US20220175228A1 - Endoscopic systems, devices, and methods for performing in vivo procedures - Google Patents
Endoscopic systems, devices, and methods for performing in vivo procedures Download PDFInfo
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- US20220175228A1 US20220175228A1 US17/681,298 US202217681298A US2022175228A1 US 20220175228 A1 US20220175228 A1 US 20220175228A1 US 202217681298 A US202217681298 A US 202217681298A US 2022175228 A1 US2022175228 A1 US 2022175228A1
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Definitions
- the present disclosure relates generally to endoscopic systems, devices, and methods, and more specifically, relates to systems and devices for use in performing endoluminal procedures, including diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and methods of configuring and using such systems and devices.
- colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and also the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. If diagnosed at a sufficiently early stage, however, the survival rate of patients suffering from colorectal cancer may reach upwards of ninety percent.
- Conventional optical colonoscopy is the most widely accepted and used procedure for colorectal screening.
- conventional optical colonoscopy involves the insertion of a colonoscope through the colon of a patient, and requires forceful manual pushing of the colonoscope against the luminal wall at flexural or looping/bending sections of the colon during insertion, which generally results in severe discomfort and pain to the patient.
- the retracting and/or removal of the colonoscope from the flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the colon of the patient may also cause significant discomfort and/or pain to the patient.
- Present example embodiments relate generally to systems, devices, and methods for addressing one or more problems in diagnostic and therapeutic systems, devices, and methods, including those described above and herein.
- an endoscopic system in an exemplary embodiment, includes a first main body and a second main body.
- the first main body includes a first end section and a second end section.
- the first end section of the first main body includes a first anchor assembly and a first proximal portion.
- the first anchor assembly includes a first expandable member, second expandable member, and first negative pressure opening.
- the first expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the first expandable member is a configuration in which the first expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the first expandable member.
- the second expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the second expandable member is a configuration in which the second expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the second expandable member.
- the second expandable member is a separate and independently controllable expandable member from the first expandable member.
- the first negative pressure opening is formed between the first expandable member and the second expandable member.
- the first negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure.
- the first proximal portion is an elongated body secured to a proximal end of the first anchor assembly.
- the first proximal portion is configured to retract inwardly into and extend outwardly away from a main cavity of a second main body.
- the first proximal portion includes a bendable portion configured to bend in a plurality of directions.
- the first proximal portion is configured to selectively move the first anchor assembly in a plurality of directions relative to the bendable portion of the first proximal portion by bending the bendable portion of the first proximal portion in a plurality of directions.
- the second main body includes a first end section, a second end section, and the main cavity.
- the main cavity of the second main body is formed through the second main body from the first end section of the second main body to the second end section of the second main body.
- the first end section of the second main body includes a second anchor assembly.
- the second anchor assembly includes a third expandable member, fourth expandable member, and second negative pressure opening.
- the third expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the third expandable member is a configuration in which the third expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the third expandable member.
- the fourth expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the fourth expandable member is a configuration in which the fourth expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the fourth expandable member.
- the second negative pressure opening is formed between the third expandable member and the fourth expandable member. The second negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure.
- an endoscopic system in another exemplary embodiment, includes a first main body and second main body.
- the first main body includes a first end section and a second end section.
- the first end section of the first main body includes a first anchor assembly.
- the first anchor assembly includes a first expandable member, second expandable member, first negative pressure opening, and bendable portion.
- the first expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the first expandable member is a configuration in which the first expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the first expandable member.
- the second expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the second expandable member is a configuration in which the second expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the second expandable member.
- the second expandable member is a separate and independently controllable expandable member from the first expandable member.
- the first negative pressure opening is formed between the first expandable member and the second expandable member.
- the first negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure.
- the bendable portion is configured to bend in a plurality of directions.
- the first anchor assembly is configured to selectively move the second expandable member in a plurality of directions relative to the first expandable member by bending the bendable portion of the first anchor assembly in a plurality of directions.
- the second main body includes a first end section, a second end section, and a main cavity.
- the main cavity of the second main body is formed through the second main body from the first end section of the second main body to the second end section of the second main body.
- the first end section of the second main body includes a second anchor assembly.
- the second anchor assembly includes a third expandable member, fourth expandable member, and second negative pressure opening.
- the third expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the third expandable member is a configuration in which the third expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the third expandable member.
- the fourth expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the fourth expandable member is a configuration in which the fourth expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the fourth expandable member.
- the second negative pressure opening is formed between the third expandable member and the fourth expandable member, the second negative pressure opening configured to apply a negative pressure.
- an endoscopic system in another exemplary embodiment, includes a first main body.
- the first main body includes a first end section and a second end section.
- the first end section of the first main body includes a first anchor assembly and first proximal portion.
- the first anchor assembly includes a first expandable member, second expandable member, negative pressure opening, and first anchor assembly bendable portion.
- the first expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the first expandable member is a configuration in which the first expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the first expandable member.
- the second expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the second expandable member is a configuration in which the second expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the second expandable member, the second expandable member being a separate and independently controllable expandable member from the first expandable member.
- the first negative pressure opening is formed between the first expandable member and the second expandable member.
- the first negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure.
- the first anchor assembly bendable portion is configured to bend in a plurality of directions.
- the first anchor assembly is configured to selectively move the second expandable member in a plurality of directions relative to the first expandable member by bending the first anchor assembly bendable portion in a plurality of directions.
- the first proximal portion is an elongated body secured to a proximal end of the first anchor assembly.
- the first proximal portion is configured to retract inwardly into and extend outwardly away from a main cavity of a second main body.
- the first proximal portion includes a first proximal portion bendable portion configured to bend in a plurality of directions.
- the first proximal portion is configured to selectively move the first anchor assembly in a plurality of directions relative to the first proximal portion bendable portion by bending the first proximal portion bendable portion in a plurality of directions.
- the second main body includes a first end section, a second end section, and the main cavity.
- the main cavity of the second main body is formed through the second main body from the first end section of the second main body to the second end section of the second main body.
- the first end section of the second main body includes a second anchor assembly and a second proximal portion.
- the second anchor assembly includes a third expandable member, fourth expandable member, and second negative pressure opening.
- the third expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the third expandable member is a configuration in which the third expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the third expandable member.
- the fourth expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.
- the expanded configuration of the fourth expandable member is a configuration in which the fourth expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the fourth expandable member.
- the second negative pressure opening is formed between the third expandable member and the fourth expandable member.
- the second negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure.
- the second proximal portion is an elongated body secured to a proximal end of the second anchor assembly.
- the second proximal portion includes a second proximal portion bendable portion configured to bend in a plurality of directions.
- the second proximal portion is configured to selectively move the second anchor assembly in a plurality of directions relative to the second proximal portion bendable portion by bending the second proximal portion bendable portion in a plurality of directions
- an endoscopic system is described.
- the endoscopic system is configurable to be provided in a cavity of a patient.
- the endoscopic system may comprise a main body.
- the main body may be an elongated body having a first end.
- the endoscopic system may further comprise an anchor assembly attached to the main body near the first end of the main body.
- the anchor assembly may comprise a first expandable member.
- the first expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the main body.
- the anchor assembly may further comprise a second expandable member provided between the first expandable member and the first end of the main body.
- the second expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the main body.
- the anchor assembly may be operable to secure the main body with respect to an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the first expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient and expanding the second expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- an endoscopic system is described.
- the endoscopic system is configurable to be provided in a cavity of a patient.
- the endoscopic system may comprise a main body.
- the main body may be an elongated body having a first end.
- the endoscopic system may further comprise a head assembly.
- the head assembly may have a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion.
- the first end portion may be attachable to the first end of the main body.
- the second end portion may be selectively configurable to actuate in a plurality of directions with respect to the first end portion.
- the head assembly may further comprise an image capturing assembly provided in the second end portion.
- the image capturing assembly may be configurable to capture an image.
- the head assembly may further comprise an instrument section provided in the second end portion.
- the instrument section may be configurable to provide an instrument.
- the instrument may comprise at least two degrees of freedom of movement for performing an in vivo procedure in the cavity of the patient.
- a method is described.
- the method may be for use in configuring an endoscopic system to perform a diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical action and/or procedure in a cavity, such as a colonic lumen, of a patient.
- the method may comprise providing an endoscopic system.
- the endoscopic system may comprise a first main body.
- the first main body may be an elongated body having a first end.
- the endoscopic system may further comprise a second main body.
- the second main body may comprise a first end and a main cavity.
- the main cavity may house at least a portion of the first main body.
- the first main body and second main body may be slidable with respect to each other.
- the endoscopic system may further comprise an anchor assembly attached to the first main body near the first end of the first main body.
- the anchor assembly may comprise a first expandable member.
- the first expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the first main body.
- the anchor assembly may further comprise a second expandable member provided between the first expandable member and the first end of the first main body.
- the second expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the first main body.
- the endoscopic system may further comprise a second anchor assembly attached to the second main body near the first end of the second main body.
- the second anchor assembly may comprise a third expandable member.
- the third expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the second main body.
- the second anchor assembly may further comprise a fourth expandable member provided between the third expandable member and the first end of the second main body.
- the fourth expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the second main body.
- the endoscopic system may further comprise a head assembly.
- the head assembly may comprise a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion.
- the first end portion may be attachable to the first end of the first main body.
- the second end portion may be selectively configurable to actuate in a plurality of directions with respect to the first end portion.
- the head assembly may further comprise an image capturing assembly provided in the second end portion.
- the image capturing assembly may be configurable to capture an image.
- the head assembly may further comprise an instrument section provided in the second end portion.
- the instrument section may be configurable to provide an instrument.
- the instrument may have at least two degrees of freedom of movement for performing an endoluminal procedure in patients.
- the method may further comprise advancing the head assembly through the cavity of the patient.
- the first end portion of the head assembly may be fixedly attached to the first end of the first main body, and at least a portion of the first main body may be housed in the main cavity of the second main body.
- the method may further comprise identifying, via an image captured by the image capturing assembly, a direction of the cavity of the patient.
- the method may further comprise advancing the head assembly along the identified direction of the cavity of the patient by actuating the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly based on the identified direction of the cavity of the patient.
- FIG. 1 is an illustration of a perspective view of an example embodiment of an endoscopic system
- FIG. 2A is an illustration of a perspective view of an example embodiment of the head assembly
- FIG. 2B is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system
- FIG. 2C is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system in a cavity, such as a colonic lumen, of a patient;
- FIG. 2D is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system
- FIG. 2E is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system having the head assembly controlled to extend outwardly, as compared to the head assembly of FIG. 2D ;
- FIG. 3A is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system
- FIG. 3B is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system
- FIG. 3C is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system
- FIG. 3D is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system in a cavity of a patient, and the head assembly bending based on a bend in the cavity of the patient;
- FIG. 3E is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system, and the first main body bending based on the bend in the cavity of the patient;
- FIG. 3F is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system, and the second main body bending based on the bend in the cavity of the patient;
- FIG. 3G is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system, and the straightening of the flexural and/or looping/bending section in the cavity of the patient;
- FIG. 3H is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of the first main body
- FIG. 3I is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of the second main body
- FIG. 4A is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of a first and/or second anchor assembly
- FIG. 4B is an illustration of a side view of another example embodiment of the first and/or second anchor assembly
- FIG. 4C is an illustration of a side view of another example embodiment of the first and/or second anchor assembly
- FIG. 4D is an illustration of a side view of example embodiments of the suction openings
- FIG. 5 is an illustration of an example embodiment of a method for performing a diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical action and/or procedure in a cavity of a patient;
- FIG. 6 is an illustration of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system having an example embodiment of a controller
- FIG. 7A is an illustration of an example embodiment of a first controller
- FIG. 7B is an illustration of an example embodiment of a second controller.
- Example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the present disclosure, and which illustrate example embodiments which may be practiced.
- the terms “example embodiment,” “exemplary embodiment,” and “present embodiment” do not necessarily refer to a single embodiment, although they may, and various example embodiments may be readily combined and/or interchanged without departing from the scope or spirit of example embodiments.
- the terminology as used in the present disclosure and the appended claims is for the purpose of describing example embodiments only and is not intended to be limitations.
- the term “in” may include “in” and “on,” and the terms “a,” “an” and “the” may include singular and plural references.
- the term “by” may also mean “from,” depending on the context.
- the term “if” may also mean “when” or “upon,” depending on the context.
- the words “and/or” may refer to and encompass any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
- miniaturized capsule generally takes between about 20 to 36 hours to travel through an entire gastrointestinal tract
- current power capacity and consumption of such miniaturized capsules are only capable of roughly about eight hours of operation. Accordingly, not all of the gastrointestinal tract can be imaged and/or monitored using such technology.
- miniaturized capsules are merely capable of performing imaging/diagnosing procedures, and not capable of performing therapeutic/surgical procedures, such as a removing of polyps, obtaining biopsy samples, and/or the like.
- Endoscopic System e.g., Endoscopic System 100
- FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example embodiment of an endoscopic system 100 .
- the endoscopic system 100 may comprise a head assembly 110 .
- the endoscopic system 100 may further comprise a main body 130 .
- the main body 130 may be attachable to the head assembly 110 .
- a first end 130 a of the main body 130 may be fixedly attached to a first end portion 110 a of the head assembly 110 .
- the endoscopic system 100 may further comprise an anchor assembly 120 .
- the anchor assembly 120 may be attachable to the main body 130 .
- the anchor assembly 120 may be fixedly attached to the main body 130 near the first end 130 a of the main body 130 .
- the endoscopic system 100 may further comprise a second main body 150 .
- the second main body 150 may house at least a portion of the main body 130 , and the main body 130 and the second main body 150 may be slidable with respect to one another.
- the second main body 150 may comprise a main cavity, and the main cavity may perform the said housing of the main body 130 .
- the endoscopic system 100 may further comprise a second anchor assembly 140 .
- the second anchor assembly 140 may be attachable to the second main body 150 .
- the second anchor assembly 140 may be fixedly attached to the second main body 150 near the first end 150 a of the second main body 150 .
- the endoscopic system 100 may further comprise a controller 160 .
- the Head Assembly (e.g., Head Assembly 110 )
- FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2A-C illustrate an example embodiment of the head assembly 110 of the endoscopic system 100 .
- the head assembly 110 may comprise first end portion 110 a and second end portion 110 b opposite to the first end portion 110 a .
- the first end portion 110 a of the head assembly 110 may be attachable to the first end 130 a of the main body 130 in example embodiments.
- the first end portion 110 a may be fixedly attached to the first end 130 a of the main body 130 , as illustrated in at least FIGS. 1 to 3 .
- example embodiments of the endoscopic system 100 may comprise one or more other head assemblies, such as head assembly 110 ′ illustrated in FIG. 2B , fixedly attached to one or more other portions of the endoscopic system 100 in addition to or in replacement of the head system 110 attached to the first end 130 a of the main body 130 .
- the head assembly 110 may comprise one or more image capturing assemblies 111 , as illustrated in at least FIGS. 1 and 2A .
- Each image capturing assembly 111 may be any image capturing device, such as a digital and/or analog camera, digital and/or analog video camera, three dimensional (3-D) digital and/or analog camera, 3-D digital and/or analog video camera, holographic camera, x-ray based device, infrared-based device, and/or the like.
- Each image capturing assembly 111 may comprise one or more lenses, or the like, and may be configurable to zoom in and/or out either optically and/or digitally.
- each image capturing assembly 111 may be configurable to move in one or more directions and/or positions with respect to the head assembly 110 , and may also protrude outwardly and/or retract inwardly with respect to the head assembly 110 .
- the image capturing assembly 111 may be housed, either in part or in whole, in one or more portions of the endoscopic system 100 , such as the head assembly 110 .
- Each image capturing assembly 111 may further comprise one or more illumination or light sources, such as an LED light source, optical fiber, and/or the like. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that each illumination source may be located together with and/or separate from the image capturing assembly 111 in example embodiments so as to improve illumination of the interior cavity of the patient.
- each illumination source may be provided as one or more illumination sources on the face 110 c of the head assembly 110 , one or more illumination sources distributed and/or continuously shaped around the perimeter of the face 110 c of the head assembly 110 (such as a ring-shaped illumination source when the face 110 c of the head assembly 110 has a circular shape), etc.
- Each image capturing assembly 111 and/or each light source may receive power from a power source (not shown), and/or the like, and such power may be received via wires and/or wirelessly.
- the power source may be housed, either in part or in whole, in one or more portions of the endoscopic system 100 , such as the head assembly 110 , the main body 130 , and/or the second main body 150 , and/or provided outside of the patient (such as separate power source 180 and/or power obtained from controller 160 ).
- Each image capturing assembly 111 may be configurable to provide captured/recorded images (such as still images and/or video images, hereinafter “captured images”) to a controller 160 , computer-readable medium 162 , and/or the like, and such captured images may be received by the controller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162 via wires and/or wirelessly.
- An operator/surgeon performing a diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or surgical procedure using the endoscopic system 100 may be operable to receive and view the captured images in real-time and/or near real-time via the controller 160 , and such captured images may also be stored in the computer-readable medium 162 for viewing at a later time as well.
- the operator/surgeon may perform, among other things, one or more of the following using the captured images of the image capturing assembly 111 : one or more insertions of a portion of the endoscopic system 100 into the cavity of the patient; one or more anchoring of the anchor assembly 120 and/or second anchor assembly 140 ; one or more advancing of the main body 130 and/or second main body 150 ; a straightening of one or more flexural or looping/bending sections of the cavity of the patient; illumination of one or more portions of the cavity of the patient via the light source of the head assembly 110 ; one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or surgical procedures using one or more of the instruments 112 ; one or more other procedures and operations of the endoscopic system 100 , or parts thereof; etc.
- the controller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162 may be housed, either in part or in whole, in one or more portions of the endoscopic system 100 , such as the head assembly 110 , the main body 130 , and/or the second main body 150 , and/or provided outside of the patient (as illustrated in at least FIG. 1 , FIG. 6 , and FIGS. 7A-B ).
- the controller 160 may be any device or system operable to communicate with one or more elements of endoscopic system 100 , and may include a computing device, communication device, processor, virtual machine, computer, node, instance, host, server, client, chip/microchip, and/or machine, including combinations thereof and/or those in a networked computing environment.
- the controller 160 may comprise logic stored in non-transitory computer readable medium, such as computer readable medium 162 , which, when executed by the controller 160 and/or a processor of or associated with the controller 160 , is operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with one or more elements of the endoscopic system 100 , including those described above and in the present disclosure.
- the controller 160 may be operable to, among other things, communicate with and/or configure one or more of: the computer-readable medium 162 , the image capturing assembly 111 , instrument 112 , movement control cavity 113 , irrigation cavity 114 , insufflation cavity 115 , second end portion 110 b , first end portion 110 a , head assembly 110 , first end 130 a , main body 130 , movement control cavity 133 , irrigation cavity 134 , insufflation cavity 135 , anchor cavities 136 , first end 150 a , second main body 150 , anchor cavities 154 , first expandable member 124 , second expandable member 122 , first anchor assembly 120 , third expandable member 144 , fourth expandable member 142 , second anchor assembly 140 , first suction opening 126 , second suction opening 146 , pressure control subsystem 170 , power source 180 , irrigation subsystem 190 , insufflation subsystem 192 , expansion source subsystem 194 , etc.
- the head assembly 110 may further comprise one or more instruments 112 .
- Each instrument 112 may be any one or more surgical instruments, or the like, for use in performing a diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or surgical procedure, and/or obtaining samples.
- each instrument 112 may include one or more biopsy forceps, miniaturized manipulator, snare, and/or the like.
- the one or more instruments 112 may be housed in one or more portions of the endoscopic system 100 , such as in the head assembly 110 , the main body 130 , the second main body 150 , and/or outside of the cavity of the patient. When needed, the one or more instruments 112 may be provided through an instrument cavity or channel 112 a (see FIGS.
- the instrument 112 may be configurable to have one or more degrees of freedom (DOF) of movement.
- the one or more instruments 112 may be configured and/or controlled by the controller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via the controller 160 , in example embodiments.
- one or more movements and/or positions of the instrument(s) 112 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162 .
- At least a portion of the head assembly 110 may be selectively configurable to actuate (including bending, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc., hereinafter “actuate”) in one or more of a plurality of directions (and/or positions, locations, and/or the like) with respect to one or more points/areas, such as the first end portion 110 a and/or other portions of the head assembly 110 and/or endoscopic system 100 .
