disclosure describes an ear visualization device and method that combine a handheld visualization device with a rigid suction shaft for facilitating a surgical procedure in a patient. The device includes a rigid visualization shaft coupled with a rigid suction shaft, where the rigid suction shaft passes through a first suction shaft guide tube located external, to the side of, and parallel with the rigid visualization shaft. A camera in the rigid visualization shaft views an anatomical structure while suction is applied via an opening in the distal end of the rigid suction shaft.

The method advances the distal end of the rigid visualization shaft to a location in the patient where the surgical procedure is to be performed, and advances the rigid suction shaft through the first suction shaft guide tube to position the distal end beyond the distal end of the rigid visualization shaft. Suction is applied at the location via the opening in the distal end of the rigid suction shaft, while continuing to view and apply suction during the surgical procedure. The disclosure further specifies suction and actuation arrangements, including manual control and mechanically defined advancement and retraction using a thumb depress member and a spring.

Directional suction is provided by embodiments having a curved distal suction tip, where spinning a thumb depress member spins the curved distal tip inside the patient to provide suction in a different direction. The disclosure also describes optional integration for ear tube placement using a sharp distal suction tip and a proximal stop, and embodiments that enable camera rolling and rotation relative to the suction tube using coupler and sheath arrangements. Example locations include a middle ear, including advancing the distal end through a tympanic membrane.

Claims Coverage

The partial content provides one independent claim and multiple dependent refinements. The independent claim covers at least five main inventive features: one-handed holding of the visualization device, parallel guided rigid suction positioning relative to the rigid visualization shaft, viewing with a camera in the rigid visualization shaft, applying suction through a distal suction opening, and advancing the rigid suction shaft beyond the distal visualization shaft while continuing suction and viewing during the surgical procedure.

Across the independent method claim and its dependents described in the partial content, the core coverage centers on maintaining simultaneous visualization and suction using a rigid suction shaft guided parallel to a rigid visualization shaft, with the suction distal end positioned beyond the visualization distal end during performance of the surgical procedure. Dependent refinements explicitly add thumb-controlled suction actuation and retraction, manual finger control of suction via a port, dimensional constraints on shaft outer diameters, directional suction using a curved distal suction tip spun by thumb actuation, and middle-ear use including advancement through a tympanic membrane.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications