Rigid Endoscope System

Abstract

A reinforced arthroscope comprising external ribs to provide for a number of separate fluid channels, such as inflow, outflow and interstitial tissue drainage, when the arthroscope is slipped into a disposable external sheath. The external sheath includes projections that fit closely on either side of one or more of the external ribs to lock the sheath in place circumferentially relative to the arthroscope. The arthroscope is constructed to be sufficiently rigid so as to penetrate and move within a joint without damaging the rod optics inside. The externality of the arthroscope channels allow for cleaning and sterilizing the scope between uses.

Claims

1-4. (canceled)

5. An endoscope system comprising: an endoscope comprising a plurality of external ribs extending radially along the outer surface of the endoscope; an external sheath having a central lumen, the diameter of the central lumen being slightly smaller than a cylindrical circumference defined by outer edges of the ribs, the slightly smaller diameter being chosen to form a seal between the outer edges of the ribs and the surface of the sheath's central lumen by resilient deformation; the outer surface of the endoscope, ribs, and surface of the sheath's central lumen being designed to define a plurality of fluid channels extending within the endoscope system.

6. The endoscope system of claim 5, further comprising: a fluid manifold operably connected to the external sheath, said manifold comprising a plurality of fluid pathways communicating with at least some of the plurality of fluid channels; and a source of irrigation fluid operably connected to the manifold and at least one of the fluid channels.

7. The endoscope system of claim 5, further comprising: a vacuum source operably connected to the manifold and at least one of the fluid channels.

8. The endoscope system of claim 5, wherein: a wall of the external sheath has apertures in fluid communication with the fluid channels.

9. The endoscope system of claim 5, wherein: the external sheath has an instrument introduction port designed to allow one or more instruments to pass through one or more of the fluid channels.

10. The endoscope system of claim 5, further comprising: a temperature sensor operably connected to the endoscope; and a sensor data interface operably connected to the temperature sensor.

11. The endoscope system of claim 5, further comprising: a pressure sensor operably connected to the endoscope; and a sensor data interface operably connected to the pressure sensor.

12. The endoscope system of claim 11, further comprising: a temperature sensor operably connected to the endoscope; and a sensor data interface operably connected to the temperature sensor.

13. The endoscope system of claim 5, wherein: the sheath has a plurality of projections extending radially and inwardly from the inner surface of the sheath, the projections designed to engage with one or more of the external ribs to lock the sheath in place circumferentially relative to the endoscope.

14. The endoscope system of claim 5, wherein: the arthroscope is designed as an arthroscope for surgery of a skeletal joint.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a method of performing arthroscopic surgery on a patient.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows the atraumatic sheath for use with the arthroscope of FIG. 3.

[0015] FIG. 3 shows the arthroscope with external ribs extending longitudinally along the length of the arthroscope.

[0016] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the rigid arthroscope system, with the atraumatic sheath disposed over the arthroscope.

[0017] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the distal portion of the assembled rigid arthroscope system.

DESCRIPTION

I. System Overview

[0018] The arthroscope described herein is reinforced, and has external ribs to provide for a number of separate fluid channels, such as inflow, outflow and interstitial tissue drainage.

[0019] The endoscope is constructed to be sufficiently rigid so as to penetrate and move within a joint and withstand high levels of torque and bending stress and thereby avoid damaging the rod optics inside (as is common in the typical use of un-reinforced endoscopes). The externality of the endoscope channels allow for cleaning and sterilizing the scope between uses.

[0020] The external sheath completes the fluid channels, and is made of a relatively simple polymer sheath to conform and seal to the external channel system on the structural endoscope. The sheath is disposable and helps protect the joint tissue from unnecessary instrument trauma and scuffing. The external sheath is non-structural, relative to the endoscope, and provides no substantial measure of rigidity to the assembled endoscope and external sheath assembly. The sheath may also contain an instrument introduction port to allow the user to insert medical instruments into the surgical site through the fluid channels.