- the second end portion 110 b may be selectively configured and/or controlled to actuate (bend) in a plurality of directions, such as the bending illustrated in at least FIG. 3D and FIGS. 2A and 2C .
- the second end portion 110 b may also be selectively configured and/or controlled to actuate (extend outwardly and/or retract inwardly) with respect to one or more points/areas, such as the first end portion 110 a of the head assembly 110 and/or other portions of the head assembly 110 and/or endoscopic system 100 , as illustrated in at least FIG. 2D and FIG. 2E .
- the head assembly 110 may be capable of at least two degrees of freedom (DOF) of movement, including a pitch and yaw movement.
- DOF degrees of freedom
- each degree of freedom may have a bending angle of at least 110 degrees.
- actuating of at least a portion of the head assembly 110 may assist in enabling the endoscopic system 100 to advance around flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the cavity of the patient without forceful manual pushing against the interior wall forming the cavity, such as the colonic lumen, of the patient. It is further recognized in the present disclosure that actuating of at least a portion of the head assembly 110 , including those described above and in the present disclosure, may enable the one or more image capturing assemblies 111 to improve image capturing capabilities. Furthermore, actuating of at least a portion of the head assembly 110 , including those described above and in the present disclosure, may enable the one or more illumination sources to provide improved illumination to specific areas within the cavity of the patient.
- actuating of at least a portion of the head assembly 110 may enable the one or more instruments 112 to more readily access and/or perform diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or surgical procedures, including obtaining samples, within the cavity of the patient and/or an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the at least one portion of the head assembly 110 may be selectively configurable to actuate in one or more of a plurality of directions using one or more elements of the endoscopic system 100 and/or one or more methods described below and in the present disclosure.
- the head assembly 110 may comprise one or more movement control cavities 113 , or the like.
- Each movement control cavity 113 may be operable to receive and/or house a filler, and/or the like.
- the filler may be any substance or material, including a gas, such as air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, a liquid, such as water, oil, and/or a solid, such as micro particle.
- a predetermined selection and/or combination of one or more of the movement control cavities 113 may be selectively configured and controlled.
- one or more of the movement control cavities 113 may house one or more types of fillers, and such fillers may be manipulated, manually by operator/surgeon and/or via controller 160 , to actuate the portion of the head assembly 110 .
- one or more of the movement control cavities 113 may be provided with a predetermined quantity of one or more types of fillers when actuating of the portion of the head assembly 110 is required.
- the properties of the filler material housed in one or more of the movement control cavities 113 may be selectively configured to change, such as change in volume (expand and/or contract), stiffen, become more flexible, change from gas to liquid phase (and vice versa), change from liquid to solid phase (and vice versa), change from gas to solid phase (and vice versa), change in pressure, change in temperature, change in shape, change in size, change in tensile strength, etc.
- the one or more fillers may be a material (or combination of materials) selected in such a way that an introduction, application, and/or removal of an application, each as applicable, of an electric current, voltage potential, resistance, pressure, temperature, magnetic field, and/or the like, causes and/or controls one or more of the above-mentioned changes in properties.
- the filler may be a memory-shaped metal or other material, or the like.
- the actuating of the head assembly 110 may be performed and/or controlled by the controller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via the controller 160 .
- the amount of filler, change in quantity of filler, and/or change in properties of the filler in the one or more movement control cavities 113 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162 .
- movement, positioning, and/or controlling of other elements of the endoscopic system including one or more of the instrument 112 , main body 130 , second main body 150 , head assembly 110 ′, and/or other elements of the endoscopic system 100 may also be based on, performed, and/or controlled in a similar and/or substantially the same manner as described above for the head assembly 110 in example embodiments.
- the head assembly 110 may further comprise one or more irrigation cavities 114 .
- Each irrigation cavity 114 may be configurable to provide movement of fluid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient via an irrigation subsystem 190 .
- each irrigation cavity 114 in communication with the irrigation subsystem 190 may be operable to introduce a liquid into the cavity of the patient, and each irrigation cavity 114 in communication with the irrigation subsystem 190 may be operable to remove a liquid, such as water, and/or solid, such as polyps, from the cavity of the patient.
- the movement of fluid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient via the one or more irrigation cavities 114 may be performed and/or controlled by the controller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via the controller 160 . Furthermore, the amount of such movements of liquid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient via the one or more irrigation cavities 114 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162 .
- the head assembly 110 may further comprise one or more insufflation cavities 115 .
- Each insufflation cavity 115 may be configurable to provide a gas for use in performing insufflation of the cavity of the patient via an insufflation subsystem 192 .
- the insufflation of the cavity of the patient via the one or more insufflation cavities 115 may be performed and/or controlled by the controller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon either manually and/or via the controller 160 .
- the amount of such insufflation via the one or more insufflation cavities 115 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162 .
- the head assembly 110 including one or more of the image capturing assembly 111 , illumination source, instrument 112 , movement control cavities 113 , irrigation cavity 114 , irrigation subsystem 190 , insufflation cavity 115 , and/or insufflation subsystem 192 may be provided in a configuration that is the same as, similar to, based on, or different from that illustrated in the example embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2A without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- one or more of the image capturing assembly 111 , illumination source, instrument 112 , movement control cavities 113 , irrigation cavity 114 , and insufflation cavity 115 may be provided, or not provided, in the head assembly 110 without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the head assembly 110 may be formed in any one of a plurality of shapes, sizes, and/or dimensions.
- the head assembly 110 may be an elongated cylindrical body, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2A .
- the cross-sectional shape of the head assembly 110 may also be one or more of a rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or combination of one or more geometric shapes, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- an outer diameter of the cross-section of the head assembly 110 may be between about 5 to 30 mm.
- the length of the head assembly 110 may be between about 10 to 100 mm.
- the head assembly 110 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade plastics, rubbers, etc.
- the instrument 112 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade metals, high-strength aluminum alloys, stainless steel (such as 304/304L, 316/316L, and 420), pure titanium, titanium alloys (such as Ti 6 Al 4 V, NiTi), cobalt-chromium alloys, etc. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that other materials may also be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above materials are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and these and other materials and compositions may be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the Main Body (e.g., Main Body 130 )
- FIG. 1 , FIGS. 2A-C , and FIGS. 3A-H illustrate an example embodiment of the main body 130 of the endoscopic system 100 .
- the main body 130 may also be referred to as the first main body 130 , inner body 130 , first tube 130 , inner tube 130 , and/or the like.
- the main body 130 may comprise a first end 130 a and an exposed end portion 130 b .
- the first end 130 a of the main body 130 may be attachable to the first end portion 110 a of the head assembly 110 in example embodiments.
- the first end 130 a may be fixedly attached to the first end portion 110 a of the head assembly 110 , as illustrated in at least FIGS. 1 to 3 .
- At least a portion of the main body 130 may be selectively configurable to actuate (and/or bend, turn, pivot, twist, move, and/or the like) in one or more of a plurality of directions (and/or positions, locations, and/or the like) with respect to the second main body 150 and/or other portions of the main body 130 and/or endoscopic system 100 .
- Such actuating of a portion of the main body 130 may be similar to, the same as, based on, or different from the actuating described above for the head assembly 110 .
- a portion of the main body 130 closer to the first end 130 a may be selectively configured and/or controlled to bend in a plurality of directions, as illustrated in at least FIG. 3E and FIG. 1 .
- the said portion of the main body 130 closer to the first end 130 a may also be selectively configured and/or controlled to slide, that is, extend outwardly and/or retract inwardly, with respect to the second main body 150 in example embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 3B . It is recognized in the present disclosure that sliding and/or actuating of at least a portion of the main body 130 may enable the endoscopic system 100 to advance around flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the cavity of the patient without forceful manual pushing against the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. Furthermore, actuating of at least a portion of the main body 130 may enable the one or more illumination sources of the head assembly 110 to provide improved illumination to specific areas within the cavity of the patient. Furthermore, actuating of at least a portion of the main body 130 may enable the one or more instruments 112 of the head assembly 110 to more readily access and perform diagnostic, therapeutic and/or surgical procedures, including obtaining samples, within the cavity of the patient.
- At least one portion of the main body 130 may be selectively configurable to slide with respect to the second main body 150 (as illustrated in FIGS. 3B-C ) and/or actuate in one or more of a plurality of directions using one or more elements of the endoscopic system 100 and/or one or more methods, as described below and in the present disclosure.
- the main body 130 may comprise one or more movement control cavities 133 , or the like.
- Each movement control cavity 133 may be operable to receive and/or house a filler, and/or the like.
- the filler may be any substance or material, including a gas, such as air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, a liquid, such as water, oil, and/or a solid, such as micro particle.
- a predetermined selection and/or combination of one or more of the movement control cavities 133 may be selectively configured and controlled.
- one or more of the movement control cavities 133 may house one or more types of fillers, such as gas, and such fillers may be manipulated, manually by operator/surgeon and/or via controller 160 , to actuate the portion of the main body 130 , such as via the pressure control subsystem 170 , expansion source subsystem 194 , etc.
- one or more of the movement control cavities 133 may be provided with a predetermined quantity of one or more types of fillers when actuating of the portion of the main body 130 is required.
- the properties of the filler material housed in one or more of the movement control cavities 133 may be selectively configured to change, such as change in volume (expand and/or contract), stiffen, become more flexible, change from gas to liquid phase (and vice versa), change from liquid to solid phase (and vice versa), change from gas to solid phase (and vice versa), change in pressure, change in temperature, change in shape/size, change in tensile strength, etc.
- the one or more fillers may be a material (or combination of materials) selected in such a way that an introduction, application, change, and/or removal of an application, each as applicable, of an electric current, voltage potential, resistance, pressure, temperature, magnetic field, and/or the like, causes one or more of the above-mentioned changes in properties.
- the filler may be a memory-shaped metal, other material, spring-based or spring-like material, or the like.
- the actuating of the main body 130 may be performed and/or controlled by the controller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via the controller 160 .
- the amount of filler, change in quantity of filler, and/or change in properties of the filler in the one or more movement control cavities 133 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162 .
- movement, positioning, and/or controlling of other elements of the endoscopic system including one or more of the instrument 112 , head assembly 110 , second main body 150 , and/or other elements of the endoscopic system 100 may also be based on, performed, and/or controlled in a similar and/or substantially the same manner as described above for the main body 130 in example embodiments.
- the main body 130 may further comprise one or more image capturing cavities 131 .
- the image capturing cavity 131 may be operable to enable the image capturing assembly 111 and/or other image capturing assemblies (such as those in head assembly 110 ′) to move with respect to the head assembly 110 , and/or enable cables (if any) of the image capturing assembly 111 and/or other image capturing assemblies (such as those in head assembly 110 ′) to be connected to the controller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162 .
- the main body 130 may further comprise one or more instrument cavities 132 .
- the instrument cavity 132 may be operable to enable the instrument 112 and/or other instruments (not shown) to move with respect to the head assembly (i.e., connected to the instrument cavity 112 a ), and/or enable cables (if any) and/or connections (if any) of the instrument 112 to be accessible by the operator/surgeon and/or connected to the controller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162 .
- the main body 130 may further comprise one or more irrigation cavities 134 .
- the irrigation cavity 134 may be operable to enable the movement of fluid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient.
- the irrigation cavity 134 may be connected to the irrigation cavity 114 and/or other irrigation cavities and/or openings (not shown).
- the irrigation cavity 134 may also be connected to the irrigation subsystem 190 in example embodiments.
- the main body 130 may further comprise one or more insufflation cavities 135 .
- the insufflation cavity 135 may be operable to provide a gas for use in performing insufflation of the cavity of the patient.
- the insufflation cavity 135 may or may not be connected to the insufflation cavity 115 .
- the insufflation cavity 135 may also be connected to the insufflation subsystem 192 or a different subsystem in example embodiments.
- the main body 130 may further comprise one or more anchor cavities 136 operable to configure, control, and/or assist in configuring and/or controlling the anchor assembly 120 .
- the anchor cavity 136 may be operable to provide a gas, liquid, and/or solid, and/or combination thereof, for use in expanding (such as expanding radially from the main body 130 ) one or more of the first expandable member 122 and the second expandable member 124 .
- the anchor cavity 136 may be connected to one or more of the first expandable member 122 and the second expandable member 124 .
- the anchor cavity 136 may also be connected to an expansion source subsystem 194 in example embodiments.
- the anchor assembly 120 will be further described below.
- the main body 130 may further comprise one or more suction cavities 137 .
- the suction cavity 137 may be operable to provide a negative pressure (or perform a removal of gas).
- the suction cavity 137 may be operable to apply a negative pressure to a region between the first expandable member 122 (when expanded), the second expandable member 124 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient 102 , and the main body 130 .
- the suction cavity 137 may be connected to the suction opening 126 .
- the suction cavity 137 may also be connected to the pressure control subsystem 170 in example embodiments. The suction opening 126 will be further described below.
- the main body 130 including one or more of the image capturing cavities 131 , instrument cavities 132 , movement control cavities 133 , irrigation cavity 134 , irrigation subsystem 190 , insufflation cavity 135 , insufflation subsystem 192 , anchor cavities 136 , expansion source subsystem 194 , suction cavities 137 , and pressure control subsystem 170 may be provided in a configuration that is the same as, similar to, based on, or different from that illustrated in the example embodiment of FIG. 3H without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- one or more of the image capturing cavities 131 , instrument cavities 132 , movement control cavities 133 , irrigation cavity 134 , insufflation cavity 135 , anchor cavities 136 , and suction cavities 137 may be provided, or not provided, in the main body 130 without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is also to be understood in the present disclosure that one or more of the irrigation subsystem 190 , insufflation subsystem 192 , expansion source subsystem 194 , and pressure control subsystem 170 may be the same or different subsystems in example embodiments.
- the main body 130 may be formed in any one of a plurality of shapes, sizes, and/or dimensions.
- the main body 130 may be an elongated cylindrical body, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 .
- a cross sectional shape of the main body 130 may also be one or more of a rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or combination of one or more geometric shapes, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- an outer diameter of the main body 130 may be between about 5 to 30 mm.
- the length of the main body 130 may be expanded/contracted between about 50 to 200 cm. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above dimensions are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and as such the dimensions may be smaller or larger than those recited above without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the main body 130 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade plastics, rubbers, etc. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that other materials may also be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above materials are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and these and other materials and compositions may be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the Anchor Assembly (e.g., Anchor Assembly 120 )
- a perspective view of an example embodiment of an expanded anchor assembly 120 is illustrated in at least FIG. 1 and FIG. 2A ; a side view of an example embodiment of an expanded anchor assembly 120 (e.g., anchor assembly 120 expanded radially from the main body 130 ) is illustrated in at least FIGS. 2B-C , FIG. 3A , FIG. 3D , and FIGS. 3F-G ; and a side view of an example embodiment of an un-expanded anchor assembly 120 (e.g., anchor assembly 120 not expanded radially from the main body 130 ) is illustrated in at least FIGS. 3B-C .
- the anchor assembly 120 may be attachable to the main body 130 . During diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedures, the anchor assembly 120 may be fixedly attached to the main body 130 near the first end 130 a of the main body 130 .
- the anchor assembly 120 may be configurable to perform, among other things, a securing of a position and/or location of the main body 130 .
- the anchor assembly 120 may be configurable to secure the main body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the anchor assembly 120 may secure the main body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient in one or more of a plurality of ways.
- one or more expandable members 122 , 124 may be expanded to contact the interior walls forming the cavity of the patient.
- the anchor assembly 120 may also secure the main body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by applying a negative pressure via one or more suction openings 126 .
- the anchor assembly 120 may also secure the main body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via one or more surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on a surface, or portion(s) thereof, of one or more expandable members 122 , 124 .
- the anchor assembly 120 may also secure the main body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient using a magnetic element and corresponding external magnetic element provided outside of the patient. The securing, by the anchor assembly 120 , of the main body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient will now be further described below.
- the anchor assembly 120 may comprise one or more expandable members 122 , 124 .
- the one or more expandable members 122 , 124 may be fixedly attached to the main body 130 near the first end 130 a of the main body 130 .
- the anchor assembly 120 may comprise expandable member 122 .
- the expandable member 122 may also be referred to as the first expandable member 122 , first balloon 122 , and/or the like.
- the anchor assembly 120 may further comprise second expandable member 124 .
- the second expandable member 124 may be provided between the first expandable member 122 and the first end 130 a of the main body 130 .
- the second expandable member 124 may also be referred to as the expandable member 124 , second balloon 124 , and/or the like. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the anchor assembly 120 may comprise other quantities of expandable members, such as one or more additional expandable members, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- Each expandable member 122 , 124 may be configurable to change its volume/size to be a minimum volume/size, a maximum volume/size, and a volume/size between the minimum and maximum volumes/sizes.
- each expandable member 122 , 124 may be configurable to expand radially away from the main body 130 .
- each expandable member 122 , 124 may be a hollow member resembling a balloon, tire, or the like.
- each expandable member 122 , 124 may be operable to expand (i.e., secure the main body 130 ) by receiving a gas (or positive pressure), liquid, solid, and/or combination thereof.
- the expanding of the expandable member 122 , 124 may occur partially, substantially, or completely in a direction away from the main body 130 (i.e., radially away from the main body 130 ).
- each expandable member 122 , 124 may be operable to reduce in size (or contract or un-secure the main body 130 ) by removing the gas (or removing the positive pressure or applying a negative pressure), liquid, solid, and/or combination thereof, received in the expandable member 122 , 124 .
- the one or more expandable members 122 , 124 may be expanded to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the expanding and contacting of the one or more expandable members 122 , 124 with the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient may provide for a sufficient securing or anchoring of the main body 130 so as to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 20 N.
- One or more of the expandable members 122 , 124 may comprise one or more surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on a surface, or portion(s) thereof, of the one or more expandable members 122 , 124 .
- surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on the surface of one or more expandable members 122 , 124 that are in contact with the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient may further improve the securing or anchoring of the main body 130 .
- the surface pattern, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like may provide, or contribute in providing, resistance of a movement of one or more of the expandable members 122 , 124 contacting the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. It is recognized in the present disclosure that such securing or anchoring of the main body 130 may be operable to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 30 N.
- the anchor assembly 120 including one or more of the first and second expandable members 122 , 124 , may or may not be a hollow member resembling a balloon, tire, or the like.
- one or more of the first and second expandable members 122 , 124 may only be partially hollow.
- one or more of the first and second expandable members 122 , 124 may be formed partially, substantially, and/or entirely of an expandable solid and/or liquid.
- the properties of such material forming one or more of the first and second expandable members 122 , 124 may be selectively configured to change, such as change in volume (expand and/or contract), stiffen, become more flexible, change from gas to liquid phase (and vice versa), change from liquid to solid phase (and vice versa), change from gas to solid phase (and vice versa), change in pressure, change in temperature, change in shape, change in size, change in tensile strength, etc.
- such material forming one or more of the first and second expandable members 122 , 124 may be a material (or combination of materials) selected in such a way that an introduction, application, change, and/or removal of an application, each as applicable, of an electric current, voltage potential, resistance, pressure, temperature, magnetic field, and/or the like, causes one or more of the above-mentioned changes in properties.
- such material may be a memory-shaped metal, other material, spring-based or spring-like material, or the like.
- the anchor assembly 120 may comprise one or more expandable members that expand in one or more other directions in addition to expanding radially away from the main body 130 , such as the example illustrated in FIG. 4B .
- the anchor assembly 120 may comprise an integrated first and second expandable members 122 , 124 , or the like.
- the anchor assembly 120 may comprise a magnetic element 126 ′, or the like, operable to secure to a corresponding magnetic element provided outside of the patient.
- the anchor assembly 120 may further comprise one or more suction openings 126 .
- the suction opening 126 may also be referred to as the first suction opening 126 .
- the suction opening 126 may be formed in one or more of a plurality of shapes and provided in one or more quantities.
- FIG. 4D illustrates example embodiments of the one or more suction openings 126 .
- the one or more suction openings 126 may further improve the securing or anchoring of the main body 130 .
- the suction opening 126 may be operable to apply a negative pressure to a region between the first expandable member 122 (when expanded), the second expandable member 124 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient 102 (as illustrated in at least FIG. 3F ), and the main body 130 .
- the suction opening 126 may be configurable to apply a negative pressure and vary the applied negative pressure between about ⁇ 10 kPa to vacuum.
- such securing or anchoring of the main body 130 with the use of the expanded first and second expandable members 122 , 124 and the one or more suction openings 126 may provide improved securing or anchoring, and may be operable to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 40 N.
- the applying of the negative pressure by the suction opening 126 may be performed prior to, at the same time as (or correspond with), and/or after the expansion of the expandable members 122 , 124 .
