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  Insertion assisting tool for endoscopeUSPTO Application #: 20070299308Title: Insertion assisting tool for endoscope Abstract: An insertion assisting tool for an endoscope into which an insertion section of the endoscope is inserted from a base end portion side, comprising: a fluid sealing device which seals a space between a base end part of the insertion assisting tool and the endoscope insertion section, the space being formed while the insertion section of the endoscope is inserted into the base end portion side. (end of abstract) Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C - Reston, VA, US Inventors: Tetsuya Fujikura, Hirotaka Kawano USPTO Applicaton #: 20070299308 - Class: 600115000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Surgery, Endoscope, With Guide Means For Body Insertion, Inflatable Cuff Or Balloon The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070299308. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an insertion assisting tool for an endoscope, and particularly, relates to an insertion assisting tool of an endoscope which is used when an insertion section of the endoscope is inserted into a body cavity. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] When the insertion section of an endoscope is inserted into a deep alimentary canal such as a small intestine, by only pushing the insertion section into the deep alimentary canal, the force is difficult to transmit to a tip end of the insertion section due to complicated bending of an intestinal canal, and insertion into a deep part is difficult. Namely, if excessive bending and deflection occur to the insertion section, it is difficult to insert the insertion section further into a deeper part. Thus, there is proposed an endoscope apparatus which prevents excessive bending and deflection of the insertion section by inserting the insertion section into a body cavity with an insertion assisting tool called an over tube or a sliding tube attached to the insertion section of the endoscope, and inserting the insertion section into the body cavity while guiding the insertion section with this insertion assisting tool (for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-248794). [0005] Meanwhile, a double balloon type endoscope apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-301019 includes an endoscope with an inflatable and deflatable balloon attached to a tip end peripheral portion of an endoscope insertion section, and an over tube which serves as a guide at the time of insertion of the insertion section, with an inflatable and deflatable balloon attached to the tip end peripheral portion, and the endoscope insertion section inserted into the over tube. This double balloon type endoscope apparatus is for inserting the endoscope insertion section into a deep part of an alimentary canal by carrying out an insertion operation of the over tube and the endoscope insertion section and the inflation and deflation operations of the two balloons in accordance with a predetermined procedure. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] However, the insertion assisting tool in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-248794 has the problem that when the insertion assisting tool is inserted into a body cavity, a body fluid flows backward from a gap between the insertion assisting tool and the insertion section due to internal pressure of the body cavity, and leaks outside from a base end opening of the insertion assisting tool. [0007] Similarly, the over tube of the double balloon type endoscope apparatus of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-301019 also has the problem that when the over tube is inserted into the body cavity, the body fluid flows backward from a gap between the over tube and the endoscope insertion section due to internal pressure of the body cavity (alimentary canal), and leaks outside from a base end opening of the over tube. [0008] The present invention is made in view of the above circumstances, and has its object to provide an insertion assisting tool of an endoscope capable of preventing leakage of a fluid flowing backward from a body cavity. [0009] In order to attain the above-described object, a first aspect of the present invention is, in an insertion assisting tool for an endoscope into which an insertion section of the endoscope is inserted from a base end portion side, comprising: [0010] a fluid sealing device which seals a space between a base end part of the insertion assisting tool and the endoscope insertion section, the space being formed while the insertion section of the endoscope is inserted into the base end portion side. [0011] According to the first aspect, the liquid sealing device is provided, and therefore, a body fluid and a fluid such as a lubricating liquid, which is supplied to the insertion assisting tool, can be prevented from leaking from the space between the base end part of the insertion assisting tool and the endoscope insertion section. [0012] In order to attain the aforesaid object, a second aspect of the present invention is, in an insertion assisting tool into which an insertion section of an endoscope is inserted, characterized by including a liquid storing part formed at a base end part side of the insertion assisting tool. [0013] According to the second aspect, during an operation in which the insertion assisting tool is inserted into a body cavity, the body fluid, which flows backward from the gap between the insertion assisting tool and the insertion section due to internal pressure of the body cavity, is stored in the liquid storing part formed at the side of the base end part of the insertion assisting tool, and therefore, leakage of the body fluid flowing backward can be prevented. [0014] According to a third aspect of the present invention, the insertion assisting section is characterized in that a suction device is attached to the liquid storing part of the insertion assisting tool. By attaching the suction device to the liquid storing part like this, the body fluid stored in the liquid storing part can be discharged from the liquid storing part, and therefore, leakage from the liquid storing part due to overflow can be prevented. [0015] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the insertion assisting tool is characterized in that a liquid absorbing member is housed in the liquid storing part of the insertion