Endoscopic instrument

Abstract

An endoscopic instrument ( 1, 134 ), for inserting into a body of a patient, includes a tubular shank ( 3, 47, 137 ) which is coupled or can be coupled to a handling device ( 5, 135 ), and at least two electrical, mechanical and/or optical leads ( 11, 13, 15, 19, 57, 59, 65, 67, 123, 181 ) which run through the shank ( 3, 47, 137 ). The handling device ( 5, 135 ) includes a housing ( 23 ) which at a proximal end has two limbs ( 141, 143 ) which are arranged obliquely to one another and enclose a contact surface ( 145 ). At least one of the leads ( 11, 13, 15, 19, 57, 59, 65, 67, 123, 181 ) is led outwards out of the handling device ( 5, 125 ) out of one of the limbs ( 141, 143 ).

1 . An endoscopic instrument for inserting into a body of a patient, wherein the instrument comprises:
 a handling device;   a tubular shank which is coupled or can be coupled to the handling device; and   at least two electrical, mechanical and/or optical leads which run through the shank, wherein the handling device comprises a housing which at a proximal end has two limbs which are arranged obliquely to one another and enclose a contact surface, wherein at least one of the leads is led outwards out of the handling device out of one of the two limbs.   
     
     
         2 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the limbs are configured as two rigid grip limbs which distally run together towards the shank in an essentially Y-shape. 
     
     
         3 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a distally running pull wire; and   at least two triggers or operating levers which are actuatable by two fingers of a hand of a user by way of proximal pulling and are each connected to the distally running pull wire.   
     
     
         4 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 3 , a guide roller or cam disc arranged between the operating levers, about which the guide roller or cam disc the pull wires are each lead as a section of the pull wire as a common pull wire which is led around the guide roller or cam disc, wherein the guide roller or cam disc is rotatable in two directions in an angular range about a rotation axis in the housing of the handling device, wherein the rotation axis runs essentially perpendicularly to a plane which is spanned by the limbs 
     
     
         5 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , further comprising an arresting device, wherein the guide roller or cam disc is fixable in a momentary position via the arresting device. 
     
     
         6 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 5 , wherein the arresting device comprises a knurled screw. 
     
     
         7 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid channel which individually directly surrounds the at least two leads which run through the shank is formed in the shank. 
     
     
         8 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 7 , wherein the fluid channel is configured as a feed channel and/or discharge channel. 
     
     
         9 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 7 , wherein the fluid channel comprises a distal fluid channel opening and a proximal fluid channel opening, wherein the proximal fluid channel opening is arranged laterally on the shank and can be subjected to fluid pressure or a fluid vacuum. 
     
     
         10 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing means which forms a proximal end of the fluid channel and comprises feed-throughs for the leads. 
     
     
         11 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the instrument comprises a handling device, wherein the handling device is fixedly connected or is releasably connectable to a proximal end of the shank. 
     
     
         12 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the shank, at least in a shank section, is jointlessly elastically bendable by more than 270°. 
     
     
         13 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the instrument or at least the shank is configured as a disposable article for disposal after a single use. 
     
     
         14 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the fluid channel corresponds to a cross-sectional area of a shank interior which is formed by the shank, minus a sum of the cross-sectional areas of all leads which run through the shank interior. 
     
     
         15 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the shank, in a distal shank section, comprises a plurality of slots. 
     
     
         16 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein the slots only extend over a part of a shank periphery in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         17 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein the slots are arranged axially to one another such that the shanks alternately lie on a first lateral side of the shank and a second lateral side of the shank which lies diametrically opposite the first. 
     
     
         18 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein the slots are configured as a distal fluid channel opening for the fluid channel and to locally increase the flexibility of the shank for a jointless bending of a distal shank end. 
     
     
         19 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one working channel which runs through the shank and which is directly surrounded by the fluid channel. 
     
     
         20 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 19 , wherein the working channel is configured to lead through a laser fibre optic, a capture basket or a Dormia loop. 
     
     
         21 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 19 , wherein the working channel serves as a feed channel and/or discharge channel with a flow direction which runs opposite with respect to the fluid channel. 
     
     
         22 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 19 , wherein the working channel runs axially through a sealed proximal end of the fluid channel. 
     
     
         23 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 19 , wherein the working channel comprises a distal working channel opening and a proximal working channel opening. 
     
     
         24 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 23 , wherein the proximal working channel opening is arranged proximally of the proximal end of the fluid channel. 
     
     
         25 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 23 , wherein the distal working channel opening is arranged distally of a distal fluid channel opening of the fluid channel. 
     
     
         26 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 23 , wherein the handling device is fixedly connected or releasably connectable to a proximal end of the shank, wherein the proximal working channel opening is formed by the handling device. 
     
     
         27 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 23 , wherein a cross section of the distal working channel opening is smaller than a cross section of the working channel. 
     
     
         28 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 27 , wherein the cross section of the working channel tapers towards the distal working channel opening. 
     
     
         29 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein a through-flow direction and/or a through-flow rate through the fluid channel is selectable or can be set. 
     
     
         30 . An endoscopic instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein a distal shank end is controllably jointlessly bendable.