Endoscopic surgical procedures and endoscopic apparatus comprising segmented fiber optic cables
US6432047B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 25, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 13, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 25, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B1/042
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of conducting endoscopic surgeries places the camera outside the sterile field, freeing the physicians hands and eliminating costs and inconveniences associated with sterilizing the camera between surgeries. Images may be relayed to the camera by means of a fiber optic cable. Cost issues associated with the long fiber optic cable are avoided by breaking it into two segments, only one of which is likely to be damaged during use. An image preserving connection is formed between the cable segments by a connector that fixes the ends of the cables in close proximity to one another, but a certain fixed distance apart. An image preserving connection is made between two fiber optic cables without the aide of a lens.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.