Method and apparatus for straightening and flattening the side wall of a body lumen or body cavity so as to provide three dimensional exposure of a lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity, and/or for stabilizing an instrument relative to the same

Abstract

Apparatus for straightening and flattening a side wall of a body lumen or body cavity so as to provide three dimensional exposure of a lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity, and simultaneously providing for the stabilization or docking of the working end of an endoscope or surgical tool, the apparatus comprising: a deployable hoop expander comprising a structure defining a volume; the deployable hoop expander being configured so as to be transitionable between (i) a reduced cross-sectional configuration, and (ii) an expanded cross-sectional configuration, whereby the deployable hoop expander can be configured in its reduced cross-sectional configuration for easy insertion into a body lumen, and it can thereafter be re-configured into its expanded cross-sectional configuration so as to engage, straighten and flatten the side wall of the body lumen, whereby to provide three dimensional exposure of the lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity, the deployable hoop expander being configured for simultaneously providing for the docking of the end of the endoscope or other instrument so as to stabilize the same for endoscopic viewing and/or therapy.

1 . Apparatus for straightening and flattening a side wall of a body lumen or body cavity, so as to provide three dimensional exposure of a lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity, the apparatus comprising:
 an endoscope having a distal end for insertion into the body lumen or body cavity, and a proximal end for disposition outside of the body lumen or body cavity;   a deployable expander comprising a distal end, a proximal end and defining a volume therebetween;   the deployable expander being configured so as to be transitionable between (i) a reduced cross-sectional configuration, and (ii) an expanded cross-sectional configuration, whereby the deployable expander can be configured in its reduced cross-sectional configuration for easy insertion into a body lumen, and it can thereafter be re-configured into its expanded cross-sectional configuration so as to engage, straighten and flatten the side wall of the body lumen, whereby to provide three dimensional exposure of the lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity;   the proximal end of the deployable expander being configured for mounting to the endoscope such that the distal end of the endoscope is supported and stabilized relative to the body lumen or body cavity when the deployable expander is in its expanded cross-sectional configuration within the body lumen or body cavity.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the deployable expander comprises a plurality of parallel rings connected to one another by at least one strut. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein the parallel rings have a circular configuration. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein the parallel rings have diameters which vary along the length of the deployable expander, such that the deployable expander can form a non-cylindrical and non-ovoid geometry when it is in its expanded cross-sectional configuration. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the deployable expander has a spherical configuration. 
     
     
         9 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the deployable expander is resilient and is normally biased into its expanded cross-sectional configuration, and further wherein the apparatus comprises a constraint for maintaining the deployable expander in its reduced cross-sectional configuration. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the constraint comprises a sleeve. 
     
     
         16 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the distal end of the deployable expander is closed. 
     
     
         22 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the proximal end of the deployable expander is partially closed. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the deployable expander comprises a biocompatible material. 
     
     
         25 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the deployable expander comprises a superelastic alloy material. 
     
     
         26 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the deployable expander comprises a shape memory alloy material. 
     
     
         27 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the deployable expander comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         28 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein the biocompatible material is a biodegradable/absorbable material. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the deployable expander is configured to be passed over the outside of an endoscope. 
     
     
         31 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the deployable expander is configured to be passed alongside of an endoscope. 
     
     
         32 . A method for straightening and flattening a side wall of a body lumen or body cavity so as to provide three dimensional exposure of a lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity, the method comprising:
 providing apparatus comprising:
 an endoscope having a distal end for insertion into the body lumen or body cavity, and a proximal end for disposition outside of the body lumen or body cavity; 
 a deployable expander comprising a distal end, a proximal end and defining a volume therebetween; and 
 the deployable expander being configured so as to be transitionable between (i) a reduced cross-sectional configuration, and (ii) an expanded cross-sectional configuration, whereby the deployable expander can be configured in its reduced cross-sectional configuration for easy insertion into a body lumen, and it can thereafter be re-configured into its expanded cross-sectional configuration so as to engage, straighten and flatten the side wall of the body lumen, whereby to provide three dimensional exposure of the lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity; 
 the proximal end of the deployable expander being configured for mounting to the endoscope such that the distal end of the endoscope is supported and stabilized relative to the body lumen or body cavity when the deployable expander is in its expanded cross-sectional configuration within the body lumen or body cavity; 
   configuring the deployable expander in its reduced cross-sectional configuration;   advancing the deployable expander into a body lumen or body cavity; and   re-configuring the deployable expander into its expanded cross-sectional configuration so as to engage, straighten and flatten the side wall of the body lumen or body cavity, whereby to provide three dimensional exposure of the lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity.   
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 32  wherein the method comprises the additional steps of:
 re-configuring the deployable expander into its reduced cross-sectional configuration; and 
 removing the deployable expander from the body lumen or body cavity. 
 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 32  wherein the deployable expander is resilient and is normally biased into its expanded cross-sectional configuration, and further wherein the apparatus comprises a constraint for maintaining the deployable expander in its reduced cross-sectional configuration. 
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 36  wherein the deployable expander is (i) configured in its reduced cross-sectional configuration by compressing the deployable expander and then applying the constraint so as to maintain the deployable expander in its reduced cross-sectional configuration; and (ii) re-configured into its expanded cross-sectional configuration by releasing the constraint. 
     
     
         38 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein the constraint comprises an outer sleeve. 
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 41  wherein the constraint is released by removing the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         43 .- 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A method according to  claim 32  wherein the deployable expander is advanced into the body lumen by passing it over the outside of an endoscope. 
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 32  wherein the deployable expander is advanced into the body lumen by passing it alongside of an endoscope. 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . Apparatus for straightening and flattening a side wall of a body lumen or body cavity, so as to provide three dimensional exposure of a lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity, the apparatus comprising:
 a deployable expander comprising a distal end, a proximal end and defining a volume therebetween;   the deployable expander being configured so as to be transitionable between (i) a reduced cross-sectional configuration, and (ii) an expanded cross-sectional configuration, whereby the deployable expander can be configured in its reduced cross-sectional configuration for easy insertion into a body lumen, and it can thereafter be re-configured into its expanded cross-sectional configuration so as to engage, straighten and flatten the side wall of the body lumen, whereby to provide three dimensional exposure of the lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity;   wherein the proximal end of the deployable expander is configured to be mounted to the distal end of an endoscope disposed in the body lumen, such that the deployable expander extends around the perimeter of a portion of the endoscope proximate to the distal end of the endoscope, and such that the deployable expander engages, straightens and flattens the side wall of the body lumen, when the deployable expander is in its expanded cross-sectional configuration within the body lumen or body cavity.