Esophagus sizing instrument

A method of using an esophagus sizing instrument, the method comprising:

• (a) distally advancing an inner shaft coaxially through a distal end of an exterior sheath from a first position in an opened position to a second position;
• (b) bending a distal tip of the inner shaft around a portion of one or both of an esophagus or a stomach, back towards the distal end of the exterior sheath, such that the distal tip contacts the distal end while in the second position to thereby transition from the open position to a closed position, the closed position defining a loop with the inner shaft and the exterior sheath around the portion of one or both of the esophagus or the stomach;
• (c) while in the closed position, proximally retracting the inner shaft coaxially through the distal end of the exterior sheath from the second position to a third position to thereby reduce a size of the loop around the portion of one or both of the esophagus or the stomach, the third position being between the first and second positions;
• and
• (d) automatically maintaining the inner shaft in the third position.

A method of measuring a diameter of an esophagus, the method comprising:

• (a) distally advancing an inner shaft coaxially through a distal end of an exterior sheath from a first position in an opened position to a second position;
• (b) bending a distal tip of the inner shaft around a portion of one or both of an esophagus or a stomach and back towards the distal end of the exterior sheath such that the distal tip contacts the distal end while in the second position to thus transition from the open position to a closed position, the closed position defining a loop with the inner shaft and the exterior sheath;
• (c) while in the closed position, proximally retracting the inner shaft coaxially through the distal end of the exterior sheath from the second position to a third position to thereby reduce a size of the loop to reflect the diameter of the esophagus, the third position being between the first and second positions;
• and
• (d) displaying an indicator affixed to a proximal end of the inner shaft through a window of a plurality of windows of a handle to thereby indicate the diameter of the esophagus, each window of the plurality of windows indicating a respective diameter of the esophagus.

A method of measuring a diameter of a portion of one or both of an esophagus or a stomach, the method comprising:

• (a) distally advancing an inner shaft coaxially through a distal end of an exterior sheath from a first position in an opened position to a second position;
• (b) bending a distal tip of the inner shaft around the esophagus and back towards the distal end of the exterior sheath such that the distal tip contacts the distal end while in the second position to thus transition from the open position to a closed position, the closed position defining a loop with the inner shaft and the exterior sheath;
• (c) while in the closed position, proximally retracting the inner shaft coaxially through the distal end of the exterior sheath from the second position to a third position to thereby reduce a size of the loop to reflect the diameter of the esophagus, the third position being between the first and second positions;
• (d) automatically maintaining the inner shaft in the third position through use of a handle;
• and
• (d) displaying an indicator affixed to a proximal end of the inner shaft through a window of a plurality of windows of the handle to thus indicate the diameter of the esophagus.