Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Including use of vacuum – suction – or inert atmosphere
Patent
1996-08-27
1999-05-11
Pyon, Harold Y.
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Including use of vacuum, suction, or inert atmosphere
134 2212, 134 2218, 134 24, 134 34, 422 33, B08B3/04;9/00
Patent
active
059024135
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for cleaning an endoscope. The invention is suitable for use on all types of endoscopes including both fiberscopes and video endoscopes and has particular application in the cleaning of the channels within the endoscope after use, and is herein described in this context. However, it should be appreciated that the invention has broader application and is not limited to this particular use.
Endoscopes are widely used in medical diagnosis, therapy and research. A typical endoscope incorporates a control section, from which an insertion tube and universal cord extend. The insertion tube incorporates a distal end which includes an objective lens and light guides, and the universal cord incorporates a connecting head at its outer end through which the light source and power are supplied to the endoscope.
A plurality of channels extend through the endoscope to the distal end. These channels, which include a working channel and water and air channels, allow access to enable various functions to be provided at the distal end. The working channel enables forceps and other instruments to be used at the distal end and is also usually connected to a source of suction to provide suction at the distal end. The water and air channels are primarily provided to clean the objective lens. Other channels may also be incorporated including auxiliary water channels to provide irrigation at the inspection site, auxiliary instrument channels and CO.sub.2 insufflation channels.
Each of these channels incorporates an inlet port. Usually the instrument channel inlet port is located at the control section with the inlet ports for the other channels located at the connector head, though this may vary with different types of endoscopes.
To maintain adequate performance of the endoscope and to stop cross-infection, it is necessary that the endoscope is thoroughly cleaned after each use, and in cleaning the endoscope it is necessary that each individual channel is thoroughly cleaned.
In the past a method of cleaning the endoscope includes applying pressure, usually via a syringe, at each inlet port of the channels to flush fluid through the individual channels to the distal end. While this procedure is adequate, this process is time consuming and labour intensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An aim of the present invention is to provide a more effective procedure for cleaning an endoscope and in particular for cleaning the channels of the endoscope.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention relates to a method of cleaning an endoscope having a plurality of channels communicating with a distal end of the endoscope, the method including the steps of: the respective channels of the endoscope.
In the specification the term "cleaning" is defined to include within its scope any or all of the processed of washing, disinfecting and sterilising, whether these processes are done separately or as part of an overall procedure.
A particular advantage of this method is that as many of the endoscope channels incorporate a constricted outlet at their distal end, the likelihood of solid matter becoming lodged in the channels during the cleaning process according to the above method is reduced as compared to prior art methods. This is particularly the case with the air and water channels where the outlets at the distal end are usually designed to provide a pressurised or directed flow.
In a preferred method, fluid is aspirated through the respective channels and each of the inlet ports of the channels to be cleaned are connected to a source of suction through connecting means. In a particularly preferred arrangement, the respective inlet ports are all connected to a single source of suction, thereby enabling all the channels to be cleaned in a single processing step.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of cleaning an endoscope having a plurality of channels, each channel having an inlet and an outlet, the method including the steps of: po
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Puszko Grazyna Barbara
Puszko Zbigniew
Phillips Ormonde & Fitzpatrick
Pyon Harold Y.
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