Access Component for Endoscope and Method of Using the Same

Abstract

The present application discloses an access assembly for an endoscope, comprising: a tubular body for receiving the endoscope; a distal member connected to the distal end of the tubular body; a proximal member connected to the proximal end of the tubular body, wherein the inner wall of the tubular body, the distal surface of the proximal member, and the proximal surface of the distal member jointly define a cavity of the access assembly; a fluid supply passage including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a fluid pipeline fluidly connecting the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the fluid outlet being disposed within the cavity of the access assembly; a vacuum suction member configured to be connected to a vacuum suction source; and a tee. The present application also relates to a method of using the access assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to an access assembly for an endoscope and a method of using the same. Background Art

[0002] Minimally invasive surgeries such as endoscopic surgeries reduce the invasiveness of the surgical procedure. Endoscopic surgeries involve surgeries that penetrate the body wall, for example, observing and / or operating on the ovaries, uterus, gallbladder, intestines, kidneys, appendix, etc. There are many common endoscopic surgical methods, for example, including arthroscopy, laparoscopy, gastroscopy, and laryngobronchoscopy. In these methods, a trocar is used to create an incision, and endoscopic surgery is performed through the incision. The trocar tube or access assembly extends into the body cavity and remains in the body cavity to provide an access port for endoscopic surgical tools. A camera or endoscope is inserted through the access assembly to allow visual inspection and magnification of the body cavity. Then, the surgeon can perform diagnosis and / or treatment at the surgical site with specialized instruments designed to cooperate through additional cannulas (such as forceps, graspers, cutters, applicators, etc.).

[0003] In use, the lens of the endoscope may become covered with condensates, tissues, blood, other body fluids, etc. within the body cavity. Therefore, it is difficult to keep the lens of the endoscope clean during the surgery. Conventionally, a surgeon (such as an endoscope operator) withdraws the endoscope through the incision on the patient's body via the access assembly, cleans the lens with pre-prepared saline at body temperature, then wipes the endoscope body with a disinfectant such as povidone-iodine, and reinserts it through the incision on the patient's body via the access assembly. During the surgical procedure, the time required to clean the lens may increase the total surgical time and the amount of time the patient needs to remain anesthetized, and since the endoscope needs to be repeatedly withdrawn and inserted through the incision on the patient's body, this may lead to an increased risk of infection and an increased recovery time. Although there are currently some access assemblies that can flush the lens of the endoscope with liquid within the body cavity, since these access assemblies directly discharge the flushing liquid together with condensates, tissues, blood, and other body fluids into the patient's body cavity, they are not accepted by most surgeons and have not been widely used. Additionally, due to limited flushing force, using only a liquid (such as saline) as the continuous phase to clean the lens of the endoscope may not be able to thoroughly remove sticky contaminants such as tissues and grease adhering to the lens. It can be seen that there is a need in the art for an improved access assembly that can simply and quickly clean the lens of the endoscope during the surgery, without introducing additional flushing liquid or contaminants into the patient's body cavity, and can provide an improved cleaning effect. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect of the present application, an access assembly for an endoscope is disclosed. The access assembly for an endoscope includes: a tubular body for receiving the endoscope; a distal member connected to the distal end of the tubular body; a proximal member connected to the proximal end of the tubular body; a fluid supply passage including a fluid inlet for receiving fluid, a fluid outlet, and a fluid line fluidly connecting the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the fluid outlet being disposed within the cavity of the access assembly; a vacuum suction member configured to be connected to a vacuum suction source; and a tee. The tee includes: a first port disposed along the main axis of the tee for receiving a first fluid; a second port for receiving a second fluid different from the first fluid; and a third port connected to the fluid inlet to input the first fluid, the second fluid, or a uniform fluid mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid into the cavity of the access assembly. The vacuum suction member includes a vacuum port for connecting to the vacuum suction source, a vacuum suction opening, and a vacuum line fluidly connecting the vacuum port and the vacuum suction opening, the vacuum suction opening being within the cavity. The inner wall of the tubular body, the distal surface of the proximal member, and the proximal surface of the distal member jointly define the cavity of the access assembly. When the endoscope is inserted through the proximal member into the cavity of the access assembly, the proximal member forms a seal against the sidewall of the endoscope. When the distal end portion of the endoscope extends distally out of the access assembly through the distal member, the distal member forms a seal against the sidewall of the endoscope, and when the distal end portion of the endoscope retracts proximally into the cavity of the access assembly from the distal member, the distal member closes to form a seal. The access assembly for an endoscope according to the present application can shorten the time required to clean the lens of the endoscope and, at the same time, prevent the cleaning fluid and dirt from entering the patient's body cavity through the distal end.

[0005] In some embodiments, the tee is in the shape of a T, the third port is disposed along the main axis of the tee, and the second port is disposed perpendicular to the main axis to facilitate arranging fluid lines connected to respective fluid sources.

[0006] In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the first port tapers from the inner diameter at the inlet of the first port along the main axis to the inner diameter near the center of the tee. The tapered inner diameter can limit the flow rate of the liquid from the first port with less increase in the overall resistance to uniformly mix with a fluid such as gas from the second port. In some embodiments, the second port includes a one-way check valve that blocks the backflow of the first fluid from the first port out of the second port.

[0007] In some embodiments, the fluid outlet is located on the proximal surface of the distal member of the access assembly and faces proximally to jet the fluid mixture in the proximal direction onto the distal end portion of the endoscope. Such a fluid outlet position and orientation can ensure that the cleaning fluid is directly jetted onto the distal end portion of the endoscope in the proximal direction without strictly requiring the insertion depth of the endoscope.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present application, a method of using an access assembly for an endoscope is disclosed, including: providing any access assembly according to the above aspects; connecting a first port of a three-way tube to a first fluid source supplying a first fluid; connecting a second port of the three-way tube to a second fluid source supplying a second fluid; connecting a vacuum port to a vacuum suction source; positioning a distal end portion of the endoscope within a cavity of the access assembly; and ejecting the first fluid, the second fluid, or a uniform fluid mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid from a fluid discharge port onto the distal end portion of the endoscope.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first fluid is a liquid, the second fluid is a gas, and the uniform fluid mixture is a gas-liquid two-phase flow. Alternatively, the first fluid is a liquid, the second fluid is a cleaning agent, and the uniform fluid mixture is a cleaning agent solution. The gas-liquid two-phase flow can be used as a cleaning fluid employed in a normal cleaning process. Since the liquid in the gas-liquid two-phase flow is in a discontinuous pulsed state, the scouring force on the distal end portion of the endoscope can be enhanced. The cleaning agent solution can be used as a cleaning fluid employed in a deep cleaning process. Due to the hydrophilicity and lipophilicity of cleaning agents such as surfactants, a better cleaning effect on dirt such as grease can be achieved.

[0010] In some embodiments, the method further includes: after ejecting the first fluid, the second fluid, or a uniform fluid mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid from the fluid discharge port onto the distal end portion of the endoscope, stopping the ejection, stopping the first port from receiving fluid from the first fluid source, and blowing the second fluid from the second port, which is a gas, onto the distal end portion of the endoscope. This process can blow off most of the liquid on the distal end portion of the endoscope to form a liquid film and extend the anti-fogging time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The various aspects of the disclosed three-way tube, access assembly, and method of using the same are described herein with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a three-way tube according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0013] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of an access assembly having a three-way tube and receiving an endoscope therein according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0014] Figure 3A is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing a fluid path of an access assembly for an endoscope in a cleaning or drying state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0015] Figure 3B is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing a fluid path of an access assembly for an endoscope in an observation state according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0016] Figure 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the fluid path of an access assembly for an endoscope in a cleaned or dried state according to another embodiment of the present application; and

[0017] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a distal member according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The distal member, access assembly, and method of using the same for cleaning the lens of an endoscope during a surgical procedure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like reference numerals refer to the same or corresponding elements in each of the several views. As used herein, the term "distal" refers to the direction (such as, Figures 2 to 4 as generally shown below) in which a part of the endoscope, access assembly, or its component is farther from the operator (such as a doctor), for example, the "distal direction" is the direction in which the endoscope is inserted, and the "distal end" is one end in the insertion direction of the endoscope; while the term "proximal" refers to the direction (such as, Figures 2 to 4 as generally shown above) in which a part of the endoscope, access assembly, or its component is closer to the operator, for example, the "proximal direction" is the direction in which the endoscope is withdrawn, and the "proximal end" is one end in the withdrawal direction of the endoscope. Additionally, the term "endoscope" is generally used interchangeably with any other device, such as a laparoscope, arthroscope, gastroscope, laryngobronchoscope, etc., for observing a patient's body cavity through a small diameter incision or cannula. As used herein, the term "fluid" generally refers to a substance having fluidity, including but not limited to liquids (such as pure liquids, solutions, colloids, suspensions, suspensions), gases, gas-liquid two-phase flow mixtures, plasmas, fluidized solid particles, etc. As used herein, the term "about" means that a numerical value is approximate and small variations will not significantly affect the practice of the aspects disclosed in the present disclosure. When using numerical limitations, unless the context otherwise indicates, "about" means that the numerical value can vary by ±10% and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0019] According to the present disclosure, during a surgical procedure, or during activities such as the manufacture, acceptance, and daily maintenance of an endoscope, the lens of the endoscope can be cleaned and dried in real time and efficiently without removing the endoscope from the access assembly as a whole, thereby improving the convenience of operation and shortening the operation time. The following is a further detailed description.

[0020] One aspect of the present application relates to an access assembly for an endoscope having a three-way tube that enables the cleaning of the endoscope, such as the lens at the distal end of the endoscope, without withdrawing the endoscope from the access assembly.

[0021] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a three-way tube 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2A cross-sectional side view of an access assembly having the three-way pipe 100 and receiving the endoscope 300 therein according to an embodiment of the present application. As Figure 2 shown, the access assembly generally includes a three-way pipe 100, a tubular body 200, a distal member 400 connected to the distal end of the tubular body 200, and a proximal member 500 connected to the proximal end of the tubular body 200. In this case, the distal surface of the proximal member 500, the inner surface of the tubular body 200, and the proximal surface of the distal member 400 jointly define the cavity of the access assembly. This cavity serves as the internal space of the access assembly for accommodating the endoscope 300 and the cleaning fluid, and is generally separated and sealed from the outside. In one embodiment, the outer wall of the distal member 400 is sealingly mounted to the inner wall at the distal end of the tubular body 200, and the proximal member 500 is sealingly mounted at the proximal end of the tubular body 200.

[0022] Return to reference Figure 1 , in one embodiment, the three-way pipe 100 includes a first port 110 for receiving a first fluid, a second port 120 for receiving a second fluid different from the first fluid, and a third port 130 for inputting fluid into the cavity of the access assembly. In one embodiment, the three-way pipe 100 receives the first fluid and the second fluid from the first port 110 and the second port 120 respectively, mixes the first fluid and the second fluid into a uniform fluid mixture inside it, and then discharges it from the third port 130 to the fluid input port 610 of the fluid supply passage 600 of the access assembly, as will be described in more detail later. In one embodiment, the first fluid and / or the second fluid can be adjusted to a temperature approximate to the usage environment (such as the patient's body cavity) where the distal end of the endoscope is located to avoid condensation and fogging.

[0023] In one embodiment, the first fluid is a liquid such as pure water, physiological saline, etc., and the second fluid is a gas such as CO2, purified air, inert gas, etc., and the three-way pipe 100 mixes the two into a uniform gas-liquid two-phase flow. As used herein, a "uniform" gas-liquid two-phase flow mixture does not refer to an absolutely average distribution of the gas phase and the liquid phase, but a generally relatively average distribution of the two. For example, when there is no section or multiple sections in the flow channel where the gas-liquid two-phase flow mixture is located that are completely occupied by liquid or gas for a long time, the gas-liquid two-phase flow mixture can be regarded as uniform. When cleaning the endoscope 300 with a gas-liquid two-phase flow, since the liquid therein is in a discontinuous pulsed state, the flushing force on the distal end of the endoscope 300 can be enhanced.

[0024] In another embodiment, the first fluid is a liquid such as pure water, physiological saline, etc., and the second fluid is a cleaning agent such as a surfactant, and the tee 100 mixes the two into a uniform aqueous cleaning agent solution or a cleaning agent physiological saline solution. When cleaning the endoscope 300 with the aqueous cleaning agent solution or the cleaning agent physiological saline solution, an improved cleaning effect is provided for fat and grease contaminants.

[0025] In one embodiment, the access assembly further includes a fluid supply passage 600. The fluid supply passage 600 includes a fluid inlet 610 for connecting to the third port 130 of the tee 100, a fluid discharge port 630 disposed within the cavity of the access assembly, and a fluid line 620 fluidly connecting the fluid inlet 610 and the fluid discharge port 630. The fluid flows in the fluid supply passage 600 from the fluid inlet 610 along the fluid line 620 to the fluid discharge port 630 and is ejected from the fluid discharge port 630, the direction and path of which are generally shown by Figure 2 the arrows B, B', B'' and C in. In one embodiment, the fluid inlet 610 is disposed on the proximal member 500. In this case, the fluid line 620 is jointly formed by a portion formed within the proximal member 500 and a portion formed on the tubular body 200. In one embodiment, the portion of the fluid line 620 formed on the tubular body 200 is located inside the tubular body 200 without providing any additional externally provided tubing outside the tubular body. In this case, the outside of the tubular body 200 remains smooth in shape so that the access assembly can be inserted through an incision in the patient's body. In one embodiment, the tubular body 200 includes two nested cylindrical side walls (not shown), and the portion of the fluid line 620 formed on the tubular body 200 is formed between the outer wall of the inner cylindrical side wall and the inner wall of the outer cylindrical side wall. In this case, the inside of the tubular body 200 can also have a smooth cylindrical inner wall to accommodate the endoscope 300 without obstruction or collision.

[0026] In one embodiment, the access assembly further includes a vacuum suction member 700. The vacuum suction member 700 includes a vacuum port 710 for connecting to a vacuum suction source (such as a vacuum pump, a vacuum source as part of a hospital infrastructure, etc.), a vacuum suction port 730, and a vacuum line 720 fluidly connecting the vacuum port 710 and the vacuum suction port 730. In one embodiment, the vacuum suction port 730 is directly connected to the vacuum suction source. The vacuum suction port 730 is located within the cavity of the access assembly to suck out the cleaning fluid and contaminants within the cavity. The cleaning fluid and contaminants within the cavity of the access assembly leave the access assembly from the vacuum suction port 730 along the vacuum line 720 from the vacuum port 710, the direction and path of which are generally shown by Figure 2The arrows D and D’ in [the figure] are shown. In one embodiment, the vacuum port 710 is disposed on the proximal member 500. In this case, the vacuum line 720 is formed by a portion formed within the proximal member 500 and a portion formed on the tubular body 200. Although Figure 2 the vacuum suction port 730 is shown in [the figure] at a relatively proximal position within the tubular body 200, the vacuum suction port 730 according to the present application is not limited thereto and may be disposed at any suitable position within the tubular body 200. It should be understood that during the process of performing surgery using the access assembly and the endoscope, due to different required endoscope viewing angles (such as upright, inverted, horizontal, obliquely downward, obliquely upward, etc. orientations), the access assembly is also arranged at the corresponding required angles. Therefore, the cleaning fluid and dirt may accumulate proximally or distally within the cavity of the access assembly due to gravity. In this case, the vacuum suction port 730 may be correspondingly disposed proximally or distally within the tubular body 200 to facilitate the effect of sucking the fluid and dirt out of the cavity.

[0027] In one embodiment, in order to provide a sealed cleaning space and prevent the cleaning fluid and dirt from leaving the cavity and overflowing from the proximal end or entering the patient's body through the incision at the distal end, the proximal member 500 further has a seal 510. As Figures 3A - 4As shown, when the endoscope 300 is inserted through the proximal member 500 into the cavity of the access assembly, the seal 510 forms a seal against the side wall of the endoscope 300. In addition, when the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 is retracted in the proximal direction into the cavity of the access assembly for cleaning, the distal member 400 can close to form a seal to prevent the contents of the cavity (e.g., cleaning fluid (such as liquid, gas, cleaning agent solution, gas-liquid two-phase flow, etc.) and contaminants (such as condensate, tissue, blood, other body fluids, etc.)) from leaving the distal end of the access assembly. In one embodiment, when the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 extends through the distal member 400 in the distal direction from the distal end of the access assembly, the distal member 400 can form a seal against the side wall of the endoscope 300 to prevent the contents of the cavity from leaving the distal end of the access assembly. In any of the above cases, the distal member 400 can prevent fluid (i.e., gas and / or liquid) from passing only unidirectionally. In other words, the fluid in the cavity of the access assembly cannot pass through the seal between the distal member 400 and the outer wall of the endoscope 300 to outside the distal end of the access assembly (e.g., into the patient's body cavity), but in the case where there is a partial vacuum in the cavity of the access assembly relative to the outside of the distal end of the access assembly, the fluid outside the distal end of the access assembly (e.g., the gas used for pneumoperitoneum, such as CO2) can pass through the seal of the distal member 400 or the seal between the distal member 400 and the outer wall of the endoscope 300 into the cavity of the access assembly. In this case, the access assembly can be allowed to be a path for the gas (such as CO2) used for pneumoperitoneum to leave the patient's body cavity, thereby maintaining the circulation of the gas in the patient's body cavity and its positive pressure relative to the operating room environment, and using the gas flow to at least partially blow off the liquid on the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300. Alternatively, the distal member 400 can prevent fluid from passing bidirectionally. In other words, there is no fluid flow in any direction across the distal member 400 between the inside of the cavity of the access assembly and outside the distal end of the access assembly.

[0028] In one embodiment, the third port 130 is arranged along the axis A-A of the first port 110. That is, the first port 110 and the third port 130 are coaxial and at an angle of 180°. It should be understood that when the angle between the first port 110 and the second port 120 is relatively large (e.g., greater than 60°), since the initial angle at which the first fluid received by the first port 110 contacts the second fluid received by the second port 120 is relatively large, the formation of turbulence can be promoted, and thus the sufficient mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid can be promoted. In one embodiment, the second port 120 is arranged along a direction perpendicular to the axis A-A (i.e., at an angle of 90° with the first port 110), such that the tee 100 generally presents a "T" shape. In this case, the fluid pipelines connected to the first fluid source and the second fluid source can be conveniently arranged while avoiding the entanglement and interference of the pipelines. Although Figure 1The three-way pipe 100 is shown as the "T" shape, but the three-way pipe 100 according to the present application is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the first port 110, the second port 120, and the third port 130 may be arranged at other angles. As an example, the first port 110, the second port 120, and the third port 130 may form an included angle of 120° with each other, such that the three-way pipe 100 generally presents a "Y" shape. Alternatively, the first port 110, the second port 120, and the third port 130 may be located on different planes from each other and form an appropriate angle with each other, such that the three-way pipe 100 is a three-dimensional structure. In this case, the included angle between the first port 110 and the second port 120 may be increased to further improve the mixing effect of the first fluid and the second fluid.

[0029] In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the first port 110 of the three-way pipe 100 tapers from the entrance along the axis A-A towards the center of the three-way pipe 100. As Figure 1 shown, the inner diameter of the first port 110 at the entrance is d1, the inner diameter at the center of the three-way pipe 100 is d1', the inner diameter of the second port 120 is d2, and the inner diameter of the third port 130 is d3. When the first fluid received by the first port 110 is a liquid and the second fluid received by the second port 120 is a gas, the narrowed inner diameter d1' limits the flow rate of the liquid from the first port 110 to promote the effect of mixing with the gas into a gas-liquid two-phase flow. Additionally, compared with using a smaller inner diameter d1' throughout, the design of tapering from a larger inner diameter d1 to a smaller inner diameter d1' reduces the overall liquid resistance, thereby reducing the requirement for the supply pressure of the first fluid source. Without being limited by any theory, the tapering inner diameter causes the flow rate of the fluid in the first port 110 to gradually increase. According to Bernoulli's principle, this causes the static pressure of the fluid at the center of the three-way pipe 100 to decrease, making it easier to mix with the gas from the second port 120 into a uniform gas-liquid two-phase flow mixture. Alternatively, the three-way pipe 100 according to the present application may also achieve uniform mixing of fluids using other principles. As an example, the inner diameters of the respective ports may be set to exert respective corresponding resistances on the first fluid, the second fluid, and the fluid mixture, thereby promoting uniform mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid.

[0030] During surgical procedures assisted by an endoscope, for example, a vacuum pump, a vacuum source as part of the hospital infrastructure, and a gas source (such as a CO2 gas cylinder, with the pressure optionally regulated by a pressure reducing valve) and a liquid source (such as a normal saline drip bottle / bag, a peristaltic pump, a syringe, etc.) commonly used in the hospital are typically employed. Considering the working pressure ranges of the above common vacuum sources, gas sources, and liquid sources, the inner diameter d1 of the first port 110 at the inlet (the optional smaller inner diameter d1' of the first port 110 at the center of the tee 100), the inner diameter d2 of the second port 120, and the inner diameter d3 of the third port 130 can be appropriately selected to achieve an optimal mixing effect of the first fluid and the second fluid to obtain a uniform fluid mixture, including a gas-liquid two-phase flow mixture, a cleaning agent and normal saline mixture, etc., as an example.

[0031] In one embodiment, the second port 120 of the tee 100 further has a one-way check valve (not shown). When the pressure of the first fluid from the first port 110 is greater than the pressure at the second port 120, the one-way check valve can prevent the first fluid from flowing back out of the second port 120.

