JP2004329522A - Ultra fine diameter endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultra fine diameter endoscope with which the deep part of the cochlea is observed by inserting the endoscope without damaging an ear organ and apparatuses on the side of the endoscope. <P>SOLUTION: As for the ultra fine diameter endoscope, an observation window 7 and an illumination window 8 are formed at the distal end of an insertion part 1, and an image guide fiber 2 for transmitting an observation image fetched from the observation window 7 and a light guide fiber 3 for transmitting illumination light to the illumination window 8 are inserted and arranged extending through the full length of the inside of the insertion part 1. At least a part in the neighborhood of the distal end of the insertion part 1 can be curved by ≥270° by a curvature radius of ≤5 mm in any direction by reaction force received from an object of insertion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrafine endoscope that can be used for observation inside a cochlear spiral tube in otolaryngology.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The cochlea, which is a part of the inner ear, is an important organ for converting the vibration of the ossicles into electrical signals, and abnormalities of the cochlea often cause severe hearing loss. In such a case, an operation is performed in which a hole is made in the temporal bone behind the ear, and an electrode of the cochlear implant is implanted in the cochlea while observing with a surgical microscope.
[0003]
However, the portion where the electrode is embedded is a portion called a cochlear spiral tube having a diameter of 1 to 1.5 mm and a convoluted shape in which a small lumen with a total length of about 30 mm is swirled at the bottom with a diameter of about 8 to 10 mm. Therefore, it is impossible to observe the inside of the cochlear tube with a surgical microscope at all, and if there is a deformation or the like in the cochlear spiral tube, the electrode cannot be properly inserted deeply.
[0004]
Therefore, it is conceivable to observe the inside of the cochlear spiral tube with an ultra-fine endoscope.However, conventional ultra-fine endoscopes use an ethylene tetrafluoride resin tube around an image guide fiber made of hard quartz glass. Alternatively, it is configured to be covered with a polyurethane resin tube or the like (for example, Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-4-221525
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In order to insert the endoscope into the cochlear spiral tube without damaging both the ear organs and the equipment on the endoscope side, it is necessary that the distal end of the insertion section of the endoscope receive from the cochlear spiral tube side during insertion. It is necessary that the force bends comfortably along the curve of the cochlea spiral tube.
[0007]
However, in the conventional ultrafine endoscope as described above, the limit of the radius of curvature at which the insertion portion bends without difficulty due to the reaction force received from the insertion target is up to about 10 mm, and if the bending is performed with a smaller radius of curvature, excessive force will occur. It cannot be inserted deep into the cochlea spiral tube without damaging the organs.
[0008]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultra-fine diameter endoscope that can be inserted into a cochlear spiral tube without damaging an ear organ or a device on the endoscope side to observe a deep part of the cochlear spiral tube. .
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an ultrafine endoscope according to the present invention is provided with an observation window and an illumination window at a distal end portion of an insertion section, and an image guide for transmitting an observation image captured from the observation window. In an ultra-fine endoscope in which a fiber and a light guide fiber for transmitting illumination light to the illumination window are inserted through the entire length of the insertion portion, at least a portion near the distal end of the insertion portion is subjected to a reaction force received from an insertion target. It is configured to bend 270 ° or more in the direction with a radius of curvature of 5 mm or less.
[0010]
If the image guide fiber is formed of a crown-based or flint-based multi-component fiber, and the flexible tube of the insertion section, which is the exterior part of the insertion section, is constituted only by a flexible tube, the curvature radius is small. Can be bent.
[0011]
In addition, the insertion portion flexible tube, which is the exterior portion of the insertion portion, is constituted only by a spiral tube formed by spirally winding a metal strip material with a constant diameter and a flexible tube covered on the outer surface thereof. Alternatively, it may be constituted only by a coil tube formed by tightly winding a thin metal wire at a fixed diameter and a flexible tube coated on its outer surface.
[0012]
When the illumination window is formed in a crescent shape surrounding the observation window, the tip of the insertion portion can be made thin.
In addition, a light guide connector for connecting the light guide fiber to the light source device and an image guide fiber fed to the distal end of the connection flexible tube extending from the grip portion connected to the base end of the insertion portion are provided. When the image guide connector for projecting an endoscope observation image is provided integrally, the image guide connector does not interfere with intraoperative use, and operability when using the endoscope during surgery is very good. .
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows the entire configuration of an endoscope for observing the inside of the cochlear spiral tube. The endoscope has a diameter of about 0.8 to 1 mm and a length of about 50 to 60 mm. A grip portion 20 for holding by an operator is connected.
[0014]
The index body 22 of the grip body 20 of the grip part 20 formed in the shape of a rod of the size of a human finger is formed by cutting out the index 22 at only one place in a predetermined direction. The vertical direction can be recognized.
