ENDOSCOPIC CUTTING DEVICE HAVING A CUTTING WIRE DIRECTED THROUGH OPENINGS IN A TUBE TO FORM TWO DIATHERMY BLADES, AND A PROBE FOR A PERCUTANEOUS ENDOSCOPIC GASTROSTOMY

Abstract

An endoscopic cutting device for cutting free a probe, provided with a retaining plate, which, within the scope of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, is arranged in a stomach wall and is overgrown by the gastric mucosa, wherein, for the adjustment of the cutting element provided at a distal end of a tube via a pulling cord, an actuation force of an actuation element can be transmitted to same. In addition, the cutting device includes a cutting wire which is electrically heatable and connected to the pulling cord, and which runs outside the tube via a distal section to form a first diathermy blade. In addition, the distal end of the tube is slanted at an angle to the transverse plane thereof to form a tip, wherein the tip is facing the first diathermy blade. Furthermore, the cutting wire is directed externally around the tip to form a second diathermy blade.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. An endoscopic cutting device for cutting free a probe provided with a retaining plate, which, within the scope of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, is arranged in a stomach wall and is overgrown with gastric mucosa, wherein, for the adjustment of the cutting element provided at a distal end of a tube, an actuation force of a proximally arranged actuation element can be transmitted to said element via a pulling cord arranged in a lumen of the tube, wherein the cutting device comprises an electrically heatable cutting wire which is connected to the pulling cord and is fixed at a first distance to the distal end on the tube and extends from this outside of the tube via a distal section and is introduced into the lumen through a first opening provided on the tube at a second, longer distance to the distal end of the tube, so that, when the pulling cord is tightened, the section of the tube is deformed into an arc-shape and the cutting wire forms a first chord-like diathermy blade extending between the first opening and its fixing position on the tube, wherein, to form a tip, the distal end of the tube is slanted at an angle to the transverse plane thereof, wherein the tip is turned towards the first diathermy blade, that, with the first distance to the end of the tip, a second opening is formed in the tube, through which opening, the cutting wire is inserted into the lumen and extends in this up to the tip, that, for forming a second diathermy blade, the cutting wire is made to extend outside around the tip and along an outer peripheral surface of the tube through the second opening into the tube, and that, at least in the region of a section of the tube situated between the two openings, the tube is made of a soft flexible, elastically deformable plastic material.

12. The endoscopic cutting device of claim 11, wherein a distal end section of the cutting wire within the lumen extends over at least 50% of the region situated between the two openings.

13. The endoscopic cutting device of claim 12, wherein the distal end section within the lumen extends up to the first opening.

14. The endoscopic cutting device of claim 11, wherein the distal end of the cutting wire is bent through approximately 180 for fixing this on the peripheral surface of the lumen.

15. The endoscopic cutting device of claim 12, wherein, adjoining the openings and outside of the region situated between the openings, PEEK sleeves are inserted into the tube preferably into the lumen.

16. The endoscopic cutting device of claim 15, wherein a first PEEK sleeve extends within the lumen from the tip up to the second opening.

17. The endoscopic cutting device of claim 15, wherein a PEEK hose extending within the lumen is fixed with a proximal end thereof in a reception of a guide shaft of the actuation element and bears distally against a front end face of a second PEEK hose that extends up to the first opening.

18. The endoscopic cutting device of claim 11, wherein the actuation element comprises a guide shaft that is connected at least indirectly to the tube and a pushing element that acts on the pulling cord, an element for triggering a haptic signal which is triggered when the cutting device has reached one of its cutting positions being arranged between guide shaft and pushing element.

19. The endoscopic cutting device of claim 18, wherein the element for triggering the haptic signal is configured as a catch recess on an outer peripheral surface of the guide shaft and as a spring-loaded ball extending in the pushing element radially relative to the catch recess.