- the applying of the negative pressure by the suction opening 126 may be operable to provide, or contribute in providing, the expanding of one or more of the expandable members 122 , 124 .
- the said suctioned or removed gas may be provided into one or more of the expandable members 122 , 124 .
- a filter, or the like may be provided to remove unwanted particles, liquid, and/or gas from entering and/or exiting the expandable members 122 , 124 .
- the suction openings 126 may be provided between some or all of the expandable members.
- the anchor assembly 120 comprises three expandable members, then suction openings 126 may be provided between each of the three expandable members.
- Each expandable member 122 , 124 , and cross-section thereof may be formed in any one of a plurality of shapes, sizes, and/or dimensions.
- the expandable members 122 , 124 may resemble a tablet or donut shape with a circular cross-section.
- a cross sectional shape of the expandable members 122 , 124 may also be one or more of a rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or combination of one or more geometric shapes, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- an outer diameter of the expandable members 122 , 124 may be between about 3 to 100 mm.
- the distance that the expandable members 122 , 124 may be expanded radially away from and contracted towards the main body 130 may be between about 0.05 to 50 mm. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above dimensions are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and as such the dimensions may be smaller or larger than those recited above without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the expandable members 122 , 124 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade plastics, rubbers, etc. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the material forming the surface pattern, roughness, and/or protrusion of the surface of the expandable members 122 , 124 may be the same as, or different from, the material of the rest of the expandable members 122 , 124 . It is to be understood in the present disclosure that other materials may also be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above materials are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and these and other materials and compositions may be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the Second Main Body (e.g., Second Main Body 150 )
- FIG. 1 , FIGS. 2B-C , FIGS. 3A-G , and FIG. 3I illustrate an example embodiment of the second main body 150 of the endoscopic system 100 .
- the second main body 150 may also be referred to as the outer body 150 , second tube 150 , outer tube 150 , and/or the like.
- the second main body 150 may comprise a first end 150 a and an exposed end portion 150 b.
- a portion of the main body 130 near the first end 150 a may, or may not, be selectively configurable to actuate (and/or bend, turn, pivot, twist, move, and/or the like) in one or more of a plurality of directions (and/or positions, locations, and/or the like) with respect to the other portions of the second main body 150 .
- Such actuating of a portion of the second main body 150 may be similar to, the same as, based on, or different from the actuating described above for the main body 130 .
- the second main body 150 may be selectively configured and/or controlled to slide, that is, extend outwardly and/or retract inwardly, with respect to the main body 130 in example embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 3C .
- sliding and/or actuating of at least a portion of the second main body 150 with respect to the main body 130 may enable the endoscopic system 100 to advance around flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the cavity, such as the colonic lumen, of the patient without forceful manual pushing against the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the second main body 150 may comprise one or more movement control cavities 153 , or the like.
- Each movement control cavity 153 may be operable to receive and/or house a filler, and/or the like.
- the filler may be any substance or material, including a gas, such as air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, a liquid, such as water, oil, and/or a solid, such as micro particle.
- a predetermined selection and/or combination of one or more of the movement control cavities 153 may be selectively configured and controlled.
- one or more of the movement control cavities 153 may house one or more types of fillers, such as a gas, and such fillers may be manipulated, manually by operator/surgeon and/or via controller 160 , to actuate the portion of the second main body 150 , such as via the pressure control subsystem 170 , expansion source subsystem 194 , etc.
- one or more of the movement control cavities 153 may be provided with a predetermined quantity of one or more types of fillers when actuating of the portion of the second main body 150 is required.
- the properties of the filler material housed in one or more of the movement control cavities 153 may be selectively configured to change, such as change in volume (expand and/or contract), stiffen, become more flexible, change from gas to liquid phase (and vice versa), change from liquid to solid phase (and vice versa), change from gas to solid phase (and vice versa), change in pressure, change in temperature, change in shape/size, change in tensile strength, etc.
- the one or more fillers may be a material (or combination of materials) selected in such a way that an introduction, application, change, and/or removal of an application, each as applicable, of an electric current, voltage potential, resistance, pressure, temperature, magnetic field, and/or the like, causes one or more of the above-mentioned changes in properties.
- the filler may be a memory-shaped metal, other material, spring-based or spring-like material, or the like.
- the actuating of the second main body 150 may be performed and/or controlled by the controller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via the controller 160 .
- the amount of filler, change in quantity of filler, and/or change in properties of the filler in the one or more movement control cavities 153 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162 .
- the second main body 150 may further comprise one or more main cavities 152 .
- the main cavity 152 may be operable to enable the main body 130 to move with respect to the second main body 150 , and vice versa.
- Other main cavities 152 may be provided in example embodiments having other main bodies, such as one or more intermediate bodies (not shown) between or adjacent to the main body 130 and the second main body 130 .
- other main cavities 152 may be provided in example embodiments having one or more head assemblies 110 ′, as illustrated in FIG. 2B .
- the second main body 150 may further comprise one or more instrument cavities (not shown).
- instrument cavities of the second main body 150 may be operable to enable instruments, such as instrument 112 and/or other instruments (not shown), to move with respect to the second main body 150 , and/or enable cables (if any) and/or connections (if any) of such instruments to be accessible by the operator/surgeon and/or connected to the controller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162 .
- such instrument cavities of the second main body 150 may be operable to enable an instrument to perform a therapeutic/surgical procedure on a portion of an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient that is between the first anchor assembly 120 and the second anchor assembly 140 .
- the second main body 150 may further comprise one or more irrigation cavities (not shown). Such irrigation cavity of the second main body 150 may be operable to enable the movement of liquid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient. Such irrigation cavity of the second main body 150 may be connected to the irrigation cavity 114 , 134 and/or other irrigation cavities and/or openings (not shown). Furthermore, such irrigation cavity of the second main body 150 may also be connected to the irrigation subsystem 190 in example embodiments. In an example embodiment, such irrigation cavity of the second main body 150 may be operable to enable movement of liquid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient in an region that is between the first anchor assembly 120 and the second anchor assembly 140 .
- the second main body 150 may further comprise one or more insufflation/suction cavities (not shown).
- Such insufflation/suction cavity of the second main body 150 may be operable to provide and/or remove a gas (i.e., provide a positive pressure and/or a negative pressure, respectively) for use in performing insufflation or suction of the cavity of the patient.
- Such insufflation/suction cavity of the second main body 150 may or may not be connected to the insufflation cavity 115 , 135 .
- such insufflation/suction cavity of the second main body 150 may also be connected to the insufflation subsystem 192 , pressure control subsystem, and/or a different subsystem in example embodiments.
- such insufflation/suction cavity of the second main body 150 may be operable to provide insufflation and/or suction in an region that is between the first anchor assembly 120 and the second anchor assembly 140 .
- the second main body 150 may further comprise one or more anchor cavities 154 operable to configure, control, and/or assist in configuring and/or controlling the second anchor assembly 140 .
- the anchor cavity 154 may be operable to provide a gas, liquid, and/or solid, and/or combination thereof, for use in expanding (such as expanding radially from the main body 130 ) one or more of the third expandable member 142 and the fourth expandable member 144 .
- the anchor cavity 154 may be connected to one or more of the third expandable member 142 and the fourth expandable member 144 .
- the anchor cavity 154 may also be connected to an expansion source subsystem 194 in example embodiments.
- the second anchor assembly 140 will be further described below.
- the second main body 150 may further comprise one or more suction cavities 157 .
- the suction cavity 157 may be operable to provide a negative pressure (or perform a removal of gas).
- the suction cavity 157 may be operable to apply a negative pressure to a region between the third expandable member 142 (when expanded), the fourth expandable member 144 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient 102 , and the second main body 150 .
- the suction cavity 157 may be connected to the suction opening 146 .
- the suction cavity 157 may also be connected to the pressure control subsystem 170 in example embodiments.
- the suction opening 146 will be further described below.
- the second main body 150 including one or more of the instrument cavities (not shown), movement control cavities 153 , irrigation cavity (not shown), irrigation subsystem 190 , insufflation/suction cavity (not shown), insufflation subsystem 192 , anchor cavities 154 , expansion source subsystem 194 , suction cavities 157 , and pressure control subsystem 170 may be provided in a configuration that is the same as, similar to, based on, or different from that illustrated in the example embodiment of FIG. 3I without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- one or more of the instrument cavities (not shown), movement control cavities 153 , irrigation cavity (not shown), irrigation subsystem 190 , insufflation/suction cavity (not shown), insufflation subsystem 192 , anchor cavities 154 , expansion source subsystem 194 , suction cavities 157 , and pressure control subsystem 170 may be provided, or not provided, in the second main body 150 without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the second main body 150 may be formed in any one of a plurality of shapes, sizes, and/or dimensions.
- the second main body 150 may be an elongated cylindrical body, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 .
- a cross sectional shape of the second main body 150 may also be one or more of a rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or combination of one or more geometric shapes, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- an outer diameter of the second main body 150 may be between about 6 to 35 mm.
- the length of the second main body 150 may be expanded/contracted between about 50 to 200 cm.
- the second main body 150 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade plastics, rubbers, etc. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that other materials may also be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above materials are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and these and other materials and compositions may be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the Second Anchor Assembly (e.g., Second Anchor Assembly 140 )
- FIG. 1 A perspective view of an example embodiment of an expanded second anchor assembly 140 (e.g., second anchor assembly 140 expanded radially from the second main body 150 ) is illustrated in at least FIG. 1 ; a side view of an example embodiment of an expanded second anchor assembly 140 (e.g., second anchor assembly 140 expanded radially from the second main body 150 ) is illustrated in at least FIGS. 2B-C , FIG. 3A , FIGS. 3D-E , and FIG. 3G ; and a side view of an example embodiment of an un-expanded second anchor assembly 140 (e.g., second anchor assembly 140 not expanded radially from the second main body 150 ) is illustrated in at least FIGS. 3B-C .
- the second anchor assembly 140 may be attachable to the second main body 150 . During diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedures, the second anchor assembly 140 may be fixedly attached to the second main body 150 near the first end 150 a of the second main body 150 .
- the second anchor assembly 140 may be configurable to perform, among other things, a securing of a position and/or location of the second main body 150 .
- the second anchor assembly 140 may be configurable to secure the second main body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the second anchor assembly 140 may secure the second main body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient in one or more of a plurality of ways.
- one or more expandable members 142 , 144 may be expanded to contact the interior walls forming the cavity of the patient.
- the second anchor assembly 140 may also secure the second main body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by applying a negative pressure via one or more second suction openings 146 .
- the second anchor assembly 140 may also secure the second main body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via one or more surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on a surface, or portion(s) thereof, of one or more expandable members 142 , 144 .
- the second anchor assembly 140 may also secure the second main body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient using a magnetic element and corresponding external magnetic element provided outside of the patient. The securing, by the second anchor assembly 140 , of the second main body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient will now be further described below.
- the second anchor assembly 140 may comprise one or more expandable members 142 , 144 .
- the one or more expandable members 142 , 144 may be fixedly attached to the second main body 150 near the first end 150 a of the second main body 150 .
- the second anchor assembly 140 may comprise third expandable member 142 .
- the third expandable member 142 may also be referred to as the expandable member 142 , third balloon 142 , and/or the like.
- the second anchor assembly 140 may further comprise fourth expandable member 144 .
- the fourth expandable member 144 may be provided between the third expandable member 142 and the first end 150 a of the second main body 150 .
- the fourth expandable member 144 may also be referred to as the expandable member 144 , fourth balloon 144 , and/or the like. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the second anchor assembly 140 may comprise other quantities of expandable members, such as one or more additional expandable members, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- Each expandable member 142 , 144 may be configurable to change its volume/size to be a minimum volume/size, a maximum volume/size, and a volume/size between the minimum and maximum volumes/sizes.
- each expandable member 142 , 144 may be configurable to expand radially away from the second main body 150 .
- each expandable member 142 , 144 may be a hollow member resembling a balloon, or the like.
- each expandable member 142 , 144 may be operable to expand (i.e., secure the second main body 150 ) by receiving a gas (or positive pressure), liquid, solid, and/or combination thereof.
- the expanding of the expandable member 142 , 144 may occur partially, substantially, or completely in a direction away from the second main body 150 (i.e., radially away from the second main body 150 ).
- each expandable member 142 , 144 may be operable to reduce in size (or contract or un-secure the main body 130 ) by removing the gas (or removing the positive pressure or applying a negative pressure), liquid, solid, and/or combination thereof, received in the expandable member 142 , 144 .
- the one or more expandable members 142 , 144 may be expanded to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the expanding and contacting of the one or more expandable members 142 , 144 with the interior wall forming the cavity, such as the colonic lumen, of the patient may provide for a sufficient securing or anchoring of the second main body 150 so as to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 20 N.
- One or more of the expandable members 142 , 144 may comprise one or more surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on a surface, or portion(s) thereof, of the one or more expandable members 142 , 144 .
- surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on the surface of one or more expandable members 142 , 144 that are in contact with the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient may further improve the securing or anchoring of the second main body 150 .
- the surface pattern, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like may provide, or contribute in providing, resistance of a movement of one or more of the expandable members 142 , 144 contacting the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. It is recognized in the present disclosure that such securing or anchoring of the second main body 150 may be operable to withstand a force of at least 0.10 to 30 N.
- the second anchor assembly 140 including one or more of the third and fourth expandable members 142 , 144 , may or may not be a hollow member resembling a balloon, tire, or the like.
- one or more of the third and fourth expandable members 142 , 144 may only be partially hollow.
- one or more of the third and fourth expandable members 142 , 144 may be formed partially, substantially, and/or entirely of an expandable solid and/or liquid.
- the properties of such material forming one or more of the third and fourth expandable members 142 , 144 may be selectively configured to change, such as change in volume (expand and/or contract), stiffen, become more flexible, change from gas to liquid phase (and vice versa), change from liquid to solid phase (and vice versa), change from gas to solid phase (and vice versa), change in pressure, change in temperature, change in shape, change in size, change in tensile strength, etc.
- such material forming one or more of the third and fourth expandable members 142 , 144 may be a material (or combination of materials) selected in such a way that an introduction, application, change, and/or removal of an application, each as applicable, of an electric current, voltage potential, resistance, pressure, temperature, magnetic field, and/or the like, causes one or more of the above-mentioned changes in properties.
- such material may be a memory-shaped metal, other material, spring-based or spring-like material, or the like.
- the second anchor assembly 140 may comprise one or more expandable members that expand radially away from the second main body 150 and in other directions, such as the example illustrated in FIG. 4B .
- the second anchor assembly 140 may comprise an integrated third and fourth expandable members 142 , 144 , or the like.
- the second anchor assembly 140 may comprise a magnetic element 146 ′, or the like, operable to secure to a corresponding magnetic element provided outside of the patient.
- the second anchor assembly 140 may further comprise one or more second suction openings 146 .
- the second suction opening 146 may also be referred to as the suction opening 146 .
- the second suction opening 146 may be formed in one or more of a plurality of shapes and provided in one or more quantities.
- FIG. 4D illustrates example embodiments of the one or more second suction openings 146 .
- the one or more second suction openings 146 may further improve the securing or anchoring of the second main body 150 .
- the second suction opening 146 may be operable to apply a negative pressure to a region between the third expandable member 142 (when expanded), the fourth expandable member 144 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient 104 (as illustrated in at least FIG. 3E ), and the second main body 150 .
- the second suction opening 146 may be configurable to apply a negative pressure and vary the applied negative pressure between about ⁇ 10 kPa to vacuum.
- such securing or anchoring of the second main body 150 with the use of the expanded third and fourth expandable members 142 , 144 and the one or more second suction openings 146 may provide improved securing or anchoring, and may be operable to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 40 N.
- the applying of the negative pressure by the second suction opening 146 may be performed prior to, at the same time as (or correspond with), and/or after the expansion of the expandable members 142 , 144 .
- the applying of the negative pressure by the second suction opening 146 may be operable to provide, or contribute in providing, the expanding of one or more of the expandable members 142 , 144 .
- the said suctioned or removed gas may be provided into one or more of the expandable members 142 , 144 .
- a filter, or the like may be provided to remove unwanted particles, fluid, and/or gas from entering and/or exiting the expandable members 142 , 144 .
- the second suction openings 146 may be provided between some or all of the expandable members. For example, if the second anchor assembly 140 comprises three expandable members, then second suction openings 146 may be provided between each of the three expandable members.
- Each expandable member 142 , 144 , and cross-section thereof may be formed in any one of a plurality of shapes, sizes, and/or dimensions.
- the expandable members 142 , 144 may resemble a tablet or donut shape with a circular cross-section.
- a cross sectional shape of the expandable members 142 , 144 may also be one or more of a rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or combination of one or more geometric shapes, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- an outer diameter of the expandable members 142 , 144 may be between about 5 to 100 mm.
- the distance that the expandable members 142 , 144 may be expanded radially away from and contracted towards the second main body 150 may be between about 0.05 to 50 mm. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above dimensions are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and as such the dimensions may be smaller or larger than those recited above without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the expandable members 142 , 144 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade plastics, rubbers, etc. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the material forming the surface pattern, roughness, and/or protrusion of the surface of the expandable members 142 , 144 may be the same as, or different from, the material of the rest of the expandable member 142 , 144 . It is to be understood in the present disclosure that other materials may also be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above materials are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and these and other materials and compositions may be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the Controller (e.g., Controller 160 )
- an example embodiment of the endoscopic device 100 may include a controller system (e.g., controller 160 ).
- the controller 160 may be provided and configured in one or more of a plurality of ways.
- the controller 160 may be housed, in whole or in part, in one or more portions of the endoscopic system 100 , such as the head assembly 110 , main body 130 , and/or second main body 150 , and/or provided at second end 150 b .
- the controller 160 may comprise logic stored in non-transitory computer readable medium which, when executed by a processor associated or in communication with the controller 160 , may be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications (such as monitoring and/or controlling) with one or more elements of the endoscopic device 100 .
- the controller 160 may also be operable to, wirelessly or via wires, receive commands and/or interactions from an operator (such as a surgeon) and respond by performing said one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with one or more elements of the endoscopic device 100 .
- the controller 160 may be any apparatus, device, processor, or the like, or combination thereof, operable to communicate (including monitor and/or control), wirelessly or via wires, with one or more elements of endoscopic system 100 including, but not limited to, the head assembly 110 , first end portion 110 a , second end portion 110 b , image capturing assembly 111 , instrument assembly 112 , movement control cavity 113 , irrigation cavity 114 , insufflation cavity 115 , first anchor assembly 120 , second expandable member 122 , first expandable member 124 , first suction opening 126 , main body 130 , first end 130 a , second end 130 b , movement control cavity 133 , irrigation cavity 134 , insufflation cavity 135 , anchor cavities 136 , suction cavity 137 , second anchor assembly 140 , fourth expandable member 142 , third expandable member 144 , second suction opening 146 , second main body 150 , first end 150 a , second end 150 b , main cavity 152 ,
- an example embodiment of the controller 160 may comprise a first controller (e.g., main body controller) 160 a for use in performing one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with those elements of and/or associated with the first main body 130 and a second controller (e.g., second main body controller) 160 b for use in performing one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with those elements of and/or associated with the second main body 150 .
- first controller e.g., main body controller
- second controller e.g., second main body controller
- the controller 160 may comprise more or less subsystems without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- the actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications of the first controller 160 a need not be limited to only those elements of and/or associated with the first main body 130 .
- the first controller 160 a may also be for use in performing actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with elements of and/or associated with the second main body 150 in example embodiments.
- the actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications of the second controller 160 a need not be limited to only those elements of and/or associated with the second main body 150 .
- the second controller 160 b may also be for use in performing actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with elements of and/or associated with the first main body 130 in example embodiments.
- the First Controller (e.g., First Controller 160 a )
- the first controller 160 a may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a forward movement of the first main body 130 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 161 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be interacted with so as to advance the first main body 130 forward relative to (or away from) the second controller 160 b (and/or second main body 150 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc.
- the second controller 160 b (and/or second main body 150 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of the second controller 160 b ) may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as via second anchor assembly 140 , an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable the first main body 130 to be advanced inward/forward.
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a backward movement of the first main body 130 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 161 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be interacted with so as to move the first main body 130 towards the second main body 150 .
- the second controller 160 b (and/or second main body 150 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of the second controller 160 b ) may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as via second anchor assembly 140 , an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed).
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an actuating (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc.) of the first main body 130 (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc. of the first end portion 130 a ) in one or more of a plurality of directions.
