US 12,324,565 B2
Methods of attaching a rigidizing sheath to an endoscope
Alexander Q. Tilson, Burlingame, CA (US); Thomas Hsiu, Palo Alto, CA (US); Niklas J. Helmick, San Jose, CA (US); Stephan T. Hoffmann, Danville, CA (US); Eugene Duval, Menlo Park, CA (US); Christopher J. Hasser, Lotus, CA (US); James M. Hayes, La Honda, CA (US); Elias Eleftheriades, Redwood City, CA (US); and Kai Pohlhammer, San Ramon, CA (US)
Assigned to Neptune Medical Inc., Burlingame, CA (US)
Filed by Neptune Medical Inc., Burlingame, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/902,916.
Application 18/902,916 is a continuation of application No. 18/582,634, filed on Feb. 20, 2024, granted, now 12,102,289.
Application 18/582,634 is a continuation of application No. 18/325,979, filed on May 30, 2023, granted, now 11,937,778, issued on Mar. 26, 2024.
Application 18/325,979 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2023/066293, filed on Apr. 27, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/335,720, filed on Apr. 27, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2025/0025023 A1, Jan. 23, 2025
Int. Cl. A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/012 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 1/00142 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00055 (2013.01); A61B 1/00057 (2013.01); A61B 1/00128 (2013.01); A61B 1/00137 (2013.01); A61B 1/012 (2013.01); A61B 2090/064 (2016.02); A61B 2090/081 (2016.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of rigidizing an endoscope, the method comprising:
inserting an internal sheath of a rigidizing external sheath into a lumen of the endoscope, wherein the internal sheath extends proximally from a distal cap of the rigidizing external sheath;
sliding the rigidizing external sheath over the endoscope, so that the endoscope is ensheathed within a lumen of the rigidizing external sheath with the internal sheath of the rigidizing external sheath within the lumen of the endoscope;
engaging the distal cap of the rigidizing external sheath with a distal end region of the endoscope; and
inserting the endoscope ensheathed by the external sheath into a body lumen; and
applying pressure to the rigidizing external sheath to rigidize the external sheath and endoscope within the body lumen.