Endoscopic hood

#The present invention relates to an endoscopic hood which is attached to a distal end of an insertion section of an endoscope and, when the endoscope is inserted into a body cavity of a patient, protects the forward end portion of an insertion section of the endoscope.

#Generally, upon an examination and surgery under an endoscope, a treating tool is used which is inserted into a body cavity of a patient via a tool insertion channel of the endoscope. As the treating tool for an endoscope there is a treating tool of such a type as to grasp a living tissue, such as a clipping device, a high frequency snare, grasping forces as well as a biopsy forceps.

#When the grasping or clipping procedure is performed with the use of this type of treating tool, the endoscope itself or the treating tool itself is moved or rotated, so that the distal end of the treating tool is so operated as to be directed toward a desired direction. And such procedure is performed to fix the tool to a given position with the distal end of the treating tool oriented toward a desired direction. For this reason, for the treating tool for grasping or clipping a living tissue it is important to set a direction in which the living tissue is grasped or clipped.

#FIG. 1A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a state in which an endoscopic hood of a first embodiment of the present invention is attached;

#FIG. 1B is a front view showing the endoscopic hood of the first embodiment;

#FIG. 2A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a major section in a state in which a clipping device is inserted into the endoscopic hood of the first embodiment;

#A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1A through 4B. FIG. 1A shows a state in which an endoscopic hood 3 according to the present invention is mounted on a distal end portion of an insertion section 2 of an endoscope 1. The endoscopic hood 3 includes a substantially cylindrical cap 4 and a substantially cylindrical fixing body 5. The fixing cylindrical body 5 is comprised of a member for fixing the cap 4 to the distal end portion of the insertion section 2 of the endoscope 1.

#Further, the cap 4 is formed of a rigid, transparent synthetic resin, such as an acryl resin, and preferably a transparent and hard plastic, such as polycarbonate. This structure does not prevent a visual field of the endoscope 1. It is to be noted that the cap 4 has a hardness to an extent not being easily deformed. For example, the hood 3 has a hardness to an extent which can firmly fix the rotation of a later-described treating tool, by its cap 4, at a time of pushing the hood 3 against a mucosa or sucking the mucosa and can retain it, at a sucking time, in such a state as to allow an adequate amount of mucosa to enter into the cap 4. A substantially ring-like engaging recess 4a of a smaller outer diameter is formed on an outer peripheral surface of a proximal end portion of the cap 4.

#Further, the cylindrical fixing body 5 is made of a soft plastic material, such as vinyl chloride, polyurethane and fluorine resin, rubbers such as latex, silicone, isoprene and neoprene, or synthetic resin material. The distal end portion of the cylindrical fixing body 5 is press-fitted over the cap 4 in such a state as to be externally inserted over the engaging recess 4a of the cap 4. The joining portions of the outer section of the cylindrical fixing body 5 and the engaging recess 4a are connected together by an adhesive. It is to be noted that the fixing of the cap 4 and cylindrical fixing body 5 may be made by means of a screw, etc., or may be more firmly made with the use of an ultrasonic wave, solvent, etc.