Body cavity pressure adjusting device for endoscope and laser medical treatment apparatus including body cavity pressure adjusting device

A body cavity pressure adjusting device adapted to be used with an endoscope having a first channel into which a medical tool is adapted to be inserted, said body cavity pressure adjusting device comprising:

• (a) a suction tube connected to and communicating with said first channel of said endoscope;
• (b) suction creating means connected to and communicating with said suction tube;
• (c) means for detecting pressure within said suction tube, said pressure detecting means being positioned along a branch pipe which is fluidically connected to said suction tube;
• (d) pressure setting means for setting a reference pressure value within said body cavity;
• and
• (e) suction control means for controlling the operation of said suction creating means in response to the receipt of an output signal from said pressure detecting means and an output signal from said pressure setting means.

A body cavity pressure adjusting device adapted to be used with an endoscope having a first channel into which a medical tool is adapted to be inserted, said body cavity pressure adjusting device comprising:

• (a) a suction tube connected to and communicating with said first channel of said endoscope;
• (b) suction creating means connected to and communicating with said suction tube;
• (c) means for detecting pressure within said suction tube;
• (d) pressure setting means for setting a reference pressure value within said body cavity;
• and
• (e) suction control means for controlling the operation of said suction creating means in response to the receipt of an output signal from said pressure detecting means and an output signal from said pressure setting means, wherein said endoscope includes only said first channel, a tube being positioned within said channel, a pipe being positioned within said tube, and a light fiber being positioned in said pipe, wherein a first gap is created between said pipe and said light fiber and a second gap is created between said pipe and said tube.

A body cavity pressure adjusting device adapted to be used with an endoscope, said endoscope having a first channel into which a medical tool is adapted to be inserted, said body cavity pressure adjusting device comprising:

• (a) a suction tube connected to and communicating with said first channel of said endoscope;
• (b) means for creating suction connected to, and communicating with, said suction tube;
• (c) means for detecting pressure within said suction tube, said pressure detecting means being fluidically connected to said suction tube;
• (d) pressure setting means for setting a reference pressure value within said body cavity;
• (e) means for indicating the pressure detected by said pressure detecting means;
• and
• (f) suction control means for controlling operation of said suction means in response to receipt of an output signal from said pressure detecting means and receipt of an output signal from said pressure setting means.

A body cavity pressure adjusting device adapted to be used with an endoscope, said endoscope having only a first channel, a tube being positioned within said channel, a pipe being positioned within said tube, and a light fiber being positioned in said pipe, wherein a first gap is created between said pipe and said light fiber and a second gap is created between said pipe and said tube, a medical tool being inserted into said first channel, said body cavity pressure adjusting device comprising:

• (a) a suction tube connected to, and communicating with, said first channel of said endoscope;
• (b) suction creating means connected to, and communicating with, said suction tube;
• (c) means for detecting pressure within said suction tube;
• (d) pressure setting means for setting a reference value for pressure within said body cavity;
• (e) means for indicating the pressure detected by said pressure detecting means;
• and
• (f) suction control means for controlling operation of said suction means in response to receipt of an output signal from said pressure detecting means and receipt of an output signal from said pressure setting means.

A body cavity pressure adjusting device adapted to be attached to an endoscope having one channel into which a medical tool can be inserted, wherein said body cavity pressure adjusting device comprises:

• (a) a suction tube which is adapted to be fluidically connected to said one channel of said endoscope;
• (b) an external suction device for creating suction within said suction tube, said suction tube being connected to said external suction device, said external suction device comprising a suction pump, a suction bottle for storing material sucked through said suction tube, and at least one electromagnetic valve;
• (c) means for detecting pressure within said suction tube;
• (d) means for setting a predetermined reference pressure for said body cavity;
• and
• (e) means for controlling operation of said means for creating suction, said operation controlling means being operable in response to receipt of an output signal from said pressure detecting means and receipt of an output signal from said predetermined pressure setting means.

