Sampling device for the use with an endoscope

1. A sampling device for the use with an endoscope having a suction channel and a suction connector in communication with said suction channel, the sampling device comprising:

an inlet adapted for connection to the suction connector of the endoscope,

an outlet vacuum connector configured to be connected to a vacuum source separate from the endoscope, the vacuum source creating suction, through the outlet vacuum connector, at the inlet, and through the inlet at the suction channel of the endoscope,

a container outlet adapted for connection to a sample container, and

a container inlet adapted for connection to the sample container,

wherein said sampling device is sized and configured to form a rigid connection with said endoscope when connected to the suction connector thereof,

wherein the sampling device or the endoscope comprises a male connector and the other of the sampling device or the endoscope comprises a female connector configured to engage the male connector, the suction connector of the endoscope being either the male connector or the female connector of the endoscope;

wherein the male connector comprises a longitudinal axis and an insertion direction extends along the longitudinal axis;

wherein the sampling device is configured to engage the suction connector of the endoscope in the insertion direction to form a rigid connection therewith, and

wherein the sampling device is furthermore configured to engage the sample container by insertion, in the insertion direction, of the container outlet and the container inlet into an opening of the sample container.

2. The sampling device of claim 1 , wherein the female connector of the sampling device is adapted to receive the suction connector of the endoscope in said insertion direction for forming said rigid connection, and the sampling device is furthermore adapted to engage the endoscope in a manner preventing rotation around the suction connector.

3. The sampling device of claim 1 , wherein the male connector of the sampling device is adapted to engage a suction connector socket of the endoscope in said insertion direction for forming said rigid connection, and the sampling device is furthermore adapted to engage the endoscope in a manner preventing rotation around the suction connector.

4. The sampling device of claim 1 , wherein the sampling device comprises a valve configured to divert the suction through the sample container.

5. The sampling device of claim 4 , wherein the valve comprises a valve actuator configured to change a state of the valve and divert the suction through the sampling device.

6. The sampling device of claim 5 , wherein the valve actuator is sized and configured to be operated using a single finger of a hand of an operator gripping the endoscope and is located in a position on said sampling device which, when the rigid connection is formed between the sampling device and the endoscope, the valve actuator is accessible and operable by the finger of the hand of the operator.

7. The sampling device of claim 1 , wherein the sampling device comprises a sample container connector adapted for connecting the sample container.

8. The sampling device of claim 7 , wherein the sample container connector extends in a direction parallel to or coincident with said insertion direction.

9. The sampling device of claim 7 , wherein the sample container connector is adapted to penetrate at least one seal of the sample container.

10. The sampling device of claim 7 , wherein the endoscope includes an insertion tube, and wherein the opening of the sample container is adapted for receiving a distal end of the insertion tube of the endoscope.

11. The sampling device of claim 1 , wherein the sampling device is adapted for single use.

12. A sampling system for the use with an endoscope, said sampling system comprising a sampling device according to claim 1 and a sample container adapted for attachment to said sampling device.

13. A method for performing a lavage, the method comprising:

providing an endoscope,

providing the sampling device of claim 1 ,

attaching the sampling device to the endoscope,

connecting the sampling device to a vacuum source,

inserting an insertion part of the endoscope into a body cavity,

administering a saline solution through the endoscope to the body cavity, and

collecting a sample by drawing fluid from the body cavity through the endoscope and the sampling device.

14. The sampling device of claim 1 , further comprising a suction reduction valve fluidly coupled between the inlet and the outlet.

15. The sampling device of claim 14 , further comprising a pressure indicator fluidly coupled between the inlet and the outlet.

16. The sampling device of claim 5 , wherein the valve actuator is positioned less than 3 cm from a handle of the endoscope.

17. The sampling system of claim 12 , further comprising a syringe for saline.

18. The sampling system of claim 17 , wherein the syringe for saline, the sampling device, and the sample container are arranged as a kit.

19. The sampling system of claim 18 , wherein the kit further comprises the endoscope.

20. The sampling system of claim 12 , further comprising a saline cartridge and an endoscope, wherein the saline cartridge, the sampling device, and the sample container are arranged as a kit.

21. The sampling device of claim 1 , wherein the container outlet and the container inlet comprise longitudinal protrusions that extend in parallel with the insertion direction.

22. The sampling device of claim 1 , wherein the insertion direction is transverse to a longitudinal extent of a handle of the endoscope.

23. The sampling device of claim 5 , wherein the valve actuator comprises a rotatable shaft having a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to the insertion direction.

24. The sampling device of claim 1 , wherein the sampling device comprises the female connector and the endoscope comprises the male connector, wherein the outlet vacuum connector is a male connector configured to receive a hose from the vacuum source which is configured to be connected to the male connector when the sampling device is not used, and wherein the outlet vacuum connector has a longitudinal axis that is not parallel to the insertion direction.

25. A sampling system for the use with an endoscope, said sampling system comprising:

the sampling device of claim 1 , wherein sampling device comprises a sample container connector comprising longitudinal protrusions that extend in parallel with the insertion direction; and

the sample container, the sample container comprising a receptacle including the opening and configured to receive the longitudinal protrusions.

26. A sampling system for the use with an endoscope, said sampling system comprising:

the sampling device of claim 1 , wherein sampling device comprises a triangular protrusion comprising two channels; and

the sample container, the sample container comprising a complementary triangular receptacle configured to receive the triangular protrusion and the two channels.