Balloon endoscope and methods of manufacture and use thereof
A balloon endoscope including an endoscope body having a selectably pressurizable interior volume, which generally fills the interior of the endoscope body and a selectably inflatable balloon located on an outer surface of the endoscope body and defining a balloon volume which communicates with the interior volume for selectable inflation of the balloon by selectable pressurization of the interior volume.
1. A method of manufacture of a balloon endoscope comprising:
providing an at least partially incomplete endoscope having a selectably pressurizable interior volume;
providing at least one aperture in an outer sheath of said endoscope, said at least one aperture configured to communicate with said selectably pressurizable interior volume; and
providing a selectably inflatable balloon over said outer sheath and in sealing engagement therewith, said balloon being arranged to have a balloon volume overlying said at least one aperture; and
wherein said providing an at least partially incomplete endoscope comprises retrofitting said endoscope to remove at least part of said outer sheath thereof.
2. A method of manufacture of a balloon endoscope according to claim 1 and wherein:
said providing an at least partially incomplete endoscope comprises providing an endoscope lacking at least part of said outer sheath; and
said providing at least one aperture comprises:
forming an aperture in an outer sheath; and
thereafter mounting said outer sheath on said endoscope.
3. A method of manufacture of a balloon endoscope according to claim 1 comprising associating a fluid flow discriminator with said at least one aperture.
4. A method of manufacture of an endoscope comprising:
providing an at least partially incomplete endoscope;
providing at least one aperture in an outer sheath of said endoscope and associating a fluid flow discriminator with said at least one aperture; and
wherein said providing an at least partially incomplete endoscope comprises retrofitting said endoscope to remove at least part of said outer sheath thereof.
5. A method of manufacture of an endoscope according to claim 4 and also comprising providing a selectably inflatable balloon over said outer sheath and in sealing engagement therewith, said balloon being arranged to have a balloon volume overlying said at least one aperture.
6. A method of manufacture of a balloon endoscope according to claim 4 and wherein:
said providing an at least partially incomplete endoscope comprises providing an endoscope lacking at least part of said outer sheath; and
said providing at least one aperture comprises:
forming an aperture in an outer sheath; and
thereafter mounting said outer sheath on said endoscope.
7. The method of manufacture of a balloon endoscope according to claim 1 , wherein the selectably pressurizable interior volume is confined within a reinforcement mesh.
8. The method of manufacture of a balloon endoscope according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one aperture is configured to communicate with the selectably pressurizable interior volume inwardly of the reinforcement mesh.
9. The method of manufacture of claim 1 , wherein said retrofitting comprises removing a first bending rubber sheath from said endoscope and wherein said at least one aperture is provided in a second bending rubber sheath.
10. The method of manufacture of claim 9 , wherein said at least one aperture is provided in said second bending rubber sheath before mounting said second rubber sheath to said endoscope.