STOMACH TUBE

Abstract

The stomach tube is a transparent conduit in the form of a plastic tube which is equipped with an optical fibre with illuminating external surface. Its internal end is placed in the section of the stomach tube for insertion in the patient's stomach. An external end for connection with a light source is provided outside the stomach tube in the section of the stomach tube remaining outside the patient's body. The conduit of the stomach tube in its interior includes a first channel which is a transport channel, and a second channel in which the optical fibre is located. The stomach tube is intended for use in bariatric surgery procedures, and in particular in the sleeve gastrectomy procedure.

Claims

1. A stomach tube for use in bariatric surgery, comprising: a conduit formed as a transparent plastic tube, an optical fibre with illuminating external surface inside the conduit, with its internal end placed in the section of the stomach tube for insertion in the patient's stomach, and an external end for connection with a light source provided outside the stomach tube in the section of the stomach tube remaining outside the patient's body, wherein the conduit of the stomach tube in its interior comprises a first channel which is a transport channel, and a second channel in which is located the optical fibre having notches in its illuminating surface.

2. The stomach tube according to claim 1, wherein the optical fibre comprises the illuminating surface along its entire length.

3. The stomach tube according to claim 1, wherein the illuminating surface of the optical fibre is present only in the distal part at the internal end.

4. The stomach tube according to claim 1, wherein the light source is connected with the main adapter.

5. The stomach tube according to claim 1, wherein the light source is powered from a rechargeable battery.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The subject of the present invention is now illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawing, of which

[0022] FIG. 1 presents magnified proximal and distal parts of the stomach tube;

[0023] FIG. 2 presents the stomach tube inserted in the patient's body;

[0024] FIG. 3 presents the distal part of the stomach tube inserted in the patient's stomach; and

[0025] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the stomach tube along AA line shown on FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The stomach tube 1 according to the invention is intended to be used in bariatric surgery procedures, and in particular in the sleeve gastrectomy as an obesity treatment procedure.

[0027] In the embodiment displayed in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a stomach tube 1 is in the form of transparent conduit 2 in the form of an elastic tube made out of plastic, and is provided with an optical fibre 3 which emits light through its external surface. An internal end 4 of the optical fibre 3 is placed in the section of the stomach tube 1 to be inserted into a patient's stomach 8, and an external end 5 of the optical fibre 3, intended for connecting with a light source, is provided outside the stomach tube 1 in the stomach tube 1 section remaining outside the patient's body. The conduit 2 of the stomach tube 1 in its interior comprises the first channel 21, which is a transport channel, and the second channel 22, in which the optical fibre 3 is placed.

[0028] The conduit 2 illustrated in FIG. 4 has a circular cross-section, and the first channel 21 is separated from the second channel 22 by an internal wall 11 constructed from the same material as the external wall of the conduit 2. In this embodiment, the cross-section of the first channel 21 is equal to the cross-section of the second channel 22.

[0029] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the optical fibre 3 has the illuminating surface along its entire length. Moreover, at the end section of the optical fibre 3 at the internal end 4, the external surface of the optical fibre 3 in this section has notches 6 enhancing emission of light from the lateral surface of the optical fibre 3.

[0030] It is apparent that in other embodiments the stomach tube 1 may be provided with the optical fibre 3 with an illuminating surface only in the distal section at the internal end 4 of the optical fibre 3.

[0031] In order for the optical fibre 3 of the fibre stomach tube 1 to emit light, it is necessary to connect the optical fibre 3 to a light source. This is achieved through the external end 5 of the optical fibre 3. The light source is connected with the mains adapter. Alternatively, the light source may be powered from a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery.

[0032] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the second channel 22 of the stomach tube 1 is closed from the top, and the optical fibre 3 is introduced to the second channel 22 via an opening in the external wall of the conduit 2 in the upper section of the conduit 2. The external end 5 of the optical fibre 3 remains outside the conduit 2, and its internal end 4 extends to the distal, lower end of the second channel 22. The first channel 21 and the second channel 22 at the distal end are closed (capped) in a manner well known in the art. The capping of the first channel 21 and the second channel 22 at the distal end renders the internal end 4 of the optical fibre 3 immobile. The first channel 21 is opened from the top. In the distal section of the stomach tube 1, the external wall of the conduit 2 of the first channel 21, being the transport channel, is provided with two circular transport openings 7. The first channel 21 is a pass-through channel and may be used to deliver liquids to the stomach 8 and out of the stomach 8, while the second channel 22, into which the optical fibre 3 is introduced through the side wall of the conduit 2, is closed from the top and from the bottom and separated from the first channel 21 by the internal wall 11.

[0033] During the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedure the stomach tube 1 is introduced through the mouth and oesophagus to the prepyloric segment of the patient's stomach 8. During the procedure, the stomach tube 1 is manipulated with surgical instruments to align it parallelly to the lesser curvature 10 of the stomach 8. Illumination of the stomach tube 1 during the procedure facilitates finding its location inside the stomach 8, which in turn reduces the risk of stomach tube 1 damage from, for example, cutting it with an endostapler, which may lead to complications in the patient. Following the clipping of the stomach vessels, approximately 85% of the stomach 8 is resected, and the cutting is made along line 9 running along and in the proximity of the stomach tube 1, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The cutting is made using an endostapler, i.e., a surgical instrument which joins the edges of the remaining part of the patient's stomach 1 using staples. When the stomach 8 resection is completed, methyl blue is delivered to the remaining part of the patient's stomach 8 through the first channel 21 of the stomach tube 1 in order to test for leaking of stomach 8 walls. When the test is completed, the dye is extracted via the transport openings 7 and sucked through the first channel 21 from the patient's stomach 8.