JP2001145598A - Curve detecting method and device for intracorporeal insertion section of endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method by which the state of a curve of the intracorporeal insertion section of an endoscope which is inserted in the body, can be detected without using X-rays. SOLUTION: Under a state wherein the intracorporeal insertion section of an endoscope is inserted in the body, a positionally intrinsic magnetic field is formed around a subject by a magnetic field generator. Then, by inserting a position sensor probe having a position sensor at the tip end in a channel extending from the extracorporeal operation section to the intracorporeal insertion section, the state of a curve of the intracorporeal insertion section and the position of the tip end are detected by these method and device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting a curved shape of an insertion portion of an endoscope inserted into a body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When it is desired to know how the body insertion part is curved in a state where the body insertion part is inserted into the body, this is possible, for example, by X-ray fluoroscopy. However, we want to avoid X-ray exposure as much as possible. Particularly, in a large intestine endoscope in which a lumen is greatly curved, it is often desired to know how the insertion portion in the body is curved.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus capable of detecting a curved aspect of an insertion portion inserted into a body without using fluoroscopy.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a magnetic field generator that generates a position-specific magnetic field around a subject (patient).
From the forceps port side of the extracorporeal operation section to the insertion section side of the endoscope, the position sensor for specifying the relative position coordinates and the inclination with respect to the magnetic field generator is inserted and moved into the channel of the endoscope, and the continuous position is obtained. It is completed based on the idea that if information is obtained, it is possible to obtain the curvature information of the insertion portion in the body.

[0005] In the aspect of the present invention, in a method of detecting a curve of an insertion portion of an endoscope in a body, a magnetic field generator is used to position the body around the subject while the insertion portion of the endoscope is inserted into the body. A step of creating a unique magnetic field; a step of inserting a position sensor probe having a position sensor at the distal end into a channel from the forceps port of the external operation unit of the endoscope to the body insertion unit; and a step of inserting the position sensor probe into the channel. Detecting the position of the position sensor in a magnetic field specific to the position from the output of the position sensor when the insertion is performed, thereby detecting a curved state of the body insertion portion. .

The present invention, in an embodiment of a device for detecting a curvature of an insertion portion in a body of an endoscope, includes an insertion portion in the body, an extracorporeal operation portion for operating the insertion portion in the body, and a forceps opening on the side of the extracorporeal operation portion. An endoscope having a channel leading to the distal end of the insertion portion; a position sensor probe that can be inserted into the channel from the external operation portion side forceps opening to the internal insertion portion side opening; a position sensor provided at the distal end of the position sensor probe A magnetic field generator for generating a position-specific magnetic field, which is installed outside the body in pair with the position sensor; and, based on the output of the position sensor, the position sensor in a position-specific magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator. A position sensor control device for outputting position information.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows the entire system of a device for detecting the curvature of an insertion portion of an endoscope according to the present invention. An endoscope 10 includes an objective lens (not shown) on a monitor screen. An electronic endoscope provided with a CCD imaging optical system for observing an image according to (1), including a flexible in-body insertion section 11 and an operation section 12 for operating the in-body insertion section 11 outside the body. An objective lens is provided at the distal end of 11. Extracorporeal operation unit 1
2 is provided with an air supply / water supply operation section, and a connector section 17 is connected via a light guide flexible tube 24. The connector section 17 includes a light guide joint section 14 connected to an endoscope light source processor 16 for providing illumination light to the distal end of the body insertion section 11 and a plug 15 (FIGS. 2 and 3) for passing various electric signals. Provided. Endoscope 1
Numeral 0 may be a fiberscope type endoscope provided with an eye optical system instead of or in addition to the CCD imaging optical system.

The endoscope position detecting device of the endoscope according to the present embodiment utilizes the channel provided in the above-mentioned existing endoscope 10 through the forceps port 13 of the operation unit 12 to insert the body insertion unit 1.
The main components are a position sensor probe 21 having a position sensor (magnetic sensor) 20 at the distal end, a magnetic field generator 22, and a position sensor control device 23, which are inserted toward 1. The magnetic field generator 22 receives a control signal from the position sensor control device 23 and generates a position-specific magnetic field around a human body as a subject.
1 outputs the position information of the position sensor 20 with respect to the magnetic field generator 22 to the position sensor control device 23 as a current corresponding to the magnetic field when the position sensor 20 at the distal end is located in the magnetic field. The position sensor control device 23 includes:
It is connected to the microcomputer 18 and digitizes this position information, and gives it to the microcomputer 18 as the position coordinates in space with respect to the magnetic field generator 22 and the Euler angle representing the inclination with respect to the magnetic field generator 22. The information required in the present embodiment is only the position information. The microcomputer 18 has a display device 19.

The position sensor 20 is composed of a coil, and detects a position by generating a magnetic field unique to a position where the magnetic field generator 22 faces three orthogonal directions. Position sensor 2
When the zero coil is a three-axis coil, one magnetic field generator 22 is provided, and when the single coil is a one-axis coil, three magnetic field generators 22 are provided.

