US 11,707,182 B2
Endoscope and endoscope sheath with diagnostic and therapeutic interfaces
Brian Hunter Weeks, San Diego, CA (US); Ashley Sikand, Las Vegas, NV (US); and Jetmir Palushi, Irvine, CA (US)
Assigned to PACIFICMD BIOTECH, LLC, Henderson, NV (US)
Filed by PacificMD Biotech, LLC, Henderson, NV (US)
Filed on Mar. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/702,628.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/280,397, filed on Nov. 17, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/237,618, filed on Aug. 27, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/165,554, filed on Mar. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0304559 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/05 (2006.01); A61B 1/018 (2006.01); A61B 1/06 (2006.01); A61B 1/015 (2006.01); A61B 1/045 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 1/00135 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00009 (2013.01); A61B 1/015 (2013.01); A61B 1/018 (2013.01); A61B 1/045 (2013.01); A61B 1/05 (2013.01); A61B 1/0676 (2013.01); A61B 1/0684 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An endoscope system comprising:
(a) an endoscope comprising a body, a sheath receiver positioned at a distal end of the body, a shaft extending from the sheath receiver and having a distal tip, and a camera at the distal tip of the shaft, wherein the shaft of the endoscope is rigid;
(b) a control board positioned within the body and communicatively coupled to the camera, via a cable set that runs within the shaft, to receive image data;
(c) a receiving port positioned within the body, communicatively coupled to the control board to provide procedure data to an external device via the receiving port;
(d) a sheath configured to be removably installed on the shaft, the sheath comprising an optical interface at a distal end of the sheath, wherein, when the sheath is installed on the shaft:
(i) a proximal end of the sheath couples to the sheath receiver such that the shaft is fully enclosed; and
(ii) the optical interface is positioned proximate to and substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the camera,
wherein a processor of the control board is configured to determine that the sheath is installed on the endoscope and usable for a procedure and, in response:
(i) cause the camera to capture a set of image data during a procedure performed with the endoscope; and
(ii) cause the set of image data to display on a display of the external device,
wherein the sheath receiver comprises a first sheath coupling that is communicatively coupled to the control board; and the sheath comprises a sheath memory that is configured to store a feature dataset, and that comprises a second sheath coupling, wherein the sheath memory is positioned such that the first sheath coupling couples with the second sheath coupling when the sheath is installed on the endoscope; wherein the processor is further configured to:
(i) receive the feature dataset from the sheath memory; and
(ii) determine that the sheath is installed on the endoscope and usable for a procedure based on the feature dataset;
(iii) create a set of procedure data during the procedure, wherein the set of procedure data describes results of the procedure, and store the set of procedure data on the sheath memory;
(iv) create a set of troubleshooting data during the procedure, wherein the set of troubleshooting data describes errors and diagnostic data arising from the procedure; and
(v) store at least a portion of the set of image data on the sheath memory.