[0032] In one embodiment, the second port 120 of the tee 100 further has a switching mechanism such as a switching valve and a manifold (not shown) to switch between using gas and a cleaning agent as the second fluid without having to remove the gas source from the second port 120 and reconnect the cleaning agent source, and vice versa.

[0033] In one embodiment, the fluid discharge port 630 of the fluid supply passage 600 of the access assembly for the endoscope is located on the proximal surface of the distal member 400 and points proximally to eject the first fluid, the second fluid, or a fluid mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid onto the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300, thereby cleaning or drying the lens of the endoscope 300, as described in more detail later.

[0034] In one embodiment, the distal member 400 that implements the above functions can have a structure as shown in Figure 5 as shown in Figure 5As shown, the distal member 400 has a generally cylindrical sidewall 410 for sealing at the distal end of the inner wall of the tubular body 200 of the access assembly. The cylindrical sidewall 410 has an orifice 412. The distal member 400 may also have a plurality of sealing flaps 420 located at the distal end of the cylindrical sidewall 410. The proximal-facing surface of at least one of the plurality of sealing flaps 420 may have a fluid discharge port 630 of the fluid supply passage 600 of the access assembly, and a flow channel (not shown) fluidly connecting the fluid discharge port 630 to the orifice 412. When the distal member 400 is installed and sealed to the distal end of the inner wall of the tubular body 200 of the access assembly, the orifice 412 forms partial fluid communication with the fluid line 620 on the tubular body 200, thereby receiving the mixed fluid into the sealing flaps 420 and then ejecting it proximally from the fluid discharge port 630 via the flow channel to the distal end portion 320 of the endoscope 300. Since the ejection direction of the fluid proximally points to the distal end portion 320 of the endoscope 300 in this embodiment, a good cleaning effect can be achieved without strictly requiring the insertion depth of the endoscope 300.

[0035] In another embodiment, the fluid discharge port 630 of the fluid supply passage 600 of the access assembly for the endoscope is located near the distal end of the interior of the tubular body 200. In this case, the distal member 400 may be only used to seal the cavity of the access assembly without a flow channel and an orifice for fluid ejection. As Figure 4 shown, the fluid discharge port 630 is located at the distal end of the portion of the fluid line 620 formed on the tubular body 200. It can be understood that the outer wall of the endoscope 300 can be marked at an appropriate position to indicate the insertion depth of the endoscope 300 that aligns the distal end portion 320 with the fluid discharge port 630. In addition, the insertion depth and the circumferential angle can also be adjusted according to the image obtained by the endoscope 300 so that the distal end portion 320 is aligned with the fluid discharge port 630.

[0036] Another aspect of the present application relates to a method of using the above-described access assembly for an endoscope having a three-way pipe. Figure 3A is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the fluid path of the access assembly for an endoscope in a cleaning or drying state according to an embodiment of the present application, which shows the fluid path in the embodiment where the fluid discharge port 630 is located on the proximal surface of the distal member 400 as Figure 5 shown. Figure 3B is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the fluid path of the access assembly for an endoscope in an observation state according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the fluid path of the access assembly for an endoscope in a cleaning or drying state according to another embodiment of the present application, which shows the fluid path in the embodiment where the fluid discharge port 630 is located at the distal end of the interior of the tubular body 200.

[0037] As Figure 3A shown, there is provided the access assembly described above, including a tee 100, a tubular body 200, a distal member 400, a proximal member 500, a fluid supply passage 600, and a vacuum suction member 700. In one embodiment, a first port 110 of the tee 100 is connected to a first fluid source (not shown) that supplies a first fluid such as normal saline, pure water, etc., a second port 120 is connected to a second fluid source (not shown) that supplies a second fluid such as a gas or a cleaning agent, etc., and a third port 130 is connected to a fluid inlet 610 of the fluid supply passage 600. Additionally, a vacuum port 710 of the vacuum suction member 700 is connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown), such as a vacuum pump and a vacuum source that is part of the hospital infrastructure (e.g., a negative pressure interface on the operating room wall).

[0038] During activities such as the manufacture, acceptance, and daily maintenance of the endoscope, or when the field of view of the endoscope 300 becomes blurred due to being covered by condensates (fog), blood, other body fluids, tissues, etc., the method of using the access assembly according to the present application can be started to clean the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300. Depending on the degree of blurring of the field of view, a normal cleaning process, a deep cleaning process, or a mild cleaning process can be selected. First, the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 is retracted from the distal side of the distal member 400 to the proximal side of the distal member 400 and into the cavity of the access assembly, as Figure 3A and Figure 4 indicated by arrow E in. During this process, the distal member 400 gradually closes against the outer wall of the endoscope 300 and forms a seal. At this time, the seal 510 of the proximal member 500 also forms a seal against the outer wall of the endoscope 300. The distal surface of the proximal member 500, the inner surface of the tubular body 200, and the proximal surface of the distal member 400 jointly define the cavity of the access assembly to provide a sealed space for accommodating the cleaning fluid and the removed dirt.

[0039] Then, during activities such as daily maintenance, or when the degree of blurring on the lens at the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 is normal, an ordinary cleaning process can be selected. During the ordinary cleaning process, a first fluid such as physiological saline is supplied to the first port 110 of the three-way pipe 100, and a second fluid such as CO2 is supplied to the second port 120 of the three-way pipe 100. The physiological saline and CO2 are mixed inside the three-way pipe 100 into a uniform gas-liquid two-phase flow mixture, and then flow from the third port 130 of the three-way pipe 100 into the fluid inlet 610 of the fluid supply passage 600, and via the fluid pipeline 620 to the fluid discharge port 630 and are discharged from the fluid discharge port 630 to clean the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300. Under the action of a vacuum suction source (not shown) connected to the vacuum port 710, the gas-liquid two-phase flow mixture as the cleaning fluid and the removed dirt are drawn from the vacuum suction port 730 out of the cavity of the access assembly and leave the access assembly via the vacuum pipeline 720 from the vacuum port 710. The completion of the cleaning can be judged by the cleaning time or the clarity of the image obtained by the endoscope 300.

[0040] When the degree of blurring on the lens at the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 is relatively high (such as being covered with dirt with poor water solubility such as grease), a deep cleaning process can be selected. During the deep cleaning process, a first fluid such as physiological saline is supplied to the first port 110 of the three-way pipe 100, and a second fluid such as a surfactant as a cleaning agent is supplied to the second port 120 of the three-way pipe 100. When the second port 120 of the three-way pipe 100 has a switching mechanism (not shown) as described above, the second fluid can be directly switched from gas to the cleaning agent using this switching mechanism without having to unplug the gas pipe and reconnect the cleaning agent pipe. The physiological saline and the cleaning agent are mixed inside the three-way pipe 100 into a uniform cleaning agent physiological saline solution and are discharged from the fluid discharge port 630 to clean the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300. Due to the hydrophilicity and lipophilicity of the cleaning agent, its cleaning effect on grease-like dirt is better than that of a single liquid. In addition, since the surfactant reduces the surface tension of a liquid such as physiological saline, a liquid film with a longer holding time can be formed on the lens at the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300, thereby improving the anti-fog performance of the lens and delaying the next fogging time. The cleaning agent can use common surfactants that are safe for the human body.

[0041] Alternatively, during activities such as routine maintenance, or when the degree of blurring on the lens at the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 is low (such as only slightly fogging up), a mild cleaning process can be selected. During the mild cleaning process, only a first fluid such as normal saline is supplied to the first port 110 of the three-way tube 100, and no fluid is provided at the second port 120. In this case, routine maintenance can be carried out more simply, or the slight fog or a small amount of water-soluble dirt on the lens at the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 can be removed.

[0042] Optionally, after cleaning the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300, an optional drying process is carried out before the distal end 320 passes through the distal member 400 to the distal side of the distal member 400. During the drying process, the supply of the first fluid at the first port 110 of the three-way tube 100 is stopped, and a gas such as CO2 is supplied as the second fluid at the second port 120. The CO2 is discharged from the fluid discharge port 630 and blown onto the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 to blow off most of the liquid on the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300. It should be understood that the above drying process does not have to blow off all the liquid on the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 or dry it completely, but leaves a small amount of liquid on the distal end 320 to form a liquid film, thereby improving the anti-fog performance of the lens and delaying the next fogging time.

[0043] After completing the cleaning process and the optional drying process, the discharge of the first fluid and the second fluid from the fluid discharge port 630 is stopped, and the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 is passed through the distal member 400 again to the distal side of the distal member 400, such as into the patient's body cavity, as Figure 3B shown by the arrow F. During this process, the distal member 400 can scrape off the excess liquid on the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 and assist in forming a liquid film, thereby improving the anti-fog performance of the lens and delaying the next fogging time. In one embodiment, for example, in the embodiment of the distal member 400 shown in Figure 5 , the stop of the first fluid and the second fluid can be automatically achieved by the bending of the sealing flaps 420 of the distal member 400 without operating the start and stop of the first fluid source or the second fluid source. In this case, when the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 passes through the distal member 400, the plurality of sealing flaps 420 gradually open against the outer wall of the endoscope 300 and bend radially outward, so that the flow channel between the orifice 412 on the sealing flap 420 and the fluid discharge port 630 is clamped and blocked, thereby stopping the discharge of the fluid. This simplifies the process of extending the distal end 320 of the endoscope 300 back out beyond the distal end of the access assembly, shortens the overall operation time, and also reduces the complexity of the operation for medical personnel.

