Surgery – Endoscope – Having auxiliary channel
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-14
2002-12-31
Leubecker, John P. (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Endoscope
Having auxiliary channel
C600S563000, C600S160000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06500114
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Depth of field viewing, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,177, is accomplished by enhancing depth cues which are present in every flat image, whether photographed or recorded electronically, without the requirement of special glasses, eye shutters or similar devices used in front of the viewers eyes. The depth cues are enhanced by a specially designed prismatic screen that separates the viewer's eye focus and convergence. The separation triggers the brain of the viewer to disregard convergence information indicating that the screen is flat, and to interpret the image depth cues as real.
To strengthen the focus and convergence separation and add additional image magnification, the present invention utilizes a specially designed magnifying lens as a supplement to the prismatic screen. The lens helps trigger the eye focus and convergence separation—making it stronger when combined with a prismatic screen such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,260. In addition, depending upon the particular design of the lens, the viewed image may magnified from 1.25× to 2.0×, and at the same time is cleared (cleaned) from the magnified raster of the video scanning lines. The clearing (cleaning) of the viewed image from the magnified raster is accomplished with the prismatic screen, as described in the parent application. With particular reference to
FIGS. 29
to
36
of that application, the prismatic screen PR preferably includes three miniature prisms for each video scan line. As a result, each raster video scan line is divided two or three times, thereby providing a significant reduction in the visibility of the raster lines. In accordance with the present invention, as described in greater detail below, the prismatic screen may be either a flat or curved structure, depending upon the choice of additional optical elements in the system.
A number of designs on how to magnify a video small screen image to a larger screen image are described in patent literature. For example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,449,886 and 5,061,052 disclose such systems. Each of these designs are based on using a positive lens, or a lens combined with a Fresnel lens, and each technique places the optical system near the front of the video monitor screen. The lenses are designed with a short focal length which may cause distortion, because the magnification of the image is not equal in the center and on the edges. Additionally, the Fresnel lens, which is a concentric design of a magnifying lens, may cause image degradation by lowering the image resolution. According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,052, the described system is intended to allow individuals of limited means to enjoy the entertainment and education provided by large screen television images, without the necessity of purchasing a large television set. However, such prior art television magnification of a small screen image to a larger screen image may cause distortion and a poor image, particularly since these systems magnify the raster of scanned video lines which make up the image. When the lines are magnified, the image is degraded and becomes distorted, and eyestrain may result. These and other disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention.
Recently, video monitoring and imaging technology has made its way into the operating room and the physician's office. One example of such medical uses for this technology includes the optical connection of a video camera and monitoring device to an endoscope or similar instrument that is adapted with fiber optics. Such instruments are used to perform medical procedures, such as biopsies, on internal organs without the need for extremely invasive surgery. They usually comprise a longitudinally extending hollow tube made of plastic or metal that is inserted into the body through an orifice or incision. A smaller passageway is included in the channel of the tube longitudinally, through which a medical instrument of some type, such as a biopsy brush or scrape, may be inserted for performing various procedures on the internal organ of interest. The physician, using a handle at the proximal end of the medical instrument, may manipulate the instrument as desired.
Such instruments have in the past involved a number of drawbacks. For example, because the instrument is inserted into the patient's body, it has been difficult to accurately view how the procedure is progressing. Some scopes have included fiber optic strands that allow the physician to see an image of the organ or tissue being treated. However, because of the small areas involved and the limited amount of light in such areas, such images have been of poor quality and limited use.
The dimensions of the scope have also often been too large. In order to minimize the invasiveness of the procedure, and therefore the pain and discomfort of the patient, the physical dimensions of the endoscope and its various parts are best minimized. Furthermore, many cavities of the human body are extremely small or difficult to get to and are incapable of receiving prior art scopes without damage to the surrounding tissue.
In addition, conventional biopsy brushes or other instruments used for cytological procedures in these small body cavities do not have the necessary flexibility or strength to provide for sufficient scraping and/or removal of cells from papillomas or other abnormalities.
BRIEF OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an endoscope that is capable of being used in many of the smallest cavities of the human body in various different procedures while generating an image of the area of the body being treated, which image has increased clarity and depth of field viewing.
The present invention satisfies these and other objects through the provision of an endoscope capable of being coupled to a video monitor adapted with a prismatic screen. The endoscope provides a view into the smallest cavities of the body and the monitor and screen project the image to the viewer with enhanced clarity and depth cues. The present invention further provides a stepped aspherical lens and a method of making the same for further increasing the quality of depth of field viewing.
It is another object of the present invention to facilitate removal of cells, tissue or other materials from the body. The present invention satisfies this and other objects through the provision of a Nitinol cytology instrument having improved strength and biocampatibility characteristics.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a system including an endoscope comprising a guide having a working channel, a light source and a lens, said guide coupled to means for receiving a medical instrument, to means for irrigating and to means for supplying a video image. The endoscope is preferably coupled to a video camera, the video camera is preferably coupled to a video monitor. The video monitor is preferably coupled to a transparent screen which includes a plurality of generally parallel microprisms formed in the screen and extending horizontally across the width of the screen, said screen also coupled to an optical element operable to adjust the paths of light transmitted through said screen.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a system including an instrument for retrieving biopsy cells from a body coupled to an apparatus for depth of field viewing. The apparatus includes a transparent screen for positioning between a flat image and a viewer, said transparent screen including a plurality of optical elements formed in said screen and an aspherical lens for positioning between said screen and a viewer, said lens being curved across its width which curvature is defined by at least two radii.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method of inspecting a breast with an endoscopic instrument wherein said endoscopic instrument includes a guide having a working channel, a light source and a lens; a first tube having a biopsy channel; a second tube having an irrigation channel;
Loth Stanislaw
Petitto Tony
Worth Howard
Arnold & Porter
DOFI Technologies, Inc.
Leubecker John P.
LandOfFree
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