Safe endoscopic accessory

An endoscopic accessory and tubular member combination, comprising:

• a tubular member having axial walls defining a channel;
• a catheter movably positioned in said channel, said catheter having proximal and distal ends and second axial walls defining an interior area;
• a tool assembly having an elongated member positioned within said interior area of said catheter, said elongated member having proximal and distal ends, and said tool assembly having an endoscopic tool attached to said distal end of said elongated member, said tool assembly being axially movable relative to said interior chamber to move said endoscopic tool between a protected position and an exposed position, said endoscopic tool being positioned within said interior area of said catheter when said endoscopic tool is in said protected position, and said endoscopic tool being exposed at said distal end of said catheter when said endoscopic tool is in said exposed position;
• and
• a retaining member connected to said catheter adjacent to said distal end, said retaining member being movable between first and second positions, said retaining member being positioned to prevent said endoscopic tool from moving out of said catheter toward said exposed position when said retaining member is in said first position, and said retaining member being positioned to allow said endoscopic tool to move out of said catheter toward exposed said position when said retaining member is in said second position, said retaining member being sized to fit within said channel when said endoscopic tool is in said protected position, said first axial walls of said tubular member blocking the retaining member from moving toward said second position.

An endoscopic accessory and tubular member combination comprising:

• a tubular member having first axial walls defining a channel;
• a catheter movably positioned in the tubular member, the catheter having a distal end;
• an endoscopic tool being at least partially movable relative to said distal end of said catheter;
• and
• a retaining member connected to said catheter adjacent to said distal end, said retaining member being movable between open and closed positions, said endoscopic tool being deployed for performing a therapeutic or diagnostic endoscopic procedure when said retaining member is in said open position, and said endoscopic tool being undeployed and blocked from performing a therapeutic or diagnostic endoscopic procedure when said retaining member is in said closed position said member is sized to fit within said channel when said endoscopic tool is undeloyed, said axial walls of said tubular member blocking said retaining member from moving toward said open position when said endoscopic tool is in said undeployed position.

An endoscope and endoscopic accessory assembly, comprising:

• an endoscope having first axial walls forming a channel with proximal and distal ends, said channel having an opening at said distal end;
• and
• an endoscopic accessory movably positioned in said channel, said endoscopic accessory comprising:
• a catheter with proximal and distal ends and second axial walls defining an interior area of said catheter, said catheter being movable relative to said channel between a retracted position and an extended position, said catheter in said retracted position having said distal end of said catheter positioned within said channel proximal to said opening in said distal end of said channel, and said catheter in said extended position having said distal end of said catheter extending through said opening at said distal end of said channel;
• an endoscopic tool positioned within said interior area of said catheter, said endoscopic tool having a distal end and being movable between a protected position and an exposed position, said distal end of said endoscopic tool being positioned within said interior area of said catheter proximal to said distal end of said catheter when said endoscopic tool is in said protected position, and said distal end of said endoscopic tool being positioned exterior of said interior area and distal from said distal end of said catheter when said endoscopic tool is in said position;
• and
• a retaining member connected to said catheter adjacent to said distal end, said retaining member being movable between first and second positions, said retaining member in said first position being positioned to prevent said endoscopic tool from moving toward said exposed position, and said retaining member in said second position being positioned to allow said endoscopic tool to move from said protected position toward said exposed position, said retaining member being sized to fit within said channel when said endoscopic tool is in said protected position, said retaining member movable to engage said first axial walls of said channel when said endoscopic tool is in said protected position with said first axial walls blocking said retaining member from moving to said second position.

A medical device for inserting into a selected body cavity of a patient during a therapeutic or diagnostic medical procedure, comprising:

• an outer tubular member having a first distal end and first axial walls defining a channel, the outer tubular member being adapted to extend into the selected body cavity with the first distal end being in the selected body cavity;
• an inner tubular member movably positioned in the channel of the outer tubular member, the inner tubular member having a second distal end and second axial walls defining an interior area;
• a diagnostic or therapeutic tool assembly positioned within the interior area for relative movement between the tool assembly and the inner tubular member, the tool assembly being positionable in a protected position with a first end of the tool assembly within the interior area of the inner tubular member and an exposed position with the first end of the tool assembly being exposed at the second distal end;
• and
• a retaining member connected to the inner tubular member adjacent to the second distal end, the retaining member selectively preventing the relative movement between the tool assembly and the inner tubular member to retain the tool assembly in the protected position, the retaining member being movable between a first position with the tool assembly being in the protected position and prevented from being positioned to the exposed position and a second position with the retaining member being positioned to allow the tool assembly to be positioned in the exposed position, the retaining member being sized to fit within the channel when the tool assembly is in the protected position, the first axial walls blocking the retaining member from moving radially outwardly relative to the inner tubular member to the second position.