U.S. patent application number 11/739541 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-30 for article for retaining components of an endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography delivery system.
Invention is credited to Jennifer Butts-Pluid, Khrys Schulte.
Application Number | 20080264993 11/739541 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39885776 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080264993 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schulte; Khrys ; et
al. |
October 30, 2008 |
Article for Retaining Components of an Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholangio-Pancreatography Delivery System
Abstract
An article is provided for retaining components of an endoscopic
retrograde cholangio-pancreatography delivery system. The article
includes a body-encircling belt and an ERCP component retainer. The
ERCP component retainer is affixed to the belt. The retainer has a
pair of material strips connected together at one end with opposed
inner surfaces. An inner surface on one strip is covered with hook
fasteners and an inner surface on another strip is covered with
loop fasteners that releasably attach to the hook fasteners to
retain a coiled ERCP component.
Inventors: |
Schulte; Khrys; (Post Falls,
ID) ; Butts-Pluid; Jennifer; (Rathdrum, ID) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WELLS ST. JOHN P.S.
601 W. FIRST AVENUE, SUITE 1300
SPOKANE
WA
99201
US
|
Family ID: |
39885776 |
Appl. No.: |
11/739541 |
Filed: |
April 24, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/682 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41F 9/002 20130101;
A45F 2003/144 20130101; A61B 90/50 20160201; A41D 13/1209 20130101;
A61B 90/53 20160201; A45F 5/02 20130101; A45F 2200/0566 20130101;
A45F 5/021 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/682 |
International
Class: |
A41F 9/00 20060101
A41F009/00 |
Claims
1. An article for retaining components of an Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) delivery system, comprising: a
body-encircling belt of flexible material; and an ERCP component
retainer affixed to the belt having a pair of material strips
connected together at one end with opposed inner surfaces, an inner
surface on one strip covered with hook fasteners and an inner
surface on another strip covered with loop fasteners that
releasably attach to the hook fasteners to retain a coiled ERCP
component.
2. The article of claim 1, wherein the pair of material strips are
elongate with a large dimension transverse to a large dimension of
the belt.
3. The article of claim 2, wherein the connected together one end
of the strips is a top end, and one of the one strip and the
another strip is affixed to the belt, and a bottom end of another
of the one strip and the another strip is a free end that is
releasably attached to the belt via coaction of the hook fasteners
and the loop fasteners.
4. The article of claim 1, wherein the hook fasteners and the loop
fasteners are made from Velcro fastening material.
5. The article of claim 1, further comprising at least two ERCP
component retainers affixed to the belt each having a pair of
material strips connected together at one end with opposed inner
faces, an inner surface on one strip covered with hook fasteners
and an inner surface on another strip covered with loop fasteners
that releasably attach to the hook fasteners to retain a coiled
ERCP component.
6. The article of claim 5, wherein one ERCP component retainer is
provided for retaining an ERCP guide wire.
7. The article of claim 6, wherein another ERCP component retainer
is provided for retaining an ERCP instrument having a guide
tube.
8. The article of claim 7, further comprising a syringe holster
having a plurality of vertically-oriented elastic channels each
configured to snuggly receive a tubular barrel of a respective
syringe for storage and retrieval therefrom.
9. The article of claim 1, wherein the belt is a formed from a web
of synthetic woven material terminating in a pair of free distal
ends, and further comprising mating/demating buckle connectors
provided respectively at the distal ends.
10. A guide wire storage device for an Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) system, comprising: a belt having
a pair of opposed distal ends and sized to encircle a wearer; and a
fastener affixed to the belt having a pair of material strips
connected together at one end with opposed inner surfaces, an inner
surface on one strip covered with hook fasteners and an inner
surface on another strip covered with loop fasteners that
releasably attach to the hook fasteners to retain a coiled ERCP
component.
11. The guide wire storage device of claim 10, wherein the faster
comprises a pair of elongated material strips having a major axis
perpendicular to a major axis of the belt.
12. The guide wire storage device of claim 11, wherein the pair of
material strips are connected together along a top end and one of
the strips is secured to the belt while another of the strips has a
bottom end that is free to be separated and secured with the one
strip on the belt.
13. The guide wire storage device of claim 10, wherein the belt
comprises a web of woven material terminating at opposed distal
ends.
14. The guide wire storage device of claim 13, wherein one distal
end receives a first buckle connector and another distal end
receives a second buckle connector configured to mate and demate
with the first buckle connector.
