US5993378A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electro-optical instruments and methods for treating disease
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1994-09-19
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Granted: 1999-11-30
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Expires: 2014-09-19
Abstract
Abstract Improvements in electro-optical instruments operable in body ducts, such as catheters, endoscopes, laparascopes and free travelling capsules adapted to pass through the body ducts. Methods for using same to detect and treat diseases such as cancer cells and body tissue. Medical materials, such as drug compounds usable with such instruments, are provided for detecting, marking and treating diseases such as cancer and preventing the spread of cancer. An instrument is provided which is capable of detecting a malady, such as a tumor, cancer,lesion, ulcer or other type of wound in a body duct of a living being which instrument may also be automatically operated to treat such a malady, such as by performing a surgical operation thereon.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerome H. Lemelson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 23:13
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/02; A61B5/021; A61B5/0215; A61B5/02154; A61B1/00; A61B1/00064; A61B1/00071; A61B1/0008; A61B1/00096; A61B1/00163; A61B1/00195; A61B1/04; A61B1/041; A61B1/042; A61B1/06; A61B1/0638; A61B1/07; A61B5/0059; A61B5/0062; A61B5/0082; A61B5/0084; A61B5/07; A61B5/145; A61B5/1455; A61B5/1459; A61B5/48; A61B5/4836; A61B5/4839; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/0067; A61M25/0068; A61M25/0069; A61M31/00; A61M31/007; A61M37/00; A61M37/0069; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/10; A61N5/1001; A61N5/1002; A61N5/1014; C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/50; A61B1/00165; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22072; A61B2017/22074; A61B2017/22077; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/064; A61B2562/00; A61B2562/02; A61B2562/0233; A61B2562/0238; A61B2562/04; A61B2562/046; A61B5/0075; A61M2025/0001; A61M2025/0002; A61M25/0082; A61M25/0084; A61M2025/0085; A61M2025/0086; A61M2025/0087; A61M2025/0096
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
A method for treating disease within a body cavity of a living being comprising: a) disposing a medical instrument within a body cavity which medical instrument contains a housing, a supply of a fluent medical material operable to treat diseased tissue when applied thereto and a means for ejecting a select quantity of said medical material from said housing at a select location, b) moving said medical instrument through said body cavity to cause said select location of said housing to become aligned with select diseased tissue within said body cavity and motor operating an arm to project outwardly from said housing so as to frictionally retain said housing at a select location within said body cavity, c) detecting with a detection means when said select location of said housing becomes aligned with said select diseased tissue in said body cavity, generating a control signal with said detection means, and employing said control signal to control and cause said means for ejecting said medical material from said housing to cause a select quantity of said medical material to be ejected from said housing against said diseased tissue.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
187 words
A method for treating disease within a body cavity of a living being comprising: a) disposing a medical instrument within a body cavity which medical instrument contains a housing, a supply of a fluent medical material operable to treat diseased tissue when applied thereto and a means for ejecting a select quantity of said medical material from said housing at a select location, b) moving said medical instrument through said body cavity to cause said select location of said housing to become aligned with select diseased tissue within said body cavity and motor operating an arm to project outwardly from said housing so as to frictionally retain said housing at a select location within said body cavity, c) detecting with a detection means when said select location of said housing becomes aligned with said select diseased tissue in said body cavity, generating a control signal with said detection means, and employing said control signal to control and cause said means for ejecting said medical material from said housing to cause a select quantity of said medical material to be ejected from said housing against said diseased tissue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of motor operating said arm to effect the selective movement of said housing within said body cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said medical material is ejected by spraying a quantity of said medical material against said select portion of the body cavity wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said medical material is a coolant operative to cool said diseased wall portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
160 words
An instrument for applying medication to a select location within a body cavity, comprising: a housing containing a supply of a fluent medical material operable to treat disease defining matter when applied thereto wherein said housing is mounted on a tubular support; optical means enabling said housing to be guided within the body cavity to dispose said housing at a select location therein; a motor operated arm projecting outwardly from said housing so as to frictionally retain said housing at a select location within said body cavity; means for ejecting a select quantity of said medical material from said housing at a select location; an optical fiber within said tubular support for transmitting optical images from the location in which said instrument is disposed; and, a video imaging means for generating video signals from images transmitted by said optical fiber and a computer programmed to effect automatic image analysis of the video signals to locate lesions within said body cavity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
160 words
An instrument for applying medication to a select location within a body cavity, comprising: a housing containing a supply of a fluent medical material operable to treat disease defining matter when applied thereto wherein said housing is mounted on a tubular support; optical means enabling said housing to be guided within the body cavity to dispose said housing at a select location therein; a motor operated arm projecting outwardly from said housing so as to frictionally retain said housing at a select location within said body cavity; means for ejecting a select quantity of said medical material from said housing at a select location; an optical fiber within said tubular support for transmitting optical images from the location in which said instrument is disposed; and, a video imaging means for generating video signals from images transmitted by said optical fiber and a computer programmed to effect automatic image analysis of the video signals to locate lesions within said body cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
103 words
An instrument for applying medication to a select location within a body cavity, comprising: a housing containing a supply of a fluent medical material operable to treat disease defining matter when applied thereto; optical means enabling said housing to be guided within the body cavity to dispose said housing at a select location therein; a motor operated arm projecting outwardly from said housing so as to frictionally retain said housing at a select location within said body cavity; means for ejecting a select quantity of said medical material from said housing at a select location; and, wherein said housing is an ingestable capsule.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
103 words
An instrument for applying medication to a select location within a body cavity, comprising: a housing containing a supply of a fluent medical material operable to treat disease defining matter when applied thereto; optical means enabling said housing to be guided within the body cavity to dispose said housing at a select location therein; a motor operated arm projecting outwardly from said housing so as to frictionally retain said housing at a select location within said body cavity; means for ejecting a select quantity of said medical material from said housing at a select location; and, wherein said housing is an ingestable capsule.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
An instrument in accordance with claim 6 further comprising a laser contained within said capsule operative to project a beam of laser light against respective select body matter adjacent said capsule.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
An instrument in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a means for spraying a quantity of said medical material against a select wall portion of the body cavity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
An instrument in accordance with claim 5 wherein said housing is a hollow needle adapted to be passed through tissue at a select wall portion of the body cavity to inject said medical material therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
An instrument in accordance with claim 5 wherein said computer is incorporated into said instrument.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
An instrument in accordance with claim 10 further comprising a laser for emitting laser radiation which causes select matter intersected thereby to fluoresce and a photoelectric detector for detecting fluorescent radiation emanating from said select matter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
An instrument in accordance with claim 11 wherein said computer is programmed to effect automatic analysis of signals generated by said photoelectric detector to locate lesions within said body cavity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said medical material comprises monoclonal antibodies.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said medical material comprises a tumor killing agent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said medical material comprises an antibiotic.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said medical material comprises an antinflammatory agent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said medical material comprises a growth factor.
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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) | 2002-11-29 | 2003-05-31 | 2003-11-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-29 | 2007-05-31 | 2007-11-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-29 | 2011-05-31 | 2011-11-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |