Medical scope accessory

Abstract

A cover 10 for a shaft of medical scoping device comprises a tubular body 12 with a proximal end 14, a distal end 16, an outer surface 18 (Figure 1) and an inner surface 20 (Figure 1). The distal end

Description

Field The present disclosure relates to a device for use with a medical scope, such as an endoscope, and a method of fitting the device on to the shaft of a medical scope. Background US 2019 / 0183328 A1 describes a cover for the shaft of a medical scoping device, in particular for fitting over the distal tip of an endoscope. The cover is a tubular member with proximal and distal ends and inner and outer circumferential surfaces. A plurality of projecting elements is provided on the outer surface of the cover which in use extend radially outward from the cover and facilitate the inspection of a body cavity or carrying out of other medical procedures with the medical scope. However, it can be awkward to fit the cover to the distal tip of the medical scope since the cover may become crumpled up or catch on the outer surface of the medical scope in an incorrect position while fitting. Summary The present disclosure provides a cover for a shaft of a medical scoping device according to claim 1. The present disclosure also provides a method of fitting a cover to a shaft of a medical scoping device according to claim 12. Brief Description of the Drawings The present disclosure refers, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1a and 1b schematically illustrate a cover for a shaft of a medial scope, with the cover shown in a normal configuration and an everted configuration respectively; Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of a cover with projecting elements in an extended condition; Figure 3 is a cross section of an embodiment of a cover, in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and between the proximal and distal ends; Figure 4 is a cross section of a second embodiment of cover; Figure 5 is a cross section of a third embodiment of a cover; Figures 6a and 6b are cross sections along the line A-A’ of Figure 5 showing further embodiments; Figure 7a schematically illustrates a perspective view of a cover with protrusions; 5 Figure 7b is a cross section of the cover of Figure 7a through the protrusions; Figures 8a and 8b schematically illustrate embodiments of a cover with a distal end of reduced inner diameter and of increased outer diameter respectively; and Figures 9a to 9d schematically illustrate a method of installing a cover on a medical scope shaft. 10 Detailed Description As shown in Figure 1a, a cover 10 for a shaft of a medical scoping device comprises a tubular body 12 which is open at each end. The tubular body 12 has a proximal end 14, a distal end 16, an outer circumferential surface 18 and an inner circumferential surface 20. LO CXI The tubular body 12 has a longitudinal axis 22. The cover 10 may be formed in one piece and may be a resiliently deformable polymer material. A plurality of projecting elements 24 may be provided on the outer surface 18 of the tubular body 12. The projecting elements 24 are illustrated only schematically in Figure 1. In one example shown in Figure 2, eight projecting elements 24 are provided, equally spaced around the circumference of the tubular body 12. However, a different number of projecting elements 24 and a different spacing is also possible. Each projecting element 24 may comprise an elongate arm with proximal and distal ends 26, 28. The proximal end 26 is attached to or integrally formed with the tubular body 12, close to the distal end 16 of the tubular body 12. Each projecting element 24 is movable relative to the tubular body 12 from a retracted position in which the projecting element 24 lies generally adjacent to the outer surface 18 and extends generally axially as shown schematically in Figure 1a, and an extended position in which each projecting element 24 projects outwardly from the tubular body 12 at an angle to the longitudinal axis 22, as shown in Figure 2. In the retracted position, each projecting element 24 may be received within an axially extending channel 30 formed on the tubular body 12. Each channel 30 may be defined between a pair of ribs 32 which are formed on the outer surface 18 and protrude outwardly, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Alternatively, each channel 30 may be recessed into the outer surface 18 as shown in Figure 5. In Figures 3-5 the projecting elements 24 themselves are omitted for clarity. The distal end 28 of each projecting element 24 may be formed to be thicker than the rest of the projecting element 24 as shown in Figure 6a, or may be bent at an angle thereto, as shown in Figure 6b, so that when the projecting element 24 is retracted into a channel 30, the distal end 28 projects a small distance out of the channel 30. This assists in moving the projecting element 24 into its extended position in use, as described further below. The tubular body 12 may be radially elastically expandable. In use, tubular body 12 is dimensioned so that it is slightly expanded when positioned on the shaft of a medical scope, to increase the grip of the cover 10 on the shaft. The inner surface 20 of the tubular body 12 may also be formed with features to further increase the grip of the cover 10 on the exterior surface of a medical scope shaft. For example, the inner surface 20 may be formed with a plurality of axially extending ridges 34. As shown in Figures 3-5, in cross section the ridges 34 project inwardly. The ridges 34 may be evenly spaced around the inner surface 20, and / or may have the same profile as one another in cross section, as illustrated in Figure 3. Alternatively, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the ridges 34 may be unevenly spaced or arranged in groups around the inner circumference of the tubular body 12. The gaps 36 between groups of ridges 34 may be aligned with the channels 30 as shown in Figure 4. Some ridges 34 may project inwardly to a greater extent than others. The cross-sectional profile of the ridges 34 may have a relatively sharp, angular form as shown in Figures 3 and 5, or a more curved form as in Figure 4. The cover 10 may further comprise at least one protrusion 38 on the outer surface 18, located adjacent to the proximal end 14, as illustrated in Figures 7a and 7b. A plurality of protrusions 38 may be provided at intervals around the outer surface 18, such as alternately with the channels 30. The protrusions 38 may project radially to a height h2 which is less than the height hi of the ribs 32 (if present) as shown in Figure 7b. The protrusions 38 may assist a user when handling the cover 10 as described further below. The cover 10 is sufficiently flexible to allow it to be everted (that is, turned inside out so that the inner surface 20 faces outwardly and the outer surface 18 faces inwardly) and reverted to its initial state (that is, with the inner surface 20 facing inwardly and the outer surface 18 facing outwardly). To provide the necessary flexibility, the thickness of the tubular body 12 may be less than 0.6mm, or less than 0.5mm. This flexibility is utilised in order to fit the cover 10 to the shaft of a medical scope and to remove it therefrom as described below. The distal end 16 of the tubular body 12 may be provided with additional features which aid its installation on the shaft of a medical scope. For example, the distal end 16 may be formed to be at least one of thicker, harder or more rigid than the rest of the tubular body 12. The distal end 16 may be formed of a different material which is joined to the rest of the tubular body 12 during manufacture. For example, a silicone ring may be moulded onto or within the distal end 16. Alternatively, or in addition, the distal end 16 may be formed with a smaller inner diameter relative to the rest of the tubular body 12 as shown in Figure 8a, and / or a larger outer diameter relative to the rest of the tubular body 12 as shown in Figure 8b. In use, the cover 10 is fitted over the distal end 40 of a shaft 42 of a medical scoping device such as an endoscope. In order to fit the cover 10 to the shaft 42, the cover 10 is first everted (turned inside out) so that the inner circumferential surface 20 faces outwardly and the outer circumferential surface 18 faces inwardly as shown in Figure 9a. The projecting elements 24 remain in the retracted position. The distal end 16 of the cover 10 is slightly stretched and then positioned around the distal end 40 of the shaft 42. Because the cover 10 is inside out, the outer surface 18 is facing inwardly and contacts the outer surface of the shaft 42. Due to the features of the distal end 16 mentioned above, such a being thicker / harder / more rigid or of different diameter, the distal end 16 firmly grips the distal end 40 of the shaft 42. With the distal end 16 of the cover 10 in this position, the rest of the cover 10 is gradually moved proximally along the shaft 42, sliding past the distal end 16, as shown in Figures 9b and 9c. As this occurs, the tubular body 12 is gradually reverted back to its normal state with the outer surface 18 facing outwardly and the inner surface 20 facing inwardly and contacting the outer surface of the shaft 42. Finally, the continued movement of the tubular body 12 in the proximal direction will revert the whole cover 10 to its normal position so that all of the outer surface 18 of the cover 10 faces outwardly and the cover 10 extends along a portion of the length of the distal end 40 of the shaft 42 as shown in Figure 9d. The medical scoping device may then be inserted into a patient’s body. Normally when examining the gastrointestinal tract, for example, the shaft 42 of the medical scoping device is advanced relatively quickly to the furthest point requiring examination and then gradually withdrawn more slowly with most of the visual examination carried out during the withdrawal. During advancement of the shaft 42, the projecting elements 24 may remain within the channels 30. As the shaft 42 is withdrawn, contact of the distal ends 28 of the projecting elements 24 with surrounding body tissues will cause the projecting elements 24 to move out to their extended configuration. In the extended configuration, the projecting elements 24 act to gently open and flatten colonic folds to assist with carrying out an inspection of the body tissues through the scoping device. At the end of the procedure the shaft 42 is completely withdrawn from the patient’s body. 5 The cover 10 can then be removed from the shaft 42. The cover 10 may be everted at the proximal end 14 and gradually rolled off the end of the shaft 42 in a reverse procedure to that shown in Figures 9a-d. The protrusions 38 may assist by helping a user get a grip on the proximal end 14 to start the eversion and removal process. 10 Thus, the present disclosure provides an improved cover for the shaft of a medical scoping device which can be fitted to and removed from the shaft more easily and efficiently. 22 05 25

