Fiber optic endoscope

An endoscope comprising an elongated flexible sheath having a distal end insertable into an internal space of a body organ and a proximal end;

• a plurality of elongated flexible radiation- and image-transmitting conductors surrounded by and extending longitudinally of said sheath and having exposed distal ends at the distal end of said sheath to direct radiation against and to transmit images of a surface bounding the internal space of the body organ receiving the distal end of said sheath;
• at least one inflatable and deflatable balloon surrounding the distal ends of said conductors;
• means for inflating and deflating said at least one balloon, including means for establishing for the flow of a fluid into and from said at least one balloon a path extending longitudinally of said sheath;
• an elongated flexible tube surrounding an intermediate portion of said sheath and having a distal end and a proximal end;
• and a guide including an elongated loop at the distal end of said tube, said at least one balloon and said distal ends of said conductors being guided by and being movable along said loop in the longitudinal direction of the loop and said loop exhibiting a tendency to move into a plane making a predetermined angle with the distal end of said tube.

An endoscope comprising an elongated flexible sheath having a distal end insertable into an internal space of a body organ and a proximal end;

• a plurality of elongated flexible radiation- and image-transmitting conductors surrounded by and extending longitudinally of said sheath and having exposed distal ends at the distal end of said sheath to direct radiation against and to transmit images of a surface bounding the internal space of the body organ receiving the distal end of said sheath;
• at least one inflatable and deflatable balloon surrounding the distal ends of said conductors;
• means for inflating and deflating said at least one balloon, including means for establishing for the flow of a fluid into and from said at least one balloon a path extending longitudinally of said sheath;
• an elongated flexible tube surrounding an intermediate portion of said sheath;
• and a guide for said at least one balloon, said guide including a loop having a first end portion affixed to a distal end of said tube and a second end portion extending into the distal end of said tube substantially diametrically opposite said first end portion with reference to a longitudinal axis of said distal end of said tube.

An endoscope comprising an elongated flexible sheath having a distal end insertable into an internal space of a body organ and a proximal end;

• a plurality of elongated flexible radiation- and image-transmitting conductors surrounded by and extending longitudinally of said sheath and having exposed distal ends at the distal end of said sheath to direct radiation against and to transmit images of a surface bounding the internal space of the body organ receiving the distal end of said sheath;
• at least one inflatable and deflatable balloon surrounding the distal ends of said conductors;
• means for inflating and deflating said balloon, including means for establishing for the flow of a fluid into and from said at least one balloon a path extending longitudinally of said sheath;
• and a three-dimensional frame arranged to support said at least one balloon in the internal space of the body organ, said frame including a plurality of resiliently deformable loops including a loop engageable with the surface bounding the internal space of the body organ receiving said frame and said at least one balloon.

An endoscope comprising an elongated flexible sheath having a distal end insertable into an internal space of a body organ and a proximal end;

• a plurality of elongated flexible radiation- and image-transmitting conductors surrounded by and extending longitudinally of said sheath and having exposed distal ends at the distal end of said sheath to direct radiation against and to transmit images of a surface bounding the internal space of the body organ receiving the distal end of said sheath;
• at least one inflatable and deflatable balloon surrounding the distal ends of said conductors;
• means for inflating and deflating said at least one balloon, including means for establishing for the flow of a fluid into and from said at least one balloon a path extending longitudinally of said sheath;
• and a frame for said at least one balloon in the internal space of the body organ, said frame including an elongated flexible tube having at least one longitudinally extending lumen, and guide means for said at least one balloon and the distal ends of said conductors, said guide means including at least one loop provided at a distal end of said tube and said at least one lumen having an open end in said distal end of said tube, said at least one loop and said distal ends of said conductors and said at least one balloon being retractible into said at least one lumen by way of said open end, said at least one balloon and the distal ends of said conductors being movable along said at least one loop in the non-retracted position of said at least one loop.

An endoscope comprising an elongated flexible sheath having a distal end insertable into an internal space of a body organ and a proximal end;

• a plurality of elongated flexible radiation- and image-transmitting conductors surrounded by and extending longitudinally of said sheath and having exposed distal ends at the distal end of said sheath to direct radiation against and to transmit images of a surface bounding the internal space of the body organ receiving the distal end of said sheath;
• at least one inflatable and deflatable balloon surrounding the distal ends of said conductors, said at least one balloon including a deformable wall having a radiation transmitting portion which is adjacent the distal ends of said conductors and is closely adjacent a portion of the surface bounding the internal space in the inflated condition of said at least one balloon;
• means for inflating and deflating said at least one balloon, including means for establishing for the flow of a fluid flowing into and from said at least one balloon a path extending longitudinally of said sheath;
• and a mechanical support including means for urging said portion of the deformable wall of the at least one balloon against said portion of the surface bounding the internal space in the inflated condition of said at least one balloon, said means for urging including an elongated flexible tube surrounding said conductors at least between the proximal and distal ends of the conductors and including a distal end at the distal ends of said conductors, and at least one guide including an elongated portion confined in said tube and a distal end portion extendable from the distal end of said tube to engage the surface in the internal space of the body organ adjacent said at least one balloon, said means for urging further comprising means for moving said elongated portion of said at least one guide longitudinally of said tube to thus vary the size of the distal end portion of said at least one guide, said distal end portion of said at least one guide including a loop extendible from the distal end of said tube to engage a portion of the surface bounding the internal space of the body organ.

An endoscope comprising an elongated flexible sheath having a distal end insertable into an internal space of a body organ and a proximal end;

• a plurality of elongated flexible radiation- and image-transmitting conductors surrounded by and extending longitudinally of said sheath and having exposed distal ends at the distal end of said sheath to direct radiation against and to transmit images of a surface bounding the internal space of the body organ receiving the distal end of said sheath;
• at least one inflatable and deflatable balloon surrounding the distal ends of said conductors, said at least one balloon including a deformable wall having a radiation transmitting portion which is adjacent the distal ends of said conductors and is closely adjacent a portion of the surface bounding the internal space in the inflated condition of said at least one balloon;
• means for inflating and deflating said at least one balloon, including means for establishing for the flow of a fluid into and from said at least one balloon a path extending longitudinally of said sheath;
• a mechanical support including means for urging said portion of the deformable wall of the at least one balloon against said portion of the surface bounding the internal space in the inflated condition of said at least one balloon, said means for urging including an elongated flexible tube surrounding said conductors at least between the proximal and distal ends of the conductors and including a distal end at the distal ends of said conductors, and at least one guide including an elongated portion confined in said tube and a distal end portion extendable from the distal end of said tube to engage the surface in the internal space of the body organ adjacent said at least one balloon;
• and means for retracting said at least one balloon into and for expelling said at least one balloon from the distal end of said tube.