Method and apparatus for magnetically controlling endoscopes in body lumens and cavities

This invention relates to magnetically controlling endoscopes, and in particular to a method and apparatus for magnetically controlling endoscopes in body lumens and cavities.

Endoscopes, which allow viewing of the interior of body lumens and cavities, are increasingly used in conducting medical procedures. One of the greatest difficulties in using endoscopes is navigating the distal end of the endoscope within the body to the procedure site. Standard endoscopes are steered using articulation wires secured to the distal end and which extend to the proximal end, where they can be operated by mechanisms incorporated in the proximal end of the endoscope. The articulation wires pull the distal end of the endoscope, causing it to articulate in the desired direction. Some endoscopes have a single plane of articulation, and navigation is affected by a combination of articulation and rotation of the endoscope. Other endoscopes have two planes of articulation, and navigation is effected by combinations of movement in the two planes. Neither of these types of endoscopes provides simple and easy omnidirectional navigation. Another problem with wire-controlled endoscopes is that the control over the movement of the tip of the endoscope diminishes with each successive bend in the endoscope, so as the endoscope is navigated through a particularly tortuous path through the body, navigation becomes increasingly difficult.

Magnetic navigation of an endoscope eliminates the difficulties encountered with mechanical navigation. A magnetic field can be generated to orient the tip of the endoscope in virtually any direction, and is not limited to movement in one or two planes. Furthermore, tip deflection is based solely on the strength of the magnetic field, and thus navigation is not affected by the path of the endoscope. However, it can be difficult for a medical professional to quickly and easily control the magnetic field in order to effectively magnetically navigate an endoscope. What has been needed is an effective way of controlling the application of magnetic fields to both orient and move magnetic devices, such as endoscopes.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for magnetically navigating devices such as an endoscope through body lumens and cavities. Generally the magnetically navigable endoscope system of the present invention comprises an endoscope with a magnetic member, a component in the endoscope which transmits an image associated with the endoscope\'s distal end, a display to view the image, an input device, a computer with image processing software and a magnetic field generating apparatus for generating a magnetic field to orient the magnetic member. The endoscope construction can be similar to a standard endoscope without the articulation wires. The magnetic member is contained in the distal segment of the endoscope to orient the endoscope upon the application of an external magnetic field. The video image (e.g., a optical, ultrasound, or infrared image) from the endoscope is sent to a computer with image processing software, which provides general graphics overlays (i.e. lines and text) and image rotation functions. An input device such as a controller connected to the computer allows a physician to specify the change in deflection angle of the endoscope\'s distal end. As the controller is moved to the left, right, forward or backward positions, the computer senses the controller\'s position and accordingly processes a change in the magnetic field direction. The computer then causes the magnetic field generating apparatus to apply the new magnetic field direction.

Generally the method of magnetically navigating endoscopes of the present invention comprises specifying the direction to orient the endoscope using a variety of input devices and user interfaces, while the endoscope is manually or automatically advanced in the body lumen or cavity.

The method of the present invention can also be used in navigating the distal end of an endoscope in the bronchia; navigating the distal end of an endoscope in the brain; navigating the distal end of an endoscope in the colon and/or intestines; and navigating the distal end of the endoscope in the heart.

The endoscopes used with the method of this invention are preferably constructed to facilitate the recovery and re-integration of the image bundle, the light bundle, and the magnetics into new endoscopes, so that the endoscopes can be made disposable. Thus the entire endoscope of the present invention can be made re-usable or disposable.

The magnetically navigable endoscope system of the present invention allows a health care professional to quickly and intuitively navigate the endoscopes through body lumens and cavities. In the preferred embodiment, the system interface allows the health care professional to move the endoscope through the body without having to get involved in directly controlling the magnetic field direction and strength. This is achieved by allowing the physician to directly visualize the body lumen or cavity in which the endoscope is located, and navigate based on this viewed image.

According to the method and apparatus of this invention, the distal end of an endoscope can be oriented in virtually any direction. Moreover, the navigation is unaffected by the path of the endoscope. These and other features and advantages will be in part apparent, and in part pointed out hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus for magnetically controlling endoscopes according to the principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation view of an endoscope for use with this invention;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the endoscope;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the distal end portion of the endoscope;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first alternate construction of the distal end portion of the endoscope;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a second alternate construction of the distal end of the endoscope;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a third alternate construction of the distal end of the endoscope;

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