Claims

1. A cover for a shaft of medical scoping device, the cover comprising:a tubular body configured for application over a distal end of the medical scoping device shaft with the tubular body, in use, extending along a portion of the distal end of the5 shaft, the tubular body comprising:a proximal end;a distal end;an inner surface; andan outer surface, and10 at least one projecting element on the outer surface of the cover which is movablebetween a retracted position adjacent to the outer surface and an extended position in which the projecting element extends radially outwardly from the outer surface, wherein the distal end of the tubular body is configured to grip an outer surface of a distal end of the shaft in use, and wherein the tubular body is elastically deformable and15 sufficiently flexible to allow the cover to be everted along its entire longitudinal length, so that the inner surface faces outwardly and the outer surface faces inwardly, and reverted to its initial state with the inner surface facing inwardly and the outer surface facing outwardly.

2. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the tubular body is for 20 gripping the outer surface of the shaft.

3. The cover as claimed in claim 2, wherein the distal end of the tubular body grips the outer surface of the shaft more firmly than the inner surface of the tubular body grips the outer surface of the shaft.

254. The cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the distal end of the cover is at least one of: harder; thicker; and / or more rigid than the rest of the cover.

5. The cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the distal end defines an30 inner diameter which is smaller than an inner diameter of the rest of the tubular body.

6. The cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the distal end defines an outer diameter which is larger than an outer diameter of the rest of the tubular body.

7. The cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a thickness of the tubular body between the inner surface and the outer surface is less than 0.6 mm, or less than 0.5 mm.

8. The cover as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising at least one protrusion on the outer surface of the proximal end of the tubular body.

9. The cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein in the retracted position, the or each projecting element is received in a respective channel on the outer surface of the tubular body.

10. The cover as claimed in claim 9, wherein a distal tip of the or each projecting element projects out of the channel in the retracted position.

11. The cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each projecting element is located inwardly when the cover is everted, and outwardly when the cover is in its initial state.

12. A method of fitting a cover to a shaft of a medical scoping device, the cover comprising: a tubular body; a proximal end; a distal end; an inner surface; and an outer surface, wherein the cover is elastically deformable, the method the comprising the steps of:deforming the tubular member to evert the cover along its entire longitudinal length, so that the outer surface faces inwardly and the inward surface faces outwardly;fitting the distal end of the tubular body over the distal end of the shaft with the distal end of the tubular body gripping an outer surface of the shaft;moving a remainder of the tubular body in a proximal direction along the shaft; and passing over the distal end of the tubular body, in order to gradually revert the tubular body to a configuration with the outer surface facing outwardly and the cover extending along a portion of the distal end of the shaft.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein passing over the distal end of the tubular body, in order to gradually revert the tubular body, is to grip the outer surface of the shaft with the inner surface of the tubular body.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the distal end of the tubular body grips the outer surface of the shaft more firmly than the inner surface of the tubular body grips the outer surface of the shaft.

15. The method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14, further comprising: everting the proximal end of the tubular body;moving the proximal end of the tubular body in a distal direction along the shaft and over the distal end of the tubular body in order to gradually evert the cover and to remove the cover from the distal end of the shaft.

16. The method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 15, wherein the distal end of the cover is at least one of harder, thicker and more rigid than the rest of the cover.

17. The method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 16, wherein the distal end defines an inner diameter which is smaller than an inner diameter of the rest of the tubular body.

18. The method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 17, wherein the distal end defines an outer diameter which is larger than an outer diameter of the rest of the tubular body.

19. The method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 18, wherein a thickness of the tubular body between the inner surface and the outer surface is less than 0.6 mm, or less than 0.5 mm.

20. The method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 19, wherein the cover further comprises at least one protrusion on the outer surface of the proximal end of the tubular body.

21. The method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 20, wherein the cover further comprises at least one projecting element on the outer surface of the cover which is movable between a retracted position adjacent to the outer surface and an extended position in which the projecting element extends radially outwardly from the outer surface.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein in the retracted position, the or each projecting element is received in a respective channel on the outer surface of the tubular body.- IQ-23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein a distal tip of the or each projecting element projects out of the channel in the retracted position.5 24. The method as claimed in any of claims 21 to 23, wherein the or each projectingelement is located inwardly when the cover is everted, and outwardly when the cover is in its initial state.LO CXILO

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