Combined endoscope and surgical instrument guide device

An apparatus includes an endoscope and a surgical instrument guide device. An elongated surgical instrument is allowed to insert through a working channel of the endoscope to cooperate with a processor module of the endoscope. The surgical instrument guide device includes a base member, an adjustment member, a catch, a cap member, fasteners, and a tubing. Pegs of the catch are fitted in positioning holes of the base member. A tube of the endoscope is inserted through the tubing of the surgical instrument guide device so as to dispose in close proximity to a target.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to endoscopes and more particularly to a combined endoscope and surgical instrument guide device.

2. Description of Related Art

Epidural or extradural hematoma is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in which a buildup of blood occurs between the dura mater (the tough outer membrane of the central nervous system) and the skull. Often due to trauma, the condition is potentially deadly because the buildup of blood may increase pressure in the intracranial space and compress delicate brain tissue. Between 15 and 20% of epidural hematomas are fatal. For treating intracranial hematomas, a surgery may be performed to remove the blood mass and reduce the pressure it puts on the brain. The hematoma is evacuated through a burr hole or craniotomy.

There is a prior art endoscopic working channel for use in intracranial surgery. The endoscopic working channel comprises an inner solid tube and an outer tube. For removing intracranial hematomas, the endoscopic working channel is required to temporarily insert into the brain. Next, the inner tube is removed with the outer tube remained inside the skull during an endoscopy. However, the front end of the prior art endoscopic working channel is not capable of pivoting toward any one of north, east, south and west directions. Further, no medical instruments are allowed to insert into the endoscopic working channel.

There is a conventional surgical instrument guide device comprises a hollow base, a universal joint pivotably disposed in the base, an adjustment member through the universal joint, a catch provided within the base and contacted the universal joint, a cover having a hole, the cover being urged against the catch, and a support for stably holding the base on the skull. In a surgical operation, a medical employee may position a medical instrument using the surgical instrument guide device. Next, the medical employee may orient the medical instrument using an auxiliary device. Finally, the surgical instrument guide device is removed. As a result, the medical instrument is held in place.

A dentist may diagnose oral cavity of a patient using an intraoral camera in order to examine the conditions. The intraoral camera is a digital camera which is in data communication with a computer. Thus, a dentist may watch a monitor of the computer in order to find a solution to the patient's oral diseases. However, the front end of the conventional intraoral camera is not capable of pivoting toward any one of north, east, south and west directions. Further, the intraoral camera is not allowed to cooperate with any medical instruments.

Notwithstanding the prior art, the invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an endoscope comprising an elongated flexible tube; a housing integrally formed with a rear end of the tube and including a space; a working channel extending through both the tube and the housing; a tunnel extending from the space to a front end of the tube; a plurality of buttons disposed on the housing; a processor module disposed in both the space and the tunnel; and an electronic visual display disposed on top of the housing; wherein an elongated surgical instrument is allowed to insert through the working channel to cooperate with the processor module so that a clear image of a target can be taken by the processor module.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus comprising an endoscope comprising an elongated flexible tube; a housing integrally formed with a rear end of the tube and including a space; a working channel extending through both the tube and the housing; a tunnel extending from the space to a front end of the tube; a plurality of buttons disposed on the housing; a processor module disposed in both the space and the tunnel; and an electronic visual display disposed on top of the housing; and a surgical instrument guide device for temporarily securing the endoscope to an organ of a patient; wherein an elongated surgical instrument is allowed to insert through the working channel to cooperate with the processor module so that a clear image of a target within the organ can be taken by the processor module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 7, a combined endoscope and surgical instrument guide device in accordance with the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below.

An endoscope1is portable and comprises an elongated flexible tube10, a housing11integrally formed with a rear end of the tube10and including a space111, a hand grip12extending downward from the housing11, a working channel13extending through both the tube10and the housing11, a tunnel14extending from the space111to a front end of the tube10, an electronic visual display (e.g., liquid crystal display (LCD))15disposed on top of the housing11, and a plurality of buttons16disposed on the housing11and in front of the display15.

