US 12,414,820 B2 · Endoscope unclogging system and method

Abstract

Systems and methods of in situ unclogging a working channel in a medical device during a procedure are disclosed. An exemplary unclogging system comprises a flow sensor to sense a flow rate through a working channel, and a control module to detect a channel state indicating a presence or absence of clogging based on the flow rate. In the presence of channel clogging, the control module can control one or more of an irrigation source or a suction source to provide respectively irrigation fluid or suction pressure to unclog the obstructed channel. The control module can adjust one or more of an irrigation flow rate or a suction flow rate through the working channel to maintain a desired pressure of the anatomical environment at the anatomical site, or to maintain a desired flow condition in the working channel, during the procedure.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for unclogging at least one working channel of a medical device during a medical procedure at an anatomical site, the system comprising:

an irrigation system including an irrigation source and a suction source each configured to be operably fluidly coupled to the at least one working channel;
and
a controller circuit configured to, in a presence of clogging in the at least one working channel:
fluidly couple the irrigation source and the suction source to the at least one working channel at respective times;
and
alternate between an irrigation through the at least one working channel via the irrigation source for a first time period and an aspiration through the at least one working channel via the suction source for a second time period to unclog the at least one working channel, the irrigation and the aspiration separated by a transition period during which the irrigation and the aspiration are withheld to allow clogging-causing particles of different sizes or masses to travel for different distances in the at least one working channel so as to spatially separate from each other.

3 more elements

A method of unclogging at least one working channel of a medical device during a medical procedure at an anatomical site using an irrigation system comprising an irrigation source and a suction source operably fluidly coupled to the at least one working channel, the method comprising:

receiving channel state information indicating a presence or an absence of clogging in the at least one working channel during the procedure;
and
in a presence of clogging in the at least one working channel, via a controller circuit:
fluidly coupling the irrigation source and suction source to the at least one working channel at respective times;
and alternating between an irrigation through the at least one working channel via the irrigation source for a first time period and an aspiration through the at least one working channel via the suction source for a second time period to unclog the at least one working channel, the irrigation and the aspiration separated by a transition period during which the irrigation and aspiration are withheld to allow clogging-causing particles of different sizes or masses to travel for different distances in the at least one working channel so as to spatially separate from each other.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Endoscope unclogging system and method

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Endoscope unclogging system and method

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Abstract

Claims20