US5122138A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Tissue vaporizing accessory and method for an endoscope
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-11-28
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Granted: 1992-06-16
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Expires: 2010-11-28
Abstract
Abstract A flexible tube having first and second ends and a hollow interior is insertable through an endoscopic instrument channel with the first end extending out of the viewing end of the endoscope and the second end extending out of the working end of the endoscope a sufficient distance to lie within the field of view of the endoscope observation port. The second end of the flexible tube defines a tube end face. A flexible electrical conductor having an outer surface sized to fit within the interior of the flexible tube and to define a gap between the conductor outer surface and the interior surface of the tube includes first and second ends. The first end of the conductor extends out of the endoscope viewing end while the second end is located within a recessed chamber extending between the tube end face and a spaced apart location within the interior of the tube to define a high impedance gap between the second end of the conductor and a nearby region including the tube end face and an adjacent tissue. A monopolar RF generator is coupled to the first end of the electrical conductor for periodically transmitting a defined RF output signal along the conductor to cause current to jump across the high impedance gap to thereby generate a high temperature zone in proximity to the gap. Appropriate manipulation of the endoscope working end to position the tube end face in proximity to the tissue achieves controlled heating and vaporization of the tissue.
Inventors
- 👤 Kim H. Manwaring
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1482; A61B17/00; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00292; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00184; A61B2018/00196; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00434; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00696; A61B2018/00726; A61B2018/00982; A61B18/1206; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/1253; A61B2018/1472; A61B2218/00; A61B2218/001; A61B2218/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
368 words
A tissue vaporizing accessory for an endoscope, the endoscope having a flexible, tubular body with a viewing end and a working end insertable into a fluid-filled medium and further including i. a viewing channel having an observation port for transmitting an image of a defined field of view around the working end of the endoscope to a viewing port positioned at the viewing end of the endoscope; ii. an illumination port positioned at the working end of the endoscope for illuminating the defined field of view around the observation port; iii. a hollow instrument channel extending from the viewing end to the working end of the endoscope; the tissue vaporizing accessory comprising: a. a flexible tube having first and second ends and a hollow interior with an interior surface, the tube being insertable through the endoscope instrument channel with the first end extending out of the viewing end of the endoscope and the second end extending out of the working end of the endoscope a sufficient distance to lie within the defined field of view of the observation port, the second end further defining an end face of the tube; b. a flexible electrical conductor having an outer surface sized to fit within the interior of the flexible tube and to define a gap between the conductor outer surface and the interior surface of the tube, the conductor further including a first end for extending out of the endoscope viewing end and a second end located within a recessed chamber extending between the tube end face and a spaced apart location within the interior of the tube to define a high impedance gap between the second end of the conductor and a nearby region including the tube end face and an adjacent tissue; and c. a monopolar RF generator coupled to the first end of the electrical conductor for periodically transmitting a defined RF output signal along the conductor to cause current to jump across the high impedance gap to thereby generate a high temperature zone in proximity to the gap, whereby appropriate manipulation of the endoscope working end to position the tube end face in proximity to the tissue achieves controlled heating and vaporization of the tissue.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
368 words
A tissue vaporizing accessory for an endoscope, the endoscope having a flexible, tubular body with a viewing end and a working end insertable into a fluid-filled medium and further including i. a viewing channel having an observation port for transmitting an image of a defined field of view around the working end of the endoscope to a viewing port positioned at the viewing end of the endoscope; ii. an illumination port positioned at the working end of the endoscope for illuminating the defined field of view around the observation port; iii. a hollow instrument channel extending from the viewing end to the working end of the endoscope; the tissue vaporizing accessory comprising: a. a flexible tube having first and second ends and a hollow interior with an interior surface, the tube being insertable through the endoscope instrument channel with the first end extending out of the viewing end of the endoscope and the second end extending out of the working end of the endoscope a sufficient distance to lie within the defined field of view of the observation port, the second end further defining an end face of the tube; b. a flexible electrical conductor having an outer surface sized to fit within the interior of the flexible tube and to define a gap between the conductor outer surface and the interior surface of the tube, the conductor further including a first end for extending out of the endoscope viewing end and a second end located within a recessed chamber extending between the tube end face and a spaced apart location within the interior of the tube to define a high impedance gap between the second end of the conductor and a nearby region including the tube end face and an adjacent tissue; and c. a monopolar RF generator coupled to the first end of the electrical conductor for periodically transmitting a defined RF output signal along the conductor to cause current to jump across the high impedance gap to thereby generate a high temperature zone in proximity to the gap, whereby appropriate manipulation of the endoscope working end to position the tube end face in proximity to the tissue achieves controlled heating and vaporization of the tissue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 1 further including a source of fluid and an adapter coupled to the first end of the flexible tube and to said source of fluid for injecting fluid through the tube and out the end face of the tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 2 wherein the adapter includes a Tuohy-Borst adaptor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 2 wherein the flexible tube includes a plastic catheter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claims 2 or 4 further including a tip fabricated from a refractory material coupled to the second end of the flexible tube and the end face forms a part of the tip.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 2 wherein the source of fluid includes a source of electrically conductive fluid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 2 wherein the source of fluid includes a source of electrically non-conductive fluid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 1 wherein the second end of the electrical conductor is spaced apart from the end face of the tube toward the first end of the tube by a distance of approximately two millimeters or less.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 1 wherein the flexible tube includes a length adequate to enable the second end of the flexible tube to penetrate beyond the working end of the endoscope by a distance exceeding two millimeters.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 1 wherein the second end of the flexible tube includes a tip fabricated from an electrical insulating material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 10 wherein the tip is fabricated from a refractory material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 11 wherein the tip is cylindrical in configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 12 wherein the tip includes a circular end face and wherein the high temperature zone generated in proximity to the high impedance gap includes a substantially circular cross section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The tissue vaporizing accessory of claim 13 wherein the recessed chamber is formed within the cylindrical tip and wherein the cylindrical tip channels the RF output signal from the RF generator through the fluid-filled medium to the tissue.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
