US6068603A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Medical instrument for use in combination with an endoscope
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1999-01-18
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Granted: 2000-05-30
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Expires: 2019-01-18
Abstract
Abstract A flat section is provided at a distal end of a snare pipe located in a sheath. When a snare is pushed, the snare is moved in the snare pipe with a looped expansible section of the snare kept in contact with both opposite sides of the flat section. As a result, the expansion direction of the looped section is regulated.
Inventors
- 👤 Takayuki Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 08:06
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/04; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/3205; A61B17/32056; A61B10/0233; A61B10/0266; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00207; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00269; A61B2017/00292; A61B2017/00831; A61B2017/00867; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2901; A61B2017/2905; A61B17/30; A61B2017/306; A61B17/320016; A61B2017/32004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
240 words
A medical instrument for use in combination with an endoscope, comprising: an elongated flexible sheath to be inserted into a patient's body through a channel of the endoscope; an operation unit inserted in the sheath such that it is axially movable; a looped cutting wire connected to a distal end of the operation unit; and an operation section provided at a proximal end of the flexible sheath for pushing and pulling the operation unit to thereby protrude the cutting wire to the outside of the sheath and retreat the cutting wire into the sheath through a distal end of the sheath, wherein: the cutting wire is elastically deformed in a direction in which its loop contracts, when it is retreated into the sheath, and deformed in a direction in which its loop expands, when it is protruded to the outside of the sheath; the cutting wire cuts part of living tissue of the patient's body while it is pulled into the sheath after it is protruded to the outside of the sheath, thereby storing a cut and sampled piece in the sheath; the sheath has, at its distal end, a flat loop expansion direction regulating section for regulating the loop expansion direction of the cutting wire; and the loop expansion direction regulating section has an opening of a flat cross section and is formed at the distal end of the sheath through which the cutting wire is protruded and retreated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
240 words
A medical instrument for use in combination with an endoscope, comprising: an elongated flexible sheath to be inserted into a patient's body through a channel of the endoscope; an operation unit inserted in the sheath such that it is axially movable; a looped cutting wire connected to a distal end of the operation unit; and an operation section provided at a proximal end of the flexible sheath for pushing and pulling the operation unit to thereby protrude the cutting wire to the outside of the sheath and retreat the cutting wire into the sheath through a distal end of the sheath, wherein: the cutting wire is elastically deformed in a direction in which its loop contracts, when it is retreated into the sheath, and deformed in a direction in which its loop expands, when it is protruded to the outside of the sheath; the cutting wire cuts part of living tissue of the patient's body while it is pulled into the sheath after it is protruded to the outside of the sheath, thereby storing a cut and sampled piece in the sheath; the sheath has, at its distal end, a flat loop expansion direction regulating section for regulating the loop expansion direction of the cutting wire; and the loop expansion direction regulating section has an opening of a flat cross section and is formed at the distal end of the sheath through which the cutting wire is protruded and retreated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein: loop expansion direction regulating section comprises a flat-opening providing element which has said opening of a flat cross section, and a sharp edge for passing the cutting wire therethrough.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein: the loop expansion direction regulating section comprises a flat-opening providing element which includes said opening of a flat cross section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A medical instrument according to claim 3, wherein: the sheath includes a first opening for passing the cutting wire therethrough; and a second opening for receiving living tissue therethrough, and the flat-opening providing element is formed of the edge of the first opening.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A medical instrument according to claim 4, wherein: the sheath has a sampled-piece storing section formed at the second opening for storing the sampled piece of the living tissue.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein: the sampled-piece storing section has a transparent portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein: the sheath has a pushing/pulling wire slidably inserted therein over the entire length of the sheath; and the pushing/pulling wire has a sampled-piece receiver secured to a distal end thereof for preventing the sampled piece of the living tissue from shifting to the proximal end of the sheath.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A medical instrument according to claim 5, wherein: the sampled-piece storing section is detachably attached to the distal end of the sheath.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A medical instrument according to claim 3, wherein: the sheath has, at the distal end thereof, a cutting pipe in which the cutting wire is inserted; and the flat-opening providing element comprises a distal end opening of the cutting pipe.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A medical instrument according to claim 9, wherein: the cutting pipe is movable along the axis of the sheath.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A medical instrument according to claim 9, wherein; the cutting pipe has a distal end which is secured on the same plane as the distal end of the sheath.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
A medical instrument according to claim 9, wherein: the sheath has, at the distal end thereof, an inclined portion which inclines with respect to the axis of the medical instrument; and the cutting pipe has, at its distal end, an inclined portion which is inclined in accordance with the inclined portion of the sheath.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A medical instrument according to claim 9, wherein: the distal end opening of the cutting pipe has a sharp edge.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
A medical instrument according to claim 3, wherein: the sheath has, at the distal end thereof, an inclined portion which inclines with respect to the axis of the medical instrument; and the flat-opening providing element is located at a rear end of the inclined portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A medical instrument according to claim 14, wherein; the flat-opening providing element has an inclined portion which is inclined in accordance with the inclined portion of the sheath.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein: the sheath has a sampled piece storing section formed therein for storing the sampled piece of the living tissue; and the sampled-piece storing section comprises a retractor provided at a rear end thereof which moves the stored piece to a distal end opening of the sheath.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
A medical instrument according to claim 16, wherein: the sheath has a suction pipe formed therein, the suction pipe having a proximal end connected to a suction source and a distal end communicating with the interior of the sampled-piece storing section; and the retractor is provided in the suction pipe.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
71 words
A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein: the sheath has a suction pipe formed therein, the suction pipe having a proximal end connected to a suction source and a distal end communicating with a distal end opening of the sheath; and the suction pipe has a sampled-piece storing section formed between a proximal end of the sheath and the suction source for receiving the sampled piece of the living tissue.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
A medical instrument according to claim 18, wherein: the sheath has a water supply pipe formed therein, the water supply pipe having a distal end which communicates with the distal end opening of the sheath, and also a proximal end connected to a water supply.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein: cutting wire has an outer diameter of 0.1-0.2 mm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein: the cutting wire is formed of a material having a superelasticity.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein: the operation unit has, at a proximal end thereof, a connection section for receiving a high frequency current.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-30 | 2003-11-29 | 2004-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-30 | 2007-11-29 | 2008-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-30 | 2011-11-29 | 2012-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |