Device for Disintegrating Stones in Bodily Cavities or Ducts

1. A device for shattering stones in bodily cavities or ducts, comprising: an endoscope having a shaft attached to an enlarged axial proximal end casing section, said shaft having an axial channel therein for the passage of instruments and of flushing fluid, and being provided with permanent optical guide means, said channel open to the axial proximal end of said casing; a light connector stub and an eyepiece provided on said casing and are further fixed to said casing and connected to said optical guide means, said eyepiece projecting at an angle from said casing; an insertion element removably connected to said casing, said element having a proximal end; a first closable passage in said insertion element extending axially thereof and opened to the proximal end thereof, communicating with said channel for insertion of an instrument for shattering stones; and a second closable passage in said insertion element, communicating with said channel for insertion of a flexible probe for detecting stones; independent means for closing the first and second passages, said first and second passages communicating to said channel.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising feed and drain ducts through said insertion element, communicating with said closable passages for the passage of flushing fluid thereto and hence to said channel.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first passage passes axially straight through said insertion element and said second passage is of smaller cross-section than the first and issues obliquely from the side of the insertion element, and wherein said first and second passages extend parallel to and separate from one another through said casing to said channel, adjacent to said optical guide means.

4. An insertion element for inserting stone-detecting and disintegrating means into an axial channel of an endoscope said insertion element comprising: a body portion having coupling means for coupling the element to said endoscope; a first closable passage through said body portion, communicating with said coupling means for insertion of said stone-disintegrating means and a second closable passage through said body portion communicating with said coupling means for insertion of a probe for detecting stones.

5. A device for locating and shattering stones in bodily cavities or ducts, comprising: an endoscope having an elongated shaft and an enlarged portion at one end of said shaft; a fibre optic guide extending through said shaft; a light connector stub on said enlarged portion, connected to said fibre optic guide; an optical observation system extending through said shaft; an eyepiece extending obliquely from said enlarged portion and fixed thereto and carried thereby and connected to said optical observation system; an axial channel through said shaft and said enlarged portion; an insertion element axially removably coupled to said enlarged portion of the endoscope having a proximal end; a first closable passage extending axially through said insertion element and open to a proximal end of said insertion element and communicating with said channel for straight, axial insertion of stone disintegrating means; a second closable passage having a proximal end, said second passage having a portion thereof, extending through said insertion element parallel to and separately from said first closable passage, and communicating with said axial channel for insertion of a flexible probe for detecting stones, said second passage proximal end being directed at an angle to an axis of the insertion element, said insertion element having an axis; and closable feed and drain ducts for flushing fluid, leading into said closable passages.

6. A method of locating and disintegrating stones in a bodily cavity or duct which comprises the steps of: inserting into said cavity or duct an elongated shaft of an endoscope having an axial channel therethrough; coupling an insertion element to an enlarged end of endoscope inserting through a closable passage in said insertion element and the axial channel, a flexible probe to locate and entrap a stone in said cavity or duct; inserting through another closable passage in said insertion element and through the axial channel an ultrasonic probe for disintegrating the entrapped stone; energising said probe to disintegrate the stone and flushing out the fragments of the disintegrated stone with flushing fluid fed through said closable passages.

7. A device for visually locating and shattering stones in bodily cavities or ducts which comprises a sheath assembly for insertion into the body, the sheath assembly having elongated shaft with distal end and proximal end, optical means received in said shaft including fiber optic light carrying means and an optical observation system, eyepiece means projecting from said sheath assembly adjacent its proximal end at an angle to an axis of the sheath assembly, an instrument channel extending through said shaft from said distal end to said proximal end, an insertion element removably coupled to said sheath assembly, first and second passages through said insertion element, said insertion element having distal end and proximal end, said distal end of said insertion assembly communicating with said instrument channel of said shaft, said first and second passages having independent means for closing said passages, said first passage having a proximal end, said first passage aligned parallel with the axis of said sheath assembly and said proximal end of said first passage open axially whereby an instrument for shattering stones can be inserted linearly axially through said first passage, said insertion element, said sheath assembly and said channel, said second passage having portions extending through said insertion element parallel to portions of said first passage and communicating with said instrument channel, said second passage having a proximal end extending at an obtuse angle to the axis of said sheath assembly.