15. The guide wire storage device of claim 14, wherein one of the
first buckle connector and the second buckle connector is supported
by the respective distal end at desired selected locations along
the belt to adjust length of the belt between the first buckle
connector and the second buckle connector.
16. The guide wire storage device of claim 10, wherein a plurality
of retainers are provided on the belt.
17. The guide wire storage device of claim 10, wherein the retainer
is provided on a lateral portion of the belt when the belt is
secured about a user.
18. The guide wire storage device of claim 17, further comprising
an elastic holster provided on an anterior portion of the belt
configured to removably receive at least one syringe.
19. A component storage device for an Endoscopic Retrograde
Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) system, comprising: a belt having
configured to encircle a wearer; a first ERCP component retainer
affixed to a right lateral anterior portion of the belt having a
pair of material strips connected together at one end with opposed
inner surfaces, an inner surface on one strip covered with hook
fasteners and an inner surface on another strip covered with loop
fasteners that releasably attach to the hook fasteners to retain a
coiled ERCP component; and a second ERCP component retainer affixed
to a left lateral anterior portion of the belt having a pair of
material strips connected together at one end with opposed inner
surfaces, an inner surface on one strip covered with hook fasteners
and an inner surface on another strip covered with loop fasteners
that releasably attach to the hook fasteners to retain a coiled
ERCP component.
20. The guide wire storage device of claim 19, further comprising a
third retainer including a holster for retaining syringes affixed
to a central anterior portion of the belt.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention pertains to apparatus for supporting in-use
components of an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography
(ERCP) system. More particularly, the present invention relates to
a belt having retainers for releasably attaching instrument
components of an ERCP system, such as guide wires, tubes and
catheters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP)
utilizes an endoscope with a catheter and a guide wire. A guide
wire is place into position through a catheter that has been
delivered via an open channel of the endoscope to a desired
location within a patient. Afterwards, the guide wire can be used
to further deliver instruments that are delivered about the guide
wire to the desired location within the patient.
[0003] During surgical procedures to place and remove a guide wire,
an endoscopic assistant is required to stow and retrieve the guide
wire in a manner that is not going to contaminate the guide wire as
it will later be inserted into the patient. In some cases,
technicians attempt to coil the guide wires during removal and
storage. However, the guide wires are made from a springy material
that tends to straighten out into a linear configuration, thereby
tending to uncoil if they are not held in a coil configuration.
Furthermore, during a typical surgical procedure, the endoscopic
assistant has their hands full which further complicates any
attempt to coil and stow the guide wire as it is partially or
completely removed from the endoscope and patient.
[0004] FIGS. 1-8 illustrate one presently understood prior art
technique for delivering and interchanging guide wires and
components for an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography
(ERCP) system. More particularly, FIG. 1 illustrates an endoscopic
assistant 20 preparing to deliver saline solution from a syringe 16
through a side channel, or port 28 within a hand actuated cutting
instrument 18 having a catheter 32. It is understood that catheter
32 is inserted into a port of an endoscope that has already been
introduced through the mouth of the patient having lumenetic stints
into the patient to a location proximate a treatment site. Catheter
32 is delivered through the lumen to the treatment site so that the
saline solution is delivered to the treatment site. A cutting
actuator on instrument 14 is gripped with a hand 24 of assistant 20
to hold port 28 in a desirable position while syringe 16 is
inserted therein. At the same time, a coil 12 of guide wire 10 is
held by the same hand 22 that holds syringe 16 in preparation for a
next step that must be performed by the endoscopic assistant. The
use of hand 22 to actuate syringe 16 while concurrently holding
coil 12 can prove to be awkward at best.
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates an endoscopist 34 supporting an endoscope
30 via a left hand 38 that is inserted into a patient's mouth. A
right hand 36 is holding catheter 32 which is inserted into a
channel, or open port 31 of endoscope 30. Endoscopist 34 is waiting
for the endoscopic assistant to uncoil the guide wire (as shown in
FIG. 3). FIG. 3 illustrates the endoscopic assistant 20 attempting
to insert guide wire 10 into port 26 of catheter 32 while holding
instrument 14 with hand 24 and, at the same time, holding coil 12
with hand 22. It becomes difficult for endoscopic assistant 20 to
uncoil coil 12 without unraveling the coil while they are
attempting to feed guide wire 10 to the endoscopist. FIG. 4
illustrates the endoscopist 34 waiting for catheter 32 and guide
wire 10 to be fed forward while the assistant is having a difficult
time uncoiling the guide wire 10 without having the guide wire
uncoil (as depicted in FIG. 3).
[0006] FIG. 5 illustrates the endoscopic assistant 20 while they
attempt to remove guide wire 10 from catheter 32 on instrument 14
via port 26. Left hand 24 is busy holding instrument 14, while
right hand 22 is used to attempt a single-handed coiling of coil 12
which proves to be difficult, if not impossible. If this coiling is
not performed successfully, the guide wire will touch the floor and
cause contamination of the floor with bodily fluids. FIG. 6
illustrates the endoscopist 34 waiting for the endoscopic assistant
of FIG. 5 while they attempt to coil guide wire 10 during removal
of guide wire 10 from catheter 32.
[0007] FIG. 7 illustrates a typical storage cart that is provided
on an endoscopy suite floor for use by an endoscopic assistant when
storing a guide wire 10. More particularly, guide wire 10 has been
attempted to be presented in the shape of a coil 12. However, coil
12 tends to unwind as guide wire 10 tends to maintain a linear
shape due to the elastic memory in guide wire 10. Additionally,
syringes 16 can be stored atop cart 40.
[0008] FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative means of storing coil 12
of guide wire 10 within a tray 42 atop cart 40. However, coil 12
tends to unravel and guide wire 10 can be left to overhang the top
of cart 14 or touch the floor, which will contaminate the guide
wire that may need to go back into the patient. In the case of both
FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, bodily fluids can drip from guide wire 10 over
the edge of cart 40 onto the endoscopy suite floor which is
undesirable.
[0009] Accordingly, improvements are needed to help endoscopic
assistants deliver, retrieve and stow guide wires for Endoscopic
Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] An ERCP component support belt is provided for use by an
endoscopic assistant to facilitate improved handling and storage of
components that are coiled, uncoiled, stowed and retrieved during
an ERCP procedure, usually as different components, or instruments,
are used in alternating modes.
[0011] According to one aspect, an article is provided for
retaining components of an endoscopic retrograde
cholangio-pancreatography delivery system. The article includes a
body-encircling belt and an ERCP component retainer. The ERCP
component retainer is affixed to the belt. The retainer has a pair
of material strips connected together at one end with opposed inner
surfaces. An inner surface on one strip is covered with hook
fasteners and an inner surface on another strip is covered with
loop fasteners that releasably attach to the hook fasteners to
retain a coiled ERCP component.
[0012] According to another aspect, a guide wire storage device is
provided for an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography
(ERCP) system. The device includes a belt and a fastener. The belt
has a pair of opposed distal ends and is sized to encircle a
wearer. The fastener is affixed to the belt having a pair of
material strips connected together at one end with opposed inner
surfaces, an inner surface on one strip covered with hook fasteners
and an inner surface on another strip covered with loop fasteners
that releasably attach to the hook fasteners to retain a coiled
ERCP component.
[0013] According to yet another aspect, a component storage device
is provided for an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography
(ERCP) system. The component storage device includes a belt, a
first ERCP component retainer, and a second ERCP component
retainer. The belt is configured to encircle a wearer. The first
ERCP component retainer is affixed to a right lateral anterior
portion of the belt. The retainer has a pair of material strips
connected together at one end with opposed inner surfaces. An inner
surface on one strip is covered with hook fasteners and an inner
surface on another strip is covered with loop fasteners that
releasably attach to the hook fasteners to retain a coiled ERCP
component. The second ERCP component retainer is affixed to a left
lateral anterior portion of the belt. The retainer has a pair of
material strips connected together at one end with opposed inner
surfaces. An inner surface on one strip is covered with hook
fasteners and an inner surface on another strip is covered with
loop fasteners that releasably attach to the hook fasteners to
retain a coiled ERCP component.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below
with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
[0015] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of an endoscopic
assistant attempting to hold a coiled ERCP guide wire while
simultaneously injecting saline solution with a syringe into a
catheter that is inserted through an endoscope within a patient,
according to a prior art technique.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of an endoscopist
feeding a catheter into an open port on an endoscope that is placed
within a patient, according to a prior art technique, and
illustrating how the endoscopist has to wait for the assistant to
uncoil the catheter before being able to further deliver the
catheter into the endoscope.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic
assistant of FIG. 1 attempting to insert the guide wire into an
open port of the catheter without unraveling the coil that is held
in one hand to deliver the guide wire to the endoscopist for
delivery into the endoscope and patient, according to a prior art
technique.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopist
waiting for the assistant to feed the guide wire and catheter of
FIG. 3 so the endoscopist can feed the guide wire and catheter
through an endoscope within a patient, according to a prior art
technique.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic
assistant attempting to remove the guide wire from the catheter and
while concurrently attempting to coil the guide wire with one hand
during removal of the guide wire from a catheter within an
endoscope in a patient, according to a prior art technique.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopist
waiting for the assistant to coil the guide wire of FIG. 5 so the
endoscopist can continue to remove the catheter and guide wire from
within a patient via an endoscope, according to a prior art
technique.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a surgical storage rack for
storing syringes, guide wires and other components during an ERCP
procedure, according to a prior art technique, illustrating how the
guide wire uncoils and tends to tangle and drip liquids onto the
endoscopy suite floor.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a pan and surgical storage
rack for storing syringes, guide wires and other components during
an ERCP procedure, according to a prior art technique, illustrating
how the guide wire uncoils and tends to leave the pan and drip
liquids onto the endoscopy suite floor.
