Surgery – Endoscope – Having auxiliary channel
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-06
2002-11-26
Leubecker, John P. (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Endoscope
Having auxiliary channel
Reexamination Certificate
active
06485412
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to endoscopic systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to water bottles as used with endoscopic systems. Furthermore, the present invention relates to delivery tubes for passing the water from a water bottle to the optical head of the endoscopic instrument.
BACKGROUND ART
Endoscopic instruments have been developed to provide surgeons with an internal view of the organ or body passage requiring treatment. Such endoscopes typically have channels through which a miniaturized forceps, commonly called flexible instruments, are inserted and advanced. The endoscope assembly includes an elongated flexible cable equipped at one end with an eyepiece or other viewing means and at the other end with an optical head. Only the head is directly and externally connected to the instrument. The cable transmits images or image-producing signals from the illuminated operative site to the viewing means so that the surgeon will have visual confirmation of the action of the instrument's working end. A coherent optic bundle extends from the head and through the flexible cable through the eyepiece for providing the surgeon with visual confirmation of the instrument's tip or jaw action. The illuminating means may take the form a light-transmitting waveguide extending through the cable to illuminate the operative area. The waveguide is connected at its proximal end to a suitable high-intensity light source. The cable also provides a flow passage for the delivery of fluid (liquid or gas) for irrigation or other purposes. Typically, the flow passage and the illuminating means are disposed on opposite sides of the coherent image-transmitting waveguide. In conventional practice, it is necessary to provide the optic head with a flow of sterile water. The passage of the sterile water across the optic head prevents the buildup of materials on the optic head. This flow of water operates, in a sense, like a windshield wiper/washer assembly.
In normal practice, the endoscopic instrument has a control body which is connected by a light guide tube to a light guide connector. The connector will include a plurality of connectors that can suitably receive various fittings. For example, the light guide connector can include a connector orifice that receives a grounding lug, a suction port, an air inlet, and a water inlet. As such, the air and water are delivered through the light guide connector, through the light guide tube and into the control body. Alternatively, the control body can also include a water port so as to allow water to be directly provided to the control body. Suitable valves are provided on the control body so as to control the flow of water through the control body and over the optic head of the instrument.
Unfortunately, there is usually a great expense associated with the delivery of such sterile water to the control body. In past practice, the sterile water has been provided from a water bottle that is directly connected to a tube. The tube will have a fitting at one end so as to allow the tube to be connected to the air/water inlet of the light guide connector or to the auxiliary water port on the control body. Typically, the fitting will include an inner tube and an outer tube. The outer tube extends into the water bottle. The outer tube is connected to the cap of the water bottle. In normal practice, air is delivered through the area between the inner tube and the outer tube so as to pressurize the interior of the water container. This will force water to flow through the tube and into the endoscope at a desired rate.
After usage, the water bottle, the tubing, and the associated fittings are sterilized. This creates a considerable wasteful expense to the hospital. If the water is sterilized, there is a considerable labor expense associated with the autoclaving of the bottle. There is also the possibility of residual contaminants residing in the area of connection between the tubes and the bottle.
In the normal hospital environment, sterile water is conventionally provided in one liter bottles. Virtually all of the bottles have the same size of threaded opening. These water bottles are very different, in configuration, from the water containers associated with the prior art water delivery systems for the endoscopic instrument. Typically, existing one liter water bottles in hospitals will be sealed closed by threadedly connecting the interior threads of a cap over the exterior threads on the neck of the bottle.
A new system of endoscopes has been provided which has an unusual adapter for connecting the water bottle to the endoscope. The new
140
series of endoscopes has a pair of female fittings on the adapter for the delivery of air and water to the male fittings of the endoscope.
FIGS. 5-7
show this existing prior art system of connection to the 140 series endoscopes.
In
FIG. 5
, it can be seen that there is a specialized water bottle
60
which has a lid
62
having a tube connection
64
thereon. The tube connection
64
connects to tube
66
which extends to the metal tip
68
. A cleaning cap is provided on the metal tip
68
. The tube
66
and the tip
68
serve to deliver sterile water from the container
60
to the endoscope.
FIG. 6
shows the 140 series endoscope
72
having a water supply connector
74
and an air connector
76
. The water supply connector
74
is a male connector. The air connector
76
is also a male connector. Connector
74
serves to pass water from the water bottle to the interior of endoscope
72
, connector
76
serves to pass air from the endoscope to the water bottle.
FIG. 7
shows an end view of the metal tip
68
. As can be seen, the metal tip
68
has a female water connector
78
and a female air connector
80
. The female water connector
78
is suitable for connection to the male water connector
74
on the endoscope
72
. The female air connector
80
is suitable for connection to the male air connector
76
on the endoscope
72
.
The new configuration of water container system as shown in
FIGS. 5-7
serves to make obsolete the existing expensive water containers and associated tubing and adapters which are used for other endoscopes. As such, as hospitals purchase the new 140 series endoscope
72
, they are required to also purchase the new water container
60
, the new tubing
66
, and the new metal tip
68
. The water containers that have been used for prior endoscope systems must also be supplied for any prior endoscope systems that the hospital may have in use. As a result, hospitals are required to manage and maintain inventory of water bottles such as those shown in
FIGS. 5-7
and also water containers for their existing endoscope systems. As such, a need has developed so as to allow for the standardization of the water containers for the various endoscope systems which are offered. Any standardization that can be achieved will eliminate the need to maintain inventory for each of the various types of endoscopes which a hospital employs.
Presently, the disposable water bottles are manufactured in 250 milliliter, 500 milliliter and 1,000 milliliter sizes. These water bottles have slightly varying diameter necks of slightly varying lengths. The thread structure on the neck of each of these water bottles is slightly different. The difference in length of neck and configuration of threads is the result of water bottles being manufactured by several different companies. For example, the BAXTER (™) water bottle has a thread with a pitch of 0.104 inches, an annular ring around the neck below the thread and a seal at the bottom of the neck. The ABBOTT (™) water bottle has a thread having a pitch of 0.96 inches and a neck length of 0.844 inches. The MCGAW (™) water bottle has a neck length of 0.70 inches and a thread pitch of 0.88 inches. As such, a need developed so as to have a single cap which is adaptable to the varying thread configurations and neck lengths of the brands of water bottle.
Under certain circumstances, the water bottle is connected to the heater/probe unit of a
Harrison & Egbert
Leubecker John P.
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