Endoscope with shared working channel

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for opening a workspace inside a lumen of a living creature are disclosed. Anchors may be affixed to opposite ends of the workspace. An extender may be distance anchors apart while they are affixed to the walls of the workspace. Distancing the anchors may unfold and/or stretch the lumen in the region of the workspace.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for opening a workspace inside a lumen of a living creature comprising:
 an extender fitting through a channel of a catheter;   a tool for performing a function in the lumen;   a first anchor mounted proximal to said tool configured for attachment to a wall of said lumen;   a second anchor mounted to said extender distal to said tool configured for attachment to a wall of said lumen; and   wherein said extender is configured for expanding a distance between said first anchor and said second anchor.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said tool is mounted to said extender. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first anchor is mounted to said extender. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shaft extending through a channel of said a catheter and where the system is mounted on a distal portion of said shaft.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first anchor includes a balloon. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first anchor is mounted on said catheter proximal to a distal opening thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said extender includes a stiff shaft extending a distally from said distal opening. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said catheter includes a guide and said stiff shaft is conveyed along said guide. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said stiff extender extends from a distal end of said catheter. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said stiff shaft extends from a fixed point in a cross section of the distal end of said catheter. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein a distal portion of said stiff shaft is extensible. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said stiff shaft has two states:
 a flexible state and   a stiff state, wherein the stiff shaft resists buckling along the longitudinal axis of the catheter.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 7 , further including:
 a stiffness controller for adjusting a stiffness of a distal portion of said extender from a proximal end of said catheter.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor for sensing an opening of a fold resulting from said expanding and stopping said expanding in response to said expanding. 
     
     
         15 . A method of opening a workspace in a lumen of a living creature comprising:
 securing a first anchor reversibly to a wall of the lumen at a first location;   securing a second anchor reversibly to a wall of the lumen at a second location; and   expanding a distance between said first anchor and said second anchor while said first anchor and said second anchor are secured to said first location and said second location thereby stretching said lumen between said first location and said second location.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including:
 inserting a distal end of a catheter into the lumen and wherein said securing of said first anchor is to said first location distal to a distal opening of said catheter and said securing of said second anchor is to said second location proximal to said distal opening of said catheter.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said first location is on a first side of a fold of the lumen and said second location is on a second side of the fold and further comprising:
 opening said fold by said expanding.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 detecting said unfolding; and   stopping said expanding is response to said detecting.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a line joining from said first location to said second location is substantially perpendicular to said fold. 
     
     
         20 . A frame for a catheter comprising:
 a series of frame elements arranged along the length of a distal portion of the catheter, said frame elements defining at least one channel passing longitudinally along the catheter;   an articulated spine located entirely in a continuous region of less than one eighth a cross section of said catheter, said spine including a series of spacers defining a distance between said frame elements in said continuous region; and   a steering element controlled from a proximal end of the catheter for adjusting a longitudinal spacing between said frame elements in the cross section of the catheter outside said continuous region of said spine.   
     
     
         21 . The frame of  claim 20 , wherein a bending axis of said catheter in said distal portion passes through said spine. 
     
     
         22 . The frame of  claim 20 , wherein said frame elements further define at least one more channel passing longitudinally along said catheter from said proximal end to said distal end. 
     
     
         23 . The frame of  claim 22 , wherein said channel and said at least one more channel communicate through a longitudinal slit between the channel and the at least one more channel. 
     
     
         24 . The frame of  claim 20 , wherein said channel has a longitudinal split communicating with an outside of the catheter. 
     
     
         25 . The frame of  claim 20 , wherein a width of said channel is at least one half the width if the catheter.