Surgery – Instruments – Means for removing tonsils – adenoids or polyps
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-26
2001-04-17
Dawson, Glenn K. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Instruments
Means for removing tonsils, adenoids or polyps
C606S001000, C600S104000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217587
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a treatment tool for an endoscope, such as a high-frequency snare, forceps or the like, which is used under observation through an endoscope.
Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 9-534 discloses such type of treatment tool for an endoscope. In that publication, the treatment tool is formed as a basket type forceps as shown in FIG.
14
. The basket-type forceps comprises an operation wire inserted through a sheath
1
and basket wires
3
provided at a distal end portion of the operation wire. The basket wires
3
are moved forwards and backwards by operation through the hand operation section
2
, and the basket wires
3
are thereby extended from the distal end portion of the sheath
1
or retracted thereinto. The hand operation portion
2
has an operation body
4
and a slider
5
slidable on the outer circumferential surface of the body. A pair of finger flanges
6
are formed on the slider
5
and a ring
7
is provided at a rear end portion of the operation body
4
.
When the basket wire
3
is operated, an operator inserts his or her thumb into the ring
7
and holds and clamps the part of the slider
5
between the pair of flanges
6
with his or her forefinger and middle finger. In this manner, the operation body
4
can be moved forwards and backwards and the operation wire can also be thereby moved forwards and backwards through the sheath
1
.
Meanwhile, U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,330 discloses an example of another type of treatment tool for an endoscope. In this type of treatment tool for an endoscope, a proximal end portion comprises a base portion which an operator can grasp on the palm of his or her hand and a slider projected sidewards such that the slider can be operated by the thumb of the same hand. A sheath is connected with the slider. In this manner, the operator can move forwards and backwards the slider by the thumb while holding the base section on the palm.
In case of the treatment tool for an endoscope shown in
FIG. 14
, a thumb is inserted into the ring
7
of the operation body
4
. Therefore, an operator scarcely drops the operation portion after the operator grasps the operation portion. Accordingly, the operator can reliably operate the tool.
However, since this type of treatment tool for an endoscope is operated by only three fingers, several operators cannot have a clear feeling of operating the tool and feel unreliable on it. When the basket wires
3
are extended from or retracted into the distal end of the sheath
1
, the operation wire can be moved without moving the sheath
1
. Therefore, to grasp a stone at a predetermined position, the basket wire
3
must be contracted while drawing back the basket wire
3
connected to the distal end of the operation wire, into the sheath. Therefore, the basket wire
3
moves in relation to the stone, making it difficult to grasp the stone.
Meanwhile, the endoscope treatment tool described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,330 is operated by the entire of one hand, the operator can easily have a clear feeling of operating the tool. However, there is an operational drawback that it is difficult to apply a handling force to move backwards the slider to tighten the basket wires. In addition, the operator feels a fear that the operation portion may slip on his or her hand and may drop the tool.
Thus, two operation methods have been adopted in a conventional treatment tool for and endoscope, and each of the methods provides both of merits and demerits. Which of the methods is better depends on the operator's choice and cannot be determined definitely. However, it is not economical to prepare both treatment tools adopting different operation methods for the sake of one certain medical operation or for every operator, and management of equipment stocks is complicated. If there occurs a situation that one of the operation methods had better be changed to the other during one medical operation, the conventional treatment tools for an endoscope cannot deal with such a situation because each of the conventional treatment tools is limited to only one of the above-described methods.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an object of providing an treatment tool for an endoscope, by which an appropriate operation method can be freely selected in accordance with an operator's choice about operation methods or a situation of a medical operation, so that an excellent operation ability is provided.
According an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a treatment tool used under observation through an endoscope and comprising a treatment portion at a top end portion of the treatment tool, an insertion portion for inserting the treatment portion into a body cavity, an operation portion provided in a proximal end portion of the insertion portion, by which an operator can drive and operate the treatment portion from outside of a human body, the treatment tool comprising: first and second operation members each having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and being movable relatively each other, the operation members forming the operation portion to be operated by the operator; a first finger engaging portion formed at the rear end portion of the first operation member and having a ring-like shape into which the operator can insert a thumb; a grip portion formed at the first operation member, to be adjacent to the first finger engaging portion, such that the operator can grasp the grip portion on a palm; a second finger engaging portion formed at the second operation member, such that the operator can engages the second finger engaging portion with at least one finger of the hand which includes the thumb engaging the first finger engaging portion; and a third finger engaging portion formed at the second operation member, such that the operator can engage the third finger engaging portion with the thumb of the hand grasping the grip portion, wherein selection can be made from a first drive operation of relatively moving the first and second operation members by the first and second finger engaging portions, and a second drive operation of relatively moving the first and second operation members by the grip portion and the third finger engaging portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a treatment tool used under observation by an endoscope, comprising a sheath having a distal end portion to be inserted into a body cavity, an operation wire inserted in the sheath such that the operation wire is movable in an axial direction, an operation portion by which an operator relatively moves the sheath and the operation wire, and a treatment portion provided at a distal end portion of the operation wire, which can be driven and moved between a position where the treatment portion is extended from a distal end of the sheath and a position where the treatment portion is retracted into the sheath, through the operation portion by the operator, the treatment tool comprising: first and second operation members each having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and being movable relatively each other, one of the first and second operation members being connected to the sheath and another one of the first and second operation members being connected to the operation wire, such that the first and second operation members form the operation portion to be operated by the operator; a first finger engaging portion formed at the rear end portion of the first operation member and having a ring-like shape into which the operator can insert a thumb; a grip portion formed at the first operation member, to be adjacent to the first finger engaging portion, such that the operator can grasp the grip portion on a palm; a second finger engaging portion formed at the second operation member, such that the operator can engage the second finger engaging portion with at least one finger of the hand which has the thumb engaging the first finger engaging por
Dawson Glenn K.
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Olympus Optical Co,. Ltd.
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