Method and arrangement for pre-cleaning an endoscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025082190-A1
Application number	US-202418883420-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2024
Priority date	Sep 13, 2023
Publication date	Mar 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for pre-cleaning an endoscope. The method including: fluidly connecting channels for transporting fluids within an endoscope to each other at a distal end of the endoscope, the channels extending from a respective connection port to the distal end of the endoscope; connecting a suction pump, to at least one of the connection ports or to the distal end of the endoscope; connecting at least one vessel that holds liquid to the at least one of the connection ports; and flushing at least one of the channels with liquid by activating the suction pump so that liquid is drawn from the at least one vessel through the at least one channel towards the suction pump.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for pre-cleaning an endoscope, the method comprising:
fluidly connecting channels for transporting fluids within an endoscope to each other at a distal end of the endoscope, the channels extending from a respective connection port to the distal end of the endoscope; connecting a suction pump, to at least one of the connection ports or to the distal end of the endoscope; connecting at least one vessel that holds liquid to the at least one of the connection ports; and flushing at least one of the channels with liquid by activating the suction pump so that liquid is drawn from the at least one vessel through the at least one channel towards the suction pump.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one vessel is fluidly connected to the at least one of the connection ports such that the at least one vessel is sealed liquid-tight from the environment that surrounds the vessel.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one vessel is fluidly connected to the at least one of the connection ports such that the at least one vessel is sealed gas-tight from the environment that surrounds the vessel.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one vessel comprises a vessel holding chamber with a vessel holding chamber volume for holding the liquid, and the vessel holding chamber volume reduces, during the drawing of liquid from the vessel to the at least one channel.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the vessel holding chamber volume reduces by the volume of liquid that is drawn from the vessel.

6 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the vessel holding chamber is completely filled with liquid at any time before all of the liquid has been drawn out of the vessel holding chamber.

7 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the liquid is drawn out of the vessel holding chamber until the vessel holding chamber volume reaches its minimal volume such that remaining liquid in the at least one channel stops to flow towards the suction device.

8 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein one or more of:
the vessel holding chamber comprises a plastic bag, and the vessel comprises a height-adjustable structure that reduces its height while liquid is drawn out of the vessel holding chamber.

9 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein when the liquid is drawn out of the vessel holding chamber, the connection between the suction device and the at least one connection port to which the suction device had been connected is disconnected.

10 . The method according to claim 4 , further comprising arranging a hydrophobic filter at each of the at least one vessel, wherein the hydrophobic filter is configured to allow gas to flow from the environment that surrounds the vessel via the hydrophobic filter into the vessel holding chamber of the corresponding vessel.

11 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein after flushing the at least one of the channels with liquid, the method further comprises flushing at least one of the channels with air by keeping the suction device activated after the liquid has been drawn out from the at least one vessel to draw air from the environment that surrounds the vessel via the hydrophobic filter into the vessel holding chamber of the corresponding vessel and further through the at least one channel towards the suction device.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluidly connecting the channels to each other at the distal end of the endoscope comprises arranging a container onto the distal end of the endoscope.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein when flushing at least one of the channels with a liquid, liquid is drawn from the at least one vessel through the at least one channel via the distal end towards the suction device.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the channels comprise one or more of:
an air channel that extends from an air channel connection port to the distal end of the endoscope, a suction channel that extends from a suction channel connection port to the distal end of the endoscope, a water channel that extends from a water channel connection port to the distal end of the endoscope, and an auxiliary water channel that extends from an auxiliary water channel connection port to the distal end of the endoscope.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising disconnecting a fluid connection between the air channel and the water channel, by arranging a sealing element at an air/water cylinder, for separating the air channel from the water channel.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , further comprising drawing liquid from the at least one vessel through at least one of the channels towards the suction device.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising checking, whether liquid is left in each of the vessels.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the checking is after a predetermined time of activation of the suction device.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein each of the vessels contains a code that is readable if no liquid is left in the vessel, and not readable if liquid is left in the vessel, wherein the patency of the channel that is connected to the vessel is determined by reading out the code.

20 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
assessing, whether liquid is left in each of the vessels, and depending on the result of the assessment, determining whether at least one of the channels is blocked.

21 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the accessing is after a predetermined time of activation of the suction device.

22 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein if at least one of the channels is blocked, the method further comprising determining which of the at least one channels is blocked.

23 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the fluidly connecting the channels to each other at the distal end of the endoscope comprises arranging a container onto the distal end of the endoscope, and the container is arranged on the distal end of the endoscope such that the distal end of the endoscope is one or more of sealed liquid-tight and gas-tight, from the environment that surrounds the container.

24 . The method according to claim 23 , wherein each of the connection ports is connected to one of the at least one vessel except for the connection port that is connected to the suction device.

25 . An arrangement for pre-cleaning an endoscope, the arrangement comprising:
at least one vessel that holds liquid, wherein the at least one vessel is connected to at least one connection port of a plurality of connection ports of an endoscope, the endoscope having a channel for transporting fluids corresponding to each of the plurality of connection ports, the channels extending from a respective connection port to the distal end of the endoscope; and a suction pump connected to the at least one connection port or to a distal end of the endoscope.

26 . The arrangement according to claim 25 , further comprising:
a container arranged onto the distal end of the endoscope such that the plurality of channels are fluidly connected to each other at the distal end of the endoscope, wherein the container is arranged on the distal end of the endoscope such that the distal end of the endosc

Assignees

• Winter & Ibe Olympus

Inventors

• Ottens Benjamin

Classifications

• A61B1/123 Primary

  using washing machines · CPC title

• A61B2090/701

  for flexible tubular instruments, e.g. endoscopes · CPC title

• A61B1/125 Primary

  using fluid circuits · CPC title

• A61B1/122

  using cleaning tools, e.g. brushes · CPC title

• A61B1/00137 Primary

  End pieces at either end of the endoscope, e.g. caps, seals or forceps plugs · CPC title