# US 12,004,724 B2 · Endoscope cleaning system

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- Number: US 12,004,724 B2
- Document ID: US12004724B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/313,637
- Filed: 2021-05-06
- Published: 2022-11-10
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-06
- Assignees: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
- Applicants: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
- Inventors: Samuel Gladstone; Ali Mowlai-Ashtiani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004724B2

## CPC

- A61B 1/126: {provided with means for cleaning in-use}
- A61B 1/00006: {of control signals}
- A61B 1/00091: {Nozzles}
- A61B 1/00135: {Oversleeves mounted on the endoscope prior to insertion}
- A61B 1/00142: {with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath}
- A61B 1/015: Control of fluid supply or evacuation
- A61B 1/018: for receiving instruments
- A61B 1/233: for the nose, i.e. nasoscopes {, e.g. testing of patency of Eustachian tubes}
- G16H 40/40: for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

A method for cleaning an endoscope during a surgical procedure performed with a surgical instrument. The method includes: measuring with a processor module an aggregate activation time of the surgical instrument during the surgical procedure; and activating an endoscope cleaning system with the processor module to clean a lens of the surgical instrument after the processor module determines that the measured aggregate activation time of the surgical instrument has reached a target duration.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for cleaning an endoscope during a surgical procedure performed with a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
measuring with a processor an aggregate activation time of a surgical instrument during a surgical procedure; and
activating an endoscope cleaning system with the processor to clean a lens of the endoscope after the processor determines that the measured aggregate activation time of the surgical instrument has reached a target duration, wherein the surgical instrument is any one of a debrider, a drill, a mill, a burr, or a cauterizer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the surgical procedure is a sinus procedure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the target duration of the aggregate activation time is 20 to 30 seconds.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, activating the endoscope cleaning system only after, (A) the aggregate activation time of the surgical instrument reaches the target duration, and (B) the surgical instrument has been deactivated for a predetermined deactivation period.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined deactivation period is 0.3 to 0.5 seconds.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising measuring the deactivation period with the processor when the processor determines that a speed of the surgical instrument is zero.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein activating the endoscope cleaning system includes pumping a cleaning solution over the lens of the endoscope with a pump activated by the processor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein when activated by the processor, the pump pumps the cleaning solution to the lens through a passage defined between a scope tube of the endoscope and a tube sleeve of a sheath assembly in which the scope tube is seated.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein when activated by the processor, the pump pumps the cleaning solution to the lens for about 1.6 seconds.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the target duration of the aggregate activation time of the surgical instrument is set by the processor to be equal to an average interval between manual activations of the endoscope cleaning system by a surgeon performing the surgical procedure as determined by the processor.

### Claim 11

A method for cleaning an endoscope during a surgical procedure performed with a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
measuring with a processor an aggregate activation time of a surgical instrument during a surgical procedure;
activating an endoscope cleaning system with the processor to clean a lens of the endoscope after
(A) the processor determines that the measured aggregate activation time of the surgical instrument has reached a target duration; and
(B) the surgical instrument has been deactivated for a predetermined deactivation period.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined deactivation period is 0.3 to 0.5 seconds.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
measuring the deactivation period with the processor module when the processor determines that a speed of the surgical instrument is zero.