Elongate Endoscopic Covering with Expandable Stabilizer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Endoscopic procedures, particularly duodenoscopy, face challenges in navigating endoscopes to difficult-to-reach locations, increasing time and cost due to incorrect placement, and potential tissue damage from improper alignment.

Innovation Solution

An elongate covering with an expandable stabilizer is used to anchor the endoscope within patient anatomy, featuring a flexible thin-walled tube with a distal end cap and side port for visualization and secondary device passage, and an inflatable balloon for stabilization, preventing slipping and ensuring secure placement during procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If an endoscope is used to navigate to difficult-to-reach anatomic locations, then diagnostic and treatment capabilities are improved, but the risk of tissue damage and navigation errors increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to difficult-to-reach locationsVSAvoidtissue damage from improper alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The covering acts as an intermediary between the endoscope and patient anatomy, providing a protective interface that reduces direct contact and potential tissue damage while enabling safe navigation to difficult-to-reach locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The covering provides pre-established protection and cushioning before the endoscope contacts sensitive tissues, mitigating potential harmful effects of improper alignment or accidental contact during navigation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Adaptability or versatility

If an endoscope is advanced through the gastrointestinal tract to distant anatomic locations, then procedural capability is improved, but the time and cost of the procedure increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereach distant anatomic locationsVSAvoidtime to navigate endoscope

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The covering is pre-positioned on the endoscope before insertion, and the expandable stabilizer is prepared in advance to be deployed at the target location, reducing navigation time and procedural delays

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If a covering is used to stabilize the endoscope, then navigation precision is improved, but the complexity of the device increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplacement accuracyVSAvoidcovering structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The covering is divided into functional segments: the elongate tubular portion for coverage, the expandable stabilizer for anchoring, and the end cap for sealing, allowing each component to perform its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The expandable stabilizer transitions from a compact state during insertion to an expanded state for stabilization, providing precise placement capability only when needed, thus reducing complexity during navigation while improving precision during procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The elongate covering stabilizes the endoscope, reducing navigation errors and tissue impact, facilitating precise placement and efficient procedures while allowing for easy removal and minimizing infection risks.

Implementation Method 1

The expandable stabilizer can be inflated such as to laterally expand with respect to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInflation:

Implementation Method 2

The expandable stabilizer can prevent the flexible thin-walled tube from slipping with respect to the patient anatomy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS20240008720A1Elongate endoscopic covering

Publication Date: 2024.01.11 GYRUS ACMI INC

AI summary

An elongate covering can be used such as to cover an outer surface of an endoscope. For example, the elongate covering can include or use a flexible thin-walled tube. The thin-walled tube can include a distal end and an open proximal end, and an elongate tubular portion extending therebetween. The elongate tubular portion can be sized and shaped such as to surround and engage an elongate portion of the duodenoscope. The covering can also include or use an expandable stabilizer, such as an inflatable balloon, disposed at a part of the flexible thin-walled tube.