JP2003116778A - Endoscope for intubation - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a endoscope for intubation, allowed to be easily passed through the throat or the like regardless of the degree of a change in shape of the throat as an object for insertion. SOLUTION: This endoscope for intubation is freely inserted and removed to a flexible intubation tube as a core having an observation function. An observation window 13 is disposed in the distal end of insertion tube/working length 1a, 1b having flexibility overall or partially. The part 1a having flexibility is kept in its bent shape by external force. A curved part 1c bent by remote operation from the base end side of the insertion tube/working length 1a, 1b is formed on the most distal end part of the insertion tube/working length 1a, 1b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used as a core bar having an observation function in order to observe the insertion direction and prevent the intubation tube from bending when inserting a flexible intubation tube (tracheal tube) into a bronchus or the like. The present invention relates to an intubation endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an endoscope for intubation has an observation window disposed at the tip of an insertion tube made of a flexible metal pipe, and the insertion tube is bent and used according to the shape of the larynx. The insertion tube is formed so as to maintain its bent shape when bent by an external force.

[0003]

Therefore, when the endoscope for intubation is used, the insertion tube is inserted after being bent so as to fit the shape of the larynx and the like in advance. The shape of the patient's throat and the like can only be predicted and bent, so the shape is not necessarily appropriate. As a result, it was not uncommon for the insertion operation to fail and for the insertion tube to be re-bent many times.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope for intubation which can easily pass through the larynx and the like regardless of the degree of shape change of the larynx and the like to be inserted.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an endoscope for intubation according to the present invention is an endoscope for intubation which can be inserted into and removed from a flexible intubation tube as a core bar having an observation function. In addition, an observation window is arranged at the distal end portion of the insertion tube that is wholly or partially flexible, and the intubation is configured to maintain the shape of the flexible portion that has been bent by an external force. In the medical endoscope, a curved portion that is bent by remote control from the proximal end side of the insertion tube is formed at the most distal end portion of the insertion tube.

The flexible portion of the insertion tube may be formed on the front side of the rigid rigid portion, and the curved portion may be connected to the tip of the flexible portion. Also,
The rod member that functions as a cored bar that maintains the shape that is bent by an external force may be inserted and arranged in the flexible portion of the insertion tube, and may not be inserted and arranged in the curved portion. .

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the overall configuration of an intubation endoscope, and FIG. 2 is a front view thereof.

The insertion tube that can be inserted into and removed from the intubation tube inserted into the trachea has a flexible and freely bendable flexible portion 1a integrally formed on the front side of the hard portion 1b that cannot be freely bent. The flexible part 1a.
The distal end portion main body 10 in which the curved portion 1c is connected to the distal end of the curved portion 1c and the observation window and the like described later are arranged is attached to the distal end of the curved portion 1c.

The base end of the hard portion 1b is connected to the grip portion 20 via a support cylinder portion 21 to which a stopper 22 is slidably mounted, and the grip portion 20 is used to remotely operate the bending portion 1c. The bending operation knob 50 is disposed on the upper rear surface. Reference numeral 30 is an eyepiece for enlarging and observing an endoscopic observation image, and 40 is an illumination light source using a battery as a power source.

The direction shown as "upper" in each figure is the upper direction of the observation screen observed in the eyepiece 30, and when the intubation tube is a tracheal tube, the flexible portion 1a is generally It is the direction that can be bent. Then, the bending portion 1c is bent upward by operating the bending operation knob 50.

The stopper 22 is for abutting on the proximal end surface of the intubation tube, and the insertion tube 1a, 1b, 1c.
Is fully inserted into the intubation tube, the proximal end surface of the intubation tube contacts the stopper 22.

Then, the stopper 22 can be moved along the support tube portion 21 and fixed to the support tube portion 21 by the fixing manual screw 23 so that the proximal end position of the intubation tube is in an optimum state. You can do it.

3 and 4 show insertion tubes 1a, 1b, 1c.
FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of a portion near the tip of FIG. 3, and as shown in FIG. 3, an object is projected by the objective optical system 14 inside the observation window 13 arranged on the tip surface of the plastic tip body 10. Image guide fiber bundle 1 in position
The image transmitted through the image guide fiber bundle 15 (the endoscopic observation image) in which the incident end face of No. 5 is arranged.
Are observed through the eyepiece unit 30.

As shown in FIG. 5, an illumination window 16 is arranged side by side with the observation window 13 on the tip surface of the tip end main body 10, and a light guide in which the exit end surface is arranged inside the illumination window 16. The illumination light transmitted by the fiber bundle (not shown in FIG. 5) illuminates the subject.

As shown in FIG. 6 showing the VI-VI cross section of FIG. 3, the tip portion main body 10 and the bending portion 1c have a connecting cylinder 11 arranged at the most distal end of the bending portion 1c. 10 is fitted and is in a state of being connected to the tip portion main body 10 by the locking pin 18. Reference numeral 17 is a light guide fiber bundle.

