This disclosure relates to devices for managing or treating body tissues obstructing a hollow body lumen, such as the prostatic lobe tissues obstructing the urethra and more particularly, to devices and methods for facilitating the use of cystoscopes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland that wraps around the urethra through which urine is expelled from the bladder and plays a crucial role in the reproductive system of men. Although the gland starts out small, it tends to enlarge as a man ages. An excessively enlarged prostate results in a disease known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) refers to the abnormal, but non-malignant (non-cancerous) growth of the prostate observed very commonly in aging men. BPH is a chronic condition and is associated with the development of urinary outflow obstruction or luminal narrowing in the prostatic urethra. Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) refers to a blockage at the base of the bladder that reduces or stops the flow of urine into the urethra and may be secondary to BPH. A range of related disorders referred to collectively as Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) can result, including sexual dysfunction, frequent urination, difficulty in voiding urine, urinary retention, urinary leakage, and urinary tract and bladder infections that worsen as the abnormal growth in the prostate enlarges and progresses.
Cystoscopes are an important tool for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures related to conditions such as those noted above, whether surgical or less invasive techniques include implanting an expandable device within the prostatic urethra that is designed to increase the diameter of the urethra. Accordingly, cystoscopes are used to examine the urinary tract and often times perform simple procedures to diagnose and correct urinary tract issues. They are composed of a handpiece with a light source and either a fiberoptic lens for direct viewing or a system that contains or connects to a camera at the end of the device. Cystoscopes may be rigid or flexible, with the flexible versions offering more patient comfort by allowing steering of the tip via a control on the handle. Cystoscopes also often include irrigation, so that delivery of saline or other suitable fluid introduced through a suitable port, such as a luer connection, is communicated through a working channel to the distal end of the device to facilitate viewing and imaging by clearing away debris/blood from the camera’s view. Procedures may be performed with the cystoscope by advancing elongated tools or instruments through the working channel. The tools can be simple graspers or baskets or more complex device delivery and/or retrieval tools but generally must fit through the irrigation port channel.
For example,
It would be beneficial to achieve the functionality provided by the separate tools while reducing the bulk and/or weight of the devices used to perform the procedure. Likewise, it would also be desirable to facilitate operation of the cystoscope and manipulation of controls used to achieve the functionality of the separate tools by a single operator. Among other benefits, such techniques would represent a simplification of the procedure and can reduce the overall time needed. The present disclosure satisfies these and other needs as detailed in the specification and drawings.
This disclosure is directed to a cystoscope having a handle, an elongated shaft that defines at least one working channel, a repository configured to receive a cartridge tool and provide access to the working channel and a first control for actuating a movable element of the repository, wherein the movable element is configured to engage a cartridge tool received within the repository and thereby implement a functionality of the cartridge tool when the first control is actuated.
In one aspect, the cystoscope also has an irrigation port in fluid communication with the working channel, wherein the irrigation port is separate from repository. The repository may have a seal configured to restrict egress of irrigation fluid from the working channel when a cartridge tool is docked within the repository.
In one aspect, the handle further may have a steering control configured to cause selective deflection of a distal end of the elongated shaft. The handle may also have a steering lock configured to maintain the distal end of the elongated shaft at a desired deflection.
In one aspect, the repository may have a recess such that at least a portion of a docked cartridge tool is within a profile of the handle.
In one aspect, the cystoscope also includes at least one cartridge tool, wherein the cartridge tool has an elongated distal portion configured to extend into the working channel and has a body that releasably attaches to the repository. The cartridge tool may have a movable element that is engaged by the movable element of the handle when the cartridge tool is docked within the repository such that manipulation of the first control implements a functionality of the cartridge tool.
This disclosure is also directed to a cystoscope system. The system may include a cystoscope having a handle, an elongated shaft that defines at least one working channel, a repository configured to receive a cartridge tool and provide access to the working channel and a first control for actuating a movable element of the repository, wherein the movable element is configured to engage a cartridge tool docked within the repository and thereby implement a functionality of the cartridge tool when the first control is actuated and at least one cartridge tool, wherein the cartridge tool has an elongated distal portion configured to extend into the working channel and has a body that releasably attaches to the repository.
In one aspect, the cartridge tool may have a movable element that is engaged by the movable element of the handle when the cartridge tool is docked within the repository such that manipulation of the first control implements a functionality of the cartridge tool.
In one aspect, the cystoscope may have an irrigation port in fluid communication with the working channel such that the repository includes a seal configured to restrict egress of irrigation fluid from the working channel when the cartridge tool is docked within the repository.
