ENDOSCOPE WITH GUIDING APPARATUS

摘要

An endoscope with guiding apparatus is described herein. A steerable endoscope (20) is described having an elongate body (21) with a manually or selectively steerable distal portion (24), an automatically controlled portion (28), a flexible and passively manipulated proximal portion (22), and an externally controlled and manipulatable tracking rod or guide (36). The tracking rod or guide (36) is positioned within a guide channel (37) within the endoscope and slides relative to the endoscope. When the guide (36)is in a flexible state, it can conform to a curve or path defined by the steerable distal portion and the automatically controlled portion. The guide can then be selectively rigidized to assume that curve or path. Once set, the endoscope (20) can be advanced over the rigidized guide (36) in a monorail or "piggy-back" fashion so that the flexible proximal portion follows the curve held by the guide until the endoscope reaches a next point of curvature within a body lumen.