A processor module18is disposed in both the space111and the tunnel14and comprises a light source (e.g., light-emitting diode (LED))181disposed in the front end of the tunnel14, a lens182disposed adjacent to the light source181, an electronic image sensor183for recording images of a target (e.g., extradural hematoma)5, the electronic image sensor183being implemented as charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), an image processing unit184disposed in the space111, a switching member185disposed on the housing11and electrically connected to an external power source (not shown), and a mass storage unit (i.e., memory)186being a semiconductor memory (e.g., flash memory such as CompactFlash card, SmartMedia memory card, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital (SD) card), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or static random access memory (SRAM).

In an alternative embodiment, the processor module18is powered by an embedded battery so that the endoscope1can be made portable.

The buttons16are connected to one ends of first, second, third, and fourth wires171,172,173, and174respectively. The first, second, third, and fourth wires171,172,173, and174are adapted to slide by pressing the buttons16and equally spaced through an inner surface of the tube10. The other ends of the first, second, third, and fourth wires171,172,173, and174are secured to the front end of the tube10.

A surgical instrument guide device2comprises a base member21, an adjustment member22, a catch23, a cap member24, three screws25, and a tubing26. The base member21is a hollow, shallow cylinder and comprises a center hole211through the bottom, a threaded inner surface212, three through holes213through the bottom and equally spaced around the center hole211, three positioning holes214in the bottom and equally spaced around the center hole211, and three holed legs215extending downward from the underside, the holed legs215being cylindrical and communicating with the through holes213.

The elongated, hollow, cylindrical adjustment member22comprises a universal joint221at one end, a lower portion of the universal joint221being pivotably disposed in a half-spherical mouth at the top end of the center hole211, a cylindrical shank222, and a channel223through the shank222.

The catch23is a hollow, shallow cylinder and comprises a central hole231through the bottom, and three pegs232on the underside being equally spaced around the central hole231. The pegs232are fitted in the positioning holes214. The curved surface of the central hole231is fastened by an upper portion of the universal joint221. Thus, the catch23is fastened. Also, the universal joint221is held in place.

The cap member24is shaped as a nut and comprises a longitudinal through hole241and a threaded shank242secured to the threaded inner surface212to fasten the catch23in a lower portion of the through hole241. And in turn, the universal joint221is fastened by the catch23. As such, the adjustment member22is anchored. The shank222of the adjustment member22extends out of the through hole241. The three screws25are disposed through the through holes213and legs215into the skull3to secure the surgical instrument guide device2to the skull3. The tubing26comprises an enlarged head261and a longitudinal through hole262. The tubing26is disposed in the channel223to have its head261rested upon the annually flanged top of the shank222.

As shown inFIGS. 5 and 7, an endoscopy is illustrated in a preferred embodiment of the invention. The endoscope1is disposed through the surgical instrument guide device2, the bottom of the surgical instrument guide device2is threadedly secured to the skull3, and the front end of the tube10is inserted through a hole31of the skull3and a cranial cavity to contact an extradural hematoma5. A medical employee (e.g., physician) may then activate the processor module18by pressing the switching member185to turn on the light source181and other components of the processor module18. And in turn, light rays emitted by the light source181may impinge on the extradural hematoma5(i.e., focusing). The physician may press one or more of the first, second, third, and fourth wires171,172,173, and174to pivot the front end of the tube10(i.e., the light source181) until the extradural hematoma5is focused if the extradural hematoma5was not focused. Next, the physician may insert an elongated surgical instrument (e.g., electrical burning knife, sucking tube, or the like)6through the working channel13of the endoscope1to contact the extradural hematoma5. The lens182can take a video image of the extradural hematoma5. The image sensor183can record the images of the extradural hematoma5taken by the lens182. The image processing unit184can process the recorded images into digital images to be shown on the display15. Thus, the physician can manipulate the surgical instrument6by closely watching enlarged images of the extradural hematoma5shown on the display15. As a result, the extradural hematoma5can be successfully removed out of the brain. It is noted that the digital images of the extradural hematoma5can be stored in the mass storage unit186for future reference.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the surgical instrument guide device2can be eliminated from the operation if the target of a patient is throat, oral cavity, or the like. Detailed description of the operation is omitted herein because it is substantially the same as that described in above paragraph.