In one aspect, the cystoscope system may have a plurality of cartridge tools. At least two of the plurality of cartridge tools may have different functionalities and/or at least two of the plurality of cartridge tools may have expandable implants of different sizes.
This disclosure is also directed to a method of employing a cystoscope. The method may include providing a cystoscope having a handle, an elongated shaft that defines at least one working channel, a repository configured to receive a cartridge tool and provide access to the working channel and a first control for actuating a movable element of the repository, docking a cartridge tool with the cystoscope such that a distal elongated portion of the cartridge tool extends through the working channel and a body of the cartridge tool releasably attaches within the repository, wherein docking the cartridge tool causes the movable element of the repository to engage the cartridge and actuating the first control to implement a functionality of the cartridge tool.
In one aspect, irrigation fluid may be supplied to the working channel through an irrigation port, wherein docking the cartridge tool engages a seal that restricts egress of irrigation fluid from the working channel into the repository.
In one aspect, a steering control of the handle of the cystoscope may be operated to cause selective deflection of a distal end of the elongated shaft. Further, a steering lock of the handle of the cystoscope may be operated to maintain the distal end of the elongated shaft at a desired deflection.
In one aspect, the cartridge tool may have a movable element that is engaged by the movable element of the handle when the cartridge tool is docked within the repository such that manipulation of the first control implements a functionality of the cartridge tool.
In one aspect, the cartridge tool may be exchanged with a different cartridge tool.
Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following and more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the disclosure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which like referenced characters generally refer to the same parts or elements throughout the views, and in which:
At the outset, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to particularly exemplified materials, architectures, routines, methods or structures as such may vary. Thus, although a number of such options, similar or equivalent to those described herein, can be used in the practice or embodiments of this disclosure, the preferred materials and methods are described herein.
It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of this disclosure only and is not intended to be limiting.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and is not intended to represent the only exemplary embodiments in which the present disclosure can be practiced. The term “exemplary” used throughout this description means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration,” and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other exemplary embodiments. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the specification. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments of the specification may be practiced without these specific details.
For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down, over, above, below, beneath, rear, back, and front, may be used with respect to the accompanying drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains. Moreover, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.
With respect to orientation of the various structures and anatomical references described herein, the term “proximal” and “distal” are relative to the perspective of the medical professional, such as a urologist, who is manipulating the cystoscope system of the disclosure. Accordingly, those features of the cystoscope system held by the hand of the urologist are at the “proximal” end and the assembled system and the imaging sensor is located at the “distal” end of the cystoscope system.
As noted above, the techniques of this disclosure involve providing a system incorporating a cystoscope and an interconnecting cartridge tool. The cystoscope includes a handle configured to facilitate guiding a distal end of the cystoscope through a patient’s anatomy and includes at least a first control that is configured to actuate a movable element of the cartridge tool. Accordingly, a single user may operate both the cystoscope and the cartridge tool.
To help illustrate the techniques of this disclosure,
Further details of a proximal portion of handle 22 are shown in the detail view of
As will be appreciated, the techniques of this disclosure represent multiple benefits. By providing cartridge tool actuator 28 on handle 22, a single operator may simultaneously implement the functionality of the cartridge tool while also manipulating and guiding cystoscope 10, including by operating steering control 24 and/or steering lock 26. By integrating the necessary controls for both cystoscope 10 and the cartridge tool into handle 22, bulk is reduced while allowing usage by a single operator. Notably, cartridge tool actuator 28 may be used to implement the functionality of any type of cartridge tool that is docked. For example, a typical procedure may include the operator using a thumb to engage steering control 24 and an index finger to engage cartridge tool actuator 28, requiring only one hand to operate both cystoscope 10 and the cartridge tool if desired.
Further, irrigation port 20 represents a dedicated pathway to the working channel of shaft 12 so that irrigation needs only to be connected once at the beginning of the procedure. In contrast, conventional cystoscope designs such as those shown in
Turning now to
Additional views of handle 22 are shown in
Also shown in
Next,
A schematic depiction of usage of cystoscope 10 and cartridge tool 40 according to techniques of this disclosure is indicated by
The exemplary embodiments disclosed above are merely intended to illustrate the various utilities of this disclosure. It is understood that numerous modifications, variations and combinations of functional elements and features of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings and, therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as particularly disclosed, and the principles of this disclosure can be extended easily with appropriate modifications to other applications.
All patents and publications are herein incorporated for reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. It should be understood that although the present disclosure has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/300,800, filed Jan. 19, 2022. The priority of this application is expressly claimed, and the disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63300800 | Jan 2022 | US |