- an actuating such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc.
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 161 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the first main body 130 to actuate as desired by the operator.
- an element e.g., 161 a
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element associated with the first controller 160 a may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the first main body 130 to actuate as desired by the operator.
- the pressure control subsystem 170 , expansion source subsystem 194 , and/or the like, associated with or connected to the one or more movement control cavities 133 of the first main body 130 , as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 161 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a (such as buttons, joysticks, thumbsticks, touchpad, or the like of the first controller 160 a ) so as to enable the first main body 130 to actuate as desired.
- an element e.g., 161 a
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an expanding and/or contracting of the first anchor assembly 120 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 165 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the first anchor assembly 120 to expand and/or contract as desired by the operator.
- expansion source subsystem 194 may be controllable by the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 165 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of the first controller 160 a ) so as to enable the first anchor assembly 120 to expand and/or contract as desired.
- an element e.g., 165 a
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an expanding and/or contracting of one or more of the second expandable member 122 and first expandable member 124 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 165 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc.
- expansion source subsystem 194 may be controllable by the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 165 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of the first controller 160 a ) so as to enable one or more of the second expandable member 122 and first expandable member 124 to expand and/or contract as desired.
- an element e.g., 165 a
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an applying and/or not applying of a suctioning (or applying negative pressure) via first suction opening(s) 126 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 166 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc.
- pressure control subsystem 170 associated with or connected to the first suction opening(s) 126 of the first main body 130 , as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 166 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc.
- an element e.g., 166 a
- the first controller 160 a may be operable to control the expanding and contracting of the first anchor assembly 120 (and/or each of the first and second expandable members 124 , 122 ) at the same time as the applying and not applying of the suctioning by the first suction opening(s) 126 , respectively (e.g., using a single control, interaction, action, and/or command to perform both). For example, when the first anchor assembly 120 is controlled to expand, the first suction opening(s) 126 may be controlled to apply a suction. Similarly, when the first anchor assembly 120 is controlled to contract, the first suction opening(s) 126 may be controlled to not apply a suction.
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a forward movement of the head assembly 110 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 163 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be interacted with so as to advance the head assembly 110 forward relative to the first main body 130 .
- first main body 130 may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as via first anchor assembly 120 , second anchor assembly 140 , an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable the head assembly 110 to be advanced forward.
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a backward movement of the head assembly 110 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 163 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be interacted with so as to move the head assembly 110 backwardly (i.e., towards the first main body 130 ).
- first main body 130 may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as via first anchor assembly 120 , second anchor assembly 140 , an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable the head assembly 110 to be pulled backwardly (i.e., towards the first main body 130 ).
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an actuating (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc.) of the head assembly 110 (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc. of the second end portion 110 b ) in one or more of a plurality of directions.
- an actuating such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc.
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 163 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the head assembly 110 to actuate as desired by the operator.
- an element e.g., 163 a
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element associated with the first controller 160 a may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the head assembly 110 to actuate as desired by the operator.
- the pressure control subsystem 170 , expansion source subsystem 194 , and/or the like, associated with or connected to the one or more movement control cavities 113 of the head assembly 110 may be controllable by the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 163 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of the first controller 160 a ) so as to enable the head assembly 110 to actuate as desired.
- an element e.g., 163 a
- the first controller 160 a such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of the first controller 160 a
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a forward movement of the instrument assembly 112 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 164 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be interacted with so as to advance the instrument assembly 112 away from the head assembly 110 (such as via the instrument cavity 131 ).
- the head assembly 110 may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as via first anchor assembly 120 , second anchor assembly 140 , an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable the instrument assembly 112 to be advanced forward.
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a backward movement of the instrument assembly 112 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 164 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be interacted with so as to move the instrument assembly 112 (i.e., towards the head assembly 110 ).
- the head assembly 110 may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as via first anchor assembly 120 , second anchor assembly 140 , an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable the instrument assembly 112 to be pulled backwardly (i.e., towards the head assembly 110 ).
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an operating the instrument assembly 112 (such as performing a cutting and/or gripping action when in operation).
- an operating the instrument assembly 112 such as performing a cutting and/or gripping action when in operation.
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 164 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of the first controller 160 a ) may be interacted with so as to perform an action (such as a cutting, gripping, etc.) using the instrument assembly 112 (such as via the instrument cavity 131 ).
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a recording, image capturing, zooming, and/or panning operations of the image capturing assembly 111 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 169 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be interacted with so as to perform an action (such as a recording, image capturing, zooming, panning, illuminating, etc.) using the image capturing assembly 111 via the image capturing cavity 131 .
- the first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an enabling movement of solids and/or liquids by the irrigation cavity 134 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 168 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be interacted with so as to enable a movement of solids and/or liquids using the irrigation cavity 134 via the irrigation cavity 114 and irrigation system 190 .
- the first controller 160 a may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an enabling insufflation by the insufflation cavity 135 .
- the first controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 167 a ) associated with the first controller 160 a may be interacted with so as to enable an insufflation of a cavity of the patient using the insufflation cavity 135 via the insufflation cavity 115 and insufflation system 192 .
- the Second Controller (e.g., Second Controller 160 b )
- the second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a forward movement of the second main body 150 .
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 161 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc.
- the second controller 160 b may be interacted with so as to advance the second main body 150 forward relative to (or towards) the first controller 160 a (and/or first main body 130 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of the first controller 160 a ).
- the first controller 160 a (and/or first main body 130 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of the first controller 160 a ) may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as via first anchor assembly 120 , an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable the second main body 150 to be advanced inward/forward.
- the second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a backward movement of the second main body 150 .
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 161 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b may be interacted with so as to move the second main body 150 away from the first main body 130 .
- first controller 160 a (and/or first main body 130 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of the first controller 160 a ) may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as via first anchor assembly 120 , an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed).
- the second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an actuating (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc.) of the second main body 150 (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc. of the first end portion 150 a ) in one or more of a plurality of directions.
- an actuating such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc.
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 161 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the second main body 150 to actuate as desired by the operator.
- an element e.g., 161 b
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element associated with the second controller 160 b may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the second main body 150 to actuate as desired by the operator.
- the pressure control subsystem 170 , expansion source subsystem 194 , and/or the like, associated with or connected to the one or more movement control cavities 153 of the second main body 150 may be controllable by the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 161 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of the second controller 160 b ) so as to enable the second main body 150 to actuate as desired.
- an element e.g., 161 b
- the second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an expanding and/or contracting of the second anchor assembly 140 .
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 165 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the second anchor assembly 140 to expand and/or contract as desired by the operator.
- expansion source subsystem 194 may be controllable by the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 165 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of the second controller 160 b ) so as to enable the second anchor assembly 140 to expand and/or contract as desired.
- an element e.g., 165 b
- the second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an expanding and/or contracting of one or more of the fourth expandable member 142 and third expandable member 144 .
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 165 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc.
- expansion source subsystem 194 may be controllable by the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 165 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of the second controller 160 b ) so as to enable one or more of the fourth expandable member 142 and third expandable member 144 to expand and/or contract as desired.
- an element e.g., 165 b
- the second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an applying or not applying of a suctioning (or applying negative pressure) via second suction opening(s) 146 .
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 166 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc.
- pressure control subsystem 170 associated with or connected to the second suction opening(s) 146 of the second main body 150 , as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by the second controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 166 b ) associated with the second controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc.
- an element e.g., 166 b
- the second controller 160 b may be operable to control the expanding and contracting of the second anchor assembly 140 (and/or each of the third and fourth expandable members 144 , 142 ) at the same time as the applying and not applying of the suctioning by the second suction opening(s) 146 , respectively (e.g., using a single control, interaction, action, and/or command to perform both). For example, when the second anchor assembly 140 is controlled to expand, the second suction opening(s) 146 may be controlled to apply a suction. Similarly, when the second anchor assembly 140 is controlled to contract, the second suction opening(s) 146 may be controlled to not apply a suction.
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (not shown) associated with the second controller 160 b may be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with or using the second instrument assembly 110 ′ in a similar or substantially the same manner as described above for the instrument assembly 110 .
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (not shown) associated with the second controller 160 b may also be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with or using the second image capturing assembly in a similar or substantially the same manner as described above for the image capturing assembly 111 .
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (not shown) associated with the second controller 160 b may also be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with or using the second irrigation cavity in a similar or substantially the same manner as described above for the irrigation cavity 134 .
- the second controller 160 b and/or an element (not shown) associated with the second controller 160 b may be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with or using the second insufflation cavity in a similar or substantially the same manner as described above for the insufflation cavity 135 .
- Method 500 Method of Configuring the Endoscopic Device
- Example embodiments of the endoscopic device 100 may be configurable to perform diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical actions and/or procedures in one of a plurality of ways.
- a method 500 of performing and/or configuring a endoscopic system 100 to perform a diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical action and/or procedure in a cavity of a patient may comprise one or more of the actions described below.
- the one or more actions may be performed using an example embodiment of controller 160 , first controller 160 a , and/or second controller 160 b.
- the method 500 may comprise providing an endoscopic system (e.g., action 502 ).
- the endoscopic device provided may include one or more elements of the endoscopic device 100 described above and in the present disclosure.
- the provided endoscopic device may comprise a first main body.
- the first main body may be an elongated body having a first end.
- the provided endoscopic device may further comprise a second main body.
- the second main body may have a first end and a main cavity.
- the main cavity may house at least a portion of the first main body.
- the first main body and second main body may be slidable with respect to each other.
- the provided endoscopic device may further comprise an anchor assembly attached to the first main body near the first end of the first main body.
- the anchor assembly may comprise a first expandable member.
- the first expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the first main body.
- the anchor assembly may further comprise a second expandable member provided between the first expandable member and the first end of the first main body.
- the second expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the first main body.
- the provided endoscopic device may further comprise a second anchor assembly attached to the second main body near the first end of the second main body.
- the second anchor assembly may comprise a third expandable member.
- the third expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the second main body.
- the second anchor assembly may further comprise a fourth expandable member provided between the third expandable member and the first end of the second main body.
- the fourth expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the second main body.
- the provided endoscopic device may further comprise a head assembly.
- the head assembly may comprise a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion.
- the first end portion may be attachable to the first end of the first main body.
- the second end portion may be selectively configurable to actuate in a plurality of directions with respect to the first end portion.
- the head assembly may further comprise an image capturing assembly provided in the second end portion.
- the image capturing assembly may be configurable to capture an image.
- the head assembly may further comprise an instrument section provided in the second end portion.
- the instrument section may be configurable to provide an instrument.
- the instrument may comprise at least two degrees of freedom of movement for performing an in vivo procedure in the cavity of the patient.
- the endoscopic system may further comprise a controller.
- the method 500 may further comprise advancing a head assembly of the endoscopic system through the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 504 ).
- the first end portion of the head assembly may be fixedly attached to the first end of the first main body.
- at least a portion of the first main body may be housed in the main cavity of the second main body.
- the head assembly may be advanced via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise identifying, via an image captured by an image capturing assembly of the endoscopic system, a direction of the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 506 ).
- identifying, via an image captured by an image capturing assembly of the endoscopic system a direction of the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 506 ).
- the image captured by the image capturing assembly may identify that an upcoming section or region of the cavity of the patient includes a bend.
- the identifying, via the image capturing assembly, of the direction of the cavity of the patient may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise advancing the head assembly along the identified direction of the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 508 ). For example, the head assembly may continue to move forward in a straight or relatively straight region of the cavity of the patient.
- the head assembly may be advanced via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise, when a bend section (such as a flexural and/or looping/bending section of a colon) in the cavity of the patient is identified, actuating, at the bend section in the cavity of the patient, the direction of a second end portion of the head assembly based on the identified direction of the bend section in the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 510 ).
- a bend section such as a flexural and/or looping/bending section of a colon
- the direction of a second end portion of the head assembly based on the identified direction of the bend section in the cavity of the patient.
- the second end portion i.e., tip
- the actuating the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise, when a bend section in the cavity, such as a colonic lumen, of the patient is identified, advancing the head assembly through the bend section (e.g., action 512 ).
- the head assembly may be advanced through the bend section via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise, when a bend section in the cavity of the patient is identified, actuating, after advancing through the bend section, the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly based on a direction of the cavity of the patient identified after the bend section (e.g., action 514 ).
- actuating after advancing through the bend section, the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly based on a direction of the cavity of the patient identified after the bend section (e.g., action 514 ).
- the second end portion of the head assembly may be straightened (or adjusted) based on the direction of the cavity after the bend section (which can be identified based on another image captured by the image capturing assembly).
- the actuating the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise, prior to the actuating, at the bend section, of the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly, securing the second main body to an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the third expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient, and expanding the fourth expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 516 ).
- the second main body may be secured to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the second anchor assembly to secure or anchor to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the securing of the second main body may also be provided using the second suction opening (i.e., applying a negative pressure) and/or the surface pattern, roughness, and/or protrusion (if provided) of the surface of the third and fourth expansion members of the second anchor assembly.
- the securing the second main body to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via expanding the third expandable member and fourth expandable member may be performed via the controller, such as the second controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise securing the first main body to an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the first expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient and expanding the second expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 518 ).
- the main body may be secured to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the anchor assembly to secure or anchor to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the securing of the main body may also be provided using the suction opening (i.e., applying a negative pressure) and/or the surface pattern, roughness, and/or protrusion (if provided) of the surface of the first and second expansion members of the anchor assembly.
- the first main body may be unsecured or unanchored from the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. This may be achieved by un-expanding (or contracting) the first and second expandable members of the first anchor assembly, and may also include not applying a negative pressure by the suction opening. Thereafter, the first main body may also be advanced through the bend section by actuating the direction of the first main body based on the direction of the bend in the cavity of the patient. The securing the first main body to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via expanding the first expandable member and second expandable member may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise advancing the second main body through the bend section towards the head assembly, the advancing of the second main body operable to reduce the bending of the bend section in the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 520 ).
- the main body may be secured to the interior wall (after the bend) forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the anchor assembly to secure or anchor to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the securing of the main body may also be provided using the suction opening (i.e., applying a negative pressure) and/or the surface pattern, roughness, and/or protrusion (if provided) of the surface of the first and second expansion members of the anchor assembly.
- the second main body may be unsecured or unanchored from the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. This may be achieved by un-expanding (or contracting) the third and fourth expandable members of the second anchor assembly, and may also include not applying a negative pressure by the second suction opening.
- the second main body may also be advanced through the bend section by actuating the direction of the second main body based on the direction of the bend in the cavity of the patient, as illustrated in FIG. 3F .
- the advancing of the second main body may be performed via the controller, such as the second controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the securing and unsecuring of the main body to the interior wall may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the identified bend section in the cavity of the patient may be straightened (or made less looping/bending) by actuating the direction of the second main body, as illustrated in FIG. 3G . It is recognized in the present disclosure that such straightening of a bend section in the cavity of the patient may enable easier, quicker, and/or more efficient advancing of the endoscopic system into the remaining sections of the cavity of the patient. Furthermore, it is recognized in the present disclosure that such straightening of the bend section in the cavity, such as the colonic lumen, of the patient also enables easier, quicker, and/or more efficient removal, extraction, and/or retracting of the endoscopic system from the cavity of the patient after completing the diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedure.
- the actuating of the direction of the second main body to straighten the identified bend section in the cavity of the patient may be performed via the controller, such as the second controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise identifying, via the image captured by the image capturing assembly, a location in the cavity of the patient for the instrument to perform the procedure (e.g., action 522 ).
- the identifying, via the image capturing assembly, of the location in the cavity of the patient for the instrument to perform the procedure may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise securing the first main body to an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the first expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient and expanding the second expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 524 ), as illustrated in FIG. 2C .
- the third expandable member and/or the fourth expandable member may also be expanded to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- the securing of the first main body to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via expanding the first expandable member may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- the method 500 may further comprise actuating the instrument to perform the procedure based on the image captured by the image capturing assembly (e.g., action 526 ), as illustrated in FIG. 2C .
- the actuating of the instrument may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- method 500 may be performed manually, either in whole or in part, by an operator/surgeon and/or assisted by the controller 160 in example embodiments.
- assembly For example, “assembly,” “device,” “portion,” “segment,” “member,” “body,” or other similar terms should generally be construed broadly to include one part or more than one part attached or connected together.
- a computing device, a processor, and/or a system may be a virtual machine, computer, node, instance, host, and/or device in a networked or non-networked computing environment.
- a networked computing environment may be a collection of devices connected by communication channels that facilitate communications between devices and allow devices to share resources.
- a computing device may be a device deployed to execute a program operating as a socket listener and may include software instances.
- Resources may encompass any type of resource for running instances including hardware (such as servers, clients, mainframe computers, networks, network storage, data sources, memory, central processing unit time, scientific instruments, and other computing devices), as well as software, software licenses, available network services, and other non-hardware resources, or a combination thereof.
- hardware such as servers, clients, mainframe computers, networks, network storage, data sources, memory, central processing unit time, scientific instruments, and other computing devices
- software software licenses, available network services, and other non-hardware resources, or a combination thereof.
- a networked computing environment may include, but is not limited to, computing grid systems, distributed computing environments, cloud computing environment, etc.
- Such networked computing environments include hardware and software infrastructures configured to form a virtual organization comprised of multiple resources that may be in geographically disperse locations.
- Words of comparison, measurement, and timing such as “at the time,” “equivalent,” “during,” “complete,” and the like should be understood to mean “substantially at the time,” “substantially equivalent,” “substantially during,” “substantially complete,” etc., where “substantially” means that such comparisons, measurements, and timings are practicable to accomplish the implicitly or expressly stated desired result.
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Abstract
Description
- This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/368,430 (filed on Dec. 2, 2016, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/233,828, filed on Sep. 28, 2015), the contents of all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety, including the contents and teachings of any references contained therein.
- The present disclosure relates generally to endoscopic systems, devices, and methods, and more specifically, relates to systems and devices for use in performing endoluminal procedures, including diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and methods of configuring and using such systems and devices.
- Presently, colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and also the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. If diagnosed at a sufficiently early stage, however, the survival rate of patients suffering from colorectal cancer may reach upwards of ninety percent.
- Conventional optical colonoscopy is the most widely accepted and used procedure for colorectal screening. In general, conventional optical colonoscopy involves the insertion of a colonoscope through the colon of a patient, and requires forceful manual pushing of the colonoscope against the luminal wall at flexural or looping/bending sections of the colon during insertion, which generally results in severe discomfort and pain to the patient. The retracting and/or removal of the colonoscope from the flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the colon of the patient may also cause significant discomfort and/or pain to the patient.
- Despite recent developments in modern medical science and technology, it is recognized in the present disclosure that one or more problems are encountered in colonoscopy-related diagnostic and therapeutic technologies and methodologies, including those described above and in the present disclosure.
- Present example embodiments relate generally to systems, devices, and methods for addressing one or more problems in diagnostic and therapeutic systems, devices, and methods, including those described above and herein.
- In an exemplary embodiment, an endoscopic system is described. The endoscopic system includes a first main body and a second main body. The first main body includes a first end section and a second end section. The first end section of the first main body includes a first anchor assembly and a first proximal portion. The first anchor assembly includes a first expandable member, second expandable member, and first negative pressure opening. The first expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the first expandable member is a configuration in which the first expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the first expandable member. The second expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the second expandable member is a configuration in which the second expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the second expandable member. The second expandable member is a separate and independently controllable expandable member from the first expandable member. The first negative pressure opening is formed between the first expandable member and the second expandable member. The first negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure. The first proximal portion is an elongated body secured to a proximal end of the first anchor assembly. The first proximal portion is configured to retract inwardly into and extend outwardly away from a main cavity of a second main body. The first proximal portion includes a bendable portion configured to bend in a plurality of directions. The first proximal portion is configured to selectively move the first anchor assembly in a plurality of directions relative to the bendable portion of the first proximal portion by bending the bendable portion of the first proximal portion in a plurality of directions. The second main body includes a first end section, a second end section, and the main cavity. The main cavity of the second main body is formed through the second main body from the first end section of the second main body to the second end section of the second main body. The first end section of the second main body includes a second anchor assembly. The second anchor assembly includes a third expandable member, fourth expandable member, and second negative pressure opening. The third expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the third expandable member is a configuration in which the third expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the third expandable member. The fourth expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the fourth expandable member is a configuration in which the fourth expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the fourth expandable member. The second negative pressure opening is formed between the third expandable member and the fourth expandable member. The second negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure.
