Surgery – Female reproductory tract shields – supports – or birth...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-20
2001-12-04
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Surgery
Female reproductory tract shields, supports, or birth...
C606S193000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325065
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cervical fitting for use with a medical device such as an endoscope or a hysteroscope. In the performance of hysteroscopy, for example, a doctor may insufflate a human uterus with a suitable fluid such as a saline liquid media to cause distension of the walls of the uterus. This causes the walls to separate to allow a visual inspection of the endometrial lining. The fluid is sometimes continually introduced into the uterus so as to maintain a clear field of view. The fluid is introduced into the uterus via the cervical canal using a catheter, scope or sheath and the like.
The problem which commonly arises during such procedures is that the fluid introduced into the uterus leaks from the uterus and thereby causes the distension of the walls of the uterus to be reduced which prevents satisfactory viewing of the endometrial lining. Furthermore, fluid may accumulate on the floor of the examining or operating room. This leakage is generally caused by the axial and rocking motion of the medical devices within the cervical canal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The cervical fitting invention is designed to be used in combination with small diameter endoscopes or hysteroscopes to provide a simple and effective means to prevent leakage during medical procedures, thereby maintaining distension of the walls of a human uterus. The fitting has a passage which extends therethrough and which receives an associated medical device so that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed between the passage and the outer surface of the medical device.
The cervical fitting has a tapered outer surface portion which fits within the cervical canal and because of its tapered configuration is adapted to form a substantially fluid-tight seal with the surface of the cervical canal in uteri of different sizes. The fitting minimizes movement in the cervical canal since the rocking movement occurs only at a particular part of the tapered outer surface portion of the fitting.
The fitting also includes a pilot outer surface portion of reduced dimension which is disposed at the reduced end of the tapered outer surface portion. The pilot portion facilitates initial entry of the fitting into the cervical canal. An outer surface portion of substantially constant outer dimension is disposed at the large end of the tapered outer surface portion and joins with an enlarged end portion.
The outer shape of the cervical fitting is designed to be atraumatic and allows easy placement of the fitting and medical device in place within a cervical canal. The fitting effectively holds the medical device in place once the fitting is positioned within a cervical canal. The most important feature of the fitting is that lateral or rocking motion of the medical device does not cause leakage from the uterus since the fitting fills the cervical canal and continues to provide a substantially fluid-tight seal with the surface of the canal at all times during use.
The fitting allows the medical device to be adjusted into many different positions as required while preventing leakage. The fitting is comfortable to a patient and can be used with small instruments other than those discussed above. An additional advantage of the invention that it is relatively cheap to manufacture; and therefore the fitting may be disposed of after a single use.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4480642 (1984-11-01), Stoy
patent: 4877037 (1989-10-01), Ko
patent: 5464409 (1995-11-01), Mohajer
patent: 5961444 (1999-10-01), Thompson
patent: 6113580 (2000-09-01), Dolis
Brown Michael A.
Kenyon & Kenyon
Omnisonics Medical Technologies, Inc.
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