[0023] FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of an endoscopic
assistant's belt for storing components of an ERCP system,
according to one aspect of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 10 is an enlarged breakaway side elevational view of a
portion of the belt of FIG. 9 having a fastener for stowing a
coiled ERCP guide wire.
[0025] FIG. 11 is a further enlarged side elevational view of the
fastener taken from the encircled region 11 of FIG. 10.
[0026] FIG. 12 is a view corresponding with that of FIG. 11
depicting opening of the fastener during placement and/or removal
of the coiled guide wire.
[0027] FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic
assistant wearing the belt of FIGS. 9-12 and ready for surgery by
storing various components of an ERCP system on the belt.
[0028] FIG. 14 is an enlarged view over that depicted in FIG. 13 of
the belt and stored components.
[0029] FIG. 15 is partial perspective view of an endoscopic
assistant injecting saline solution with a syringe into a catheter
that is inserted through an endoscope within a patient while the
coiled guide wire and syringes are securely stored on the
assistant's belt.
[0030] FIG. 16 is a partial perspective view of an endoscopist
feeding a catheter that is receiving saline solution into an open
port on an endoscope that is placed within a patient and
illustrating delivery of the catheter into the endoscope by the
endoscopist.
[0031] FIG. 17 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic
assistant of FIG. 15 feeding the coiled guide wire on the belt into
an open port on the catheter for delivery into the endoscope and
patient while a remaining portion of the guide wire is coiled on
the belt.
[0032] FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopist
feeding the catheter and guide wire in a timely manner as the
assistant uncoils and feeds the guide wire into the catheter so the
endoscopist can feed the catheter and guide wire through an
endoscope and into a patient.
[0033] FIG. 19 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopist
removing a catheter from over a guide wire that has been placed
within a patient via an endoscope, with an assistant removing the
guide wire from the catheter and coiling and storing the guide wire
in a timely manner so the endoscopist is not overly delayed.
[0034] FIG. 20 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic
assistant retrieving the guide wire from the catheter during
removal of the guide wire and catheter from within an endoscope in
a patient by the endoscopist of FIG. 19, and further illustrating
storage of a portion of the guide wire in a coil on the belt.
[0035] FIG. 21 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic
assistant of FIG. 20 retrieving a remaining portion of the guide
wire with two hands prior to coiling the remaining portion and
storing it on the belt.
[0036] FIG. 22 is a partial perspective view of the endoscopic
assistant with all the ERCP components retrieved and stored on the
belt, including the coiled and stored guide wire.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance
of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws "to promote
the progress of science and useful arts" (Article 1, Section
8).
[0038] Reference will now be made to a preferred embodiment of
Applicant's invention comprising an article, or belt, for retaining
ERCP components during an ERCP procedure. While the invention is
described by way of a preferred embodiment, it is understood that
the description is not intended to limit the invention to such
embodiment, but is intended to cover alternatives, equivalents, and
modifications which may be broader than the embodiment, but which
are included within the scope of the appended claims.
[0039] In an effort to prevent obscuring the invention at hand,
only details germane to implementing the invention will be
described in great detail, with presently understood peripheral
details being incorporated by reference, as needed, as being
presently understood in the art.
[0040] FIG. 9 illustrates an article 50 of clothing for retaining
components of an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography
(ERCP) system. Article 50 includes a flexible belt 52, a buckle 54,
a plurality of retainers 60, 62, and 64, and a syringe holster 66.