- In another exemplary embodiment, an endoscopic system is described. The endoscopic system includes a first main body and second main body. The first main body includes a first end section and a second end section. The first end section of the first main body includes a first anchor assembly. The first anchor assembly includes a first expandable member, second expandable member, first negative pressure opening, and bendable portion. The first expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the first expandable member is a configuration in which the first expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the first expandable member. The second expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the second expandable member is a configuration in which the second expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the second expandable member. The second expandable member is a separate and independently controllable expandable member from the first expandable member. The first negative pressure opening is formed between the first expandable member and the second expandable member. The first negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure. The bendable portion is configured to bend in a plurality of directions. The first anchor assembly is configured to selectively move the second expandable member in a plurality of directions relative to the first expandable member by bending the bendable portion of the first anchor assembly in a plurality of directions. The second main body includes a first end section, a second end section, and a main cavity. The main cavity of the second main body is formed through the second main body from the first end section of the second main body to the second end section of the second main body. The first end section of the second main body includes a second anchor assembly. The second anchor assembly includes a third expandable member, fourth expandable member, and second negative pressure opening. The third expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the third expandable member is a configuration in which the third expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the third expandable member. The fourth expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the fourth expandable member is a configuration in which the fourth expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the fourth expandable member. The second negative pressure opening is formed between the third expandable member and the fourth expandable member, the second negative pressure opening configured to apply a negative pressure.
- In another exemplary embodiment, an endoscopic system is described. The endoscopic system includes a first main body. The first main body includes a first end section and a second end section. The first end section of the first main body includes a first anchor assembly and first proximal portion. The first anchor assembly includes a first expandable member, second expandable member, negative pressure opening, and first anchor assembly bendable portion. The first expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the first expandable member is a configuration in which the first expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the first expandable member. The second expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the second expandable member is a configuration in which the second expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the second expandable member, the second expandable member being a separate and independently controllable expandable member from the first expandable member. The first negative pressure opening is formed between the first expandable member and the second expandable member. The first negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure. The first anchor assembly bendable portion is configured to bend in a plurality of directions. The first anchor assembly is configured to selectively move the second expandable member in a plurality of directions relative to the first expandable member by bending the first anchor assembly bendable portion in a plurality of directions. The first proximal portion is an elongated body secured to a proximal end of the first anchor assembly. The first proximal portion is configured to retract inwardly into and extend outwardly away from a main cavity of a second main body. The first proximal portion includes a first proximal portion bendable portion configured to bend in a plurality of directions. The first proximal portion is configured to selectively move the first anchor assembly in a plurality of directions relative to the first proximal portion bendable portion by bending the first proximal portion bendable portion in a plurality of directions. The second main body includes a first end section, a second end section, and the main cavity. The main cavity of the second main body is formed through the second main body from the first end section of the second main body to the second end section of the second main body. The first end section of the second main body includes a second anchor assembly and a second proximal portion. The second anchor assembly includes a third expandable member, fourth expandable member, and second negative pressure opening. The third expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the third expandable member is a configuration in which the third expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the third expandable member. The fourth expandable member is configured to transition between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expanded configuration of the fourth expandable member is a configuration in which the fourth expandable member is expanded radially outwards away from a central axis of the fourth expandable member. The second negative pressure opening is formed between the third expandable member and the fourth expandable member. The second negative pressure opening is configured to apply a negative pressure. The second proximal portion is an elongated body secured to a proximal end of the second anchor assembly. The second proximal portion includes a second proximal portion bendable portion configured to bend in a plurality of directions. The second proximal portion is configured to selectively move the second anchor assembly in a plurality of directions relative to the second proximal portion bendable portion by bending the second proximal portion bendable portion in a plurality of directions
- In another exemplary embodiment, an endoscopic system is described. The endoscopic system is configurable to be provided in a cavity of a patient. The endoscopic system may comprise a main body. The main body may be an elongated body having a first end. The endoscopic system may further comprise an anchor assembly attached to the main body near the first end of the main body. The anchor assembly may comprise a first expandable member. The first expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the main body. The anchor assembly may further comprise a second expandable member provided between the first expandable member and the first end of the main body. The second expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the main body. The anchor assembly may be operable to secure the main body with respect to an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the first expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient and expanding the second expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient.
- In another exemplary embodiment, an endoscopic system is described. The endoscopic system is configurable to be provided in a cavity of a patient. The endoscopic system may comprise a main body. The main body may be an elongated body having a first end. The endoscopic system may further comprise a head assembly. The head assembly may have a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. The first end portion may be attachable to the first end of the main body. The second end portion may be selectively configurable to actuate in a plurality of directions with respect to the first end portion. The head assembly may further comprise an image capturing assembly provided in the second end portion. The image capturing assembly may be configurable to capture an image. The head assembly may further comprise an instrument section provided in the second end portion. The instrument section may be configurable to provide an instrument. The instrument may comprise at least two degrees of freedom of movement for performing an in vivo procedure in the cavity of the patient.
- In another exemplary embodiment, a method is described. The method may be for use in configuring an endoscopic system to perform a diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical action and/or procedure in a cavity, such as a colonic lumen, of a patient. The method may comprise providing an endoscopic system. The endoscopic system may comprise a first main body. The first main body may be an elongated body having a first end. The endoscopic system may further comprise a second main body. The second main body may comprise a first end and a main cavity. The main cavity may house at least a portion of the first main body. The first main body and second main body may be slidable with respect to each other. The endoscopic system may further comprise an anchor assembly attached to the first main body near the first end of the first main body. The anchor assembly may comprise a first expandable member. The first expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the first main body. The anchor assembly may further comprise a second expandable member provided between the first expandable member and the first end of the first main body. The second expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the first main body. The endoscopic system may further comprise a second anchor assembly attached to the second main body near the first end of the second main body. The second anchor assembly may comprise a third expandable member. The third expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the second main body. The second anchor assembly may further comprise a fourth expandable member provided between the third expandable member and the first end of the second main body. The fourth expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the second main body. The endoscopic system may further comprise a head assembly. The head assembly may comprise a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. The first end portion may be attachable to the first end of the first main body. The second end portion may be selectively configurable to actuate in a plurality of directions with respect to the first end portion. The head assembly may further comprise an image capturing assembly provided in the second end portion. The image capturing assembly may be configurable to capture an image. The head assembly may further comprise an instrument section provided in the second end portion. The instrument section may be configurable to provide an instrument. The instrument may have at least two degrees of freedom of movement for performing an endoluminal procedure in patients. The method may further comprise advancing the head assembly through the cavity of the patient. The first end portion of the head assembly may be fixedly attached to the first end of the first main body, and at least a portion of the first main body may be housed in the main cavity of the second main body. The method may further comprise identifying, via an image captured by the image capturing assembly, a direction of the cavity of the patient. The method may further comprise advancing the head assembly along the identified direction of the cavity of the patient by actuating the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly based on the identified direction of the cavity of the patient.
- For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, example embodiments, and their advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and:
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FIG. 1 is an illustration of a perspective view of an example embodiment of an endoscopic system; -
FIG. 2A is an illustration of a perspective view of an example embodiment of the head assembly; -
FIG. 2B is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system; -
FIG. 2C is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system in a cavity, such as a colonic lumen, of a patient; -
FIG. 2D is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system; -
FIG. 2E is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system having the head assembly controlled to extend outwardly, as compared to the head assembly ofFIG. 2D ; -
FIG. 3A is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system; -
FIG. 3B is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system; -
FIG. 3C is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system; -
FIG. 3D is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system in a cavity of a patient, and the head assembly bending based on a bend in the cavity of the patient; -
FIG. 3E is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system, and the first main body bending based on the bend in the cavity of the patient; -
FIG. 3F is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system, and the second main body bending based on the bend in the cavity of the patient; -
FIG. 3G is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system, and the straightening of the flexural and/or looping/bending section in the cavity of the patient; -
FIG. 3H is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of the first main body; -
FIG. 3I is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of the second main body; -
FIG. 4A is an illustration of a side view of an example embodiment of a first and/or second anchor assembly; -
FIG. 4B is an illustration of a side view of another example embodiment of the first and/or second anchor assembly; -
FIG. 4C is an illustration of a side view of another example embodiment of the first and/or second anchor assembly; -
FIG. 4D is an illustration of a side view of example embodiments of the suction openings; -
FIG. 5 is an illustration of an example embodiment of a method for performing a diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical action and/or procedure in a cavity of a patient; -
FIG. 6 is an illustration of an example embodiment of the endoscopic system having an example embodiment of a controller; -
FIG. 7A is an illustration of an example embodiment of a first controller; and -
FIG. 7B is an illustration of an example embodiment of a second controller. - Although similar reference numbers may be used to refer to similar elements in the figures for convenience, it can be appreciated that each of the various example embodiments may be considered to be distinct variations.
- Example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the present disclosure, and which illustrate example embodiments which may be practiced. As used in the present disclosure and the appended claims, the terms “example embodiment,” “exemplary embodiment,” and “present embodiment” do not necessarily refer to a single embodiment, although they may, and various example embodiments may be readily combined and/or interchanged without departing from the scope or spirit of example embodiments. Furthermore, the terminology as used in the present disclosure and the appended claims is for the purpose of describing example embodiments only and is not intended to be limitations. In this respect, as used in the present disclosure and the appended claims, the term “in” may include “in” and “on,” and the terms “a,” “an” and “the” may include singular and plural references. Furthermore, as used in the present disclosure and the appended claims, the term “by” may also mean “from,” depending on the context. Furthermore, as used in the present disclosure and the appended claims, the term “if” may also mean “when” or “upon,” depending on the context. Furthermore, as used in the present disclosure and the appended claims, the words “and/or” may refer to and encompass any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
- It is recognized in the present disclosure that one or more problems are encountered in colonoscopy-related diagnostic and therapeutic technologies and methodologies, including those described above and in the present disclosure. For example, conventional optical colonoscopy generally involves an insertion of a colonoscope through a colon of a patient, and requires forceful manual pushing of the colonoscope against the interior luminal walls forming the colon cavity at flexural or looping/bending sections of the colon during insertion, which generally results in severe discomfort and/or pain to the patient. Furthermore, the retracting and/or removal of the colonoscope, including the traversing of the colonoscope through the flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the colon of the patient, may also give rise to discomfort and/or pain to the patient.
- Recent developments in diagnostic procedures and devices have attempted to address the aforementioned problem through the use of a miniaturized wireless capsule having an integrated camera. To perform the diagnostic procedure, the miniaturized capsule is orally introduced into a patient, and the miniaturized capsule passively navigates via peristalsis along the gastrointestinal tract in a painless manner. It is recognized in the present disclosure, however, that while such recent developments address the issue of discomfort and pain to patients, such recent developments are not without its own problems and limitations. For example, the in vivo monitoring of the gastrointestinal tract by such miniaturized capsules is in fact performed in a non-controlled and very slow manner since locomotion of the miniaturized capsule through the gastrointestinal tract occurs via peristalsis. Furthermore, while a miniaturized capsule generally takes between about 20 to 36 hours to travel through an entire gastrointestinal tract, current power capacity and consumption of such miniaturized capsules are only capable of roughly about eight hours of operation. Accordingly, not all of the gastrointestinal tract can be imaged and/or monitored using such technology. Furthermore, such miniaturized capsules are merely capable of performing imaging/diagnosing procedures, and not capable of performing therapeutic/surgical procedures, such as a removing of polyps, obtaining biopsy samples, and/or the like.
- Systems, devices, and methods, including those for use in endoscopy and colonoscopy, are described in the present disclosure for addressing one or more problems of known systems, devices, and methods, including those described above and in the present disclosure. It is to be understood that the principles described in the present disclosure may be applied outside of the context of endoscopy and colonoscopy, such as performing diagnostic procedures, surgical or therapeutic procedures, scientific experiments, and/or other procedures in the same and/or other environments, cavities, and/or organs not described in the present disclosure without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- The Endoscopic System (e.g., Endoscopic System 100)
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FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example embodiment of anendoscopic system 100. Theendoscopic system 100 may comprise ahead assembly 110. Theendoscopic system 100 may further comprise amain body 130. Themain body 130 may be attachable to thehead assembly 110. For example, afirst end 130 a of themain body 130 may be fixedly attached to afirst end portion 110 a of thehead assembly 110. Theendoscopic system 100 may further comprise ananchor assembly 120. Theanchor assembly 120 may be attachable to themain body 130. For example, theanchor assembly 120 may be fixedly attached to themain body 130 near thefirst end 130 a of themain body 130. Theendoscopic system 100 may further comprise a secondmain body 150. The secondmain body 150 may house at least a portion of themain body 130, and themain body 130 and the secondmain body 150 may be slidable with respect to one another. In this regard, the secondmain body 150 may comprise a main cavity, and the main cavity may perform the said housing of themain body 130. Theendoscopic system 100 may further comprise asecond anchor assembly 140. Thesecond anchor assembly 140 may be attachable to the secondmain body 150. For example, thesecond anchor assembly 140 may be fixedly attached to the secondmain body 150 near thefirst end 150 a of the secondmain body 150. Theendoscopic system 100 may further comprise acontroller 160. These and other elements of theendoscopic system 100 will now be described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 5 . - The Head Assembly (e.g., Head Assembly 110)
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FIG. 1 andFIGS. 2A-C illustrate an example embodiment of thehead assembly 110 of theendoscopic system 100. Thehead assembly 110 may comprisefirst end portion 110 a andsecond end portion 110 b opposite to thefirst end portion 110 a. Thefirst end portion 110 a of thehead assembly 110 may be attachable to thefirst end 130 a of themain body 130 in example embodiments. During diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedures, thefirst end portion 110 a may be fixedly attached to thefirst end 130 a of themain body 130, as illustrated in at leastFIGS. 1 to 3 . It is to be understood in the present disclosure that example embodiments of theendoscopic system 100 may comprise one or more other head assemblies, such ashead assembly 110′ illustrated inFIG. 2B , fixedly attached to one or more other portions of theendoscopic system 100 in addition to or in replacement of thehead system 110 attached to thefirst end 130 a of themain body 130. - The
head assembly 110 may comprise one or moreimage capturing assemblies 111, as illustrated in at leastFIGS. 1 and 2A . Eachimage capturing assembly 111 may be any image capturing device, such as a digital and/or analog camera, digital and/or analog video camera, three dimensional (3-D) digital and/or analog camera, 3-D digital and/or analog video camera, holographic camera, x-ray based device, infrared-based device, and/or the like. Eachimage capturing assembly 111 may comprise one or more lenses, or the like, and may be configurable to zoom in and/or out either optically and/or digitally. Furthermore, eachimage capturing assembly 111 may be configurable to move in one or more directions and/or positions with respect to thehead assembly 110, and may also protrude outwardly and/or retract inwardly with respect to thehead assembly 110. In an example embodiment, theimage capturing assembly 111 may be housed, either in part or in whole, in one or more portions of theendoscopic system 100, such as thehead assembly 110. - Each
image capturing assembly 111 may further comprise one or more illumination or light sources, such as an LED light source, optical fiber, and/or the like. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that each illumination source may be located together with and/or separate from theimage capturing assembly 111 in example embodiments so as to improve illumination of the interior cavity of the patient. For example, in example embodiments, each illumination source may be provided as one or more illumination sources on theface 110 c of thehead assembly 110, one or more illumination sources distributed and/or continuously shaped around the perimeter of theface 110 c of the head assembly 110 (such as a ring-shaped illumination source when theface 110 c of thehead assembly 110 has a circular shape), etc. - Each
image capturing assembly 111 and/or each light source may receive power from a power source (not shown), and/or the like, and such power may be received via wires and/or wirelessly. In an example embodiment, the power source may be housed, either in part or in whole, in one or more portions of theendoscopic system 100, such as thehead assembly 110, themain body 130, and/or the secondmain body 150, and/or provided outside of the patient (such asseparate power source 180 and/or power obtained from controller 160). - Each
image capturing assembly 111 may be configurable to provide captured/recorded images (such as still images and/or video images, hereinafter “captured images”) to acontroller 160, computer-readable medium 162, and/or the like, and such captured images may be received by thecontroller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162 via wires and/or wirelessly. An operator/surgeon performing a diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or surgical procedure using theendoscopic system 100 may be operable to receive and view the captured images in real-time and/or near real-time via thecontroller 160, and such captured images may also be stored in the computer-readable medium 162 for viewing at a later time as well. In example embodiments, the operator/surgeon may perform, among other things, one or more of the following using the captured images of the image capturing assembly 111: one or more insertions of a portion of theendoscopic system 100 into the cavity of the patient; one or more anchoring of theanchor assembly 120 and/orsecond anchor assembly 140; one or more advancing of themain body 130 and/or secondmain body 150; a straightening of one or more flexural or looping/bending sections of the cavity of the patient; illumination of one or more portions of the cavity of the patient via the light source of thehead assembly 110; one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or surgical procedures using one or more of theinstruments 112; one or more other procedures and operations of theendoscopic system 100, or parts thereof; etc. - In an example embodiment, the
controller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162 may be housed, either in part or in whole, in one or more portions of theendoscopic system 100, such as thehead assembly 110, themain body 130, and/or the secondmain body 150, and/or provided outside of the patient (as illustrated in at leastFIG. 1 ,FIG. 6 , andFIGS. 7A-B ). Thecontroller 160 may be any device or system operable to communicate with one or more elements ofendoscopic system 100, and may include a computing device, communication device, processor, virtual machine, computer, node, instance, host, server, client, chip/microchip, and/or machine, including combinations thereof and/or those in a networked computing environment. Thecontroller 160 may comprise logic stored in non-transitory computer readable medium, such as computerreadable medium 162, which, when executed by thecontroller 160 and/or a processor of or associated with thecontroller 160, is operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with one or more elements of theendoscopic system 100, including those described above and in the present disclosure. For example, thecontroller 160 may be operable to, among other things, communicate with and/or configure one or more of: the computer-readable medium 162, theimage capturing assembly 111,instrument 112,movement control cavity 113,irrigation cavity 114,insufflation cavity 115,second end portion 110 b,first end portion 110 a,head assembly 110,first end 130 a,main body 130,movement control cavity 133,irrigation cavity 134,insufflation cavity 135,anchor cavities 136,first end 150 a, secondmain body 150,anchor cavities 154, firstexpandable member 124, secondexpandable member 122,first anchor assembly 120, thirdexpandable member 144, fourthexpandable member 142,second anchor assembly 140,first suction opening 126, second suction opening 146,pressure control subsystem 170,power source 180,irrigation subsystem 190,insufflation subsystem 192,expansion source subsystem 194, etc. Example embodiments of thecontroller 160 will be further described in the present disclosure, including in the below section “the controller (e.g., controller 160)”. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 2C , thehead assembly 110 may further comprise one ormore instruments 112. Eachinstrument 112 may be any one or more surgical instruments, or the like, for use in performing a diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or surgical procedure, and/or obtaining samples. For example, eachinstrument 112 may include one or more biopsy forceps, miniaturized manipulator, snare, and/or the like. In example embodiments, the one ormore instruments 112 may be housed in one or more portions of theendoscopic system 100, such as in thehead assembly 110, themain body 130, the secondmain body 150, and/or outside of the cavity of the patient. When needed, the one ormore instruments 112 may be provided through an instrument cavity orchannel 112 a (seeFIGS. 1 and 2A ), and may also be provided outwardly (as illustrated in at leastFIG. 2C ) and/or retracted inwardly with respect to thehead assembly 110. In example embodiments, theinstrument 112 may be configurable to have one or more degrees of freedom (DOF) of movement. The one ormore instruments 112 may be configured and/or controlled by thecontroller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via thecontroller 160, in example embodiments. Furthermore, one or more movements and/or positions of the instrument(s) 112 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162. - At least a portion of the
head assembly 110, such as thesecond end portion 110 b, may be selectively configurable to actuate (including bending, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc., hereinafter “actuate”) in one or more of a plurality of directions (and/or positions, locations, and/or the like) with respect to one or more points/areas, such as thefirst end portion 110 a and/or other portions of thehead assembly 110 and/orendoscopic system 100. For example, thesecond end portion 110 b may be selectively configured and/or controlled to actuate (bend) in a plurality of directions, such as the bending illustrated in at leastFIG. 3D andFIGS. 2A and 2C . Thesecond end portion 110 b may also be selectively configured and/or controlled to actuate (extend outwardly and/or retract inwardly) with respect to one or more points/areas, such as thefirst end portion 110 a of thehead assembly 110 and/or other portions of thehead assembly 110 and/orendoscopic system 100, as illustrated in at leastFIG. 2D andFIG. 2E . Furthermore, thehead assembly 110 may be capable of at least two degrees of freedom (DOF) of movement, including a pitch and yaw movement. In example embodiments, each degree of freedom may have a bending angle of at least 110 degrees. - It is recognized in the present disclosure that actuating of at least a portion of the