assisting tool, and the liquid storing part is detachably attached to an insertion assisting tool body. The liquid absorbing member such as a sponge is housed in the liquid storing part, and thereby, the body fluid stored in the liquid storing part is held by the liquid absorbing member. Thereby, leakage of the body fluid from the liquid storing part can be prevented when the insertion assisting tool is used upside down due to the motion during operation. The liquid absorbing member which sufficiently absorbs the body fluid is removed by detaching the liquid storing part from the insertion assisting tool body, and is replaced with a new liquid absorbing member, thus making it possible to use the insertion assisting tool repeatedly. [0016] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, an inflatable and deflatable balloon is attached to an insertion section of the endoscope and/or a tip end part of the insertion assisting tool. The insertion assisting tool can be fixed to a body wall by inflating the balloon and closely fitting the balloon to the body wall such as an intestinal wall. In this state, the body wall is observed while performing a curving operation of the curving part of the endoscope insertion section, which protrudes from the tip end part of the insertion assisting tool, with the hand operation section. At this time, the insertion assisting tool is fixed to the body wall, and therefore, there is no fear that the curving part and the tip end part of the insertion section contact the insertion assisting tool, whereby curving operability of the curving part is enhanced. The insertion assisting tool having the balloon can be applied to a double-balloon type endoscope apparatus which uses the insertion assisting tool having the balloon by fitting the insertion assisting tool onto the endoscope insertion section also having a balloon. This endoscope apparatus makes it possible to observe an intestine by drawing in the intestine by carrying out the inflating and deflating operation of the two balloons, the insertion and extraction operation of the endoscope insertion section, and the insertion and extraction operation of the insertion assisting tool in accordance with a predetermined procedure. [0017] In order to attain the above-described object, a sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a cylindrical extendable and contractible member connecting respective base end parts of an insertion section of the endoscope and the insertion assisting tool in which the insertion section of the endoscope is inserted, said cylindrical extendable and contractible member covering the insertion section. [0018] According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the respective base end parts of the insertion section of the endoscope and the insertion assisting tool into which the insertion section is inserted are connected by the cylindrical extendable and contractible member which covers the insertion section, and therefore, the body fluid flowing backward from the gap between the insertion assisting tool and the insertion section does not leak. Thereby, the leakage of the body fluid flowing backward from the body cavity can be prevented. Since the extendable and contractible member extends and contracts, the insertion operation and drawing-in operation of the insertion assisting tool and the insertion section can be performed smoothly. [0019] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the insertion assisting tool is characterized in that the extendable and contractible member is an accordion-shaped member. Thereby, the extendable and contractible member can be easily constructed. [0020] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the insertion assisting tool is characterized in that the extendable and contractible member is formed to have length by which a tip end part of the insertion assisting tool does not contact a first balloon of the insertion section when the extendable and contractible member is operated to extend most. As a result, at the stroke end when the insertion assisting tool is inserted deepest, the tip end part of the insertion assisting tool does not contact the first balloon, and therefore, the first balloon is not broken by contact of the tip end part of the insertion assisting tool. As for restraint at the time of the extension of the extendable and contractible member, the restraint can be achieved by setting the length and the number of the pleats of the accordion shape in the case of the accordion-shaped member having directivity in one direction in the extending and contracting direction. On the other hand, in the case of, for example, a bag-shaped member having no directivity in the extending and contracting direction, the restraint can be achieved by attaching restraining linear elements such as wires and strings, which restrain the extension amount, to the bag-shaped member. [0021] According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the insertion assisting tool is characterized in that a drain port is formed in the extendible member. The body fluid stored in the gap between the extendable and contractible member and the insertion section can be discharged to the outside from the gap via the drain port. A pump is separately connected to the drain port, and the liquid can be also discharged by the power of the power. Further, the body fluid stored in the gap may be discharged from the drain port by the pumping action occurring when the extendable and contractible member extends and contracts. [0022] In order to achieve the above-described object, a tenth aspect of the present invention is, in the insertion assisting tool into which an insertion section of the endoscope is inserted, characterized by including a substantially cylindrical tube formed of an elastic body in which a smaller opening than a diameter of a base end part of the insertion assisting tool is formed at one end and a smaller opening than a diameter of the endoscope insertion section is formed at the other end, and characterized in that in the tube, the opening formed at the one end is attached to the base end part of the insertion assisting tool in close contact with the base end part, and the insertion section of the endoscope is slidably inserted through the tube with the insertion section of the endoscope closely fitted in the opening formed at the other end. Continue reading... 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