U.S. patent number 3,805,770 [Application Number 05/272,740] was granted by the patent office on 1974-04-23 for endoscope guide and lubricating means.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Takeshi Okada.
United States Patent |
3,805,770 |
Okada |
April 23, 1974 |
ENDOSCOPE GUIDE AND LUBRICATING MEANS
Abstract
An endoscope guide comprising a cylindrical spongy member and a
cylindrical support fitted to the rear end of said spongy member so
as to hold it tightly.
Inventors: |
Okada; Takeshi (Tokyo,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
(Tokyo, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
27957675 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/272,740 |
Filed: |
July 18, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jul 22, 1971 [JA] |
|
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46-65098 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
600/114;
D24/138 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
1/31 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
1/31 (20060101); A61b 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/3,4,5,6,7,8,9,1R,2H |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Laudenslager; Lucie H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Flynn & Frishauf
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An endoscope guide and lubricating means comprising:
a soft liquid-absorptive generally cylindrical spongy member having
a passageway therethrough in the axial direction thereof for
allowing the insertion of an endoscope through said passageway;
a plurality of projections on the inner walls of said passageway,
each of said projections extending in the axial direction of said
passageway; and
a generally cylindrical support formed of harder material than that
of the cylindrical spongy member and connected to said cylindrical
spongy member to securely support same.
2. The endoscope guide according to claim 1 wherein the cylindrical
spongy member has a plurality of rods made of harder material than
that of said cylindrical spongy member, each of said rods being
inserted into said cylindrical spongy member and extending in the
axial direction thereof.
3. The endoscope guide according to claim 1 which further comprises
a casing surrounding the cylindrical support and at least part of
the cylindrical spongy member.
4. The endoscope guide according to claim 1 wherein said
cylindrical support comprises a first cylindrical portion and a
second cylindrical portion of smaller diameter than said first
cylindrical portion and connected to said first cylindrical
portion, said cylindrical portions being coaxial with each other,
said second cylindrical portion extending interior of said
cylindrical spongy member.
5. The endoscope guide according to claim 4 further comprising a
casing surrounding the cylindrical support and extending over the
outer periphery of said cylindrical spongy member in the vicinity
of said second cylindrical portion of said cylindrical support,
said cylindrical spongy member being interposed between a portion
of said casing and said second portion of said cylindrical
support.
6. The endoscope guide according to claim 1 wherein said
cylindrical spongy member is impregnated with a lubricant.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an endoscope guide for facilitating the
insertion of an endoscope into a body cavity, for example, into the
large intestine.
Where observation is made by an endoscope of a body cavity, for
example, the interior of the large intestine, it is generally
considered necessary to insert the endoscope into the large
intestine through the anus. However, insertion of the endoscope
into the anus is accompanied with great difficulties due to the
contraction of the anus sphincter and friction between the anus and
endoscope. Therefore, there have heretofore been made attempts to
effect the smooth insertion of an endoscope into the anus by
coating a lubricant in advance on the outer peripheral surface of
the flexible portion of the endoscope. In this case, however, the
endoscope is oppressed by the contracting action of the anus
sphincter, causing the lubricant applied on the outside of the
endoscope to be almost wiped off with the resultant obstruction of
its free insertion. Most of the patients whose large intestine has
to be examined have hemorrhoids and other infirmities around the
anus and would, therefore, suffer a tremendous pain if an endoscope
is forcefully inserted into the anus.
It is accordingly the object of this invention to provide an
endoscope guide permitting the smooth insertion of an endoscope
into a body cavity without imparting a great stimulus to the inner
walls of the body cavity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of this invention, there is provided an
endoscope guide comprising a soft liquid-absorptive cylindrical
member provided inside with a passageway for an endoscope and a
cylindrical support connected to the rear end of said cylindrical
member so as to support it securely.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an endoscope guide according to an
embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the endoscope guide of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view on line III--III of FIG. 2;
and
FIG. 4 is a similar cross sectional view of an endoscope guide
according to another embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
There will now be described by reference to the appended drawing an
endoscope guide according to an embodiment of this invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, the endoscope guide comprises a cylindrical
member 1 formed of a soft liquid-absorptive material, for example,
spongy rubber, or natural sponge; a cylindrical support 4 made of
harder material, for example, synthetic resin and comprising an
annular head 2 fixed to the rear end of said cylindrical spongy
member and an inlet opening 3; and a cylindrical casing 5
surrounding the support 4 and part of said cylindrical spongy
member 1. The cylindrical spongy member 1 has a plurality of
integral projections 1a formed on the inner walls of a passageway 6
for an endoscope 8, each projection 1a extending in the axial
direction thereof. The projections 1a of spongy material enable an
endoscope to be freely conducted through said passageway 6, whether
it may have a large or small diameter.
There is now described the case where an endoscope fitted with the
aforementioned guide is inserted into the large intestine through
the anus. Prior to said insertion, the cylindrical spongy member 1
of the endoscope guide is impregnated with a lubricant, for
example, Vaseline or petrolatum. Then the cylindrical spongy member
1 and part of the support 4 are inserted into the anus to set the
endoscope guide in place. When the endoscope 8 is introduced into
the cylindrical spongy member 1 through the inlet opening 3 and
annular head 2, the outer periphery of the flexible tube of the
endoscope 8 contacts the plural projections 1a of the cylindrical
spongy member 1. At this time, there arises the contracting action
of the anus sphincter, which oppresses the cylindrical spongy
member 1 lying between the anus walls and endoscope 8. Said
oppression causes the lubricant impregnated in the cylindrical
spongy member 1 to ooze out so as to be coated on the outside of
the flexible tube of the endoscope. Accordingly, friction between
said flexible tube and the anus walls is reduced to allow for easy
insertion of the endoscope into the large intestine.
As is apparent from the foregoing description, the present
invention prevents a lubricant applied on the outside of the
flexible tube of an endoscope from being wiped off by the
contraction of the anus sphincter as is often the case with the
prior art endoscope and permits the smooth insertion of an
endoscope into the body cavity. Further at the time of said
insertion, the soft cylindrical spongy member 1 protects any
inflammation around the anus. Since the endoscope can be inserted
into the body cavity without directly touching the anus walls,
patients afflicted with anus diseases are prominently saved from
strong pangs which might otherwise be experienced.
An endoscope guide according to another embodiment of this
invention includes a plurality of core rods 7 made of elastic
material which is harder than that of the cylindrical spongy member
1, for example, solid rubber. The solid rubber rods 7 are inserted
into the cylindrical member 1 in its axial direction, facilitating
the setting of the endoscope guide in the anus or other body
cavities.
This invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments,
but encompasses various modifications. Though the foregoing
embodiments included a casing 5 for securely fixing the cylindrical
spongy member 1 to the support 4 so as to provide the rigid
construction of the endoscope guide, yet the endoscope guide
carries out its function even in the absence of said casing 5.
Further, if there are eliminated the plural projections 1a of the
cylindrical spongy member 1 which were provided for the smooth
insertion of an endoscope regardless of its diameter, the endoscope
guide will still attain the object.
* * * * *