20. A probe for a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy with a hollow cylindrical probe body which is configured together with a retaining plate for bearing against a stomach wall, and after being overgrown with the gastric mucosa will be removed from the stomach wall through radial cuts executed with an endoscopic cutting device, wherein, for the adjustment of the cutting element provided at a distal end of a tube, an actuation force of a proximally arranged actuation element can be transmitted via a pulling cord arranged in the lumen of the tube, to said element, wherein the cutting device comprises an electrically heatable cutting wire which is connected to the pulling cord and is fixed at a first distance to the distal end on the tube and extends from this outside of the tube via a distal section and is introduced into the lumen through a first opening provided on the tube at a second, longer distance to the distal end of the tube, so that, when the pulling cord is tightened, the section of the tube is deformed into an arc-shape and the cutting wire forms a first chord-like diathermy blade extending between the first opening and its fixing position on the tube, wherein a distal end of the probe body comprising an axial overhang relative to the retaining plate is adapted with regard to its axial and radial dimensions to the position of the cutting wire and to the position of a distal end of tube configured as a tip, which positions these take during a cutting procedure.

Description

[0023] FIG. 1, a treatment of a buried bumper syndrome using an endoscopic cutting device according to the invention,

[0024] FIG. 2, a longitudinal section of the endoscopic cutting device used in accordance with FIG. 1,

[0025] FIG. 3, an enlarged section according to III out of the representation of FIG. 2, showing the region of a first opening provided in a tube through which a cutting wire extends out of a lumen,

[0026] FIG. 4, an enlarged section according to IV out of the representation of FIG. 2, showing a guide shaft of an actuation element on which the tube as also a PEEK hose are fixed,

[0027] FIG. 5, a longitudinal section of a partial view of the cutting device in the region of a distal end thereof,

[0028] FIG. 6, a partial longitudinal section of an actuation element of the cutting device,

[0029] FIG. 7, an enlarged section according to VII out of the representation of FIG. 6, showing an arrangement for creating a haptic signal,

[0030] FIG. 8, an alternative form of embodiment of the distal end section, wherein, in this region, the tube is provided with flattened regions and thus has a wedge-like configuration,

[0031] FIG. 9, a longitudinal section of the cutting region of the cutting device,

[0032] FIG. 10, a longitudinal section through a PEG probe with a cutting device arranged therein, which, in this case, is in a stretched state,

[0033] FIG. 11, the state of the cutting device in which the tube is bent that far that the cutting wire is bent at an angle of about 45 at the first opening,

[0034] FIG. 12, the state of the cutting device in which the tube is bent that far that the distal end section thereof extends at an angle of about 180 to the proximal section, wherein the tip of the tube acts on the edge of a retaining plate, and

[0035] FIG. 13, the state of the cutting device in which the tube is bent that far that the distal end section thereof extends at an angle of about 180 to the proximal section, wherein the tip has been guided up to a hub provided on the retaining plate.

[0036] In FIG. 1, an endoscopic cutting device which is intended for treating a buried bumper syndrome is identified at 1. A PEG probe 3 for feeding the patient is inserted into the abdominal wall 2 of the patient and extends through a stomach wall 4 of a stomach 5. The PEG probe 3 comprises a hollow cylindrical probe body 6 preferably configured as a hose and further comprises an inner retaining plate 7 connected to the probe body 6, which retaining plate 7 bears, in the interior of the stomach 5, against the stomach wall 4 so that the PEG probe 3 is fixed. The probe body 6 extends beyond the retaining plate 7 thus forming a hub 8. As further disclosed in FIG. 1, on its surface turned towards the interior of the stomach, the retaining plate 7 is overgrown with gastro mucosa 9, in other words embedded in the stomach wall 4. This means that centers of inflammation can form in the region of this overgrowth and lead to considerable problems in the removal of the PEG probe out of the stomach wall or the abdominal wall 2.

[0037] For cutting free the retaining plate 7, the endoscopic cutting device 1 is inserted through the PEG probe 3 into the interior of the stomach 5. The cutting device comprises a tube 10 made of a soft, flexible plastic material on whose proximal end an actuation element 11 is arranged. With this actuation element 11 that comprises a guide shaft 13 connected to a thumb ring 12 and a pushing element 14 with two finger rings 15 configured thereon, a distal end section of the tube 10 can be tightened into an arc-shape such that a cutting wire 16 spanning this arc acts as a first diathermy blade 17 that is energized and thus heated through a high frequency electrical connection 18. In addition, a sluice 19 is provided on the tube 10 through which sluice 19, a guide wire and/or a rinsing liquid can be fed which, via a lumen described in connection with FIGS. 2, 5 and 9, extend or are directed up to the distal end of the tube 10. At its distal end, the tube 10 is provided with a tip 20 which, in the arc-shaped bent position of the end region that is shown in FIG. 1, pierces the gastro mucosa 9 overgrowing the retaining plate 7.

[0038] In FIG. 2, the endoscopic cutting device 1 is shown in a stretched state, in which it is situated for example before the distal end thereof is inserted into a PEG probe 3 according to FIG. 1. The details of the cutting device 1 already explained in connection with FIG. 1 and also shown in FIG. 2, bear the same reference numerals. Additionally, FIG. 2 also discloses that an entraining element 21 projects radially inwards from the pushing element 14 and is guided in a longitudinal slit 22 of the guide shaft 13. On this entraining element is fixed a pull rod 23 which connects further on to a pulling cord 24.

[0039] A first enlarged section III out of FIG. 2 is represented in FIG. 3. This shows a partial section of the tube 10 with a first lumen 25 extending in the tube 10, as well as a second lumen 26. In the first lumen 25 a PEEK hose 27 is arranged proximally and, as will be shown later in subsequent figures, reaches up to the guide shaft 13 of the actuation element 11. With help of the PEEK hose 27 the tube 10, which as a whole is soft and flexible, is partially stiffened, so that sliding and rotational movements generated by the actuation element 11 can be transmitted through this to the distal end section of the tube 10.

[0040] In distal direction, within the first lumen 25, the PEEK hose 27 is followed by a second PEEK sleeve 28 which ends distally at a slant in front of a first opening 29. The slanted end of this second PEEK sleeve 28 is oriented such that it tapers towards the first opening 29. Within the PEEK hose 27 and the second PEEK sleeve 28 extends the stranded wire 30 which serves as a cutting wire 16 and is connected proximally to the pulling cord 24. The cutting wire 16 emerges out of the first opening 29 from the PEEK sleeve 28 and the first lumen 25 respectively and extends along an outer peripheral surface 31 of the tube 10. The further course of the cutting wire 16 of which an end 32 bent around through 180 is shown in FIG. 3, can be seen in some of the figures described in the following. FIG. 3 discloses that the end 32 extends up to the first opening 29 and is configured such that it hooks firmly into the first lumen 25 under traction force.

[0041] A second enlarged section IV out of FIG. 2 that shows the connection of the guide shaft 13 to the tube 10 as also to the PEEK hose 27 is illustrated in FIG. 4. It can be seen in this figure that the PEEK hose 27 guided in the first lumen 25 is fixed in a reception 33 of the guide shaft 13. The pulling cord 24 extending within the PEEK hose 27 is fixed in the pull rod 23.

[0042] In FIG. 5 is shown a distal end of the cutting device 1 with the tip 20 which is made by severing the tube 10 at an angle to the transverse plane. At a distance to this tip 20, a second opening 34 is provided in the tube 10 which merges into the first lumen 25. Starting from the distal end of the tube 10, is situated in the lumen 25, a first PEEK sleeve 35 that reaches proximally up to the second opening 34. In addition, the complete course of the cutting wire 16 in the region of the two openings 29 and 34, as also of the tip can be seen in FIG. 9. As shown in the figure, the cutting wire 16 extending along the outer peripheral surface 31 is to be guided through the second opening 34 into the first lumen 25 in which it extends up to the tip 20.

