BIOLOGICAL NAVIGATION DEVICE
A biological navigation device that can be attached or integrated with an elongated element, such as a colonoscope, is disclosed. The device can be used for navigation through a biological lumen. The device can have an everting tube controllably tearable substantially in the direction of the long axis of the device. The elongated element can be deployed through a channel formed in the inner virtual space of the channel extending along the long axis.
1 . A device for navigation through a biological lumen comprising:
a first everting tube having a long axis, wherein the first everting tube comprises a tube wall, and wherein the tube wall is controllably tearable substantially in the direction of the long axis; and
a channel configured to receive a tool, wherein the channel extends along the long axis.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the channel is formed by the inside of the first everting tube.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the channel is a virtual space.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a seam is formed in the first everting tube, and wherein the controllable tear follows the seam.
5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the seam comprises perforations.
6 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a second everting tube, and wherein the first everting tube is inside the second everting tube
7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the second everting tube is configured to be pressurized.
8 . A device for navigation through a biological lumen comprising:
an everting tube having an inside and an outside; and
a conduit having a channel formed within the conduit, and wherein the channel is configured to receive a tool for use in the biological lumen, and wherein the conduit is configured to releasably attach to the tool, and wherein the conduit is on the outside of the everting tube.
9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the conduit is resilient.
10 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the conduit is attached to the outside of the everting tube, along a long axis of the everting tube.
11 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the conduit comprises a male standoff geometry.
12 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the conduit comprises an extruded configuration integral with the everting tube.
13 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the conduit, comprises two opposed and offset fingers, wherein the at least two fingers are resilient, and wherein the fingers are configured to resiliently deform to allow the egress of the tool out of the channel.
14 . A device for navigation through a biological lumen comprising:
an everting tube having an inside and an outside;
a first conduit having a sidewall, wherein the first conduit is fixed to the outside of the everting tube along the long axis of the everting tube, and wherein the first conduit comprises an open slot along a length of the sidewall, and wherein the open slot is substantially parallel with the long axis of the first conduit, and wherein the first conduit is configured to releasably attach to a tool for use in the biological lumen.
15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the open slot is configured to release the tool from attachment to the first conduit.
16 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the first conduit is integral with the everting tube.
17 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the first conduit further comprises a male configuration integral fixed to the sidewall, wherein the male configuration is substantially along the long axis of the sidewall, and wherein a length of the male configuration is configured to engage a length of the first conduit.
18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein a length of the male configuration is configured to engage the length of the first conduit through the open slot.
19 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the sidewall is resilient.