Distal front end for coordinated positioning of an endoscope with a suction device

Abstract

Devices for joining an endoscope with a system for cleaning a colon or other body lumen are presented. Embodiments include variable placement of distal portions of suction components with respect to the endoscope, multiple suction tubes and/or suction portals, and devices for protecting colon walls from suction damage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning system for evacuating waste from a digestive tract lumen, comprising:
 at least one evacuation channel having a distal end configured for insertion to a distal segment of said digestive tract lumen, said at least one evacuation channel being configured to transmit suction distally to an intake cross-section of the evacuation channel; and   a guard wall which extends distally from said intake cross-section; said guard wall comprising a plurality of apertures, at least one of said apertures serving as a suction relief aperture for reducing a pressure gradient.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said guard wall comprises an evacuation antechamber which includes an open region fluidly interconnecting said plurality of apertures proximally; said plurality of apertures positioned to allow fluid to pass therethrough to a side facing said intake cross-section while receiving suction transmitted through said evacuation channel. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of apertures are positioned near an open end of said guard wall which defines a suction aperture leading to said intake cross-section. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a lip of said guard wall is formed to define a non-planar suction aperture. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said guard wall is positioned to increase a distance between a body lumen wall and a region of high pressure gradient at said intake-cross section. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said evacuation antechamber defines a rounded, blunted front aspect. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said digestive tract lumen is a colon. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said guard wall tapers in a distal direction. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising an adaptor attachable to a distal portion of a colonoscope probe which includes said evacuation channel, wherein said adaptor comprises said guard wall. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said guard wall extends distally to a limit defined by exclusion from a field of view of an imaging means comprised in the colonoscope probe. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of apertures comprises an open area smaller than 50% of the area of said intake cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said guard wall is positioned to divert suction into the intake cross-section of the evacuation channel away from the tissue of a lumenal wall. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a sensor system which allows a controller to reduce and/or reverse suction strength applied through said evacuation channel upon detection of an occlusion. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said evacuation channel is substantially uniform in cross-section along its body. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said guard wall is rigid or semi-rigid such that it maintains its shape under at least a pressure used to normally advance an endoscope probe into the body lumen. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein when suction is actively applied through said evacuation channel, waste material entering said evacuation antechamber is evacuated. 
     
     
         17 . A method of evacuating waste from a digestive tract lumen, comprising:
 inserting at least a distal portion of an evacuation channel into a distal segment of the digestive tract lumen;   applying suction to said evacuation channel, the suction transmitted via said evacuation channel to an intake-cross section at a distal end of said evacuation channel and through an open end of a guard wall which extends distally from said intake cross-section; and   relieving a pressure gradient formed across said open end of the guard wall via at least one aperture of a plurality of apertures formed in said guard wall.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said guard wall comprises an evacuation antechamber which includes an open region fluidly interconnecting said plurality of apertures proximally; said plurality of apertures positioned to allow fluid to pass therethrough to a side facing said intake cross-section while receiving suction transmitted through said evacuation channel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said relieving a pressure gradient comprises reducing a pressure across said plurality of apertures to a level which is unable to grab or injure lumenal tissue. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said guard wall is formed as a part of a tip adaptor, the method comprising attaching said tip adaptor to said evacuation channel distal portion.