The position sensor probe 21 is used by being inserted into one of the channels provided in the endoscope 10. As this channel, an existing channel, for example, a forceps channel provided with a raising stand can be used.
0 may be provided with a dedicated channel.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the position sensor probe 21. The position sensor probe 21 is formed in a diameter that can be inserted into the above-described channel as a whole,
A flexible tube member 21a in which a flexible and stiff core member 21b located at a shaft portion and a signal line 20a connected to the position sensor 20 are inserted, and a position sensor probe 21
A hard material 20b whose tip is rounded to facilitate insertion is fixed to the tip of the (core 21b). Core material 21b
Is made of a non-magnetic material having appropriate hardness and flexibility that enables insertion into the channel when a pushing force is applied to the position sensor probe 21 from the rear, such as a stainless wire, a resin wire, a superelastic wire, or the like. Constitute. Magnetic materials are not preferred because they affect the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator 22. In the illustrated example, the position sensor 20 assumes one coil in which the axis direction of the winding is oriented in one linear direction. Therefore, the signal line 20a is one set. When using three sets of coils whose axes are oriented in three orthogonal directions, three sets are inserted.

The apparatus having the above configuration is used as follows. When the body insertion section 11 of the endoscope 10 is inserted into the body and a situation arises in which the user wants to know the state of the curve, first, a position sensor connected to the microcomputer 18 is placed around the subject (patient). The control unit 23 and the magnetic field generator 22 form a magnetic field specific to the position. next,
Insertion of a position sensor probe 21 having a position sensor 20 at the distal end, which is connected to a position sensor control device 23, from a channel of the endoscope 10, for example, a forceps port 13 on the operation unit 12 side of a forceps channel 33 shown in FIG. 3. To start. Then, the position sensor 20 at the tip of the position sensor probe 21
Is the curvature of the forceps channel 33, that is, the body insertion portion 11
Along the curve of the forceps channel 33.
In this insertion process, a series of pulse-shaped position information for specifying the position coordinates of the position sensor 20 relative to the magnetic field generator 22 is obtained. This series of position information is information indicating a state of curvature (insertion locus) of the body insertion portion 11 and is input to the microcomputer 18 via the position sensor control device 23. The microcomputer 18 stores this, and furthermore, the display device 19
Can be displayed. The three-dimensional data of the lumen of the patient can be created in advance by a CT scan or an MRI scan. If the three-dimensional data of the lumen and the obtained curvature information of the insertion portion 11 are combined, more accurate data can be obtained. It is possible to obtain the curvature information of the proper body insertion portion 11.

When an undesired curve is found by the above-described operation of detecting the curve (loop) of the body insertion section 11, the curvature of the body insertion section 11 can be released or corrected at that time. After the release or correction, if the bending information is similarly obtained from the output of the position sensor 20 while pulling out the position sensor probe 21, the result of the release or correction can be immediately observed.

[0014]

According to the present invention, an endoscope having a channel connecting an operation unit outside the body and an insertion unit inside the body can be used in a state where a magnetic field specific to a position is created by a magnetic field generator.
By inserting the position sensor probe from the channel while the body insertion part is inserted into the body, it is possible to obtain a curved state of the body insertion part.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system connection diagram showing one embodiment of a device for detecting a curve of a body insertion portion of an endoscope according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the endoscope.

FIG. 3 is a pipeline diagram of the endoscope.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a position sensor probe.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Endoscope 11 Internal insertion part 12 Extracorporeal operation part 13 Forceps port 14 Light guide connection part 16 Light source processor 17 Connector part 18 Microcomputer 19 Display device 20 Position sensor (magnetic sensor) 20a Signal line 20b Hard tip 21 Position sensor probe 21a Tube material 21b Core material 22 Magnetic field generator 23 Position sensor control device 24 Light guide flexible tube

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2F063 AA04 AA37 AA42 BA29 BA30 BC02 BD15 CA40 DA01 DA02 DB06 DD02 DD04 GA29 GA61 LA19 MA05 4C027 BB05 CC04 KK00 4C061 AA00 BB01 CC06 DD03 HH51 JJ17 LL01 MM00 NN10

Claims (2)

[Claims] A step of generating a magnetic field specific to a position by a magnetic field generator around a subject in a state in which the body insertion portion of the endoscope is inserted into a body; a forceps port of an extracorporeal operation portion of the endoscope Inserting a position sensor probe having a position sensor at the distal end into a channel extending from the body to the body insertion portion; and outputting the position sensor probe when inserting the position sensor probe into the channel. Detecting the bending state of the body insertion part by detecting the position information of the position sensor in a strong magnetic field. 2. An endoscope having a body insertion section, an external operation section for operating the body insertion section, and a channel extending from a forceps opening on the side of the external operation section to a tip of the body insertion section; A position sensor probe that can be inserted from the forceps port of the operation unit side into the opening of the insertion unit side of the body; a position sensor provided at the distal end of the position sensor probe; a position that is paired with the position sensor and installed outside the body A magnetic field generator that generates a magnetic field unique to the position sensor; and a position sensor control device that outputs, from an output of the position sensor, position information of the position sensor in a magnetic field specific to a position created by the magnetic field generator. Characteristic device for detecting the curvature of a body insertion portion of an endoscope.