396 words
A method for vaporizing a tissue including the steps of: a. providing an endoscope including a flexible, tubular body having a viewing end and a working end, a viewing channel having an observation port for transmitting an image of a defined field of view around the working end of the endoscope to a viewing port positioned at the viewing end of the endoscope, an illumination port positioned at the working end of the endoscope for illuminating the defined field of view around the observation port, and a hollow instrument channel extending from the viewing end to the working end of the endoscope; b. inserting the working end of the endoscope into a fluid-filled medium including a tissue; c. inserting a flexible tube having first and second ends and a hollow interior with an interior surface through the endoscope instrument channel with the first end extending out of the viewing end of the endoscope and the second end extending out of the working end of the endoscope a sufficient distance to lie within the defined field of view of the observation port, the second end further defining an end face of the tube; d. selecting an electrical conductor having an outer surface sized to fit within the interior of the flexible tube to define a gap between the conductor outer surface and the interior surface of the tube, the conductor including first and second ends; e. displacing the electrical conductor through the hollow interior of the tube such that the first end extends out of the endoscope viewing end and the second end terminates within a recessed chamber extending between the tube end face and a spaced apart location within the interior of the tube to define a high impedance gap between the second end of the conductor and a nearby region including the tube end face and an adjacent area of the tissue; f. coupling a monopolar RF generator to the first end of the electrical conductor and periodically actuating the RF generator to transmit a defined RF output signal along the conductor to cause current to jump across the high impedance gap to thereby generate a high temperature zone in proximity to the gap while simultaneously manipulating the endoscope working end to position the tube end face in proximity to the tissue to achieve controlled heating and vaporization of the adjacent area of the tissue.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
396 words
A method for vaporizing a tissue including the steps of: a. providing an endoscope including a flexible, tubular body having a viewing end and a working end, a viewing channel having an observation port for transmitting an image of a defined field of view around the working end of the endoscope to a viewing port positioned at the viewing end of the endoscope, an illumination port positioned at the working end of the endoscope for illuminating the defined field of view around the observation port, and a hollow instrument channel extending from the viewing end to the working end of the endoscope; b. inserting the working end of the endoscope into a fluid-filled medium including a tissue; c. inserting a flexible tube having first and second ends and a hollow interior with an interior surface through the endoscope instrument channel with the first end extending out of the viewing end of the endoscope and the second end extending out of the working end of the endoscope a sufficient distance to lie within the defined field of view of the observation port, the second end further defining an end face of the tube; d. selecting an electrical conductor having an outer surface sized to fit within the interior of the flexible tube to define a gap between the conductor outer surface and the interior surface of the tube, the conductor including first and second ends; e. displacing the electrical conductor through the hollow interior of the tube such that the first end extends out of the endoscope viewing end and the second end terminates within a recessed chamber extending between the tube end face and a spaced apart location within the interior of the tube to define a high impedance gap between the second end of the conductor and a nearby region including the tube end face and an adjacent area of the tissue; f. coupling a monopolar RF generator to the first end of the electrical conductor and periodically actuating the RF generator to transmit a defined RF output signal along the conductor to cause current to jump across the high impedance gap to thereby generate a high temperature zone in proximity to the gap while simultaneously manipulating the endoscope working end to position the tube end face in proximity to the tissue to achieve controlled heating and vaporization of the adjacent area of the tissue.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15 including the further step of providing a refractory tip for the second end of the flexible tube.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 15 including the further step of coupling the first end of the flexible tube to a source of fluid and injecting fluid through the tube and out the second end of the tube.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17 including the further step of injecting an electrically conductive fluid through the tube and out the second end of the tube.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17 including the further step of injecting an electrically non-conductive fluid through the tube and out the second end of the tube.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the fluid is passed through the flexible tube and out the second end of the tube to purge bubbles from the recessed chamber and to clear tissue debris.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the fluid-filled medium possesses a first electrical conductivity and wherein the injected fluid includes a second electrical conductivity.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the first electrical conductivity substantially matches the second electrical conductivity.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the fluid-filled medium and the injected fluid are electrically conductive fluids.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the tube includes a cylindrical tube having a circular end face and wherein actuation of the RF generator generates a high temperature zone having a circular cross section for vaporizing a circular area of the tissue.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 24 including the further step of sequentially indexing the tube end face after each actuation of the RF generator to cut a line in the tissue.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15 including the further step of controlling the length of time that the RF generator is actuated to control the amount of tissue vaporized.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-16 | 1995-12-16 | 1996-06-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-16 | 1999-12-16 | 2000-06-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-16 | 2003-12-16 | 2004-06-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |