Method and apparatus for manipulating the side wall of a body lumen or body cavity so as to provide increased visualization of the same and/or increased access to the same, and/or for stabilizing instruments relative to the same
Apparatus comprising: a sleeve adapted to be slid over the exterior of an endoscope; an aft balloon secured to the sleeve; an inflation/deflation tube carried by the sleeve and in fluid communication with the interior of the aft balloon; a pair of hollow push tubes slidably mounted to the sleeve, the pair of hollow push tubes being connected to one another at their distal ends with a raised push tube bridge, the raised push tube bridge being configured to nest an endoscope therein; and a fore balloon secured to the distal ends of the pair of hollow push tubes, the interior of the fore balloon being in fluid communication with the interiors of the pair of hollow push tubes, wherein the fore balloon is capable of assuming a deflated condition and an inflated condition, and further wherein (i) when the fore balloon is in its deflated condition, an axial opening extends therethrough, the axial opening being sized to receive the endoscope therein, and (ii) when the fore balloon is in its inflated condition, the axial opening is closed down.
1. Apparatus comprising:
a sleeve adapted to be slid over an exterior of an endoscope;
an aft balloon secured to the sleeve;
a pair of push tubes slidably mounted to the sleeve, the pair of push tubes being connected to one another at their distal ends by a raised push tube bridge, the raised push tube bridge being configured to nest an endoscope therein; and
a fore balloon secured to the distal ends of the pair of push tubes, wherein the fore balloon is capable of assuming a deflated condition and an inflated condition.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the endoscope comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the endoscope comprises a handle, and further wherein the sleeve is sized so as to substantially cover the endoscope from a point adjacent to the distal end of the endoscope to a point adjacent to the handle of the endoscope.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve is configured to make a close fit with the exterior of the endoscope such that the sleeve slides over the endoscope during mounting thereon but remains in place during use of the endoscope.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve comprises a proximal end and a distal end, the apparatus further comprising a base secured to the sleeve at the proximal end of the sleeve.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a push tube handle secured to the proximal ends of the pair of push tubes, and further wherein the base is configured to support and guide the push tube handle as the push tube handle is used to move the pair of push tubes relative to the sleeve.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an inflation/deflation tube formed integral with the sleeve.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve comprises a pair of passageways for receiving the pair of push tubes.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the pair of passageways are formed integral with the sleeve.
9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein each of the pair of passageways receives a support tube which receives a push tube.
10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve comprises a lumen for receiving an instrument.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the lumen is formed integral with the sleeve.
12. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the lumen receives an instrument guide tube which receives an instrument.
13. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the endoscope is steerable, wherein the steerable endoscope comprises an articulating portion, and further wherein the aft balloon is secured to the sleeve proximal to the articulating portion of the steerable endoscope.
14. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the aft balloon comprises a body having a proximal opening and a distal opening, a distal extension extending distally from the body, a proximal extension extending proximally from the body, and further wherein the aft balloon is formed by everting the distal extension into an interior of the body and into an interior of the proximal extension.
15. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the raised push tube bridge comprises an atraumatic tip.
16. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fore balloon comprises a body having a proximal opening and a distal opening, a proximal extension having a key-shaped cross-section comprising a pair of lobes, and a distal extension having a circular cross-section, and further wherein the fore balloon is formed by everting the distal extension into an interior of the body and into an interior of the proximal extension.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the pair of push tubes are disposed in the lobes before the distal extension is everted into the interior of the body.
18. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein at least one extruded insert is disposed adjacent to the lobes.
19. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the sleeve, the aft balloon, the pair of push tubes and the fore balloon comprises a visualizable marker.
20. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an inflation mechanism for selectively inflating/deflating a selected one of the fore balloon and the aft balloon.
21. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the raised push tube bridge is in the form of a ring.
22. A method for performing a procedure in a body lumen and/or body cavity, said method comprising:
providing apparatus comprising:
a sleeve adapted to be slid over an exterior of an endoscope;
an aft balloon secured to the sleeve;
a pair of push tubes slidably mounted to the sleeve, the pair of push tubes being connected to one another at their distal ends by a raised push tube bridge, the raised push tube bridge being configured to nest an endoscope therein; and
a fore balloon secured to the distal ends of the pair of push tubes, wherein the fore balloon is capable of assuming a deflated condition and an inflated condition;
positioning the apparatus in the body lumen and/or body cavity;
inflating the aft balloon;
advancing the pair of push tubes distally;
inflating the fore balloon; and
performing the procedure.
23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the endoscope comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the endoscope comprises a handle, and further wherein the sleeve is sized so as to substantially cover the endoscope from a point adjacent to the distal end of the endoscope to a point adjacent to the handle of the endoscope.
24. A method according to claim 22 wherein the sleeve is configured to make a close fit with the exterior of the endoscope such that the sleeve slides over the endoscope during mounting thereon but remains in place during use of the endoscope.
25. A method according to claim 22 wherein the sleeve comprises a proximal end and a distal end, the apparatus further comprising a base secured to the sleeve at the proximal end of the sleeve.
26. A method according to claim 25 further comprising a push tube handle secured to the proximal ends of the pair of push tubes, and further wherein the base is configured to support and guide the push tube handle as the push tube handle is used to move the pair of push tubes relative to the sleeve.
27. A method according to claim 22 wherein the apparatus further comprises an inflation/deflation tube formed integral with the sleeve.
28. A method according to claim 22 wherein the sleeve comprises a pair of passageways for receiving the pair of push tubes.
29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the pair of passageways are formed integral with the sleeve.
30. A method according to claim 28 wherein each of the pair of passageways receives a support tube which receives a push tube.
31. A method according to claim 22 wherein the sleeve comprises a lumen for receiving an instrument.
32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the lumen is formed integral with the sleeve.
33. A method according to claim 31 wherein the lumen receives an instrument guide tube which receives an instrument.
34. A method according to claim 22 wherein the endoscope is steerable, wherein the steerable endoscope comprises an articulating portion, and further wherein the aft balloon is secured to the sleeve proximal to the articulating portion of the steerable endoscope.
35. A method according to claim 22 wherein the aft balloon comprises a body having a proximal opening and a distal opening, a distal extension extending distally from the body, a proximal extension extending proximally from the body, and further wherein the aft balloon is formed by everting the distal extension into an interior of the body and into an interior of the proximal extension.
36. A method according to claim 22 wherein the raised push tube bridge comprises an atraumatic tip.
37. A method according to claim 22 wherein the fore balloon comprises a body having a proximal opening and a distal opening, a proximal extension having a key-shaped cross-section comprising a pair of lobes, and a distal extension having a circular cross-section, and further wherein the fore balloon is formed by everting the distal extension into an interior of the body and into an interior of the proximal extension.
38. A method according to claim 37 wherein the pair of push tubes are disposed in the lobes before the distal extension is everted into the interior of the body.
39. A method according to claim 37 wherein at least one extruded insert is disposed adjacent to the lobes.
40. A method according to claim 22 wherein at least one of the sleeve, the aft balloon, the pair of push tubes and the fore balloon comprises a visualizable marker.
41. A method according to claim 22 further comprising an inflation mechanism for selectively inflating/deflating a selected one of the fore balloon and the aft balloon.
42. A method according to claim 22 wherein the raised push tube bridge is in the form of a ring.