Balloon endoscope and methods of manufacture and use thereof

Abstract

A balloon endoscope including an endoscope body having a selectably pressurizable interior volume, which generally fills the interior of the endoscope body and a selectably inflatable balloon located on an outer surface of the endoscope body and defining a balloon volume which communicates with the interior volume for selectable inflation of the balloon by selectable pressurization of the interior volume.

1 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . A balloon endoscope comprising:
 an endoscope body having a selectably pressurizable interior volume, which generally fills the interior of said endoscope body;   a selectably inflatable balloon located on an outer surface of said endoscope body; and   a balloon inflation/deflation control system communicating with said selectably pressurizable interior volume and with said selectably inflatable balloon and being operative to provide automatic leak testing of at least one of said selectably pressurizable interior volume and said selectably inflatable balloon.   
     
     
         49 . A balloon endoscope according to  claim 48  and wherein said balloon inflation/deflation control system has at least two modes of operation including:
 a positive pressure leak testing mode; and 
 a negative pressure leak testing mode. 
 
     
     
         50 . A balloon endoscope according to  claim 48  and wherein said balloon inflation/deflation control system includes at least one of the following operational modules:
 an initialization module, operable prior to an endoscopy procedure; 
 a real time leak monitoring balloon inflation module, operable during an endoscopy procedure; and 
 a real time leak monitoring balloon deflation module, operable during an endoscopy procedure. 
 
     
     
         51 . A balloon endoscope according to  claim 48  and wherein said balloon inflation/deflation control system includes at least two of the following operational modules:
 an initialization module, operable prior to an endoscopy procedure; 
 a real time leak monitoring balloon inflation module, operable during an endoscopy procedure; and 
 a real time leak monitoring balloon deflation module, operable during an endoscopy procedure. 
 
     
     
         52 . A balloon endoscope according to  claim 48  and wherein said balloon inflation/deflation control system includes the following operational modules:
 an initialization module, operable prior to an endoscopy procedure; 
 a real time leak monitoring balloon inflation module, operable during an endoscopy procedure; and 
 a real time leak monitoring balloon deflation module, operable during an endoscopy procedure. 
 
     
     
         53 . A balloon endoscope according to  claim 50  and wherein said initialization module includes the following functionality:
 balloon endoscope pressurization producing balloon inflation; 
 pressure leak test when said balloon endoscope is in a pressurized state and the balloon is surrounded by a balloon confining, gas permeable collar member; 
 balloon endoscope depressurization producing balloon deflation; 
 vacuum leak test when said balloon endoscope is in a pressurized state; and 
 provision of system go/no go indication. 
 
     
     
         54 . A balloon endoscope according to  claim 50  and wherein said real time leak monitoring balloon inflation module includes the following functionality:
 balloon endoscope pressurization producing balloon inflation; 
 provision of complete balloon inflation indication; 
 pressure leak test when said balloon endoscope is in a pressurized state within a body cavity; and 
 provision of leak indication. 
 
     
     
         55 . A balloon endoscope according to  claim 50  and wherein said real time leak monitoring balloon deflation module includes the following functionality:
 balloon endoscope depressurization producing balloon deflation; 
 provision of complete balloon deflation indication to the operator; 
 pressure leak test when said balloon endoscope is in a depressurized state within a body cavity; and 
 provision of leak indication. 
 
     
     
         56 . A balloon endoscope according to  claim 48  and also including an endoscope tool balloon and wherein said balloon inflation/deflation control system comprises:
 an endoscope balloon inflation/deflation control system sub-system communicating with said selectably pressurizable interior volume and with said selectably inflatable balloon and being operative to provide automatic leak testing of at least one of said selectably pressurizable interior volume and said selectably inflatable balloon; and 
 an endoscope tool balloon inflation/deflation control system sub-system communicating with said endoscope tool balloon and being operative to provide automatic leak testing of said endoscope tool balloon. 
 
     
     
         57 . A balloon endoscope according to  claim 48  and wherein said selectably inflatable balloon is retrofitted onto said endoscope body. 
     
     
         58 - 66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . A method for balloon endoscopy comprising:
 providing an endoscope including an endoscope body having a selectably pressurizable interior volume and a selectably inflatable balloon located on an outer surface of said endoscope body; and   providing automatic leak testing of at least one of said selectably pressurizable interior volume and said selectably inflatable balloon.   
     
     
         68 - 77 . (canceled)