Method and apparatus for manipulating the side wall of a body lumen or body cavity so as to provide increased visualization of the same and/or increased access to the same, and/or for stabilizing instruments relative to the same

Abstract

Apparatus comprising: a sleeve adapted to be slid over the exterior of an endoscope; an aft balloon secured to the sleeve; an inflation/deflation tube carried by the sleeve and in fluid communication with the interior of the aft balloon; a pair of hollow push tubes slidably mounted to the sleeve, the pair of hollow push tubes being connected to one another at their distal ends with a raised push tube bridge, the raised push tube bridge being configured to nest an endoscope therein; and a fore balloon secured to the distal ends of the pair of hollow push tubes, the interior of the fore balloon being in fluid communication with the interiors of the pair of hollow push tubes, wherein the fore balloon is capable of assuming a deflated condition and an inflated condition, and further wherein (i) when the fore balloon is in its deflated condition, an axial opening extends therethrough, the axial opening being sized to receive the endoscope therein, and (ii) when the fore balloon is in its inflated condition, the axial opening is closed down.

1 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . Apparatus comprising:
 a sleeve adapted to be slid over an exterior of an endoscope, the sleeve comprising a proximal end and a distal end;   a pair of push tubes slidably mounted to the sleeve, the pair of push tubes each comprising a proximal end and a distal end;   a fore balloon secured to the distal ends of the pair of push tubes, wherein the fore balloon is capable of assuming a deflated condition and an inflated condition; and   a push tube handle secured to the proximal ends of the pair of push tubes for moving the pair of push tubes relative to the sleeve.   
     
     
         42 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  further comprising a base secured to the sleeve at the proximal end of the sleeve, wherein the base is configured to support and guide the push tube handle as the push tube handle moves the pair of push tubes relative to the sleeve. 
     
     
         43 . Apparatus according to  claim 42  wherein the base comprises an extension having a center slot and a pair of side slots, and further wherein the extension comprises at least one fitting for inflating/deflating the fore balloon. 
     
     
         44 . Apparatus according to  claim 43  wherein the push tube handle comprises a C-shaped body having a center locking element and a pair of finger grips mounted thereto such that the push tube handle can be (i) locked in position relative to the extension by the center locking element, whereby to lock the fore balloon in position, and (ii) moved distally or proximally relative to the extension, whereby to move the fore balloon distally or proximally. 
     
     
         45 . Apparatus according to  claim 44  wherein the center locking element comprises a screw shaft and a screw knob, and further wherein the push tube handle is mounted within the extension of the base so that the screw shaft is slidably received in the center slot of the extension and so that the finger grips are slidably received in the pair of side slots in the extension. 
     
     
         46 . Apparatus according to  claim 45  wherein the push tube handle is locked to the extension by turning the screw knob until the screw knob engages an outer surface of the extension. 
     
     
         47 . Apparatus according to  claim 45  wherein torsion can be applied to the fore balloon by applying torsion to the finger grips. 
     
     
         48 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  further comprising an aft balloon secured to the sleeve. 
     
     
         49 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  wherein the endoscope comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the endoscope comprises a handle, and further wherein the sleeve is sized so as to substantially cover the endoscope from a point adjacent to the distal end of the endoscope to a point adjacent to the handle of the endoscope. 
     
     
         50 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  further comprising an inflation/deflation tube formed integral with the sleeve. 
     
     
         51 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  wherein the sleeve comprises a pair of passageways for receiving the pair of push tubes. 
     
     
         52 . Apparatus according to  claim 51  wherein the pair of passageways are formed integral with the sleeve. 
     
     
         53 . Apparatus according to  claim 51  wherein each of the pair of passageways receives a support tube which receives a push tube. 
     
     
         54 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  wherein the sleeve comprises a lumen for receiving an instrument. 
     
     
         55 . Apparatus according to  claim 54  wherein the lumen is formed integral with the sleeve. 
     
     
         56 . Apparatus according to  claim 48  wherein the aft balloon comprises a body having a proximal opening and a distal opening, a distal extension extending distally from the body, a proximal extension extending proximally from the body, and further wherein the aft balloon is formed by everting the distal extension into an interior of the body and into an interior of the proximal extension. 
     
     
         57 . Apparatus according to  claim 48  wherein at least one of the sleeve, the aft balloon, the pair of push tubes and the fore balloon comprises a visualizable marker. 
     
     
         58 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  further comprising an inflation mechanism for selectively inflating/deflating the fore balloon. 
     
     
         59 . Apparatus according to  claim 41  wherein the pair of push tubes are connected to one another at their distal ends by a raised push tube bridge, and further wherein the raised push tube bridge is configured to nest an endoscope therein. 
     
     
         60 . Apparatus according to  claim 59  wherein the raised push tube bridge is in the form of a ring.