A body cavity pressure adjusting device adapted to be used with an endoscope, said device having a first channel into which a medical tool can be inserted, comprising:

• (a) a suction tube connected to, and communicating with, said first channel of said endoscope;
• (b) means for creating suction connected to, and communicating with, said suction tube;
• (c) means for detecting pressure within said suction tube, wherein said pressure detecting means is positioned at one end of an additional pipe that is fluidically connected to and branched from said suction tube;
• (d) pressure setting means for setting a reference pressure value within said body cavity;
• (e) means for indicating said pressure detected by said pressure detecting means;
• and
• (f) suction control means for controlling the operation of said suction means in response to the receipt of an output signal from said pressure detecting means and an output signal from said pressure setting means.

A body cavity pressure adjusting device adapted to be attached to an endoscope, said endoscope having one channel into which a medical tool can be inserted, wherein said body cavity pressure adjusting device comprises:

• (a) a suction tube adapted to be fluidically connected to said channel of said endoscope;
• (b) means for creating suction within said suction tube;
• (c) means for detecting pressure within said suction tube;
• (d) means for setting a predetermined reference pressure for said body cavity;
• (e) means for controlling the operation of said suction creating means in response to the receipt of an output signal from said pressure detecting means and an output signal from said predetermined reference pressure setting means;
• (f) at least one pipe connected to said suction tube;
• (g) a plurality of electromagnetic valves having means for collapsing at least one suction tube or pipe, each of said electromagnetic valves comprising an oscillatable piston;
• and
• (h) a microcomputer having an input-output interface, a CPU, and a memory, wherein said input-output interface is connected to an output line from said reference pressure setting means, an output line from said pressure detecting means, and an output line from a counter that counts the number of times that at least one of said electromagnetic valves opens and closes.

A body cavity pressure adjusting device adapted to be attached to an endoscope, said endoscope having only one channel, a tube positioned within said channel, a pipe positioned within said tube, and a light fiber positioned in said pipe, wherein a first gap is created between said pipe and said light fiber and a second gap is created between said pipe and said tube, wherein a medical tool is adapted to be inserted into said channel, said body cavity pressure adjusting device comprising:

• (a) a suction tube adapted to be fluidically connected to said channel of said endoscope;
• (b) means for creating suction within said suction tube;
• (c) means for detecting pressure within said suction tube;
• (d) means for setting a predetermined reference pressure for said body cavity;
• and
• (e) means for controlling the operation of said suction creating means in response to the receipt of an output signal from said pressure detecting means and an output signal from said predetermined reference pressure setting means.

An endoscope system comprising:

• (a) an endoscope having an insertion part adapted to be inserted into a body cavity, said insertion part containing at least a first channel and a second channel adapted to communicate with said body cavity;
• (b) first suction means communicating with said first channel for suctioning said body cavity;
• (c) first positive pumping means communicating with said second channel for supplying a gas into said body cavity, said first positive pumping means comprising means for selectively supplying a first air flow and water included in said first air flow, when in a first operational mode, or a second air flow, when in a second operational mode and further comprising a control valve interposed between said first positive pumping means and said second channel for switching said first positive pumping means between said first and second operational modes;
• and
• (d) pressure means communicating through a third channel with said first channel for controllably adjusting pressure within said body cavity, said pressure means comprising a second suction means for reducing pressure within said body cavity, said second suction means being automatically controlled by said output of a pressure sensor, said pressure sensor communicating with said third channel, said pressure sensor having an output comprising means for controlling the pressure of

An endoscope system, comprising:

• (a) an endoscope having an insertion part adapted to be inserted into a body cavity, said insertion part containing at least a first channel and a second channel that are adapted to communicate with said body cavity;
• (b) first suction means communicating with said first channel for suctioning said body cavity;
• (c) first positive pumping means communicating with said second channel for supplying a gas into said body cavity, said first positive pumping means comprising means for selectively supplying a first air flow and water included in said first air flow, when in a first operational mode, or a second air flow, when in a second operational mode, and further comprising a control valve interposed between said first positive pumping means and said second channel for switching said first positive pumping means between said first and second operational modes;
• (d) pressure means communicating through a third channel with said first channel for controllably adjusting pressure within said body cavity, in addition to said first suction means, by changing said pressure in said first channel;
• and
• (e) a pressure sensor communicating with said third channel and having an output signal which is adapted to control said pressure within said body cavity.