The flexible portion 1a and the curved portion 1c are, for example, a reticulated tube 3 formed by braiding stainless steel fine wires on the outer surface of a double spiral tube 2 made of stainless steel strips having different winding directions.
The outer surface is covered with a flexible outer skin 4 made of, for example, a fluororubber tube, a polyurethane resin tube, or the like, and is flexible enough to bend freely in any direction. ing.

Inside the bending portion 1c, VII-VII in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7 showing the cross section, the bending operation wire 51 is inserted and arranged at two positions, an upward position and a downward position, and the distal end 51a of the bending operation wire 51 is as shown in FIG. Is fixed to the connecting cylinder 11.

The pair of bending operation wires 51 extend from the inside of the bending portion 1c to the inside of the holding portion 20 through the inside of the flexible portion 1a and the inside of the hard portion 1b, and are arranged in the holding portion 20. By operating the bending operation knob 50, one is pulled and the other is sent out.

When the bending operation wire 51 located in the upper direction is pulled, the bending portion 1c is bent upward by about 10 ° to 90 ° at the maximum, and the bending operation wire 51 located in the lower direction is pulled. The curved portion 1c
Returns to a straight state.

At the boundary between the curved portion 1c and the flexible portion 1a, a block-shaped intermediate fixing member 9 is provided in the spiral tube 2 as shown in FIG. 8 showing a VIII-VIII cross section in FIG.
The image guide fiber bundle 15 and the light guide fiber bundle 17 are fixed with respect to each other, and are arranged so as to pass through the holes formed in the intermediate fixing member 9.

In the flexible portion 1a, IX-IX in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 9 showing a cross section, a rod member 6 made of a flexible metal rod that functions as a core bar is inserted and arranged, and the tip end of the rod member 6 is fixed to the intermediate fixing member 9. There is.

The material of the rod 6 is, for example, an aluminum alloy rod or a stainless steel rod. In the former case, an appropriate waist strength can be obtained by setting the diameter to about 3 mm, and in the latter case, the diameter can be reduced. For example, it may be about 1 mm.

The rear end of the bar member 6 reaches the inside of the hard portion 1b, and there is no problem even if it is in a free end state within the hard portion 1b. It will be more stable if it is fixed to.

Due to the presence of such a bar member 6, the flexible portion 1a requires a certain amount of force to bend, but if the flexible portion 1a is bent, that state is maintained and the flexible portion 1a is intubated. It functions as a core when inserting a tube.

The hard portion 1b shown in FIG. 4 is formed of a rigid metal pipe 5 made of, for example, stainless steel, as shown in FIG. The outer skin 4 that covers the flexible portion 1 a is continuously covered to the entire outer periphery of the metal pipe 5.

In the endoscope for intubation of the embodiment thus configured, the flexible portion 1a is bent into an appropriate shape,
Since the bar 6 having a predetermined waist strength is bent into that shape, it functions as a core bar having a function of allowing observation through the observation window 13 by inserting the insertion tubes 1a and 1b into the intubation tube. The intubation work of the intubation tube can be easily performed.

When passing through the throat and the like,
The curved portion 1 while observing the image obtained through the observation window 13.
By bending c by remote control, even if there is a slight change in the shape of the throat, it is possible to easily pass the curved portion 1c and the flexible portion 1a following it along the curved portion 1c.

[0028]

According to the present invention, a curved portion that is bent by remote operation from the proximal end side is formed in the distal end portion of the insertion tube that maintains the shape that has been bent by an external force. It is possible to easily pass through the pharynx and the like regardless of the degree of shape change of the pharynx and the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the overall configuration of an intubation endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the overall configuration of the endoscope for intubation according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a distal end portion of the insertion tube of the intubation endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view in the vicinity of a connecting portion between a flexible portion and a hard portion of the insertion tube of the intubation endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the distal end portion main body of the intubation endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 3 of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 3 of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 3 of the embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 4 of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 4 of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a Flexible part (insertion tube) 1b Hard part (insertion tube) 1c Curved part (insertion tube) 6 bars 9 Intermediate fixing member 13 Observation window 20 grip 50 Bending operation knob 51 Bending operation wire

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An endoscope for intubation, which can be inserted into and removed from a flexible intubation tube as a core bar having an observing function, wherein an observation window is provided at a distal end portion of the insertion tube which is wholly or partially flexible. In the endoscope for intubation, in which the flexible portion is maintained to be bent by an external force, a curve bent by a remote operation from the proximal end side of the insertion tube. An endoscope for intubation, characterized in that a portion is formed at the most distal end portion of the insertion tube. 2. The flexible portion of the insertion tube is formed on the front side of a rigid portion having no flexibility, and the curved portion is connected to the tip of the flexible portion. The endoscope for intubation according to 1. 3. A bar member functioning as a core metal for maintaining a shape as bent by an external force is inserted and arranged in a flexible portion of the insertion tube, and is not inserted and arranged in the curved portion. The endoscope for intubation according to claim 1 or 2.