Rectal-stomal insert apparatus and method

Claim 1

An apparatus for insertion into an opening of a colon of a patient, comprising: (a) an insertion member having an inner end to be inserted first into the opening, an opposite outer end, and an exterior surface; (b) said insertion member comprising a first channel extending therethrough between said outer and inner ends for receiving instrumentation, and a second channel formed separate from said first channel extending through said insertion member between said outer and inner ends; (c) occlusion means located around said insertion member for forming a seal between said exterior surface and the perimeter of said opening of the patient; (d) tube means having inner and outer ends, said tube means inner end being insertable into said second channel of said insertion member such that said tube means inner end projects beyond said insertion member inner end; (e) said tube means having an inside channel for receiving tool means for use in said colon, said inside channel extending between said tube means inner and outer ends, wherein said tool means may be inserted into said inside channel from said tube means outer end such that said tool means projects beyond said tube means inner end; (f) said tube means inner end having inflatable balloon means for blunting said tube means inner end to allow safe insertion of said tube means inner end into said colon; (g) said tube means having an inflating channel for inflating and deflating said balloon means, said inflating channel extending between said tube means outer end to said tube means inner end, the inner end of said inflating channel communicating with the interior of said balloon means, the outer end of said inflating channel being adapted to receive inflation means for inflating said balloon means, said inflating channel being separate from said inside channel of said tube means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for insertion into an opening of a colon of a patient, comprising: (a) an insertion member having an inner end to be inserted first into the opening, an opposite outer end, and an exterior surface; (b) said insertion member comprising a first channel extending therethrough between said outer and inner ends for receiving instrumentation, and a second channel formed separate from said first channel extending through said insertion member between said outer and inner ends; (c) occlusion means located around said insertion member for forming a seal between said exterior surface and the perimeter of said opening of the patient; (d) tube means having inner and outer ends, said tube means inner end being insertable into said second channel of said insertion member such that said tube means inner end projects beyond said insertion member inner end; (e) said tube means having an inside channel for receiving tool means for use in said colon, said inside channel extending between said tube means inner and outer ends, wherein said tool means may be inserted into said inside channel from said tube means outer end such that said tool means projects beyond said tube means inner end; (f) said tube means inner end having inflatable balloon means for blunting said tube means inner end to allow safe insertion of said tube means inner end into said colon; (g) said tube means having an inflating channel for inflating and deflating said balloon means, said inflating channel extending between said tube means outer end to said tube means inner end, the inner end of said inflating channel communicating with the interior of said balloon means, the outer end of said inflating channel being adapted to receive inflation means for inflating said balloon means, said inflating channel being separate from said inside channel of said tube means.

Claim 9

An apparatus for insertion into an opening of a colon of a patient, comprising: (a) an insertion member having an inner end to be inserted first into the opening, an opposite outer end, and an exterior surface; (b) said insertion member comprising a first channel extending therethrough between said outer and inner ends for receiving instrumentation, and a second channel formed separate from said first channel extending through said insertion member between said outer and inner ends; (c) occlusion means located around said insertion member for forming a seal between said exterior surface and the perimeter of said opening of the patient; (d) a tube member having inner and outer ends, said tube member having an inside channel extending between said tube member inner and outer ends, said tube member having a length between its inner and outer ends so that the tube member can be inserted into the length of the colon from said opening; (e) said tube member having an outside diameter that allows the insertion of said tube member into said second channel of said insertion member, said tube member being slidable within said second channel; (f) said tube member inside channel having a diameter that allows the insertion therein of tool means for use in said colon, wherein said tool means are slidable within said inside channel when inserted therein; (g) said tube member having inflatable balloon means at its inner end, said balloon means blunting the inner end of said tube member when inflated, said balloon means encompassing said tube member inner end, said tube member inner end being insertable into said second channel when said balloon means is deflated, said tube member having an inflating passage extending between said tube member outer and inner ends, said inflating passage communicating with the interior of said balloon means while being separate from said inside channel, said inflating passage outer end being adapted to receive inflation means; ( h) cap seal means having an open end and a closed end, said open end for receiving said tube member outer end, said closed end having first seal means, said first seal means for providing a seal in said inside channel while allowing said tool means to be slidable therethrough; (i) second seal means for sealing said second channel around said tube member, said second seal means allowing said tube member to slide in said second channel.

