Balloon anchor for endoscopically inserting ultrasound probe

A balloon anchor for use with an endoscopically inserting ultrasound probe for stopping a balloon having at least one resilient ring fixedly and hermetically on and around an ultrasound scanner head provided at a fore distal end of a flexible cord of said ultrasound probe and accommodating an ultrasound transducer element for insertion into a body cavity through a biopsy channel of an insertion instrument of an endoscope, said balloon anchor comprising:

• an anchor tube member internally defining an anchor tube passage of an anchor tube passage diameter larger than said flexible cord of said ultrasound probe and configured to be placed in said endoscopic biopsy channel along with said flexible cord therein, said anchor tube member having a fore end portion projected through an opening at a fore distal end of said endoscopic biopsy channel;
• and
• a balloon support member connected to the projected fore end portion of said anchor tube member and having;
• a rigid cylindrical body of a body diameter larger than said endoscopic biopsy channel,
• a balloon support passage of a balloon support passage diameter larger than said flexible cord, said balloon support passage being contiguous with a front end of said anchor tube passage, and
• an annular balloon anchor groove provided on an outer periphery of said balloon support member to fixedly anchor therein said resilient ring of said balloon;
• wherein a fluid passage being formed around said flexible cord by said anchor tube passage and said balloon support passage, said fluid passage allowing supply of an ultrasound transmitting medium to said balloon fixedly anchored in said annular balloon anchor groove of said balloon support member.