[0044] Although the above has generally described a method for cleaning the endoscopic instrument 300 during surgery, the method of using the access assembly for the endoscopic instrument according to the present application is not limited thereto. As an example, the above method can also be used to clean the endoscopic instrument 300 during activities such as the manufacture, acceptance, and daily maintenance of the endoscopic instrument, so as to simulate the process of cleaning the endoscopic instrument 300 during actual surgery and to test the performance of the endoscopic instrument 300.

[0045] It should be understood that various modifications can be made to the disclosed methods and systems. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as an example of aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, any and all features of one described aspect can be appropriately incorporated into another aspect, and the beneficial effects of the feature in one aspect can be expected to be achieved in another aspect.

Claims

1. An access component for an endoscope, characterized in that, Comprising: A tubular body for receiving an endoscope; A distal member connected to the distal end of the tubular body; A proximal member connected to the proximal end of the tubular body; Wherein the inner wall of the tubular body, the distal surface of the proximal member, and the proximal surface of the distal member jointly define the cavity of the access assembly; A fluid supply passage, the fluid supply passage including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a fluid pipeline fluidly connecting the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the fluid outlet being arranged in the cavity; A vacuum suction member configured to be connected to a vacuum suction source; And A tee, comprising: A first port for receiving a first fluid; A second port for receiving a second fluid different from the first fluid; and A third port connected to the fluid inlet to input a fluid mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid into the cavity of the access assembly, The inner diameter of the first port tapers along the axis of the first port from the entrance of the first port to near the center of the tee.

2. The access assembly for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that, The access assembly for the endoscope further includes a vacuum suction member, the vacuum suction member including a vacuum suction port, a vacuum port for connecting to a vacuum suction source, and a vacuum pipeline fluidly connecting the vacuum port and the vacuum suction port, the vacuum suction port being arranged in the cavity of the access assembly.

3. The access assembly for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein: The proximal member is configured such that when the endoscope is inserted through the proximal member into the cavity of the access assembly, the proximal member abuts against the side wall of the endoscope to form a seal, and The distal member is configured such that when the distal end portion of the endoscope extends through the distal member in the distal direction outside the access assembly, the distal member abuts against the side wall of the endoscope to form a seal, and when the distal end portion of the endoscope retracts from the distal member in the proximal direction into the cavity of the access assembly, the distal member closes to form a seal.

4. The access assembly for an endoscope according to claim 1, wherein: The tee is in the shape of a T, the first port and the third port are arranged along the same axis, and the second port is perpendicular to the first port and the third port.

5. The access assembly for an endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second port includes a one-way check valve that blocks the first fluid from flowing out of the second port from the first port.

6. The access assembly for an endoscope according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The fluid outlet is located on the proximal surface of the distal member of the access assembly and faces proximally to eject the fluid mixture in the proximal direction.

7. A method for using an access component for an endoscope, characterized in that, Comprising: Providing the access assembly for an endoscope according to any one of claims 1-6; Connecting the first port of the tee to a first fluid source supplying the first fluid; Connecting the second port of the tee to a second fluid source supplying the second fluid; Connecting the vacuum port to a vacuum suction source; Positioning the distal end portion of the endoscope in the cavity of the access assembly; Starting the first fluid source, the second fluid source, and the vacuum suction source to eject the first fluid, the second fluid, or a fluid mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid from the fluid outlet onto the distal end portion of the endoscope.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that: the first fluid is a liquid, the second fluid is a gas, and the fluid mixture is a gas-liquid two-phase flow; or the first fluid is a liquid, the second fluid is a cleaning agent, and the fluid mixture is a cleaning agent solution.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that The second fluid is a gas, and the method further comprises: after ejecting the first fluid, the second fluid, or the fluid mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid from the fluid discharge port onto the distal end of the endoscope, stopping the ejection, stopping the first port from receiving fluid from the first fluid source, and blowing the second fluid onto the distal end of the endoscope.

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