Deployable flexible overtube

A method for guiding an endoscope to an in vivo deployment location in a patient's colon, the method comprising:

• inserting an introducer into a proximal end of the patient's colon;
• fixing the introducer in place adjacent the proximal end of the colon;
• advancing a propulsion assembly distally into the patient's colon, wherein a distal end of a flexible overtube is coupled to the propulsion assembly and a proximal end of the flexible overtube is coupled to the introducer;
• deploying the flexible overtube, the flexible overtube having a folded portion and an unfolded portion and deploying the overtube includes extending the unfolded portion by unfolding the folded portion until the distal end of the flexible overtube reaches the deployment location, wherein deploying the overtube results from advancing the propulsion assembly and further wherein deploying the flexible overtube results in an enclosed tubular cavity encompassed by the flexible overtube;
• supplying pressurized fluid to the enclosed tubular cavity of the overtube, the pressurized fluid exerting an axial force on a propulsion element of the propulsion assembly and advancing the propulsion assembly distally relative to the introducer;
• and
• inserting the endoscope into the proximal end of the flexible overtube, through the enclosed tubular cavity to the distal end of the overtube and, thus, to the deployment location.

A method for guiding an endoscope to an in vivo deployment location in a patient's colon, the method comprising:

• inserting an introducer and a propulsion assembly into a proximal end of the patient's colon, the propulsion assembly comprising a propulsion element and a flexible overtube;
• advancing the propulsion assembly distally into the patient's colon, a distal end of the overtube is connected to the propulsion assembly and a proximal end of the overtube is connected to the introducer such that advancement of the propulsion assembly results in the flexible overtube being deployed and results in an enclosed tubular cavity encompassed by the flexible overtube, wherein the propulsion assembly is advanced to a deployment location in the patient's colon;
• inflating a fixation balloon attached to the distal end of the flexible overtube, the fixation balloon configured to maintain the distal end of the overtube at the deployment location;
• shortening the patient's colon by exerting a pulling force on the one or both of the flexible overtube and the propulsion element;
• removing the propulsion element from the flexible overtube;
• and
• inserting the endoscope into the proximal end of the flexible overtube, through the enclosed tubular cavity to the distal end of the overtube and, thus, to the deployment location.