Method of Treating Patients With Rectoscopes

This invention relates to rectoscopes and more particularly to a novel rectoscope assembly and a method for its use.

As far as possible, rigid rectoscopes are used for examining the rectum, working preferably with the art of ballooning the intestines by air, for which purpose the rectoscope must be air-tight. However, the examination of higher areas of the intestines is accomplished by means of a flexible colonoscope passing through said rectoscope, whereafter the rigid rectoscope can be removed.

However, the known colonoscope have a relatively large head which cannot be passed through the above-mentioned known rectoscopes. It is therefore impossible to remove the rigid rectoscope with the colonoscope in place.

To obviate this disadvantage, divisible rectoscope tubes are known comprising two halves which are divided in the longitudinal direction of the instrument. As a result, it is possible to disconnect the two halves and remove them separately past the inserted flexible colonoscope. Thus, the divisible rectoscope tubes can be disassembled within the body cavity and removed and put aside whilst leaving in place the flexible colonoscope. However, these divisible rectoscope tubes have the disadvantage that at the junctions of the two tube halves the necessary tightness cannot be achieved necessary for the above-indicated ballooning by air of the intestine.

The object of the invention is to so improve the rectoscope of the type indicated hereinbefore that examination with ballooning by air is possible without losing the advantage of inserting the flexible colonoscope through the rigid rectoscope tube.

According to the invention, this problem is solved in that a divisible outer tube encases and is detachably connected with the rectoscope.

This firstly provides the possibility of using a completely tight rectoscope for examinations which may efficiently be accompanied by ballooning the intestines with air. Furthermore, the joint between the rectoscope and the outer tube is disconnected whilst leaving the instrument in the body cavity and removing the rectoscope. In addition, the above-mentioned known possibility is provided of introducing a flexible colonoscope through the divisible outer tube remaining in the body cavity, after which the two halves are separated and removed past the head of the colonoscope. This makes it unnecessary for two different rectoscopes to be successively introduced into the body cavity of the patient, whilst also saving time during the operation.

According to a further development of the invention, for the detachable connection with the rectoscope, the divisible outer tube is arranged with a bayonet joint at the proximal end of the rectoscope. As is known, bayonet joints permit a very rapid disengagement by simply rotating the instrument.

To facilitate the rotation of the rectoscope relative to the divisible outer tube, it is advantageous to provide projections on the rectoscope and/or on the divisible outer tube.

The method for using the rectoscope according to the invention preferably comprises the rectoscope firstly being used for examining the rectum, accompanied by ballooning with air, and then detaching the divisible outer tube from the rectoscope and removing the latter whereupon a colonoscope can be inserted in the divisible tube. The divisible tube is then removed.

Further advantages and details of the invention can be gathered from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a foreshortened elevational view showing a rectoscope and a divisible outer tube of the invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a foreshortened elevational view of the outer tube only;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the outer tube with a colonoscope inserted; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the components of the divisible outer tube detached from one another.

FIG. 1 shows a rectoscope 1 the inner construction of which is conventional and need not therefore be described in detail. This substantially comprises a pipe having a connection 7 for a flexible photoconductor and a further connection for compressed air, not shown. In FIG. 1, the distal end is to the left and the proximal end 8 to the right, the latter end being provided with an eyepiece to permit observation by the doctor.

According to the invention, the rectoscope is encased by a divisible outer tube or auxiliary body portion 2 comprising an upper half 9 and a lower half 10. The dividing line 11 is located in the longitudinal direction of the instrument.

FIG. 2 shows the divisible outer tube only. The two dish-shaped halves 9 and 10 can be separated by a brief axial and relative displacement of the parts. Corresponding matching tongues and grooves are provided at the distal and proximal ends to accomplish such connection and displacement. This need not be shown in detail because such divisible outer tubes are known per se. For the purposes of the invention, a groove 12 of a bayonet joint is provided in the vicinity of a finger engaging projection 5 at the proximal end, and a pin 3 on the rectoscope 1 fits into such joint. Pin 3 is on a bayonet ring 4 which is used to connect the divisible outer tube 2 with rectoscope 1 and which has a finger engaging projection 6 adapted to be gripped simultaneously with projection 5 for attaching and detaching parts 1 and 2 at the bayonet joint.

According to FIG. 3, a colonoscope 13 can be inserted into tube 2 and has a head 14 which is much larger than the flexible colonoscope 13. There is no need to describe and present in detail colonoscope 13, 14 because such instruments are known per se.

FIG. 4 shows the two parts 9 and 10 of the divisible outer tube 2 in the detached state. In this condition, they can be removed from within the body cavity past the head 14 of the colonoscope.

The subject matter of the invention functions as follows:

The fitted rectoscope with the outer tube thereon as shown in FIG. 1 permits the examination of the rectum accompanied by ballooning with air in the known manner. The bayonet joint 3, 4 is then disconnected and the rectoscope 1 is removed from tube 2, whilst leaving the latter in the body cavity. Colonoscope 3 can then be inserted into tube 2 until the distal end 15 is out of the distal end of tube 2 in the desired manner. Through a longitudinal displacement of the two parts 9 and 10 of the tube 2 relative to one another, it is then possible to detach the two halves so that they can be removed separately from one another according to FIG. 4.

The invention leads to the advantage that the known procedure can also be used when examination is to take place accompanied by ballooning by air because the rectoscope 1 is completely airtight and can be removed from tube 2.