Insertable endoscopic instrument for tissue removal

摘要

An improved flexible endoscopic instrument to precisely and efficiently obtains samples of flat polyps and multiple polyps from a patient by debriding one or more polyps and retrieving the debrided polyps without having to alternate between using a separate cutting tool and a separate sample retrieving tool and may be used with an endoscope. In one aspect, the cutting tool is coupled to a flexible torque coil or torque rope that is configured to transfer rotational energy from a powered actuator through the length of the endoscope onto the cutting tool.

主权项

1. A method of retrieving polyps from a colon of a patient,
comprising: inserting a flexible endoscope within an opening to a colon of a patient; disposing an endoscopic instrument within an instrument channel of the flexible endoscope to remove at least one polyp from within the colon, the endoscopic instrument including a cutting assembly having an outer cannula, an inner cannula disposed within an outer cannula, and an opening defined along a portion of a radial wall of the outer cannula, the inner cannula rotatably coupled to a flexible torque component having a length that extends along a length of the flexible endoscope, the flexible torque component, upon actuation, providing torque to the inner cannula; providing irrigation fluid via an irrigation channel from a lavage port of the endoscopic instrument that remains outside the flexible endoscope while the endoscopic instrument is disposed within the instrument channel, the irrigation channel extending from the lavage port to the opening of the outer cannula and partially defined by an inner surface of the radial wall of the outer cannula and an outer surface of the inner cannula, an outer tubing and a rotational coupler, the rotational coupler configured to cause the outer tubing and the outer cannula to rotate relative to the inner cannula and the lavage port upon rotating a portion of the rotational coupler; rotating, via rotation of the portion of the rotational coupler, the outer cannula to a position in which the opening of the outer cannula is viewable via a camera of the flexible endoscope; positioning the opening at the polyp of the colon; actuating the flexible torque component to rotate the inner cannula relative to the outer cannula, the inner cannula cutting a portion of the polyp as the inner cannula rotates adjacent to the opening; and actuating a vacuum source coupled to the endoscopic instrument to provide suction to an aspiration channel defined by an inner wall of the inner cannula and the flexible torque component to remove the cut portion of the polyp from within the colon via the aspiration channel.