head assembly 110 may assist in enabling theendoscopic system 100 to advance around flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the cavity of the patient without forceful manual pushing against the interior wall forming the cavity, such as the colonic lumen, of the patient. It is further recognized in the present disclosure that actuating of at least a portion of thehead assembly 110, including those described above and in the present disclosure, may enable the one or moreimage capturing assemblies 111 to improve image capturing capabilities. Furthermore, actuating of at least a portion of thehead assembly 110, including those described above and in the present disclosure, may enable the one or more illumination sources to provide improved illumination to specific areas within the cavity of the patient. Furthermore, actuating of at least a portion of thehead assembly 110, including those described above and in the present disclosure, may enable the one ormore instruments 112 to more readily access and/or perform diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or surgical procedures, including obtaining samples, within the cavity of the patient and/or an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. - The at least one portion of the
head assembly 110 may be selectively configurable to actuate in one or more of a plurality of directions using one or more elements of theendoscopic system 100 and/or one or more methods described below and in the present disclosure. In an example embodiment, thehead assembly 110 may comprise one or moremovement control cavities 113, or the like. Eachmovement control cavity 113 may be operable to receive and/or house a filler, and/or the like. The filler may be any substance or material, including a gas, such as air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, a liquid, such as water, oil, and/or a solid, such as micro particle. When it is desired to actuate a movement, control, and/or position of a portion of thehead assembly 110, such as thesecond end portion 110 b of thehead assembly 110, in a specific desired direction and/or position, a predetermined selection and/or combination of one or more of themovement control cavities 113 may be selectively configured and controlled. For example, one or more of themovement control cavities 113 may house one or more types of fillers, and such fillers may be manipulated, manually by operator/surgeon and/or viacontroller 160, to actuate the portion of thehead assembly 110. As another example, one or more of themovement control cavities 113 may be provided with a predetermined quantity of one or more types of fillers when actuating of the portion of thehead assembly 110 is required. As another example, the properties of the filler material housed in one or more of themovement control cavities 113 may be selectively configured to change, such as change in volume (expand and/or contract), stiffen, become more flexible, change from gas to liquid phase (and vice versa), change from liquid to solid phase (and vice versa), change from gas to solid phase (and vice versa), change in pressure, change in temperature, change in shape, change in size, change in tensile strength, etc. To effect one or more such changes, the one or more fillers may be a material (or combination of materials) selected in such a way that an introduction, application, and/or removal of an application, each as applicable, of an electric current, voltage potential, resistance, pressure, temperature, magnetic field, and/or the like, causes and/or controls one or more of the above-mentioned changes in properties. For example, the filler may be a memory-shaped metal or other material, or the like. - In example embodiments, the actuating of the
head assembly 110, including thesecond end portion 110 b of thehead assembly 110, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be performed and/or controlled by thecontroller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via thecontroller 160. Furthermore, the amount of filler, change in quantity of filler, and/or change in properties of the filler in the one or moremovement control cavities 113 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162. - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that very small/minute, precise/accurate, quick, and firm movements of the
second end portion 110 b of thehead assembly 110, as well as the instrument(s) 112,image capturing assembly 111, and/or other portions of theendoscopic system 100, may be achievable using the aforementioned elements of theendoscopic system 100 and/or methods. It is also to be understood in the present disclosure that other elements and/or methods for actuating a movement, control, and/or position of a portion of thehead assembly 110, such as one or more sensors (such as motion sensors, proximity sensors, distance sensors, etc.), are contemplated without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Furthermore, it is recognized in the present disclosure that movement, positioning, and/or controlling of other elements of the endoscopic system, including one or more of theinstrument 112,main body 130, secondmain body 150,head assembly 110′, and/or other elements of theendoscopic system 100 may also be based on, performed, and/or controlled in a similar and/or substantially the same manner as described above for thehead assembly 110 in example embodiments. - As illustrated in at least
FIGS. 1 and 2A , thehead assembly 110 may further comprise one ormore irrigation cavities 114. Eachirrigation cavity 114 may be configurable to provide movement of fluid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient via anirrigation subsystem 190. For example, eachirrigation cavity 114 in communication with theirrigation subsystem 190 may be operable to introduce a liquid into the cavity of the patient, and eachirrigation cavity 114 in communication with theirrigation subsystem 190 may be operable to remove a liquid, such as water, and/or solid, such as polyps, from the cavity of the patient. In example embodiments, the movement of fluid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient via the one ormore irrigation cavities 114 may be performed and/or controlled by thecontroller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via thecontroller 160. Furthermore, the amount of such movements of liquid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient via the one ormore irrigation cavities 114 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162. - The
head assembly 110 may further comprise one ormore insufflation cavities 115. Eachinsufflation cavity 115 may be configurable to provide a gas for use in performing insufflation of the cavity of the patient via aninsufflation subsystem 192. In example embodiments, the insufflation of the cavity of the patient via the one ormore insufflation cavities 115 may be performed and/or controlled by thecontroller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon either manually and/or via thecontroller 160. Furthermore, the amount of such insufflation via the one ormore insufflation cavities 115 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162. - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the
head assembly 110, including one or more of theimage capturing assembly 111, illumination source,instrument 112,movement control cavities 113,irrigation cavity 114,irrigation subsystem 190,insufflation cavity 115, and/orinsufflation subsystem 192 may be provided in a configuration that is the same as, similar to, based on, or different from that illustrated in the example embodiment ofFIGS. 1 and 2A without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Furthermore, one or more of theimage capturing assembly 111, illumination source,instrument 112,movement control cavities 113,irrigation cavity 114, andinsufflation cavity 115 may be provided, or not provided, in thehead assembly 110 without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The
head assembly 110, and/or cross-section thereof, may be formed in any one of a plurality of shapes, sizes, and/or dimensions. For example, thehead assembly 110 may be an elongated cylindrical body, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2A . The cross-sectional shape of thehead assembly 110 may also be one or more of a rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or combination of one or more geometric shapes, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - In an example embodiment wherein the shape of the
head assembly 110 is cylindrical in shape with a circular cross-section, an outer diameter of the cross-section of thehead assembly 110 may be between about 5 to 30 mm. The length of thehead assembly 110 may be between about 10 to 100 mm. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above dimensions are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and as such the dimensions may be smaller or larger than those recited above without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The
head assembly 110 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade plastics, rubbers, etc. Theinstrument 112 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade metals, high-strength aluminum alloys, stainless steel (such as 304/304L, 316/316L, and 420), pure titanium, titanium alloys (such as Ti6Al4V, NiTi), cobalt-chromium alloys, etc. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that other materials may also be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above materials are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and these and other materials and compositions may be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The Main Body (e.g., Main Body 130)
-
FIG. 1 ,FIGS. 2A-C , andFIGS. 3A-H illustrate an example embodiment of themain body 130 of theendoscopic system 100. As used in the present disclosure, themain body 130 may also be referred to as the firstmain body 130,inner body 130,first tube 130,inner tube 130, and/or the like. Themain body 130 may comprise afirst end 130 a and anexposed end portion 130 b. Thefirst end 130 a of themain body 130 may be attachable to thefirst end portion 110 a of thehead assembly 110 in example embodiments. During diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedures, thefirst end 130 a may be fixedly attached to thefirst end portion 110 a of thehead assembly 110, as illustrated in at leastFIGS. 1 to 3 . - At least a portion of the
main body 130 may be selectively configurable to actuate (and/or bend, turn, pivot, twist, move, and/or the like) in one or more of a plurality of directions (and/or positions, locations, and/or the like) with respect to the secondmain body 150 and/or other portions of themain body 130 and/orendoscopic system 100. Such actuating of a portion of themain body 130 may be similar to, the same as, based on, or different from the actuating described above for thehead assembly 110. For example, a portion of themain body 130 closer to thefirst end 130 a may be selectively configured and/or controlled to bend in a plurality of directions, as illustrated in at leastFIG. 3E andFIG. 1 . The said portion of themain body 130 closer to thefirst end 130 a may also be selectively configured and/or controlled to slide, that is, extend outwardly and/or retract inwardly, with respect to the secondmain body 150 in example embodiments, as illustrated inFIG. 3B . It is recognized in the present disclosure that sliding and/or actuating of at least a portion of themain body 130 may enable theendoscopic system 100 to advance around flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the cavity of the patient without forceful manual pushing against the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. Furthermore, actuating of at least a portion of themain body 130 may enable the one or more illumination sources of thehead assembly 110 to provide improved illumination to specific areas within the cavity of the patient. Furthermore, actuating of at least a portion of themain body 130 may enable the one ormore instruments 112 of thehead assembly 110 to more readily access and perform diagnostic, therapeutic and/or surgical procedures, including obtaining samples, within the cavity of the patient. - At least one portion of the
main body 130 may be selectively configurable to slide with respect to the second main body 150 (as illustrated inFIGS. 3B-C ) and/or actuate in one or more of a plurality of directions using one or more elements of theendoscopic system 100 and/or one or more methods, as described below and in the present disclosure. In an example embodiment illustrated inFIG. 3H , themain body 130 may comprise one or moremovement control cavities 133, or the like. Eachmovement control cavity 133 may be operable to receive and/or house a filler, and/or the like. The filler may be any substance or material, including a gas, such as air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, a liquid, such as water, oil, and/or a solid, such as micro particle. When it is desired to actuate a movement, control, and/or position of a portion of themain body 130, such as the portion of themain body 130 closer to thefirst end 130 a, in a specific desired direction and/or position, a predetermined selection and/or combination of one or more of themovement control cavities 133 may be selectively configured and controlled. For example, one or more of themovement control cavities 133 may house one or more types of fillers, such as gas, and such fillers may be manipulated, manually by operator/surgeon and/or viacontroller 160, to actuate the portion of themain body 130, such as via thepressure control subsystem 170,expansion source subsystem 194, etc. As another example, one or more of themovement control cavities 133 may be provided with a predetermined quantity of one or more types of fillers when actuating of the portion of themain body 130 is required. As another example, the properties of the filler material housed in one or more of themovement control cavities 133 may be selectively configured to change, such as change in volume (expand and/or contract), stiffen, become more flexible, change from gas to liquid phase (and vice versa), change from liquid to solid phase (and vice versa), change from gas to solid phase (and vice versa), change in pressure, change in temperature, change in shape/size, change in tensile strength, etc. To effect one or more such changes, the one or more fillers may be a material (or combination of materials) selected in such a way that an introduction, application, change, and/or removal of an application, each as applicable, of an electric current, voltage potential, resistance, pressure, temperature, magnetic field, and/or the like, causes one or more of the above-mentioned changes in properties. For example, the filler may be a memory-shaped metal, other material, spring-based or spring-like material, or the like. - In example embodiments, the actuating of the
main body 130, including the portion of themain body 130 closer to thefirst end 130 a, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be performed and/or controlled by thecontroller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via thecontroller 160. Furthermore, the amount of filler, change in quantity of filler, and/or change in properties of the filler in the one or moremovement control cavities 133 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162. - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that very small/minute, precise/accurate, quick, and firm movements of the portion of the
main body 130 closer to thefirst end 130 a, may be achievable using the aforementioned elements of theendoscopic system 100 and/or methods. It is also to be understood in the present disclosure that other elements and/or methods for actuating a movement, control, and/or position of a portion of themain body 130 and/or other elements of theendoscopic system 100 are contemplated without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Furthermore, it is recognized in the present disclosure that movement, positioning, and/or controlling of other elements of the endoscopic system, including one or more of theinstrument 112,head assembly 110, secondmain body 150, and/or other elements of theendoscopic system 100 may also be based on, performed, and/or controlled in a similar and/or substantially the same manner as described above for themain body 130 in example embodiments. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 3H , in example embodiments, themain body 130 may further comprise one or moreimage capturing cavities 131. Theimage capturing cavity 131 may be operable to enable theimage capturing assembly 111 and/or other image capturing assemblies (such as those inhead assembly 110′) to move with respect to thehead assembly 110, and/or enable cables (if any) of theimage capturing assembly 111 and/or other image capturing assemblies (such as those inhead assembly 110′) to be connected to thecontroller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 3H , in example embodiments, themain body 130 may further comprise one ormore instrument cavities 132. Theinstrument cavity 132 may be operable to enable theinstrument 112 and/or other instruments (not shown) to move with respect to the head assembly (i.e., connected to theinstrument cavity 112 a), and/or enable cables (if any) and/or connections (if any) of theinstrument 112 to be accessible by the operator/surgeon and/or connected to thecontroller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 3H , in example embodiments, themain body 130 may further comprise one ormore irrigation cavities 134. Theirrigation cavity 134 may be operable to enable the movement of fluid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient. Theirrigation cavity 134 may be connected to theirrigation cavity 114 and/or other irrigation cavities and/or openings (not shown). Theirrigation cavity 134 may also be connected to theirrigation subsystem 190 in example embodiments. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 3H , in example embodiments, themain body 130 may further comprise one ormore insufflation cavities 135. Theinsufflation cavity 135 may be operable to provide a gas for use in performing insufflation of the cavity of the patient. Theinsufflation cavity 135 may or may not be connected to theinsufflation cavity 115. Theinsufflation cavity 135 may also be connected to theinsufflation subsystem 192 or a different subsystem in example embodiments. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 3H , in example embodiments, themain body 130 may further comprise one ormore anchor cavities 136 operable to configure, control, and/or assist in configuring and/or controlling theanchor assembly 120. Theanchor cavity 136 may be operable to provide a gas, liquid, and/or solid, and/or combination thereof, for use in expanding (such as expanding radially from the main body 130) one or more of the firstexpandable member 122 and the secondexpandable member 124. Theanchor cavity 136 may be connected to one or more of the firstexpandable member 122 and the secondexpandable member 124. Theanchor cavity 136 may also be connected to anexpansion source subsystem 194 in example embodiments. Theanchor assembly 120 will be further described below. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 3H , in example embodiments, themain body 130 may further comprise one ormore suction cavities 137. Thesuction cavity 137 may be operable to provide a negative pressure (or perform a removal of gas). For example, thesuction cavity 137 may be operable to apply a negative pressure to a region between the first expandable member 122 (when expanded), the second expandable member 124 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of thepatient 102, and themain body 130. Thesuction cavity 137 may be connected to thesuction opening 126. Thesuction cavity 137 may also be connected to thepressure control subsystem 170 in example embodiments. Thesuction opening 126 will be further described below. - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the
main body 130, including one or more of theimage capturing cavities 131,instrument cavities 132,movement control cavities 133,irrigation cavity 134,irrigation subsystem 190,insufflation cavity 135,insufflation subsystem 192,anchor cavities 136,expansion source subsystem 194,suction cavities 137, andpressure control subsystem 170 may be provided in a configuration that is the same as, similar to, based on, or different from that illustrated in the example embodiment ofFIG. 3H without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Furthermore, one or more of theimage capturing cavities 131,instrument cavities 132,movement control cavities 133,irrigation cavity 134,insufflation cavity 135,anchor cavities 136, andsuction cavities 137 may be provided, or not provided, in themain body 130 without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is also to be understood in the present disclosure that one or more of theirrigation subsystem 190,insufflation subsystem 192,expansion source subsystem 194, andpressure control subsystem 170 may be the same or different subsystems in example embodiments. - The
main body 130, and cross-section thereof, may be formed in any one of a plurality of shapes, sizes, and/or dimensions. For example, themain body 130 may be an elongated cylindrical body, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 3 . A cross sectional shape of themain body 130 may also be one or more of a rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or combination of one or more geometric shapes, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - In an example embodiment wherein the cross-sectional shape of the
main body 130 is cylindrical in shape with a circular cross-section, an outer diameter of themain body 130 may be between about 5 to 30 mm. The length of themain body 130 may be expanded/contracted between about 50 to 200 cm. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above dimensions are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and as such the dimensions may be smaller or larger than those recited above without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The
main body 130 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade plastics, rubbers, etc. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that other materials may also be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above materials are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and these and other materials and compositions may be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The Anchor Assembly (e.g., Anchor Assembly 120)
- A perspective view of an example embodiment of an expanded anchor assembly 120 (e.g.,
anchor assembly 120 expanded radially from the main body 130) is illustrated in at leastFIG. 1 andFIG. 2A ; a side view of an example embodiment of an expanded anchor assembly 120 (e.g.,anchor assembly 120 expanded radially from the main body 130) is illustrated in at leastFIGS. 2B-C ,FIG. 3A ,FIG. 3D , andFIGS. 3F-G ; and a side view of an example embodiment of an un-expanded anchor assembly 120 (e.g.,anchor assembly 120 not expanded radially from the main body 130) is illustrated in at leastFIGS. 3B-C . Theanchor assembly 120 may be attachable to themain body 130. During diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedures, theanchor assembly 120 may be fixedly attached to themain body 130 near thefirst end 130 a of themain body 130. - The
anchor assembly 120 may be configurable to perform, among other things, a securing of a position and/or location of themain body 130. In an example embodiment, when theendoscopic system 100 is inserted into the cavity of the patient, as illustrated in at leastFIG. 2C ,FIG. 3D , andFIGS. 3F-G , theanchor assembly 120 may be configurable to secure themain body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. Theanchor assembly 120 may secure themain body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient in one or more of a plurality of ways. In an example embodiment, one or moreexpandable members anchor assembly 120 may also secure themain body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by applying a negative pressure via one ormore suction openings 126. Theanchor assembly 120 may also secure themain body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via one or more surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on a surface, or portion(s) thereof, of one or moreexpandable members anchor assembly 120 may also secure themain body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient using a magnetic element and corresponding external magnetic element provided outside of the patient. The securing, by theanchor assembly 120, of themain body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient will now be further described below. - The
anchor assembly 120 may comprise one or moreexpandable members expandable members main body 130 near thefirst end 130 a of themain body 130. In an example embodiment, theanchor assembly 120 may compriseexpandable member 122. As used in the present disclosure, theexpandable member 122 may also be referred to as the firstexpandable member 122,first balloon 122, and/or the like. Theanchor assembly 120 may further comprise secondexpandable member 124. The secondexpandable member 124 may be provided between the firstexpandable member 122 and thefirst end 130 a of themain body 130. As used in the present disclosure, the secondexpandable member 124 may also be referred to as theexpandable member 124,second balloon 124, and/or the like. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that theanchor assembly 120 may comprise other quantities of expandable members, such as one or more additional expandable members, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - Each
expandable member expandable member main body 130. - In an example embodiment, each
expandable member expandable member expandable member expandable member expandable member main body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient, the one or moreexpandable members expandable members main body 130 so as to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 20 N. - One or more of the
expandable members expandable members main body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient is desired or required, such surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on the surface of one or moreexpandable members main body 130. For example, the surface pattern, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like may provide, or contribute in providing, resistance of a movement of one or more of theexpandable members main body 130 may be operable to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 30 N. - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the
anchor assembly 120, including one or more of the first and secondexpandable members expandable members expandable members expandable members expandable members - In some example embodiments, the
anchor assembly 120 may comprise one or more expandable members that expand in one or more other directions in addition to expanding radially away from themain body 130, such as the example illustrated inFIG. 4B . In other example embodiments, such as the example illustrated inFIG. 4A , theanchor assembly 120 may comprise an integrated first and secondexpandable members FIG. 4C , theanchor assembly 120 may comprise amagnetic element 126′, or the like, operable to secure to a corresponding magnetic element provided outside of the patient. - The
anchor assembly 120 may further comprise one ormore suction openings 126. As used in the present disclosure, thesuction opening 126 may also be referred to as thefirst suction opening 126. Thesuction opening 126 may be formed in one or more of a plurality of shapes and provided in one or more quantities.FIG. 4D illustrates example embodiments of the one ormore suction openings 126. During diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedures wherein a securing or anchoring of themain body 130 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient is desired or required, the one ormore suction openings 126 may further improve the securing or anchoring of themain body 130. For example, thesuction opening 126 may be operable to apply a negative pressure to a region between the first expandable member 122 (when expanded), the second expandable member 124 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient 102 (as illustrated in at leastFIG. 3F ), and themain body 130. In example embodiments, thesuction opening 126 may be configurable to apply a negative pressure and vary the applied negative pressure between about −10 kPa to vacuum. It is recognized in the present disclosure that such securing or anchoring of themain body 130 with the use of the expanded first and secondexpandable members more suction openings 126 may provide improved securing or anchoring, and may be operable to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 40 N. - In example embodiments, the applying of the negative pressure by the suction opening 126 (i.e., the suctioning or removal of gas from the region between the first expandable member 122 (when expanded), the second expandable member 124 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of the
patient 102, and the main body 130) may be performed prior to, at the same time as (or correspond with), and/or after the expansion of theexpandable members patient 102, and the main body 130) may be operable to provide, or contribute in providing, the expanding of one or more of theexpandable members patient 102, and themain body 130 is being suctioned or removed, the said suctioned or removed gas may be provided into one or more of theexpandable members expandable members - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that, in example embodiments wherein the
anchor assembly 120 comprises more than two expandable members, thesuction openings 126 may be provided between some or all of the expandable members. For example, if theanchor assembly 120 comprises three expandable members, then suctionopenings 126 may be provided between each of the three expandable members. - Each
expandable member expandable members expandable members - In an example embodiment wherein the cross-sectional shape of the
