Steerable ultrasound attachment for endoscope

Abstract

An endoscope add-on assembly adapted to be attached to a target endoscope. The assembly includes an ultrasound imaging sub-assembly, including a communications cable connected to an ultrasound imaging head and an imaging head movement sub-assembly, including a conduit, holding a tension member that is attached to the ultrasound imaging head. Further included are connective elements, adapted to permit the endoscope add-on assembly to be attached to the target endoscope. Finally, the imaging head movement sub-assembly is detachable from the ultrasound imaging sub-assembly, thereby permitting the imaging head movement subassembly to be processed separately from the ultrasound imaging sub-assembly, after use.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An endoscope add-on assembly adapted to be removably attached to an endoscope, comprising:
 an ultrasound imaging sub-assembly comprising a communications cable coupled to an ultrasound imaging head;   a scope clip configured to selectively attach the ultrasound imaging head to the endoscope; and   a neck disposed intermediate the ultrasound imaging sub-assembly and the scope clip, wherein the neck defines an aperture configured to be alignable with a lumen of the endoscope.   
     
     
         12 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a cross section of the endoscope defines a diameter that further defines a first side of the endoscope and a second side of the endoscope, and wherein the endoscope add-on assembly is configured to be removably attached to the endoscope such that the ultrasound imaging head is positioned on the first side of the endoscope and opposed to a camera of the endoscope positioned on the second side of the endoscope. 
     
     
         13 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the lumen is positioned on the first side of the endoscope and opposed to a camera of the endoscope positioned on the second side of the endoscope. 
     
     
         14 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a needle guide configured to adjust an angle at which a needle is advanced from the lumen. 
     
     
         15 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the needle guide comprises a needle guide notch. 
     
     
         16 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising an imaging head movement sub-assembly adapted to move the ultrasound imaging head relative to the endoscope. 
     
     
         17 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 16  wherein the imaging head movement sub-assembly is adapted to be detached from the endoscope and the ultrasound imaging head, thus permitting the imaging head movement sub-assembly to be processed separately from the ultrasound imaging head, between uses. 
     
     
         18 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the neck is configured to bend when the imaging head movement sub-assembly is used to move the ultrasound imaging head relative to the endoscope. 
     
     
         19 . An endoscope add-on assembly adapted to be removably attached to an endoscope, comprising:
 an ultrasound imaging sub-assembly comprising a communications cable coupled to an ultrasound imaging head;   a scope clip configured to selectively attach the ultrasound imaging sub-assembly to the endoscope; and   a cross section of the endoscope defines a diameter that further defines a first side of the endoscope and a second side of the endoscope, and wherein the endoscope add-on assembly is configured to be removably attached to the endoscope such that the ultrasound imaging head is positioned on the first side of the endoscope and opposed to a camera of the endoscope positioned on the second side of the endoscope.   
     
     
         20 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising a neck disposed intermediate the ultrasound imaging head and the scope clip, wherein the neck defines an aperture configured to be alignable with a lumen of the endoscope. 
     
     
         21 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the lumen is positioned on the first side of the endoscope and opposed to a camera of the endoscope positioned on the second side of the endoscope. 
     
     
         22 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising a needle guide configured to adjust an angle at which a needle is advanced from the lumen. 
     
     
         23 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the needle guide comprises a needle guide notch. 
     
     
         24 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising an imaging head movement sub-assembly adapted to move the ultrasound imaging head relative to the endoscope. 
     
     
         25 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the imaging head movement sub-assembly is adapted to be detached from the endoscope and the ultrasound imaging head, thus permitting the imaging head movement sub-assembly to be processed separately from the ultrasound imaging head, between uses. 
     
     
         26 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the neck is configured to bend when the imaging head movement sub-assembly is used to move the ultrasound imaging head relative to the endoscope. 
     
     
         27 . An endoscope add-on assembly configured to be removably attached to an endoscope, the endoscope add-on assembly comprising:
 a scope clip configured to removably attach the endoscope add-on assembly to the endoscope; and   an ultrasound imaging sub-assembly comprising a communications cable coupled to an ultrasound imaging head, wherein the ultrasound imaging head defines a first surface and a second surface positioned opposite the first surface, wherein the ultrasound imaging head comprises an ultrasound element array positioned to face the first surface, and wherein the second surface of the ultrasound imaging head faces the endoscope when the endoscope add-on assembly is removably attached to the endoscope.   
     
     
         28 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 27 , further comprising a neck disposed intermediate the ultrasound imaging head and the scope clip, wherein the neck defines an aperture configured to be aligned with a lumen of the endoscope. 
     
     
         29 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 27 , further comprising a needle guide configured to align a path of a needle of the endoscope relative to the endoscope add-on assembly as the needle is pushed out of a lumen of the endoscope. 
     
     
         30 . The endoscope add-on assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the needle guide comprises a needle guide notch.