Bronchoscopy and Esophagoscopy | Page 4

as a retrograde esophagoscope in patients of any age. E, window plug for ballooning gastroscope, F.]
[FIG. 4.--Author's short esophagoscopes and esophageal specula A, Esophageal speculum and hypopharyngoscope, adult's size; B, esophageal speculum and hypopharyngoscope, child's size; C, heavy handled short esophagoscope; D, heavy handled short esophagoscope with drainage.]
[FIG. 5.--Cross section of full-lumen esophagoscope for the use of largest bourgies. The canals for the light carrier and for drainage are so constructed that they do not encroach upon the lumen of the tube.]
[25] The special sized esophagoscopes most often useful are the 8 mm. X 30 cm., the 8 mm. X 45 cm., and the 5 mm. X 45 cm. These are made with the drainage canal in various positions.
For operations on the upper end of the esophagus, and particularly for foreign body work, the esophageal speculum shown at A and B, in Fig. 4, is of the greatest service. With it, the anterior wall of the post-cricoidal pharynx is lifted forward, and the upper esophageal orifice exposed. It can then be inserted deeper, and the upper third of the esophagus can be explored. Two sizes are made, the adult's and the child's size. These instruments serve, very efficiently as pleuroscopes. They are made with and without drainage canals, the latter being the more useful form.
[FIG. 6.--Window-plug with glass cap interchangeable with a cap having a rubber diaphragm with a perforation so that forceps may be used without allowing air to escape. Valves on the canals (E, F, Fig. 3) are preferable.]
Gastroscopes.--The gastroscope is of the same construction as the esophagoscope, with the exception that it is made longer, in order to reach all parts of the stomach. In ordinary cases, the regular esophagoscopes for adults and children respectively will afford a good view of the stomach, but there are cases which require longer tubes, and for these a gastroscope 10 mm. X 70 cm. is made, and also one 10 mm. X 80 cm., though the latter has never been needed but once.
[26] Pleuroscopes.--As mentioned above the anterior commissure laryngoscope and the esophageal specula make very efficient pleuroscopes; but three different forms of pleuroscopes have been devised by the author for pleuroscopy. The retrograde esophagoscope serves very well for work through small fistulae.
Measuring Rule (Fig. 7).--It is customary to locate esophageal lesions by denoting their distance from the incisor teeth. This is readily done by measuring the distance from the proximal end of the esophagoscope to the upper incisor teeth, or in their absence, to the upper alveolar process, and subtracting this measurement from the known length of the tube. Thus, if an esophagoscope 45 cm. long be introduced and we find that the distance from the incisor teeth to the ocular end of the esophagoscope as measured by the rule is 20 cm., we subtract this 20 cm. from the total length of the esophagoscope (45 cm.) and then know that the distal end of the tube is 25 cm. from the incisor teeth. Graduation marks on the tube have been used, but are objectionable.
[FIG. 7.--Measuring rule for gauging in centimeters the depth of any location by subtraction of the length of the uninserted portion of the esophagoscope or bronchoscope. This is preferable to graduations marked on the tubes, though the tubes can be marked with a scale if desired.]
Batteries.--The simplest, best, and safest source of current is a double dry battery arranged in three groups of two cells each, connected in series (Fig. 8). Each set should have two binding posts and a rheostat. The binding posts should have double holes for two additional cords, to be kept in reserve for use in case a cord becomes defective.* The commercial current reduced through a rheostat should never be used, because there is always the possibility of "grounding" the circuit through the patient; a highly dangerous accident when we consider that the tube makes a long moist contact in tissues close to the course of both the vagi and the heart. The endoscopist should never depend upon a pocket battery as a source of illumination, for it is almost certain to fail during the endoscopy. The wires connecting the battery and endoscopic instrument are covered with rubber, so that they may be cleansed and superficially sterilized with alcohol. They may be totally immersed in alcohol for any length of time without injury.
* When this is done care is necessary to avoid attempting to use simultaneously the two cords from one pair of posts.
[FIG 8.--The author's endoscopic battery, heavily built for reliability.
It contains 6 dry cells, series-connected in 3 groups of 2 cells each. Each group has its own rheostat and pair of binding posts.]
Aspirating Tubes.--Independent aspirating tubes involve delay in their use as compared to aspirating canals in the wall of the endoscopic tube; but there are special cases