Surgery – Endoscope – With guide means for body insertion
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-02
2001-07-10
Dvorak, Linda C. M. (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Endoscope
With guide means for body insertion
C600S116000, C600S114000, C600S208000, C606S193000, C606S192000, C606S191000, C604S097010, C604S096010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06258024
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to dilating speculums, that is to say surgical instruments of various forms used for dilating body cavities and/or the orifices thereof so as to facilitate examinations of, or operations within, the interior of the cavity. In particular the present invention is directed towards a disposable probe for a dilating speculum.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally speaking, there are two types of speculums in common use, namely those that do not substantially dilate the body cavity and those that do.
Non-dilating speculums are relatively simple tubular devices, frequently made of transparent plastics material, frequently fitted with an eyepiece including a light source, which are inserted into the body cavity to enable it to be inspected. Sometimes that part of the speculum that enters the body cavity is a detachable, single use, disposable item.
Prior known dilating speculums have comprised a tubular array of two or more rigid, elongate leaves, frequently of arcuate cross section, and means to expand the array by bodily, generally radially outwardly, movement of the individual leaves.
It is usual, because of the need for strength, for dilating speculums to be made of metal. This has precluded the use of disposable, single use components in such speculums, rendering it necessary for dilating speculums to be throughly cleaned and sterilised after use.
Quite often it is desirable or necessary for the inspection to be performed on a conscious and alert patient, and almost invariably this causes discomfort at least, and in many instances considerable pain. This is particularly so when relatively simple dilating speculums comprising only two separable leaves are used.
Furthermore, the insertion of metallic objects into body orifices, and the cold sensation created thereby, is psychologically distressing to many patients. So much so that some women put themselves at risk by failing to have routine vaginal examinations as a check on possible cervical cancer, for example, so called pap smears, merely because of their repugnance to the use of prior known metallic dilating speculums.
Attempts to alleviate the unpleasantness associated with the use of simple prior known dilating speculums have resulted in speculums having more than two leaves. This reduces the pressure between the speculum and the surface of the dilated cavity, but introduces still further undesirable complexity into the mechanism with consequent high cost, and of course does nothing to alleviate the disadvantage of metallic speculums indicated above.
A dilating speculum which overcomes many of the disadvantages of the above mentioned prior known dilating speculums is disclosed in International Patent Application No. PCT/AU94/00111 in the name of Clemens Van der Weegen.
However, a problem associated with such a speculum is that it requires considerable assembly of parts. Such assembly increases the risk of contaminating sterile components of the speculum, and also increases the time to set up the speculum for use.
An object of the invention is to provide a probe for a dilating speculum which is simple to assemble and of a single use disposable type and facilitates inspection of a body cavity.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention consists in a probe for a speculum for use in examining the interior of a body cavity, said probe comprising an elongate tubular member having a first end and a second end, an expandable sealing element encircling said tubular member at or near said first end, means for admission of a fluid to the interior of said sealing element to effect expansion thereof, a removable closure means for said second end, and means for admission of a fluid into the bore of said tubular member, characterised in that said closure means provides a line of sight extending through the closure means and along the bore of the tubular member.
Preferably said closure means forms part of an eye piece, hand piece or other extension device.
Preferably said removable closure means comprises a sealable entry port for a surgical implement.
Preferably the expandable sealing element is a substantially annular bladder, for example an element akin to a miniature inner tube for a pneumatic tyre, encircling the tubular member. The annular bladder is preferably of an elastomeric material such as latex or “silicone rubber” which is stretchably fitted onto the tubular member.
Preferably in one embodiment the annular bladder is secured to the tubular member by an elastomeric tie means.
Preferably in a second embodiment the annular bladder is secured to the tubular member by a string tie means.
Preferably in a third embodiment the annular bladder is secured to the tubular member by an adhesive means.
Preferably the means for admission of fluid to the interior of said sealing element comprises a duct extending from the interior of the sealing element to a fluid connection means. The fluid connection means is adapted to connect to a supply tube or the like extending to a remote air or other gas supply means such as a manually operated dilation bulb, thereby allowing for the annular bladder to be inflated. Alternatively, the annular bladder could be expandable by introducing fluid therein, such as water, from a suitable fluid supply.
Preferably the material of the tubular member is capable of transmitting light and may be of a moulded colourless transparent plastic such as acrylic or the like.
Preferably said second end of said tubular member is adapted to detachably secure to a re-usable hand piece. The hand piece may be a conventional unit combining a conventional light source, or a component thereof. The conventional unit or component thereof preferably has a spigot like member to which the second end of the probe detachably secures.
Alternatively, the hand piece may be fixed to the probe for disposal therewith.
The tubular member may have one or more faces in a region adjacent the spigot like member when connected thereto, which are preferably perpendicular to the direction of the light source projecting through or from the spigot like member. The faces are preferably polished to facilitate transmission of the light.
Preferably the means for admission of a fluid into the bore of said tubular member is integral with the removable closure means.
Preferably the means for admission of fluid into the bore of said tubular member comprises a gas connection means opening at one end into said bore and adapted at its other end for connection to the same remote air or other gas supply means as that connected to said expandable sealing element.
In one embodiment the removable closure means has a sleeve portion which sealingly engages with the internal bore surface of said tubular member.
In a further embodiment the removable closure means has a sleeve portion which sealingly engages with the external surface of said tubular member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5104377 (1992-04-01), Levine
patent: 5263962 (1993-11-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5368598 (1994-11-01), Hasson
patent: 5624399 (1997-04-01), Ackerman
patent: 5722983 (1998-03-01), Van Der Weegen
patent: 5855549 (1999-01-01), Newman
patent: 5921917 (1999-07-01), Barthel et al.
patent: PCT/AU94/00111 (1994-03-01), None
Derwent Publications Ltd., Abstract Accession No. 1 84-205473/33, SU A 1060-190 (Zaporo Health Department, Dec. 15, 1983.
Dvorak Linda C. M.
Paul & Paul
Ram Jocelyn
S.S.H. Medical Limited
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