Claim 10

An apparatus for insertion into an opening of a colon of a patient, comprising: (a) an insertion member having an inner end to be inserted first into the opening, an opposite outer end, and an exterior surface; (b) said insertion member comprising a first channel extending therethrough between said outer and inner ends for receiving instrumentation, and a second channel formed separate from said first channel extending through said insertion member between said outer and inner ends; (c) occlusion means located around said insertion member for forming a seal between said exterior surface and the perimeter of said opening of the patient; (d) a tube member having inner and outer ends, said tube member having an inside channel extending between said tube member inner and outer ends, said tube member having a length between its inner and outer ends so that the tube member can be inserted into the length of the colon from said opening; (e) said tube member having an outside diameter that allows the insertion of said tube member into said second channel of said insertion member, said tube member being slidable within said second channel; (f) said tube member inside channel having a diameter that allows the insertion therein of tool means for use in said colon, wherein said tool means are slidable within said inside channel when inserted therein; (g) said tube member having inflatable balloon means at its inner end, said balloon means blunting the inner end of said tube member when inflated, said balloon means encompassing said tube member inner end, said tube member inner end being insertable into said second channel when said balloon means is deflated, said tube member having an inflating passage extending between said tube member outer and inner ends, said inflating passage communicating with the interior of said balloon means while being separate from said inside channel, said inflating passage outer end being adapted to receive inflation means; ( h) cap seal means having an open end and a closed end, said open end for receiving said tube member outer end, said closed end having first seal means, said first seal means for providing a seal in said inside channel while allowing said tool means to be slidable therethrough; (i) second seal means for sealing said second channel around said tube member, said second seal means allowing said tube member to slide in said second channel.

Claim 11

A method of accessing the interior of a colon of a patient during a colonscopy, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an insertion member having inner and outer ends, said insertion member capable of occluding an opening into the colon, said insertion member having first and second channels; (b) inserting said insertion member into the colon opening so as to occlude said opening; (c) inserting instrumentation into said colon through said first channel of said insertion member, and examining said colon with said instrumentation; (d) providing conduit means having inner and outer ends, said conduit means inner end having inflatable balloon means for blunting said conduit means inner end when said balloon means is inflated, said conduit means having an inside channel extending between its inner and outer ends; (e) inserting said conduit means inner end into said colon through said second channel of said insertion member; (f) inflating said balloon means and extending said conduit means inner end further into said colon to the desired location; (g) accessing the interior of said colon through said inside channel of said conduit means.

Claim 12

A method of accessing the interior of a colon of a patient during a colonscopy, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an insertion member having inner and outer ends, said insertion member capable of occluding an opening into the colon, said insertion member having first and second channels; (b) inserting said insertion member into the colon opening so as to occlude said opening; (c) inserting instrumentation into said colon through said first channel of said insertion member, and examining said colon with said instrumentation; (d) providing conduit means having inner and outer ends, said conduit means inner end having inflatable balloon means for blunting said conduit means inner end when said balloon means is inflated, said conduit means having an inside channel extending between its inner and outer ends; (e) inserting said conduit means inner end into said colon through said second channel of said insertion member; (f) inflating said balloon means and extending said conduit means inner end further into said colon to the desired location; (g) accessing the interior of said colon through said inside channel of said conduit means.

Claim 13

A method of removing a tissue sample from the inside of a colon of a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an insertion member having inner and outer ends, said insertion member capable of occluding an opening into the colon, said insertion member having first and second channels; (b) inserting said insertion member into the colon opening so as to occlude said opening; (c) inserting instrumentation into said colon through said first channel of said insertion member, and locating with said instrumentation a tissue sample to be removed from said colon; (d) providing tube means having inner and outer ends, said tube means inner end having inflatable balloon means for blunting said tube means inner end when said balloon means is inflated, said tube means having an inside channel extending between its inner and outer ends; (e) inserting said tube means inner end into colon through said second channel of said insertion member; (f) inflating said balloon means and extending said tube means inner end further into said colon to the location of said tissue sample; (g) inserting tool means for removing said tissue sample into said tube means inside channel from said tube means outer end, until said tool means extends beyond said tube means outer end, and obtaining said tissue sample with said tool means and removing said tool means from said colon to retrieve said tissue sample.

Claim 14

A method of removing a tissue sample from the inside of a colon of a patient, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an insertion member having inner and outer ends, said insertion member capable of occluding an opening into the colon, said insertion member having first and second channels; (b) inserting said insertion member into the colon opening so as to occlude said opening; (c) inserting instrumentation into said colon through said first channel of said insertion member, and locating with said instrumentation a tissue sample to be removed from said colon; (d) providing tube means having inner and outer ends, said tube means inner end having inflatable balloon means for blunting said tube means inner end when said balloon means is inflated, said tube means having an inside channel extending between its inner and outer ends; (e) inserting said tube means inner end into colon through said second channel of said insertion member; (f) inflating said balloon means and extending said tube means inner end further into said colon to the location of said tissue sample; (g) inserting tool means for removing said tissue sample into said tube means inside channel from said tube means outer end, until said tool means extends beyond said tube means outer end, and obtaining said tissue sample with said tool means and removing said tool means from said colon to retrieve said tissue sample.