Balloon guided endoscopy

Abstract

An endoscope assembly including an endoscope, a selectably inflatable balloon mounted onto a distal portion of the endoscope and an external tube extending alongside the endoscope and traversing the selectably inflatable balloon.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An endoscopy apparatus for use with an endoscope for viewing an intestine, the endoscopy apparatus comprising:
 a peripheral balloon configured to be mounted rearward of a distal end of an endoscope, the peripheral balloon configured for inflation and deflation;   a guiding element configured to be positioned on an exterior of the endoscope and configured to extend along a length of the endoscope; and   a distal balloon connected to the guiding element and configured for inflation and deflation, the distal balloon configured to be positionable forward of the distal end of the endoscope;   wherein the guiding element is configured to move axially relative to the endoscope to axially advance or withdraw the distal balloon relative to the peripheral balloon when the endoscopy apparatus is positioned within an interior of an intestine; and   wherein inflation of the peripheral balloon and the distal balloon when the endoscopy apparatus is positioned within the interior of the intestine creates a sealed region between the peripheral balloon and the distal balloon.   
     
     
         22 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising the endoscope to which the peripheral balloon is configured to be mounted. 
     
     
         23 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising an instrument channel extending through the length of the endoscope, the instrument channel configured to deliver an instrument to the sealed region. 
     
     
         24 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the instrument channel is configured to deliver fluid to the sealed region. 
     
     
         25 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising an instrument configured to be inserted through the instrument channel to the sealed region. 
     
     
         26 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising an external tube configured to be attached to the endoscope along its length, wherein the guiding element extends through the external tube. 
     
     
         27 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising a peripheral tube, the peripheral tube configured for inflation and deflation of the peripheral balloon. 
     
     
         28 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the guiding element comprises a guiding tube. 
     
     
         29 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the guiding element extends through a passageway between the peripheral balloon and the exterior of the endoscope when the peripheral balloon is mounted to the endoscope. 
     
     
         30 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the peripheral balloon is configured to be mounted to the exterior of an endoscope defining a circular cross-section and the guiding element is configured to extend along the length of the endoscope outside the circular cross-section. 
     
     
         31 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the guiding element is configured to extend along the length of the endoscope outside the circular cross-section along a length of the peripheral balloon and rearward of the peripheral balloon. 
     
     
         32 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the guiding element is configured to move and inflate the distal balloon to create the sealed region without utilizing any passageway within the endoscope. 
     
     
         33 . The endoscopy apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the peripheral balloon is configured to mount to the endoscope using a tubular sleeve that is configured to be fixed over a distal portion of the endoscope, wherein the peripheral balloon is associated with the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         34 . An endoscopy method, comprising:
 advancing the endoscopy apparatus of  claim 21  with the peripheral balloon mounted to a distal portion of an endoscope within an interior of an intestine; and   inflating the peripheral balloon and the distal balloon to create the sealed region between the peripheral balloon and the distal balloon;   wherein the guiding element is moved axially relative to the peripheral balloon prior to inflation of the distal balloon to adjust a relative distance between peripheral balloon and the distal balloon within the interior of the intestine.   
     
     
         35 . The endoscopy method of  claim 34 , further comprising delivering a fluid to the sealed region. 
     
     
         36 . The endoscopy method of  claim 34 , wherein the peripheral balloon is inflated before the distal balloon. 
     
     
         37 . The endoscopy method of  claim 34 , wherein the guiding element is advanced axially to move the distal balloon distally away from the peripheral balloon before the distal balloon is inflated. 
     
     
         38 . The endoscopy method of  claim 34 , further comprising delivering an instrument through an instrument channel of the endoscope to the sealed region when the peripheral balloon and the distal balloon are inflated.