Covering for a medical scoping device

1. A method of endoscopic visualization of a bowel and/or small intestine, the method comprising:

inserting a medical scoping device shaft having an air suction conduit for removing air from a body passage into the bowel or small intestine of a patient under investigation, the medical scoping device further comprising a cover releasably attached to the medical scoping device shaft and covering at least a part of the shaft at its distal end, wherein the cover includes a member having an inner surface for gripping the shaft and an outer surface from which a plurality of projecting elements project radially outwardly;

advancing the medical scoping device in the direction of its distal end within the patient's bowel or small intestine, wherein the projecting elements deflect to a first radially inward position to facilitate advancing the medical scoping device;

partially withdrawing the medical scoping device toward its proximal end, such withdrawal causing the projecting elements to deflect to a second radially outward position in which at least some tips of the projecting elements extend distally further than a distal end of the cover and the distal end of the medical scoping device in response to contact with a lumen wall to dilate a lumen of the bowel or small intestine while holding the medical scoping device in position for visualization of the lumen and to evert and engage colonic folds that are more distal than the distal end of the cover and the medical scoping device whereby visualization is allowed as the colonic folds revert to their normal anatomical position permitting a light from the medical scoping device to emit across a mucosa of the bowel or small intestine providing visualization of at least a portion of a surface of the mucosa; and

withdrawing the medical scoping device wherein the projecting elements deflect so that the tips of the projecting elements extend distally further than the distal end of the cover and the distal end of the medical scoping device to facilitate withdrawal of the medical scoping device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the projecting elements are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft of the medical scoping device in the second position.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in response to when the projecting elements dilate the lumen and evert, at least some of the projecting elements can flatten colonic folds in the bowel or small intestine for inspection in the second position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the projecting elements comprise bristles, spikes, spines, fins, wedges, paddles or cones that are arranged to extend radially outwardly from the outer surface of the medical scoping device shaft.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the projecting elements comprise a biocompatible flexible material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, plastic, elastomer, silicon, a silicon elastomeric material and a rubber, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises a viewing device at the distal end.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the projecting elements deflect at a critical point of maximum flexion so that at least some of the tips of the projecting elements point towards and extend beyond the distal end of the medical scoping device during the partially withdrawing and/or withdrawing steps.

8. A method of endoscopic visualization of a bowel and/or small intestine, the method comprising:

inserting a medical scoping device shaft having air suction for removing air from a body passage into the bowel or small intestine of a patient under investigation, the medical scoping device further comprising a cover releasably attached to the medical scoping device shaft and covering at least a part of the shaft at its distal end, wherein the cover grips the shaft and comprises a plurality of projecting elements that project radially outwardly;

advancing the medical scoping device in the direction of its distal end within a lumen of the patient's bowel or small intestine or bowel and small intestine, wherein the projecting elements deflect to a first radially inward position to facilitate advancing the medical scoping device;

partially withdrawing the medical scoping device toward its proximal end, such withdrawal causing the projecting elements to deflect to a second radially outward position at which at least some tips of the projecting elements extend distally further than a distal end of the cover and the distal end of the medical scoping device in response to contact with a lumen wall to dilate the lumen while holding the medical scoping device in position for visualization of the lumen and to evert and engage colonic folds that are more distal than the distal end of the cover and the medical scoping device whereby visualization is allowed as the colonic folds revert to their normal anatomical position permitting a light from the medical scoping device to emit across a mucosa of the lumen providing visualization of at least a portion of a surface of the mucosa; and

withdrawing the medical scoping device wherein the projecting elements deflect so that at least some of the tips of the projecting elements extend distally further than the distal end of the cover and the distal end of the medical scoping device to facilitate withdrawal of the medical scoping device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein, in response to when the projecting elements dilate the lumen and evert, at least some of the projecting elements that extend beyond the distal end of the cover and the medical scoping device flatten colonic folds in the bowel or small intestine for inspection in the second position.