[0043] At the tip 20, the cutting wire 30 is deflected around through 180 and extends then forming a second diathermy blade 36, once again along the outer peripheral surface 31 up to the second opening 34 to re-enter the first lumen 25 at this opening. As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 9, this end section of the cutting wire 16 extending in proximal direction is provided with the end 32 bent around through 180. FIG. 9 shows that the end section extends over the region situated between the two openings 29 and 34.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows the actuation element 11 which, in this case, is provided with an element 37 for generating a haptic signal. For this purpose, a ball 39 is arranged in a radially extending bore 38 of the pushing element 14. An enlarged section VII out of FIG. 6, showing the configuration of the element 37 for generating a haptic signal is illustrated in FIG. 7. For elucidating the function of this element 37, the ball 39 that is loaded by a compression spring 40 is shown in a position in which the ball 39 is raised from the guide shaft 13, so that a catch recess 41 arranged on the guide shaft 13 is visible. The ball 39 snaps into this catch recess 41 when the cutting device 1 is situated in a cutting position which the treating surgeon perceives at the actuation element 11.

[0045] In FIG. 8 is illustrated a distal end section of a further example of embodiment of the endoscopic cutting device 1 in which, on its end section comprising the tip 20, the tube 10 is provided at least partially with slanted portions 42 and 43, so that the tube 10 is given a wedge-shaped configuration in this region. For this reason, the portions of the gastro mucosa separated from each other are pressed apart during the cutting operation of the second diathermy blade 36.

[0046] In FIGS. 10 to 13 the endoscopic cutting device which is inserted into the PEG probe 3 is illustrated in its different positions. As already described in connection with FIG. 1, the PEG probe comprises the retaining plate 7, the hub 8 extending from this into the interior of the stomach, and the probe body 6 configured as a hose. FIG. 10 shows the cutting device 1 in its stretched state after it has been inserted into the PEG probe 3. According to FIG. 11, due to an angular bending of the tube 10 through approximately 90, the cutting wire 16 extends at an angle of 45. For this reason, with the help of the cutting wire bearing against the end of the hub 8, the cutting device 1 comes to be oriented in axial direction.

[0047] According to FIG. 12, the pulling cord is tightened such that the distal end section of the tube 10 is bent through 180 and thus extends parallel to the rest of the tube 10. In this way, the tip 20 together with the cutting wire 16 guided around this, is applied to the edge of the retaining plate 7. This position is communicated through a signal as described in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7 to the surgeon and he turns on the high frequency current. Following this, he tightens the pulling cord further and an actinomorphic cut is performed via the retaining plate 7, wherein both the first diathermy blade 17 and the second diathermy blade 36 are active.

[0048] After relaxation of the pulling cord and a respective turning of the cutting device 1, the cuts are repeated many times. Because the tube 10 has a soft elastic configuration in its bending region and is flexible due to the cutting wire 16 being guided backwards within the lumen 25, on the one hand, the tube 10 can be bent very strongly at an angle and returns on the other hand, again into its former position. The PEEK sleeves 28 and 35 prevent the tube 10 from tearing or cracking in the region of the openings 29 and 34.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0049] 1 endoscopic cutting device [0050] 2 abdominal wall [0051] 3 PEG probe [0052] 4 stomach wall [0053] 5 stomach [0054] 6 probe body [0055] 7 retaining plate of 3 [0056] 8 hub of 3 [0057] 9 gastro mucosa [0058] 10 tube [0059] 11 actuation element [0060] 12 thumb ring of 11 [0061] 13 guide shaft of 11 [0062] 14 pushing element of 11 [0063] 15 finger ring [0064] 16 cutting wire [0065] 17 first diathermy blade [0066] 18 high frequency connection [0067] 19 sluice [0068] 20 tip [0069] 21 entraining element [0070] 22 longitudinal slit [0071] 23 pull rod [0072] 24 pulling cord [0073] 25 first lumen [0074] 26 second lumen [0075] 27 PEEK hose [0076] 28 second PEEK sleeve [0077] 29 first opening [0078] 30 stranded wire [0079] 31 outer peripheral surface of 10 [0080] 32 end of 16 [0081] 33 reception in 13 [0082] 34 second opening [0083] 35 first PEEK sleeve [0084] 36 second diathermy blade [0085] 37 element [0086] 38 bore [0087] 39 ball [0088] 40 compression spring [0089] 41 catch recess