Claims:WE CLAIM:

1. A ureteroscope for dusting stones in a body cavity with a laser fiber, the ureteroscope comprising:
a flexible probe comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the flexible probe comprising:
a working channel configured to accommodate the laser fiber in the distal end of the flexible probe at a working position, the laser fiber to be deflected against a target stone for dusting; and
a handle extending proximally from the flexible probe, the handle comprising:
a plurality of control switches configured to provide digital control signals, the digital control signals configured to control a motor assisted movement of the laser fiber in the working channel by a user, the motor assisted movement of the laser fiber comprising one of a feeding movement and a retracting movement; and
a laser fiber feeder and retraction module configured to control one of the feeding movement and the retracting movement of the laser fiber in the working channel, the feeding movement of the laser fiber comprising a forward movement of the laser fiber in a first rotating direction, and the retracting movement of the laser fiber comprising a backward movement of the laser fiber in a second rotating direction.

2. The ureteroscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible probe further comprises:
a deflecting tip at the distal end of the flexible probe and configured to be deflected and in turn deflect the laser fiber, the deflecting tip being positioned at a minimum distance from the target stone;
an image viewing system configured to view the laser fiber extending from the deflecting tip and the target stone; and
a light source configured to provide light to assist viewing of the laser fiber and the target stone through the image viewing system.

3. The ureteroscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser fiber feeder and retraction module comprises:
a light dependent resistor (LDR) configured to generate a digital LDR signal in response to sensing presence of the laser fiber in the working channel, the laser fiber being manually introduced into the working channel and positioned at an initial position;
a processing module coupled to the LDR and configured to generate a digital motor signal in response to the digital LDR signal and the digital control signals;
a driver coupled to the processing module and configured to generate an analog motor signal in response to the digital motor signal;
a motor coupled to the driver and configured to turn a number of steps based on the analog motor signal; and
a plurality of pulleys coupled to the motor and configured to control the motor assisted movement of the laser fiber in the working channel.

4. The ureteroscope as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processing module further comprises:
a controller comprising:
an input and output interfacing module configured to receive the digital LDR signal from the LDR;
a first plurality of input and output interfacing modules configured to receive the digital control signals from the plurality of control switches;
a decision making module configured to determine presence of the laser fiber in the working channel based on the digital LDR signal, and to determine type of the feeding movement and the retracting movement of the laser fiber based on the digital control signals; and
a second plurality of input and output interfacing modules coupled to the decision making module and configured to receive an output data signal from the decision making module and to generate the digital motor signal.

5. The ureteroscope as claimed in claim 3, wherein the initial position is a predefined distance of the laser fiber in the working channel prior to the feeding movement of the laser fiber by the laser fiber feeder and retraction module.

6. The ureteroscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working position is a predefined distance of the laser fiber from the distal end of the flexible probe and is defined by laser energy settings and composition of the target stone.

7. The ureteroscope as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser fiber is energized to a power level and a frequency level to enable the dusting of the target stone.

8. A method of dusting stones in a body cavity with a laser fiber in a ureteroscope, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processing module of a laser fiber feeder and retraction module of the ureteroscope, a digital light dependent resistor signal from a light dependent resistor (LDR) and digital control signals from a plurality of control switches, the digital LDR signal being generated in response to sensing presence of the laser fiber in a working channel of a flexible probe of the ureteroscope, the laser fiber being manually introduced into the working channel and positioned at an initial position and configured to be advanced to a working position, the digital control signals configured to control a motor assisted movement of the laser fiber in the working channel by a user, the motor assisted movement of the laser fiber comprising one of a feeding movement and a retracting movement;
processing, by the processing module, the digital LDR signal and the digital control signals to generate an analog motor signal; and
initiating, by the processing module, activation of a motor in the laser fiber feeding and retraction module in response to the analog motor signal to control one of the feeding movement and the retracting movement of the laser fiber in the working channel for dusting of a target stone, the feeding movement of the laser fiber comprising a forward movement of the laser fiber in a first rotating direction, and the retracting movement of the laser fiber comprising a backward movement of the laser fiber in a second rotating direction.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the laser fiber is energized to a power level and a frequency level to enable the dusting of the target stone.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the laser fiber extending from a deflecting tip of the flexible probe is viewed by an image viewing system in the flexible probe with assistance of light provided by a light source in the flexible probe.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the feeding movement and the retracting movement of the laser fiber is controlled by:
generating, by the processing module, an output data signal corresponding to the digital LDR signal and the digital control signals, the output data signal defining the presence of the laser fiber in the working channel based on the digital LDR signal and type of the feeding movement and the retracting movement of the laser fiber;
processing, by the processing module, the output data signal to generate the analog motor signal; and
initiating, by the processing module, driving of the motor to turn a number of steps based on the analog motor signal to move the laser fiber in one of the feeding movement and the retracting movement of the laser fiber using a plurality of pulleys.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 and further comprising:
determining, by the processing module, the type of the feeding movement and the retracting movement of the laser fiber based on the digital control signals, the type of feeding movement of the laser fiber comprising one of a fine feed and a coarse feed of the laser fiber, the type of retracting movement of the laser fiber comprising one of a fine retract and a coarse retract of the laser fiber.

13. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the initial position is a predefined distance of the laser fiber in the working channel prior to the feeding movement of the laser fiber by the laser fiber feeder and retraction module.

14. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the working position is a predefined distance of the laser fiber from a distal end of the flexible probe and is defined by laser energy settings and composition of the target stone.

Dated this 30th day of December, 2016

Swetha SN
Of K&S Partners
Agent for the Applicant
, Description:FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present subject matter generally relates to field of ureteroscopes. More particularly, the present disclosure discloses a ureteroscope and a method for dusting stones in a body cavity with a laser fiber.