expandable members expandable members expandable members main body 130 may be between about 0.05 to 50 mm. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above dimensions are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and as such the dimensions may be smaller or larger than those recited above without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The
expandable members expandable members expandable members - The Second Main Body (e.g., Second Main Body 150)
-
FIG. 1 ,FIGS. 2B-C ,FIGS. 3A-G , andFIG. 3I illustrate an example embodiment of the secondmain body 150 of theendoscopic system 100. As used in the present disclosure, the secondmain body 150 may also be referred to as theouter body 150,second tube 150,outer tube 150, and/or the like. The secondmain body 150 may comprise afirst end 150 a and anexposed end portion 150 b. - A portion of the
main body 130 near thefirst end 150 a may, or may not, be selectively configurable to actuate (and/or bend, turn, pivot, twist, move, and/or the like) in one or more of a plurality of directions (and/or positions, locations, and/or the like) with respect to the other portions of the secondmain body 150. Such actuating of a portion of the secondmain body 150 may be similar to, the same as, based on, or different from the actuating described above for themain body 130. The secondmain body 150 may be selectively configured and/or controlled to slide, that is, extend outwardly and/or retract inwardly, with respect to themain body 130 in example embodiments, as illustrated inFIG. 3C . It is recognized in the present disclosure that sliding and/or actuating of at least a portion of the secondmain body 150 with respect to themain body 130 may enable theendoscopic system 100 to advance around flexural and/or looping/bending sections of the cavity, such as the colonic lumen, of the patient without forceful manual pushing against the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. - In an example embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 3I , the secondmain body 150 may comprise one or moremovement control cavities 153, or the like. Eachmovement control cavity 153 may be operable to receive and/or house a filler, and/or the like. The filler may be any substance or material, including a gas, such as air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, a liquid, such as water, oil, and/or a solid, such as micro particle. When it is desired to actuate a movement, control, and/or position of a portion of the secondmain body 150, such as the portion of the secondmain body 150 closer to thefirst end 150 a, in a specific desired direction and/or position, a predetermined selection and/or combination of one or more of themovement control cavities 153 may be selectively configured and controlled. For example, one or more of themovement control cavities 153 may house one or more types of fillers, such as a gas, and such fillers may be manipulated, manually by operator/surgeon and/or viacontroller 160, to actuate the portion of the secondmain body 150, such as via thepressure control subsystem 170,expansion source subsystem 194, etc. As another example, one or more of themovement control cavities 153 may be provided with a predetermined quantity of one or more types of fillers when actuating of the portion of the secondmain body 150 is required. As another example, the properties of the filler material housed in one or more of themovement control cavities 153 may be selectively configured to change, such as change in volume (expand and/or contract), stiffen, become more flexible, change from gas to liquid phase (and vice versa), change from liquid to solid phase (and vice versa), change from gas to solid phase (and vice versa), change in pressure, change in temperature, change in shape/size, change in tensile strength, etc. To effect one or more such changes, the one or more fillers may be a material (or combination of materials) selected in such a way that an introduction, application, change, and/or removal of an application, each as applicable, of an electric current, voltage potential, resistance, pressure, temperature, magnetic field, and/or the like, causes one or more of the above-mentioned changes in properties. For example, the filler may be a memory-shaped metal, other material, spring-based or spring-like material, or the like. - In example embodiments, the actuating of the second
main body 150, including the portion of the secondmain body 150 closer to thefirst end 150 a, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be performed and/or controlled by thecontroller 160 and/or an operator/surgeon, either manually and/or via thecontroller 160. Furthermore, the amount of filler, change in quantity of filler, and/or change in properties of the filler in the one or moremovement control cavities 153 may be stored in the computer-readable medium 162. - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that other elements and/or methods for actuating a movement, control, and/or position of a portion of the second
main body 150 and/or other elements of theendoscopic system 100 are contemplated without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 3I , in example embodiments, the secondmain body 150 may further comprise one or moremain cavities 152. Themain cavity 152 may be operable to enable themain body 130 to move with respect to the secondmain body 150, and vice versa. Othermain cavities 152 may be provided in example embodiments having other main bodies, such as one or more intermediate bodies (not shown) between or adjacent to themain body 130 and the secondmain body 130. Furthermore, othermain cavities 152 may be provided in example embodiments having one ormore head assemblies 110′, as illustrated inFIG. 2B . - In example embodiments, the second
main body 150 may further comprise one or more instrument cavities (not shown). Such instrument cavities of the secondmain body 150 may be operable to enable instruments, such asinstrument 112 and/or other instruments (not shown), to move with respect to the secondmain body 150, and/or enable cables (if any) and/or connections (if any) of such instruments to be accessible by the operator/surgeon and/or connected to thecontroller 160 and/or computer-readable medium 162. For example, such instrument cavities of the secondmain body 150 may be operable to enable an instrument to perform a therapeutic/surgical procedure on a portion of an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient that is between thefirst anchor assembly 120 and thesecond anchor assembly 140. - The second
main body 150 may further comprise one or more irrigation cavities (not shown). Such irrigation cavity of the secondmain body 150 may be operable to enable the movement of liquid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient. Such irrigation cavity of the secondmain body 150 may be connected to theirrigation cavity main body 150 may also be connected to theirrigation subsystem 190 in example embodiments. In an example embodiment, such irrigation cavity of the secondmain body 150 may be operable to enable movement of liquid and/or solids into and/or out of the cavity of the patient in an region that is between thefirst anchor assembly 120 and thesecond anchor assembly 140. - In example embodiments, the second
main body 150 may further comprise one or more insufflation/suction cavities (not shown). Such insufflation/suction cavity of the secondmain body 150 may be operable to provide and/or remove a gas (i.e., provide a positive pressure and/or a negative pressure, respectively) for use in performing insufflation or suction of the cavity of the patient. Such insufflation/suction cavity of the secondmain body 150 may or may not be connected to theinsufflation cavity main body 150 may also be connected to theinsufflation subsystem 192, pressure control subsystem, and/or a different subsystem in example embodiments. In an example embodiment, such insufflation/suction cavity of the secondmain body 150 may be operable to provide insufflation and/or suction in an region that is between thefirst anchor assembly 120 and thesecond anchor assembly 140. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 3I , in example embodiments, the secondmain body 150 may further comprise one ormore anchor cavities 154 operable to configure, control, and/or assist in configuring and/or controlling thesecond anchor assembly 140. Theanchor cavity 154 may be operable to provide a gas, liquid, and/or solid, and/or combination thereof, for use in expanding (such as expanding radially from the main body 130) one or more of the thirdexpandable member 142 and the fourthexpandable member 144. Theanchor cavity 154 may be connected to one or more of the thirdexpandable member 142 and the fourthexpandable member 144. Theanchor cavity 154 may also be connected to anexpansion source subsystem 194 in example embodiments. Thesecond anchor assembly 140 will be further described below. - As illustrated in at least
FIG. 3H , in example embodiments, the secondmain body 150 may further comprise one ormore suction cavities 157. Thesuction cavity 157 may be operable to provide a negative pressure (or perform a removal of gas). For example, thesuction cavity 157 may be operable to apply a negative pressure to a region between the third expandable member 142 (when expanded), the fourth expandable member 144 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of thepatient 102, and the secondmain body 150. Thesuction cavity 157 may be connected to thesuction opening 146. Thesuction cavity 157 may also be connected to thepressure control subsystem 170 in example embodiments. Thesuction opening 146 will be further described below. - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the second
main body 150, including one or more of the instrument cavities (not shown),movement control cavities 153, irrigation cavity (not shown),irrigation subsystem 190, insufflation/suction cavity (not shown),insufflation subsystem 192,anchor cavities 154,expansion source subsystem 194,suction cavities 157, andpressure control subsystem 170 may be provided in a configuration that is the same as, similar to, based on, or different from that illustrated in the example embodiment ofFIG. 3I without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Furthermore, one or more of the instrument cavities (not shown),movement control cavities 153, irrigation cavity (not shown),irrigation subsystem 190, insufflation/suction cavity (not shown),insufflation subsystem 192,anchor cavities 154,expansion source subsystem 194,suction cavities 157, andpressure control subsystem 170 may be provided, or not provided, in the secondmain body 150 without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The second
main body 150, and cross-section thereof, may be formed in any one of a plurality of shapes, sizes, and/or dimensions. For example, the secondmain body 150 may be an elongated cylindrical body, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 3 . A cross sectional shape of the secondmain body 150 may also be one or more of a rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, etc., or combination of one or more geometric shapes, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - In an example embodiment wherein the cross-sectional shape of the second
main body 150 is cylindrical in shape with a circular cross-section, an outer diameter of the secondmain body 150 may be between about 6 to 35 mm. The length of the secondmain body 150 may be expanded/contracted between about 50 to 200 cm. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above dimensions are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and as such the dimensions may be smaller or larger than those recited above without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The second
main body 150 may be formed using any one or more of a plurality of materials, such as surgical-grade plastics, rubbers, etc. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that other materials may also be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above materials are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and these and other materials and compositions may be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The Second Anchor Assembly (e.g., Second Anchor Assembly 140)
- A perspective view of an example embodiment of an expanded second anchor assembly 140 (e.g.,
second anchor assembly 140 expanded radially from the second main body 150) is illustrated in at leastFIG. 1 ; a side view of an example embodiment of an expanded second anchor assembly 140 (e.g.,second anchor assembly 140 expanded radially from the second main body 150) is illustrated in at leastFIGS. 2B-C ,FIG. 3A ,FIGS. 3D-E , andFIG. 3G ; and a side view of an example embodiment of an un-expanded second anchor assembly 140 (e.g.,second anchor assembly 140 not expanded radially from the second main body 150) is illustrated in at leastFIGS. 3B-C . Thesecond anchor assembly 140 may be attachable to the secondmain body 150. During diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedures, thesecond anchor assembly 140 may be fixedly attached to the secondmain body 150 near thefirst end 150 a of the secondmain body 150. - The
second anchor assembly 140 may be configurable to perform, among other things, a securing of a position and/or location of the secondmain body 150. In an example embodiment, when theendoscopic system 100 is inserted into the cavity of the patient, as illustrated in at leastFIG. 2C ,FIGS. 3D-E , andFIG. 3G , thesecond anchor assembly 140 may be configurable to secure the secondmain body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. Thesecond anchor assembly 140 may secure the secondmain body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient in one or more of a plurality of ways. In an example embodiment, one or moreexpandable members second anchor assembly 140 may also secure the secondmain body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by applying a negative pressure via one or moresecond suction openings 146. Thesecond anchor assembly 140 may also secure the secondmain body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via one or more surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on a surface, or portion(s) thereof, of one or moreexpandable members second anchor assembly 140 may also secure the secondmain body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient using a magnetic element and corresponding external magnetic element provided outside of the patient. The securing, by thesecond anchor assembly 140, of the secondmain body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient will now be further described below. - The
second anchor assembly 140 may comprise one or moreexpandable members expandable members main body 150 near thefirst end 150 a of the secondmain body 150. In an example embodiment, thesecond anchor assembly 140 may comprise thirdexpandable member 142. As used in the present disclosure, the thirdexpandable member 142 may also be referred to as theexpandable member 142,third balloon 142, and/or the like. Thesecond anchor assembly 140 may further comprise fourthexpandable member 144. The fourthexpandable member 144 may be provided between the thirdexpandable member 142 and thefirst end 150 a of the secondmain body 150. As used in the present disclosure, the fourthexpandable member 144 may also be referred to as theexpandable member 144,fourth balloon 144, and/or the like. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that thesecond anchor assembly 140 may comprise other quantities of expandable members, such as one or more additional expandable members, without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - Each
expandable member expandable member main body 150. - In an example embodiment, each
expandable member expandable member expandable member expandable member expandable member main body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient, the one or moreexpandable members expandable members main body 150 so as to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 20 N. - One or more of the
expandable members expandable members main body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient is desired or required, such surface patterns, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like formed on the surface of one or moreexpandable members main body 150. For example, the surface pattern, roughness, protrusions, and/or the like may provide, or contribute in providing, resistance of a movement of one or more of theexpandable members main body 150 may be operable to withstand a force of at least 0.10 to 30 N. - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the
second anchor assembly 140, including one or more of the third and fourthexpandable members expandable members expandable members expandable members expandable members - In some example embodiments, the
second anchor assembly 140 may comprise one or more expandable members that expand radially away from the secondmain body 150 and in other directions, such as the example illustrated inFIG. 4B . In other example embodiments, such as the example illustrated inFIG. 4A , thesecond anchor assembly 140 may comprise an integrated third and fourthexpandable members FIG. 4C , thesecond anchor assembly 140 may comprise amagnetic element 146′, or the like, operable to secure to a corresponding magnetic element provided outside of the patient. - The
second anchor assembly 140 may further comprise one or moresecond suction openings 146. As used in the present disclosure, the second suction opening 146 may also be referred to as thesuction opening 146. The second suction opening 146 may be formed in one or more of a plurality of shapes and provided in one or more quantities.FIG. 4D illustrates example embodiments of the one or moresecond suction openings 146. During diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedures wherein a securing or anchoring of the secondmain body 150 with respect to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient is desired or required, the one or moresecond suction openings 146 may further improve the securing or anchoring of the secondmain body 150. For example, the second suction opening 146 may be operable to apply a negative pressure to a region between the third expandable member 142 (when expanded), the fourth expandable member 144 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient 104 (as illustrated in at leastFIG. 3E ), and the secondmain body 150. In example embodiments, the second suction opening 146 may be configurable to apply a negative pressure and vary the applied negative pressure between about −10 kPa to vacuum. It is recognized in the present disclosure that such securing or anchoring of the secondmain body 150 with the use of the expanded third and fourthexpandable members second suction openings 146 may provide improved securing or anchoring, and may be operable to withstand a force of at least 0.1 to 40 N. - In example embodiments, the applying of the negative pressure by the second suction opening 146 (i.e., the suctioning or removal of gas from the region between the third expandable member 142 (when expanded), the fourth expandable member 144 (when expanded), the interior wall forming the cavity of the
patient 104, and the second main body 150) may be performed prior to, at the same time as (or correspond with), and/or after the expansion of theexpandable members patient 104, and the second main body 150) may be operable to provide, or contribute in providing, the expanding of one or more of theexpandable members patient 104, and the secondmain body 150 is being suctioned or removed, the said suctioned or removed gas may be provided into one or more of theexpandable members expandable members - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that, in example embodiments wherein the
second anchor assembly 140 comprises more than two expandable members, thesecond suction openings 146 may be provided between some or all of the expandable members. For example, if thesecond anchor assembly 140 comprises three expandable members, thensecond suction openings 146 may be provided between each of the three expandable members. - Each
expandable member expandable members expandable members - In an example embodiment wherein the cross-sectional shape of the
expandable members expandable members expandable members main body 150 may be between about 0.05 to 50 mm. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that the above dimensions are merely an illustration of example embodiments, and as such the dimensions may be smaller or larger than those recited above without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. - The
expandable members expandable members expandable member - The Controller (e.g., Controller 160)
- As illustrated in at least
FIG. 6 ,FIG. 7A , andFIG. 7B , an example embodiment of theendoscopic device 100 may include a controller system (e.g., controller 160). Thecontroller 160 may be provided and configured in one or more of a plurality of ways. For example, thecontroller 160 may be housed, in whole or in part, in one or more portions of theendoscopic system 100, such as thehead assembly 110,main body 130, and/or secondmain body 150, and/or provided atsecond end 150 b. Thecontroller 160 may comprise logic stored in non-transitory computer readable medium which, when executed by a processor associated or in communication with thecontroller 160, may be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications (such as monitoring and/or controlling) with one or more elements of theendoscopic device 100. Thecontroller 160 may also be operable to, wirelessly or via wires, receive commands and/or interactions from an operator (such as a surgeon) and respond by performing said one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with one or more elements of theendoscopic device 100. - The
controller 160 may be any apparatus, device, processor, or the like, or combination thereof, operable to communicate (including monitor and/or control), wirelessly or via wires, with one or more elements ofendoscopic system 100 including, but not limited to, thehead assembly 110,first end portion 110 a,second end portion 110 b,image capturing assembly 111,instrument assembly 112,movement control cavity 113,irrigation cavity 114,insufflation cavity 115,first anchor assembly 120, secondexpandable member 122, firstexpandable member 124,first suction opening 126,main body 130,first end 130 a,second end 130 b,movement control cavity 133,irrigation cavity 134,insufflation cavity 135,anchor cavities 136,suction cavity 137,second anchor assembly 140, fourthexpandable member 142, thirdexpandable member 144, second suction opening 146, secondmain body 150,first end 150 a,second end 150 b,main cavity 152,movement control cavity 153,anchor cavities 154,suction cavity 157,pressure control subsystem 170,power source 180,irrigation subsystem 190,insufflation subsystem 192,expansion source subsystem 194, and/or other processors, computing devices, and/or controllers (not shown). - As illustrated in
FIGS. 6, 7A, and 7B , an example embodiment of thecontroller 160 may comprise a first controller (e.g., main body controller) 160 a for use in performing one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with those elements of and/or associated with the firstmain body 130 and a second controller (e.g., second main body controller) 160 b for use in performing one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with those elements of and/or associated with the secondmain body 150. Although the figures may illustrate thecontroller 160 comprisingfirst controller 160 a andsecond controller 160 b, it is to be understood in the present disclosure that thecontroller 160 may comprise more or less subsystems without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. It is also to be understood in the present disclosure that the actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications of thefirst controller 160 a need not be limited to only those elements of and/or associated with the firstmain body 130. For example, thefirst controller 160 a may also be for use in performing actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with elements of and/or associated with the secondmain body 150 in example embodiments. Likewise, it is to be understood in the present disclosure that the actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications of thesecond controller 160 a need not be limited to only those elements of and/or associated with the secondmain body 150. For example, thesecond controller 160 b may also be for use in performing actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with elements of and/or associated with the firstmain body 130 in example embodiments. - The First Controller (e.g.,
First Controller 160 a) - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a forward movement of the firstmain body 130. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 161 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to advance the firstmain body 130 forward relative to (or away from) thesecond controller 160 b (and/or secondmain body 150 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b). In this regard, thesecond controller 160 b (and/or secondmain body 150 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as viasecond anchor assembly 140, an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable the firstmain body 130 to be advanced inward/forward. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a backward movement of the firstmain body 130. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 161 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to move the firstmain body 130 towards the secondmain body 150. In this regard, thesecond controller 160 b (and/or secondmain body 150 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as viasecond anchor assembly 140, an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed). - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an actuating (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc.) of the first main body 130 (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc. of thefirst end portion 130 a) in one or more of a plurality of directions. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 161 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the firstmain body 130 to actuate as desired by the operator. In this regard, thepressure control subsystem 170,expansion source subsystem 194, and/or the like, associated with or connected to the one or moremovement control cavities 133 of the firstmain body 130, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 161 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as buttons, joysticks, thumbsticks, touchpad, or the like of thefirst controller 160 a) so as to enable the firstmain body 130 to actuate as desired. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an expanding and/or contracting of thefirst anchor assembly 120. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 165 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be controlled by an operator so as to enable thefirst anchor assembly 120 to expand and/or contract as desired by the operator. In this regard,expansion source subsystem 194, and/or the like, associated with or connected to thefirst anchor assembly 120 of the firstmain body 130, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 165 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) so as to enable thefirst anchor assembly 120 to expand and/or contract as desired. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an expanding and/or contracting of one or more of the secondexpandable member 122 and firstexpandable member 124. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 165 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be controlled by an operator so as to enable one or more of the secondexpandable member 122 and firstexpandable member 124 to expand and/or contract as desired by the operator. In this regard,expansion source subsystem 194, and/or the like, associated with or connected to one or more of the secondexpandable member 122 and firstexpandable member 124, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 165 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) so as to enable one or more of the secondexpandable member 122 and firstexpandable member 124 to expand and/or contract as desired. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an applying and/or not applying of a suctioning (or applying negative pressure) via first suction opening(s) 126. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 166 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the first suction opening(s) 126 to apply a suction (or negative pressure) and/or not apply a suction (no pressure or positive pressure) as desired by the operator. In this regard,pressure control subsystem 170, and/or the like, associated with or connected to the first suction opening(s) 126 of the firstmain body 130, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 166 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) so as to enable the first suction opening(s) 126 to apply and/or not apply suction as desired. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that thefirst controller 160 a may be operable to control the expanding and contracting of the first anchor assembly 120 (and/or each of the first and secondexpandable members 124, 122) at the same time as the applying and not applying of the suctioning by the first suction opening(s) 126, respectively (e.g., using a single control, interaction, action, and/or command to perform both). For example, when thefirst anchor assembly 120 is controlled to expand, the first suction opening(s) 126 may be controlled to apply a suction. Similarly, when thefirst anchor assembly 120 is controlled to contract, the first suction opening(s) 126 may be controlled to not apply a suction. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a forward movement of thehead assembly 110. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 163 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to advance thehead assembly 110 forward relative to the firstmain body 130. In this regard, the firstmain body 130 may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as viafirst anchor assembly 120,second anchor assembly 140, an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable thehead assembly 110 to be advanced forward. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a backward movement of thehead assembly 110. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 163 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to move thehead assembly 110 backwardly (i.e., towards the first main body 130). In this regard, the firstmain body 130 may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as viafirst anchor assembly 120,second anchor assembly 140, an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable thehead assembly 110 to be pulled backwardly (i.e., towards the first main body 130). - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an actuating (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc.) of the head assembly 110 (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc. of thesecond end portion 110 b) in one or more of a plurality of directions. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 163 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be controlled by an operator so as to enable thehead assembly 110 to actuate as desired by the operator. In this regard, thepressure control subsystem 170,expansion source subsystem 194, and/or the like, associated with or connected to the one or moremovement control cavities 113 of thehead assembly 110, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 163 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) so as to enable thehead assembly 110 to actuate as desired. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a forward movement of theinstrument assembly 112. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 164 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to advance theinstrument assembly 112 away from the head assembly 110 (such as via the instrument cavity 131). In this regard, thehead assembly 110 may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as viafirst anchor assembly 120,second anchor assembly 140, an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable theinstrument assembly 112 to be advanced forward. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a backward movement of theinstrument assembly 112. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 164 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to move the instrument assembly 112 (i.e., towards the head assembly 110). In this regard, thehead assembly 110 may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as viafirst anchor assembly 120,second anchor assembly 140, an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable theinstrument assembly 112 to be pulled backwardly (i.e., towards the head assembly 110). - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an operating the instrument assembly 112 (such as performing a cutting and/or gripping action when in operation). For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 164 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to perform an action (such as a cutting, gripping, etc.) using the instrument assembly 112 (such as via the instrument cavity 131). - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a recording, image capturing, zooming, and/or panning operations of theimage capturing assembly 111. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 169 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to perform an action (such as a recording, image capturing, zooming, panning, illuminating, etc.) using theimage capturing assembly 111 via theimage capturing cavity 131. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may also be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an enabling movement of solids and/or liquids by theirrigation cavity 134. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 168 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to enable a movement of solids and/or liquids using theirrigation cavity 134 via theirrigation cavity 114 andirrigation system 190. - In an example embodiment, the
