Endoscope Coupler Locking Elements for Contamination Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopes, particularly duodenoscopes, face challenges in cleaning due to their small size and complex design, leading to risks of bacterial contamination and reduced performance from debris and fluid accumulation, especially in areas like the elevator mechanism, which complicates reuse and increases infection risk.
Innovation Solution
A coupler device with a flexible, tubular working channel extension that seals and extends the endoscope, allowing angular adjustment of instrument exit, reducing contamination risk and eliminating the need for an elevator mechanism, and can be disposable or reusable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the endoscope is reused multiple times, then productivity increases, but the risk of bacterial contamination and infection increases due to difficult cleaning of complex components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the endoscope system into separable components: a reusable endoscope and a disposable coupler device. The coupler device can be detached and discarded after use, eliminating the need to clean complex components like the elevator mechanism, thus preventing bacterial contamination while maintaining high productivity through frequent reuse of the expensive endoscope.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler device is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after a single use. This eliminates the infection risk associated with reusing complex components, while the low cost of the disposable coupler does not significantly impact overall productivity. The disposable nature ensures complete elimination of bacterial contamination risk.
2Ease of operation
If the endoscope has complex components like an elevator mechanism, then instrument maneuverability is improved, but cleaning difficulty increases leading to debris accumulation and performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex elevator mechanism from the reusable endoscope and places it within the disposable coupler device. This allows the endoscope to remain simple and easy to clean, while the coupler device containing the elevator can be discarded after use, eliminating cleaning difficulties and debris accumulation issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler device containing the complex elevator mechanism is discarded after single use, while the expensive endoscope is recovered and reused. This approach eliminates the cleaning burden of complex components while maintaining instrument maneuverability through the coupler's integrated elevator.
3Reliability
If the working channel is sealed to prevent contamination, then reliability improves, but instrument exit flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coupler device incorporates a dynamic seal that can open and close. During instrument passage, the seal opens to allow instruments to exit at various angles through the working channel extension. After use, the seal closes to prevent contamination of the endoscope working channel, thus maintaining both flexibility and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler device acts as an intermediary between the sealed endoscope working channel and the external environment. It provides a sealed connection that prevents contamination while allowing instrument passage through its own working channel extension, thus mediating between contamination prevention and instrument flexibility requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscope accessory, such as a coupler device, is provided that includes a main body with a visualization section for allowing viewing of tissue by the endoscope and a proximal end configured for attachment to a distal end portion of the endoscope. The device includes a passage within the main body having an open distal end and a proximal end aligned with the working channel of the endoscope. A locking element on the coupler device secures an angle of exit of an instrument passing through the passage.