Endoscopic vacuum controller

Abstract

An endoscopic vacuum controller may include a housing having a vacuum inlet, a vacuum outlet configured to be coupled to a vacuum source, and a vacuum passage fluidly coupling the vacuum inlet to the vacuum outlet. The vacuum controller may also include an actuator supported by the housing and configured to control the flow of fluid through the vacuum passage. An indicator may be supported by the housing to provide an indication that a predetermined vacuum level is being drawn at the vacuum inlet. The vacuum controller may include a connector to detachably couple the housing to an endoscope shaft. The connector may be configured to slidably couple the housing to the endoscope shaft to allow adjustment of the controller along the length of the shaft while the housing remains coupled to the shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing a vacuum in an endoscopic procedure, the method comprising acts of:
 (a) detachably connecting an endoscopic vacuum controller to an endoscope shaft, wherein the vacuum controller includes a housing having a vacuum inlet, a vacuum outlet configured to be coupled to a vacuum source, and a vacuum passage fluidly coupling the vacuum inlet to the vacuum outlet;   (b) actuating the vacuum controller to draw a vacuum through the vacuum passage from the vacuum inlet to the vacuum outlet; and   (c) determining whether a predetermined vacuum level is being drawn within the housing with an indicator supported by the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the act of:
 (d) sliding the vacuum controller along at least a portion of the length of the endoscope shaft to allow adjustment of the vacuum controller along the endoscope shaft while the vacuum controller remains coupled to the endoscope shaft.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein act (c) includes moving the indicator from a first position to a second position relative to the housing in response to vacuum being drawn at the fluid inlet, the indicator being positioned at the first position in the absence of a pressure differential between pressure within the housing and pressure outside the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein act (c) includes moving the indicator to the second position against a bias toward the first position. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein act (c) includes moving the indicator from the first position protruding outwardly from a surface of the housing in a direction toward the surface of the housing to the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a switch and act (b) includes manually actuating the switch to an open position to allow a vacuum to be drawn through the fluid passage. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising an act (e) of manually actuating the switch to a closed position to prevent a vacuum from being drawn through the fluid passage in response to act (c) determining that the predetermined vacuum level is being drawn within the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein act (e) includes blocking the fluid passage with a protrusion of the switch. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein act (e) includes compressing a portion of the fluid passage with the switch to block the fluid passage in the closed position. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein act (e) includes maintaining the switch in the closed position with a lock.