first controller 160 a may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an enabling insufflation by theinsufflation cavity 135. For example, thefirst controller 160 a and/or an element (e.g., 167 a) associated with thefirst controller 160 a (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be interacted with so as to enable an insufflation of a cavity of the patient using theinsufflation cavity 135 via theinsufflation cavity 115 andinsufflation system 192. - The Second Controller (e.g.,
Second Controller 160 b) - In respect to the
second controller 160 b, in an example embodiment, thesecond controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a forward movement of the secondmain body 150. For example, thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 161 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be interacted with so as to advance the secondmain body 150 forward relative to (or towards) thefirst controller 160 a (and/or firstmain body 130 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a). In this regard, thefirst controller 160 a (and/or firstmain body 130 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as viafirst anchor assembly 120, an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed) so as to enable the secondmain body 150 to be advanced inward/forward. - In an example embodiment, the
second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, a backward movement of the secondmain body 150. For example, thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 161 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be interacted with so as to move the secondmain body 150 away from the firstmain body 130. In this regard, thefirst controller 160 a (and/or firstmain body 130 and/or external body, gripping portion, etc. of thefirst controller 160 a) may be secured and/or anchored in place (such as viafirst anchor assembly 120, an anchoring tool (not shown), and/or an operator) relative to the patient (and/or surgical bed). - In an example embodiment, the
second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an actuating (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc.) of the second main body 150 (such as a bending, straightening, turning, pivoting, twisting, moving, etc. of thefirst end portion 150 a) in one or more of a plurality of directions. For example, thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 161 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the secondmain body 150 to actuate as desired by the operator. In this regard, thepressure control subsystem 170,expansion source subsystem 194, and/or the like, associated with or connected to the one or moremovement control cavities 153 of the secondmain body 150, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 161 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) so as to enable the secondmain body 150 to actuate as desired. - In an example embodiment, the
second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an expanding and/or contracting of thesecond anchor assembly 140. For example, thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 165 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be controlled by an operator so as to enable thesecond anchor assembly 140 to expand and/or contract as desired by the operator. In this regard,expansion source subsystem 194, and/or the like, associated with or connected to thesecond anchor assembly 140 of the secondmain body 150, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 165 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) so as to enable thesecond anchor assembly 140 to expand and/or contract as desired. - In an example embodiment, the
second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an expanding and/or contracting of one or more of the fourthexpandable member 142 and thirdexpandable member 144. For example, thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 165 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be controlled by an operator so as to enable one or more of the fourthexpandable member 142 and thirdexpandable member 144 to expand and/or contract as desired by the operator. In this regard,expansion source subsystem 194, and/or the like, associated with or connected to one or more of the fourthexpandable member 142 and thirdexpandable member 144, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 165 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) so as to enable one or more of the fourthexpandable member 142 and thirdexpandable member 144 to expand and/or contract as desired. - In an example embodiment, the
second controller 160 b may be operable to control, either through automatic control by a processor and/or manual control by an operator, an applying or not applying of a suctioning (or applying negative pressure) via second suction opening(s) 146. For example, thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 166 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be controlled by an operator so as to enable the second suction opening(s) 146 to apply a suction (or negative pressure) and/or not apply a suction (no pressure or positive pressure) as desired by the operator. In this regard,pressure control subsystem 170, and/or the like, associated with or connected to the second suction opening(s) 146 of the secondmain body 150, as described above and in the present disclosure, may be controllable by thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (e.g., 166 b) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) so as to enable the second suction opening(s) 146 to apply and/or not apply suction as desired. It is to be understood in the present disclosure that thesecond controller 160 b may be operable to control the expanding and contracting of the second anchor assembly 140 (and/or each of the third and fourthexpandable members 144, 142) at the same time as the applying and not applying of the suctioning by the second suction opening(s) 146, respectively (e.g., using a single control, interaction, action, and/or command to perform both). For example, when thesecond anchor assembly 140 is controlled to expand, the second suction opening(s) 146 may be controlled to apply a suction. Similarly, when thesecond anchor assembly 140 is controlled to contract, the second suction opening(s) 146 may be controlled to not apply a suction. - In embodiments wherein a
second instrument assembly 110′ (as illustrated inFIG. 2B ) is provided, thesecond controller 160 b and/or an element (not shown) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with or using thesecond instrument assembly 110′ in a similar or substantially the same manner as described above for theinstrument assembly 110. In embodiments wherein a second image capturing assembly (not shown) for capturing images between the first andsecond anchor assemblies second controller 160 b and/or an element (not shown) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may also be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with or using the second image capturing assembly in a similar or substantially the same manner as described above for theimage capturing assembly 111. In embodiments wherein a second irrigation cavity (not shown) for enabling movement of solids and/or liquids between the area between the first andsecond anchor assemblies second controller 160 b and/or an element (not shown) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may also be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with or using the second irrigation cavity in a similar or substantially the same manner as described above for theirrigation cavity 134. In embodiments wherein a second insufflation cavity (not shown) for providing insufflation to the area between the first andsecond anchor assemblies second controller 160 b and/or an element (not shown) associated with thesecond controller 160 b (such as a button, joystick, thumbstick, touchpad, motion control, voice control, accelerometer, haptic feedback, or the like, or physical elements such as an external body, gripping portion, etc. of thesecond controller 160 b) may be operable to perform one or more actions, operations, configurations, and/or communications with or using the second insufflation cavity in a similar or substantially the same manner as described above for theinsufflation cavity 135. - Method of Configuring the Endoscopic Device (e.g., Method 500)
- Example embodiments of the
endoscopic device 100 may be configurable to perform diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical actions and/or procedures in one of a plurality of ways. In an example embodiment, as illustrated inFIG. 5 , a method 500 of performing and/or configuring aendoscopic system 100 to perform a diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical action and/or procedure in a cavity of a patient may comprise one or more of the actions described below. The one or more actions may be performed using an example embodiment ofcontroller 160,first controller 160 a, and/orsecond controller 160 b. - In an example embodiment, the method 500 may comprise providing an endoscopic system (e.g., action 502). The endoscopic device provided may include one or more elements of the
endoscopic device 100 described above and in the present disclosure. In an example embodiment, the provided endoscopic device may comprise a first main body. The first main body may be an elongated body having a first end. The provided endoscopic device may further comprise a second main body. The second main body may have a first end and a main cavity. The main cavity may house at least a portion of the first main body. The first main body and second main body may be slidable with respect to each other. The provided endoscopic device may further comprise an anchor assembly attached to the first main body near the first end of the first main body. The anchor assembly may comprise a first expandable member. The first expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the first main body. The anchor assembly may further comprise a second expandable member provided between the first expandable member and the first end of the first main body. The second expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the first main body. The provided endoscopic device may further comprise a second anchor assembly attached to the second main body near the first end of the second main body. The second anchor assembly may comprise a third expandable member. The third expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the second main body. The second anchor assembly may further comprise a fourth expandable member provided between the third expandable member and the first end of the second main body. The fourth expandable member may be configurable to expand radially away from the second main body. The provided endoscopic device may further comprise a head assembly. The head assembly may comprise a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. The first end portion may be attachable to the first end of the first main body. The second end portion may be selectively configurable to actuate in a plurality of directions with respect to the first end portion. The head assembly may further comprise an image capturing assembly provided in the second end portion. The image capturing assembly may be configurable to capture an image. The head assembly may further comprise an instrument section provided in the second end portion. The instrument section may be configurable to provide an instrument. The instrument may comprise at least two degrees of freedom of movement for performing an in vivo procedure in the cavity of the patient. The endoscopic system may further comprise a controller. - The method 500 may further comprise advancing a head assembly of the endoscopic system through the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 504). In this regard, the first end portion of the head assembly may be fixedly attached to the first end of the first main body. Furthermore, at least a portion of the first main body may be housed in the main cavity of the second main body. The head assembly may be advanced via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- The method 500 may further comprise identifying, via an image captured by an image capturing assembly of the endoscopic system, a direction of the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 506). For example, as illustrated in
FIG. 3D , the image captured by the image capturing assembly may identify that an upcoming section or region of the cavity of the patient includes a bend. The identifying, via the image capturing assembly, of the direction of the cavity of the patient may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure. - The method 500 may further comprise advancing the head assembly along the identified direction of the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 508). For example, the head assembly may continue to move forward in a straight or relatively straight region of the cavity of the patient. The head assembly may be advanced via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- The method 500 may further comprise, when a bend section (such as a flexural and/or looping/bending section of a colon) in the cavity of the patient is identified, actuating, at the bend section in the cavity of the patient, the direction of a second end portion of the head assembly based on the identified direction of the bend section in the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 510). For example, as illustrated in
FIG. 3D , when a bend in the cavity of the patient is identified (e.g., action 506), the second end portion (i.e., tip) of the head assembly may be actuated to move forward (and/or extend outwardly) and also bend based on the identified direction of the bend section in the cavity of the patient. The actuating the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure. - The method 500 may further comprise, when a bend section in the cavity, such as a colonic lumen, of the patient is identified, advancing the head assembly through the bend section (e.g., action 512). The head assembly may be advanced through the bend section via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- The method 500 may further comprise, when a bend section in the cavity of the patient is identified, actuating, after advancing through the bend section, the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly based on a direction of the cavity of the patient identified after the bend section (e.g., action 514). For example, as illustrated in
FIG. 3E , after passing through the bend section of the cavity of the patient, the second end portion of the head assembly may be straightened (or adjusted) based on the direction of the cavity after the bend section (which can be identified based on another image captured by the image capturing assembly). The actuating the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure. - The method 500 may further comprise, prior to the actuating, at the bend section, of the direction of the second end portion of the head assembly, securing the second main body to an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the third expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient, and expanding the fourth expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 516). For example, as illustrated in
FIG. 3D , the second main body may be secured to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the second anchor assembly to secure or anchor to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. The securing of the second main body may also be provided using the second suction opening (i.e., applying a negative pressure) and/or the surface pattern, roughness, and/or protrusion (if provided) of the surface of the third and fourth expansion members of the second anchor assembly. The securing the second main body to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via expanding the third expandable member and fourth expandable member may be performed via the controller, such as the second controller described above and in the present disclosure. - The method 500 may further comprise securing the first main body to an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the first expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient and expanding the second expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 518). For example, as illustrated in
FIG. 3D , the main body may be secured to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the anchor assembly to secure or anchor to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. The securing of the main body may also be provided using the suction opening (i.e., applying a negative pressure) and/or the surface pattern, roughness, and/or protrusion (if provided) of the surface of the first and second expansion members of the anchor assembly. After the head assembly is advanced through the bend section, the first main body may be unsecured or unanchored from the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. This may be achieved by un-expanding (or contracting) the first and second expandable members of the first anchor assembly, and may also include not applying a negative pressure by the suction opening. Thereafter, the first main body may also be advanced through the bend section by actuating the direction of the first main body based on the direction of the bend in the cavity of the patient. The securing the first main body to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via expanding the first expandable member and second expandable member may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure. - The method 500 may further comprise advancing the second main body through the bend section towards the head assembly, the advancing of the second main body operable to reduce the bending of the bend section in the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 520). Before doing so, as illustrated in
FIG. 3F , the main body may be secured to the interior wall (after the bend) forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the anchor assembly to secure or anchor to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. The securing of the main body may also be provided using the suction opening (i.e., applying a negative pressure) and/or the surface pattern, roughness, and/or protrusion (if provided) of the surface of the first and second expansion members of the anchor assembly. Thereafter, the second main body may be unsecured or unanchored from the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. This may be achieved by un-expanding (or contracting) the third and fourth expandable members of the second anchor assembly, and may also include not applying a negative pressure by the second suction opening. Once completed, the second main body may also be advanced through the bend section by actuating the direction of the second main body based on the direction of the bend in the cavity of the patient, as illustrated inFIG. 3F . The advancing of the second main body may be performed via the controller, such as the second controller described above and in the present disclosure. The securing and unsecuring of the main body to the interior wall may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure. - In example embodiments, the identified bend section in the cavity of the patient may be straightened (or made less looping/bending) by actuating the direction of the second main body, as illustrated in
FIG. 3G . It is recognized in the present disclosure that such straightening of a bend section in the cavity of the patient may enable easier, quicker, and/or more efficient advancing of the endoscopic system into the remaining sections of the cavity of the patient. Furthermore, it is recognized in the present disclosure that such straightening of the bend section in the cavity, such as the colonic lumen, of the patient also enables easier, quicker, and/or more efficient removal, extraction, and/or retracting of the endoscopic system from the cavity of the patient after completing the diagnostic and/or therapeutic/surgical procedure. The actuating of the direction of the second main body to straighten the identified bend section in the cavity of the patient may be performed via the controller, such as the second controller described above and in the present disclosure. - The method 500 may further comprise identifying, via the image captured by the image capturing assembly, a location in the cavity of the patient for the instrument to perform the procedure (e.g., action 522). The identifying, via the image capturing assembly, of the location in the cavity of the patient for the instrument to perform the procedure may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure.
- The method 500 may further comprise securing the first main body to an interior wall forming the cavity of the patient by expanding the first expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient and expanding the second expandable member to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient (e.g., action 524), as illustrated in
FIG. 2C . In this regard, the third expandable member and/or the fourth expandable member may also be expanded to contact the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient. The securing of the first main body to the interior wall forming the cavity of the patient via expanding the first expandable member may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure. - The method 500 may further comprise actuating the instrument to perform the procedure based on the image captured by the image capturing assembly (e.g., action 526), as illustrated in
FIG. 2C . The actuating of the instrument may be performed via the controller, such as the first controller described above and in the present disclosure. - It is to be understood in the present disclosure that one or more of the aforementioned actions of method 500 may be performed manually, either in whole or in part, by an operator/surgeon and/or assisted by the
controller 160 in example embodiments. - While various embodiments in accordance with the disclosed principles have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and are not limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the example embodiments described in the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the claims and their equivalents issuing from this disclosure. Furthermore, the above advantages and features are provided in described embodiments, but shall not limit the application of such issued claims to processes and structures accomplishing any or all of the above advantages.
- For example, “assembly,” “device,” “portion,” “segment,” “member,” “body,” or other similar terms should generally be construed broadly to include one part or more than one part attached or connected together.
- Various terms used herein have special meanings within the present technical field. Whether a particular term should be construed as such a “term of art” depends on the context in which that term is used. “Connected,” “connecting,” “attached,” “attaching,” “anchored,” “anchoring,” “in communication with,” “communicating with,” “associated with,” “associating with,” or other similar terms should generally be construed broadly to include situations where attachments, connections, and anchoring are direct between referenced elements or through one or more intermediaries between the referenced elements. These and other terms are to be construed in light of the context in which they are used in the present disclosure and as one of ordinary skill in the art would understand those terms in the disclosed context. The above definitions are not exclusive of other meanings that might be imparted to those terms based on the disclosed context.
- As referred to in the present disclosure, a computing device, a processor, and/or a system may be a virtual machine, computer, node, instance, host, and/or device in a networked or non-networked computing environment. A networked computing environment may be a collection of devices connected by communication channels that facilitate communications between devices and allow devices to share resources. Also as referred to in the present disclosure, a computing device may be a device deployed to execute a program operating as a socket listener and may include software instances.
- Resources may encompass any type of resource for running instances including hardware (such as servers, clients, mainframe computers, networks, network storage, data sources, memory, central processing unit time, scientific instruments, and other computing devices), as well as software, software licenses, available network services, and other non-hardware resources, or a combination thereof.
- A networked computing environment may include, but is not limited to, computing grid systems, distributed computing environments, cloud computing environment, etc. Such networked computing environments include hardware and software infrastructures configured to form a virtual organization comprised of multiple resources that may be in geographically disperse locations.
- Furthermore, the coverage of the present application and any patents issuing from the present application may extend to one or more communications protocols, including TCP/IP.
- Words of comparison, measurement, and timing such as “at the time,” “equivalent,” “during,” “complete,” and the like should be understood to mean “substantially at the time,” “substantially equivalent,” “substantially during,” “substantially complete,” etc., where “substantially” means that such comparisons, measurements, and timings are practicable to accomplish the implicitly or expressly stated desired result.
- Additionally, the section headings herein are provided for consistency with the suggestions under 37 C.F.R. 1.77 or otherwise to provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set out in any claims that may issue from this disclosure. Specifically, a description of a technology in the “Background” is not to be construed as an admission that technology is prior art to any invention(s) in this disclosure. Furthermore, any reference in this disclosure to “invention” in the singular should not be used to argue that there is only a single point of novelty in this disclosure. Multiple inventions may be set forth according to the limitations of the multiple claims issuing from this disclosure, and such claims accordingly define the invention(s), and their equivalents, that are protected thereby. In all instances, the scope of such claims shall be considered on their own merits in light of this disclosure, but should not be constrained by the headings herein.
Claims (28)
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GB201807018D0 (en) | 2018-06-13 |
WO2017054372A1 (en) | 2017-04-06 |
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