James K Dill

US Patent:

54958512, Mar 5, 1996

Filed:

Mar 23, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/409177

Inventors:

James E. Dill - Goodview VA
Linda Berkhouse - Roanoke VA

Assignee:

Roanoke Gastroenterology, P.C. - Roanoke VA

International Classification:

A61B 800

US Classification:

12866003

Abstract:

The combined endoscopic ultrasound and stimulated biliary drainage method involves the following steps: inserting an endoscopic ultrasound device within the antrum of a stomach; positioning the endoscopic ultrasound device within the stomach such that the endoscopic ultrasound device is allowed to have a substantially unobstructed view of the gallbladder; activating the endoscopic ultrasound device such that it is capable of detecting whether the gallbladder exhibits any of the following: gallbladder sludge or small gallstones, focal wall thickening, or adhesions about the gallbladder and/or cystic duct; delivering a cholecystokinin analogue intravenously to the human to enable the gallbladder to contract and to produce an ejection fraction of bile from the gallbladder during each contraction thereof; determining the degree of contraction of the gallbladder by means of measuring each the ejection fraction of the gallbladder; and removing the ejection fractions from the patient and analyzing the ejection fractions to detect the presence or absence of calcium bilirubinate and/or cholesterol granules or crystals therein; whereby cholecystitis or microlithiasis of a gallbladder can be diagnosed with an accuracy or sensitivity of between about 90% to 98%.