Balloon-equipped endoscopic devices and methods thereof

Abstract

An endoscopy system including a balloon-equipped endoscope including a balloon which is configured for slidable frictional engagement with an interior wall of a body passageway and axial stretching of the interior wall when inflated to a slidable frictional engagement pressure and displaced axially along the body passageway and a balloon inflation subsystem operative to selectably inflate the balloon to the slidable frictional engagement pressure.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system comprising:
 an endoscope;   a balloon permanently mounted on said endoscope, said balloon being configured and mounted on said endoscope for multiple uses and reprocessing between ones of such multiple uses, without balloon replacement; and   a balloon inflation subsystem operative to selectably inflate said balloon.   
     
     
         52 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 51  and wherein:
 said balloon comprises a forward end portion and a rearward end portion, and said forward end portion and said rearward end portion are mounted over rigid mounting elements of said endoscope. 
 
     
     
         53 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 52  and wherein at least one of said rigid mounting elements is a rigid collar element of said endoscope. 
     
     
         54 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 52 , wherein at least one of said rigid mounting elements is a rigid tip portion of said endoscope. 
     
     
         55 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 51  and wherein:
 said balloon-equipped endoscope comprises a tubular sealing bending rubber sheath at a forward portion thereof; and 
 the length of said balloon is approximately equal to the length of said tubular sealing bending rubber sheath and aligned therewith. 
 
     
     
         56 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 51  and wherein said balloon is made of polyurethane type Elastollan 1185 A. 
     
     
         57 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 51  and wherein said balloon has a thickness in the range of 20-35 microns. 
     
     
         58 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 51 , wherein said balloon-equipped endoscope is configured for withstanding over 100 conventional reprocessing cycles without the need to replace the balloon. 
     
     
         59 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 51 , wherein said balloon-equipped endoscope is configured for withstanding over 1,200 conventional reprocessing cycles without the need to replace the balloon. 
     
     
         60 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 51 , wherein said balloon-equipped endoscope is configured for repeated use thereof for a period of at least five years without the need to replace the balloon. 
     
     
         61 .- 152 . (canceled) 
     
     
         153 . A multiple use balloon-equipped endoscopy system according to  claim 52  and wherein at least one of said rigid mounting elements comprises a rigid collar element which is mounted on said endoscope.