[0021] This arthroscope architecture gives the surgeon the feel of a traditional metal instrument, while providing for multiple fluid management channels in a low-profile, small diameter system. The additional rigidity of the scope helps to provide the tactile feedback the surgeon requires to know when a joint capsule has been entered and its position in the joint.

[0022] Further, the system may have permanently mounted sensors on the arthroscope such as for temperature and pressure. The temperature sensor may be of a class of sensors such as thermocouples, thermistors, or optical temperature sensors. The pressure sensors may be MEMS or surface-mounted electronic devices that operate in the range from 5-200 mm/Hg pressure, and are sterilizeable.

II. Embodiments

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a method of performing arthroscopic surgery on a patient 1 using an arthroscope 2 sheathed in an atraumatic sheath 3. In FIG. 1, the various parts of the arthroscope are shown in phantom to indicate their positions inside the sheath. Various anatomical landmarks in the patient's knee 4 are shown for reference, including the femur 5, patella 6, posterior cruciate ligament 7, anterior cruciate ligament 8, meniscus 9, tibia 10 and fibula 11. During surgery, the surgeon introduces the arthroscope 2 into the knee via a first incision 12 in order to visualize the surgical field. A trimming instrument 13 is introduced through a second incision 14 to remove or trim tissue that the surgeon determines should be removed or trimmed.

[0024] The arthroscope 2 is an optical instrument comprising an optical rod 17 surrounded by a rigid tube 18. To protect the patient from unintended injury or trauma during the procedure, the arthroscope has been inserted into a resilient, outer introducer sheath or atraumatic sheath 3 that extends over the rigid tube 18.

[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates the atraumatic sheath 3. The atraumatic sheath 3 is a tube 19 made of a disposable polymer or disposable metal, characterized by a central lumen. The external sheath is structurally less rigid than the metal arthroscope. The inner diameter of the atraumatic sheath is sized and dimensioned to closely fit over the outer diameter of an arthroscope. The tube 19 is characterized by a distal section 20 and a proximal section 21. The distal tip 22 of the atraumatic sheath is provided with a frusto-conical shape and an opening 23 that is slightly smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of the distal tip of the arthroscope. Alternatively, the tip may have an arcuate longitudinal cross-section. The opening 23 is provided in the atraumatic sheath so the surgeon may insert the tip of the arthroscope 2 through the opening and into the surgical space.

[0026] The distal section 20 of the sheath further comprises holes or apertures 24 for interstitial tissue drainage, apertures 25 for fluid aspiration, and apertures 26 for fluid irrigation. The proximal section of the atraumatic sheath is provided with a hub 27 manufactured from an elastomer to allow medical personnel to easily pull the atraumatic sheath over and secure the sheath to the arthroscope 2, thus creating a seal to establish the fluid flow channels. Further, the hub 27 can be adapted for coupling to a multi-channel irrigation and aspiration manifold 28. The fluid manifold is operably connected to the external sheath, and includes a plurality of fluid pathways communicating with the fluid channels defined by the sheath and ribs of the arthroscope. The manifold includes several conduits 29, 30 and 31 for connection of a source of irrigation fluid through the manifold to the irrigation fluid channels and corresponding apertures 26 at the distal tip of the sheath, connection of a vacuum source through the manifold to the aspiration channels and corresponding apertures 25 at the distal tip of the sheath, and connection of a vacuum source through the manifold to the interstitial tissue drainage channels and corresponding apertures 24 on the distal segment (proximal of the distal tip) of the sheath). Optionally, the hub further comprises an instrument introduction port 32. The port provides the user with the ability to pass instruments into the surgical site through the fluid channels described in detail below.

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates the arthroscope 2. The arthroscope is reinforced and has external ribs 40 extending longitudinally along the length of the arthroscope. The external ribs 40 extend radially from and run longitudinally along the outer surface 41 of the arthroscope 2. The ribs 40 form a seal with the inner surface of the sheath, thereby creating fluid channels (items 43, 43 and 44 shown in FIG. 5). The ribs provide for a number of separate fluid channels when the sheath is slipped over the arthroscope (as illustrated in FIG. 5). The arthroscope is releasably mounted to the base 45 such that the scope may be sterilized and reused for a number of surgical procedures.

