Endoscopic Treatment Tool With Wire Locking for Stable Bent Incisions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing papillotomes with a rotation function struggle to maintain the distal end portion in a bent state during incisions, making it difficult to perform effective procedures like ERCP.

Innovation Solution

An endoscopic treatment tool with a sheath and a locking mechanism that restricts the advancement and retraction of a conductive wire in the longitudinal direction, allowing the distal end portion to be rotated while maintaining a bent state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the sheath is rotated to move the distal end portion, then the incision position can be adjusted, but the distal end portion cannot maintain the bent state

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotation of distal end portionVSAvoidbent state maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into separate functional components: a rotatable sheath for positioning and a wire for maintaining the bent state. The sheath can be rotated independently to adjust the incision position, while the wire remains inserted through the sheath to preserve the distal end's bent configuration. This segmentation allows independent control of rotation and bending maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The wire acts as an intermediary element that transmits and maintains the bent state from the operator's manipulation at the proximal end to the distal end portion. While the sheath rotates to reposition the distal end, the wire continues to support the bent configuration, mediating between the rotational movement and the need to maintain the bending shape.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the wire is allowed to advance and retract freely, then the distal end can be positioned, but the bent state cannot be maintained during rotation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire advancement and retractionVSAvoidbent state stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The wire is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to advance and retract freely during the positioning phase to reach the target location. Once positioned, the wire's flexibility allows it to maintain the bent state statically during sheath rotation. This dynamic-to-static transition ensures both positioning capability and bent state stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4588422A1Endoscope treatment tool and endoscope treatment system
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYST CORP
  • EP4588422A1 patent drawingFigure 1
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  • EP4588422A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An endoscopic treatment tool includes a sheath that is an elongated member having a lumen configured to extend in a longitudinal direction, a distal end treatment part provided at a distal end portion of the sheath, an operation part provided at a proximal end portion of the sheath, and a wire inserted through the lumen, mounted on the distal end treatment part, and supported by the operation part so as to advance and retract in the longitudinal direction, wherein the operation part has a locking mechanism that restricts the advancement and retract of the wire in the longitudinal direction.