Laser medical treatment apparatus comprising:

• (a) fiber optic means for transmitting a laser beam, said fiber optic means having a first end adapted to receive a laser beam from an associated power laser and a second end adapted to emit a laser beam;
• (b) a tube adapted to be inserted into an associated body cavity;
• (c) a protective pipe surrounding said fiber optic means and separated from said fiber optic means to form a first gap between said pipe and said fiber optic means, said protective pipe being positioned within said tube and separated from said tube to form a second gap between said tube and said protective pipe;
• (d) means coupled to one of said gaps for sending gas into said associated body cavity;
• (e) means coupled to one of said gaps for detecting pressure in the associated body cavity;
• (f) suction means coupled to one of said gaps other than said gap which is coupled to said sending means for evacuating gas from said body cavity;
• and
• (g) control means connected to said pressure detecting means and said suction means for alternatingly actuating said suction means and said pressure detecting means in order to cause the pressure in said associated body cavity to approach a predetermined level when the detected pressure in said associated body cavity is greater than said predetermined pressure level.

Laser medical treatment apparatus comprising:

• (a) fiber optic means for transmitting a laser beam, said fiber optic means having a first end adapted to receive a laser beam from an associated power laser and a second end adapted to emit a laser beam;
• (b) a tube adapted for insertion into an associated body cavity;
• (c) a protective pipe surrounding said fiber optic means and separated from said fiber optic means to form a first gap between said pipe and said fiber optic means, said protective pipe being positioned within said tube and separated from said tube to form a second gap between said tube and said protective pipe;
• (d) means coupled to said first gap for sending gas into the associated body cavity;
• (e) means coupled to said second gap for detecting pressure in the associated body cavity;
• (f) suction means coupled to said second gap for evacuating gas from said body cavity;
• and
• (g) control means connected to said pressure detecting means and to said suction means for alternately actuating said suction means and said pressure detecting means to cause the pressure in said associated body cavity to approach a predetermined pressure level whenever the detected pressure in said associated body cavity is greater than said predetermined pressure level.

Laser medical treatment apparatus comprising:

• (a) fiber optic means for transmitting a laser beam, said fiber optic means having a first end adapted to receive a laser beam from an associated power laser and a second end adapted to emit a laser beam;
• (b) a tube adapted to be inserted into an associated body cavity;
• (c) a protective pipe surrounding said fiber optic means and, said pipe being spaced from said fiber optic means to form a first gap, said protective pipe being positioned within said tube, and spaced from said tube, so as to form a second gap;
• (d) means coupled to one of said gaps for sending gas into said body cavity;
• (e) means coupled to the other of said gaps for detecting pressure within said body cavity;
• (f) suction means coupled to said other of said gaps for evacuating gas from said body cavity;
• and
• (g) means for reducing the pressure in said associated body cavity to a predetermined level in response to detection of pressure in said body cavity which is above said level.

An endoscope system comprising:

• (a) an endoscope having an insertion part adapted to be inserted into a body cavity, said insertion part containing at least a first channel and a second channel that are adapted to communicate with said body cavity;
• (b) first suction means communicating with said first channel for suctioning said body cavity;
• (c) first positive pumping means communicating with said second channel for supplying a gas into said body cavity, said first positive pumping means comprising means for selectively supplying a first fluid flow, when in a first operational mode, or a second fluid flow, when in a second operational mode wherein a control valve is interposed between said first positive pumping means and said second channel for switching said first positive pumping means between said first and second operational modes;
• and
• (d) pressure means communicating through a third channel with said first channel for controllably adjusting pressure within said body cavity, said pressure means having second suction means for reducing said pressure within said body cavity, said second suction means being automatically controlled by the output of a pressure sensor, said pressure sensor communicating with said third channel, said pressure sensor having an output signal for controlling said pressure of said body cavity.