Endoscope with an insertion cord including an interstitial lumen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024252027-A1
Application number	US-202218289610-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 20, 2022
Priority date	May 21, 2021
Publication date	Aug 1, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

An endoscope ( 1 ) includes a handle ( 2 ) including a handle housing ( 2 a ), an irrigation inlet port ( 46 ) adapted to receive irrigation fluid, and an irrigation channel ( 42 ); and an insertion cord ( 10 ) extending distally from the handle. The insertion cord includes an insertion tube ( 11 ); a bending section ( 12 ) extending from the insertion tube; a distal tip ( 13 ) extending from the bending section and including a tip housing; a camera at least partially enclosed in the tip housing; interstitial space ( 26 ) within the insertion tube in fluid communication with the irrigation channel; and at least one interstitial flow opening ( 64 - 67 ) in fluid communication with the interstitial space and adapted to discharge the irrigation fluid.

First claim

1 . An endoscope comprising:
a handle housing comprising an internal space, the handle comprising two interconnected housing parts; an insertion cord having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end attached to the handle housing, the insertion cord including:
an insertion tube; and
at least one of a tubular body constituting a working channel, a wire and/or a wire pipe, the at least one of the tubular body, the wire and/or the wire pipe housed in the insertion tube;
a sealing body positioned in the internal space of the handle housing and comprising a sealing body internal space; and a tubular member or a tubular channel, comprising an outlet end and a fluid passage extending to the outlet end, the tubular member positioned in the internal space of the handle, the tubular channel formed by the housing parts, the outlet end being sealingly connected to the sealing body and configured to discharge a fluid into the sealing body internal space, wherein the insertion tube comprises a proximal end and an interstitial lumen between any present of the at least one of the tubular body, the wire and/or the wire pipe, said interstitial lumen providing a channel for flowing the fluid through the insertion cord, wherein the proximal end of the insertion tube is sealingly connected to, and is sealed from the internal space of the handle housing by, the sealing body, wherein the sealing body extends about the insertion tube and any present of the at least one of the tubular body, the wire and the wire pipe, and wherein the fluid passage establishes fluid communication with the interstitial lumen to flow the fluid to the interstitial lumen.

2 . (canceled)

3 . (canceled)

4 . The endoscope of claim 1 ,
wherein the insertion cord further comprises a bending section connected to the insertion tube, a distal tip connected to the bending section, an outer tubular sheath covering the bending section, and a fluid discharge opening, wherein the bending section includes an interstitial space and a fluid opening, the interstitial space being in fluid communication with the interstitial lumen to receive the fluid, and wherein the fluid opening is in fluid communication with the fluid discharge opening to discharge the fluid therethrough.

5 . The endoscope of claim 4 , wherein the bending section comprises segments including a distal segment, a proximal segment, and intermediate segments between the distal segment and the proximal segment, and wherein the fluid opening is positioned between any two of the segments or in one of the segments.

6 . The endoscope of claim 4 , wherein the fluid discharge opening comprises an opening in the outer tubular sheath or an opening between the outer tubular sheath and an exterior surface of one one of the segments.

7 . The endoscope of claim 4 , wherein the distal tip comprises a fluid channel having a proximal end in fluid communication with the interstitial space and a distal end, the distal end comprising the fluid discharge opening.

8 - 21 . (canceled)

22 . The endoscope of claim 1 , further comprising a pull wire, wherein the wire pipe and the pull wire constitute a Bowden cable, further comprising a pipe sealing extending around the wire pipe.

23 . The endoscope of claim 22 , wherein further comprising a sealing glue in the wire pipe and a slip means between the sealing glue and the pull wire.

24 . The endoscope of claim 23 , wherein the pipe sealing is constituted by the sealing glue.

25 . (canceled)

26 . The endoscope of claim 1 , wherein the sealing body is constituted by a single moulded body, and wherein the single moulded body is moulded in situ to seal in relation to insertion tube, the at least one of the tubular body, the wire and/or the wire pipe, and the fluid passage.

27 - 33 . (canceled)

34 . The endoscope of claim 1 ,
wherein the insertion cord further comprises a bending section connected to the insertion tube, a distal tip connected to the bending section, an outer tubular sheath covering the bending section, and a fluid discharge opening, wherein the bending section includes an interstitial space and a fluid opening, the interstitial space being in fluid communication with the interstitial lumen to receive the fluid, and wherein the fluid opening is in fluid communication with the fluid discharge opening to discharge the fluid therethrough.

35 . The endoscope of claim 34 , wherein the bending section comprises segments including a distal segment, a proximal segment, and intermediate segments between the distal segment and the proximal segment, and wherein the fluid opening is positioned between any two of the segments or in one of the segments.

36 . The endoscope of claim 34 , wherein the fluid discharge opening comprises an opening in the outer tubular sheath or an opening between the outer tubular sheath and an exterior surface of one one of the segments.

37 . The endoscope of claim 36 , wherein the fluid discharge opening is closed in a relaxed condition of the outer tubular sheath and opens when the outer tubular sheath is subject to a pressure of the fluid introduced through the proximal end of the insertion cord.

38 . The endoscope of claim 34 , wherein the distal tip comprises a fluid channel having a proximal end in fluid communication with the interstitial space and a distal end, the distal end comprising the fluid discharge opening.

39 . An endoscope system comprising:
the endoscope of claim 1 ; and a video processing apparatus.

40 - 56 . (canceled)

57 . An endoscope comprising:
a handle including a handle housing, an irrigation inlet port adapted to receive irrigation fluid, and an irrigation channel; and an insertion cord extending distally from the handle, the insertion cord including:
an insertion tube;
components extending through the insertion tube;
a bending section extending from the insertion tube, the bending section comprising a one-piece part comprising segments and hinges interconnecting the segments to each other, the segments including a distal segment;
a bending section cover;
a distal tip extending from the bending section and including a tip housing;
a camera at least partially enclosed in the tip housing;
interstitial space within the insertion tube in fluid communication with the irrigation channel, the interstitial space comprising space within the insertion tube not occupied by the components; and
at least one interstitial flow opening in fluid communication with the interstitial space and adapted to discharge the irrigation fluid.

58 . (canceled)

59 . The endoscope of claim 57 , wherein the at least one interstitial flow opening comprises a slit in the bending section cover.

60 . The endoscope of claim 57 , wherein the bending section cover overlaps the distal segment and is bonded to the distal segment or the tip housing at circumferentially spaced bonding sites with unbonded portions of the bending section cover disposed between the bonding sites, and wherein the at least one interstitial flow opening comprises a gap between an unbonded portion of the bending section cover and the distal segment or the tip housing.

61 - 62 . (canceled)

63 . The endoscope of claim 57 , wherein the tip housing comprises a distal wall and a circumferential wall extending proximally from the distal wall, and wherein the at least one interstitial flow ope

Assignees

• Ambu As

Inventors

• Sørensen Morten

Classifications

• A61B1/05

  characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion · CPC title

• A61B1/018

  for receiving instruments · CPC title

• A61B1/0057

  Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires · CPC title

• A61B1/0055

  Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements · CPC title

• A61B1/0052

  Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles · CPC title