[0028] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the rigid arthroscope system wherein the atraumatic sheath 3 is slipped onto the arthroscope 2, and wherein the tip of the arthroscope extends distally from the tip 20 of the sheath 3. A camera 46 is operably connected to the base 45 of the arthroscope. Electronic sensors, such as temperature sensor or pressure sensors are mounted in the arthroscope. The temperature sensor may be of a class of sensors such as thermocouples, thermistors, or optical temperature sensors. The pressure sensors may be MEMS or surface-mounted electronic devices that operate in the range from 5-200 mm/Hg pressure, and are sterilizable. A sensor data interface 47 is functionally attached to the base 45 and interfaces with an external computer.

[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the arthroscope 2 and the atraumatic sheath 3 when assembled together. The arthroscope 2 is inserted into the sheath 3 through the central lumen 48. When the arthroscope and sheath are assembled, the inner surface 49 of the sheath comes in contact with the ribs 40 of the arthroscope 2. The force of the arthroscope ribs pushing against the inner surface of the sheath forms a seal between the ribs and the inner surface of the sheath 38. As shown, two irrigation channels 42, two aspiration channels 43, and four interstitial tissue drainage channels 44 are created by the ribs on the outer surface of the arthroscope 41 and the inner surface 49 of the inflow/outflow sheath when the sheath is slipped over the arthroscope. The lumens 42, 43, and 44 facilitate the substantially continuous inflow and outflow of fluids to and from a surgical site through the holes 24, 25 and 26 in the sheath. Radially and inwardly extending ribs or projections 50 on the inner surface of the sheath fits closely on either side of one or more ribs on the arthroscope to lock the sheath in place circumferentially relative to the arthroscope. Check valves or gates may also be coupled to the inner surface 49 of the inflow/outflow sheath within the lumens 42, 43, and 44 to prevent outflow fluids from flowing back towards the surgical site and to prevent inflow fluids from flowing out the proximal end of the sheath.

[0030] The ribs may be integrally formed on the arthroscopic instrument, as described above, or the ribs may be placed on a separate and additional rigid sheath to be placed over the arthroscope 2. In use, the separate rigid sheath comprising the ribs would be slipped onto the arthroscope 2 and the disposable sheath 3 would be slipped onto the separate rigid sheath, thus forming the fluid channels in a similar manner as described above. This would allow arthroscopes already in the field to be retrofitted with the new fluid channel technology described herein.

[0031] In use, a surgeon inserts the arthroscope into the sheath 3. The distal tip 22 expands as the distal end of the arthroscope 2 slides past the distal tip of the sheath. Because the inner diameter of the tip 23 is less than the outer diameter of the arthroscope 2, the tip will form a seal with the outer surface of the arthroscope2. The Applicant's sheathed arthroscope can facilitate the substantially simultaneous flow of fluids to and from a surgical site through the lumens 42, 43 and 44 while requiring a smaller size incision. Substantially simultaneous inflow and outflow allows the surgeon to keep the surgical site clean and the field of view clear.

[0032] Medical instruments may be inserted into the instrument introduction port 32 and passed through any of the fluid channels 42, 43 and 44. These instruments may include RF or laser ablation devices, graspers, sutures, suture passers, suture anchors, suture needles, and diagnostic devices such as nerve stimulators.

[0033] The arthroscope is constructed to be sufficiently rigid so as to penetrate and move within a joint without damaging the rod optics inside. The externality of the channels allow for cleaning and sterilizing the scope between uses. The rigidity of the scope helps to provide the tactile feedback the surgeon requires to know when a joint capsule has been entered and their position in the joint. This arthroscope architecture gives the surgeon the feel of a traditional metal instrument, while providing for multiple fluid management channels, in a low-profile (diameter) system. It also ensures that the delicate optics survive the higher level of twisting and prying.

[0034] Endoscopes include a family of instruments, including arthroscopes, laparoscopes and other scopes. The scopes may use rod optics, fiber optics, distally mounted CCD chips, or other optical systems. Thus, while the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.