According to one construction, buckle 54 comprises a pair of mating
male and female connectors 56 and 58, respectively. Also according
to one construction, belt 52 comprises a body-encircling belt of
flexible material, such as synthetic or Nylon webbing.
Alternatively, leather, plastic, rubber strips or webs, or any
other suitable material can be used. Retainers 60, 62 and 64 each
provide an ERCP component retainer affixed to belt 52. Syringe
holster 66 provides another retainer for releasably holding ERCP
components.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 9, guide wire 10 is stored in the form of a
coil 12 by retainer 60. A cutting instrument 14 is also stored by
coiling a catheter portion 32 which is releasively held by retainer
62. Similarly, another catheter, or guide tube 32 is stored as a
coil by retainer 64. Four different syringes 16 are stored within
elastic slots in syringe holster 66 on belt 52.
[0042] FIG. 10 illustrates in enlarged detail coil 12 of guide wire
10 being supported by retainer 60 on apparatus 50. More
particularly, FIG. 11 illustrates in further enlarged detail the
use and construction of retainer 60. More particularly, retainer 60
comprises a pair of material strips 70 and 72 that have on opposed
inner surfaces a strip of hook fasteners 74 and a strip of loop
fasteners 76, respectively. When pressed together, the hook
fastener 74 releasably attached with the loop fastener 76 to retain
together material strips 70 and 72, while securing coil 12 of guide
wire 10 therebetween. Material strips 70 and 72 are connected
together along a top end 84 by a hinge 82 that is formed when a
stitched region 78 is joined together by sewing strips 70 and 72
directly onto belt 52 using an array of stitches 80. Accordingly, a
hinge 82 is formed between strips 70 and 72, whereas a lower free
end 86 of strips 70 and 72 can be separated apart about hinge
82.
[0043] Accordingly, ERCP component retainers 60, 62 and 64 are each
affixed to belt 52 at distinct locations. Each retainer 60, 62 and
64 includes a pair of material strips 70 and 72 connected together
at one end with opposed inner surfaces.
[0044] FIG. 12 further illustrates the manner in which strips 70
and 72 can be releasably separated by pulling apart hook fastener
74 from loop fastener 76 about hinge 82. Accordingly, a top end 84
of strip 70 and 72 is secured together on belt 52, whereas a bottom
end 86 of strip 70 and 72 are releasably separated by pulling apart
hook 74 from loop 76. Such an operation can be done single-handedly
by a user wearing belt 52 so as to store and retrieve loop 12 of
guide wire 10 therebetween. Hence, retainer 60 on apparatus 50
provides an effective means for an endoscopic assistant to store
and retrieve coil 12 of guide wire 10 from belt 52.
[0045] According to one construction, material strips 70 and 72 are
elongate with a large dimension extending transverse to a large
dimension of belt 52. Also according to the one construction, a top
end of strips 70 and 72 are connected together via stitches which
are further connected to belt 52. Furthermore, strip 72 is
connected to belt 52 from a top end to a bottom end with stitches.
Alternatively, strip 72 can be affixed to belt 52 with adhesive,
rivets, or any other form of suitable fasteners. A free end of
strip 70 is releasably attached to belt 52 via coaction of hook
fasteners 74 with loop fasteners 76. According to one construction,
hook fasteners 74 and loop fasteners 76 are formed from Velcro.RTM.
fastener strips, available from Velcro USA Inc., 406 Brown Ave
Manchester, N.H. 03103.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 13, an endoscopic assistant is wearing
apparatus 10 in a secured manner with the buckle 54 (see FIG. 10)
provided in a back, lumbar region (not shown) of assistant 20.
Accordingly, retainer 60, 62, 64 and holster 66 are situated on an
anterior portion of assistant 20. Guide wire 10 is stowed as a coil
12 by retainer 60 where wire 10 can be easily secured and released
using a single hand of assistant 20. Article 50 also supports tool
14 which includes a catheter 32 by way of retainer 62. Likewise,
another catheter 33 is supported by retainer 64. Retainer 62 and 64
can easily be manipulated using a single hand of assistant 20.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 14, details of apparatus 50 can be more
clearly seen. More particularly, syringe holster 60 is formed by
sewing together an elastic strip of web material 67 at discrete
spaced apart locations so as to provide stretchable retention loops
69 each configured to receive a respective syringe 16 therein. Also
depicted in FIG. 14, retainer 60, holster 66, retainer 62, and
retainer 64 are substantially equal distance spaced apart along a
frontal portion of apparatus 20 for relatively easy stowage and
retrieval of coil 12 of guide wire 10, catheter 32, catheter 33 and
syringes 16 by endoscopic assistant 20. With this configuration for
retainers 60, 62 and 64, one retainer is affixed to a right lateral
anterior portion of the belt and another pair of retainers is
affixed to a left lateral anterior portion of the belt. This
enables a user to affix a coiled guide wire on either side, which
might depend on whether the user is dominantly right handed or left
handed.
