Patent ID: 11957319
Assignee: VERATHON INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A bronchoscope, comprising:
a handle; and
an insertion tube having a proximal section adjacent the handle and a distal tip, the insertion tube comprising:
an ultrasound transducer assembly installed within the distal tip, the ultrasound transducer assembly including:
an ultrasound transducer array,
integrated signal processing electronics for the ultrasound transducer array, wherein the integrated signal processing electronics include an analog front end configured to adjust a carrier frequency, acoustic intensity, pulse repeating frequency, signal bias, and gain level of ultrasound signals, and
a flexible interconnection that provides wired connections between the ultrasound transducer array and the analog front end,

an imaging lumen including one or more power cables and one or more communication wires that extend from the ultrasound transducer assembly through the proximal section,
a working channel that is separate from the imaging lumen, and
an inflatable balloon secured over the ultrasound transducer array,

wherein the handle and the insertion tube, with the inflatable balloon secured over the ultrasound transducer array, are enclosed together in a sterile package.