[0048] FIG. 15 illustrates the endoscopic assistant 20 wearing
apparatus 50 after assistant 20 has retrieved a syringe using right
hand 22 while holding instrument 14 with left hand 24 to facilitate
placement of syringe 16 into side channel, or port 28. Coil 12 is
shown stowed in retainer 60 for later retrieval by assistant 20 in
a subsequent operation. Syringe 16 has been retrieved from holster
60 in a single-handed operation using right hand 22. Instrument 14
and accompanying catheter 32 were previously retrieved from
container 62 by assistant 20.
[0049] FIG. 16 illustrates an endoscopist introducing catheter 32,
presumably along with a guide wire contained therein at a pace that
corresponds with the endoscopic assistant's ability to unwind and
feed the guide wire and catheter to the endoscopist for placement
within open port 31 of endoscope 60. Endoscopist 34 utilizes a left
hand 38 to support endoscope 60 at a distal end within a patient
while using right hand 36 to feed catheter 32 (and the guide wire)
into port 31 and endoscope 30.
[0050] FIG. 17 illustrates endoscopic assistant 20 feeding guide
wire 10 into side channel, or port 26 on instrument 14 which goes
into catheter 32 and further to an endoscopist who places it into
an endoscope (see FIG. 16). Assistant's left hand 24 is used to
hold instrument 14 while right hand 22 is used to feed guide wire
10 from coil 12 while coil 12 is further secured within retainer
60.
[0051] FIG. 18 illustrates endoscopist 34 feeding catheter 32 and
guide wire 10 into open port 31 of endoscope 30 as the endoscopic
assistant feeds the guide wire 10 into catheter 32.
[0052] FIG. 19 illustrates endoscopist 34 retrieving catheter 32
and guide wire 10 from open port 31 of endoscope 30 using right
hand 36 to pull catheter 32 and guide wire 10 from open port 31
while supporting endoscope 30 using left hand 38.
[0053] FIG. 20 illustrates endoscopic assistant 20 retrieving guide
wire 10 to further coil guide wire 10 into coil 12 of retainer 60
while supporting instrument 14 using left hand 24. Such action
occurs concurrently with the actions of endoscopist 34 in FIG. 19.
Accordingly, the ability of assistant 20 to retrieve guide wire 10
through side channel 26 from catheter 32 speeds up the operations
of endoscopist 34 in FIG. 19. Hence, retainer 60 further enables
endoscopic assistant to single-handedly retrieve and coil guide
wire 10.
[0054] FIG. 21 further illustrates endoscopic assistant 20 grasping
guide wire 24 with both hands after instrument 14 has been stowed
in retainer 62 by coiling catheter 32 of instrument 14 and affixing
it into retainer 62. Additionally, catheter 33 has also been stored
in retainer 64. Endoscopic assistant 20 uses left hand 24 in
combination with right hand 22 to form individual additional coils
with guide wire 10 that are subsequently secured alongside coil 12
within retainer 60. Accordingly, apparatus 50 further assists
endoscopic assistant 20 in retaining and stowing coil 12 of guide
wire 10.
[0055] FIG. 22 illustrates endoscopic assistant 20 with loop 12 of
guide wire 10 properly stowed in retainer 60. Additionally,
syringes 16 are stowed in holster 66, whereas catheter 32 of
instrument 14 is stowed in retainer 62 and catheter 33 is stowed in
retainer 64.
[0056] It is understood that fasteners 60, 62 and 64 can be
constructed with alternative configurations. For example, each
material strip can be provided by flexible magnetic strips that can
be releasably mated and demated via magnetic attraction to stow and
release a coiled ERCP component during a surgical operation.
Optionally, any form of strips that can be mechanically,
magnetically or electrically mated and demated along their
respective surface lengths would provide a suitable fastener
construction for releasably retaining coiled ERCP components.
[0057] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been
described in language more or less specific as to structural and
methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the
invention is not limited to the specific features shown and
described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred
forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is,
therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the
proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in
accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
* * * * *