[0015]
The image guide fiber bundle 2 and the light guide fiber bundle 3 that have passed through the insertion portion 1 and the grip portion 20 are inserted through the entire length of the flexible connection cord 30 extending rearward from the grip portion 20. . Reference numerals 23 and 24 denote rubbers for preventing the insertion portion 1 and the connection cord 30 from being bent with a small radius of curvature in the vicinity of the connection portion with the grip portion 20 and being damaged.
[0016]
A light guide connector 31 connected to a light source device (not shown) is attached to an end portion of the connection cord 30 formed to have a length of about 1 to 2 m, and is disposed in the light guide connector 31. Illumination light from the light source device can be made incident on the incident end of the light guide fiber bundle 3.
[0017]
Further, an image guide connector 32 connected to a television adapter (not shown) is attached to the base of the light guide connector 31 integrally with the light guide connector 31, and an image guide fiber disposed in the image guide connector 32 is provided. By projecting an image of the exit end face of the bundle 2 onto a television adapter (not shown) by the projection lens 31a, an endoscope observation image can be displayed on a television monitor (not shown). 33 is a pressure regulating valve for adjusting the pressure in the device of the endoscope.
[0018]
1 and 3 show a distal end portion and a distal end surface of the insertion portion 1, and the insertion portion flexible tube 4 that covers the insertion portion 1 has a thickness of, for example, 0.05 to 0.1 mm. It is formed by a silicone resin tube of a certain degree, and is very flexible. However, a polyamide resin tube or the like having the same thickness may be used.
[0019]
A distal end main body 5 made of a cylindrical metal material or a hard plastic material is joined to a distal end portion of the insertion portion flexible tube 4. An adhesive 6 is provided so as to make a smooth connection with the surface. The length of the distal end body 5 is formed as short as possible to about 3 mm or less.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 3, an observation window 7 is arranged at a position slightly deviated from the center on the distal end surface of such an insertion portion 1, and an illumination window 8 for illuminating the observation range is provided with an observation window 8. 7 is formed in a crescent shape.
[0021]
The observation window 7 is a distal end surface of the objective lens 9 in which a self-converging selfoc lens is used, and a cylindrical body 10 surrounding the objective lens 9 is located on the front side of a sleeve 11 having a length approximately equal to that of the distal end body 5. It is fitted and fixed to the half part.
[0022]
At the rear half of the sleeve 11, an image guide base 2a fitted and fixed to the incident end of the image guide fiber bundle 2 drawn into the insertion portion 1 is fitted and fixed. The entrance end face 2 is in close contact with the rear end face of the objective lens 9.
[0023]
The image guide fiber bundle 2 is formed by bundling crown-based or flint-based multi-component fibers as a material. The image guide fiber bundle 2 is inferior to quartz fiber in transmittance, but is flexible and can be easily bent with a small radius of curvature.
[0024]
Reference numeral 2b denotes a protective tube which is covered with the image guide fiber bundle 2 over the entire length in the insertion portion 1. For example, a silicon tube having a thickness of about 0.05 to 0.1 mm is used.
[0025]
The distal end of the protective tube 2b is joined to the outer peripheral portion of the rear end of the image guide base 2a, and a light guide fiber bundle 3 for illumination is provided in a space between the outer surface of the protective tube 2b and the inner surface of the insertion portion flexible tube 4. It is inserted and arranged.
[0026]
The light guide fiber bundle 3 is also formed by bundling multi-component fibers similar to the image guide fiber bundle 2 and can be bent with a small radius of curvature. However, a flexible plastic fiber or the like may be used.
[0027]
On the distal end surface of the distal end body 5, the exit end surface of the light guide fiber bundle 3 is an illumination window 8. The light guide fiber bundle 3 is filled and solidified in the crescent-shaped space between the distal end body 5 and the sleeve 11 in the distal end body 5.
[0028]
The insertion portion 1 has no members other than the above-described members (for example, tubes, wires, and the like) disposed therein, is extremely flexible as a whole, and is formed by a reaction force received from a cochlear spiral tube to be inserted. As shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 2, it is possible to smoothly bend 360 ° (one rotation) or more with a radius of curvature of 4 mm or less in all directions. Note that “radius” is the radius of the inner periphery of the curved insertion portion.
[0029]
However, insertion into the cochlear spiral tube is considerably possible if it can bend flexibly at least about 270 ° (three-quarters of rotation) with a radius of curvature of 5 mm or less. In addition, it is sufficient that at least a portion near the distal end of the insertion portion 1 has such flexibility, and it is preferable that a portion near the base end of the insertion portion 1 has some degree of stiffness.
[0030]
FIG. 4 shows the grip portion 20, in which a connection base 13 joined to a base end portion of the insertion portion flexible tube 4 is screw-connected to a front end portion of the grip body 21. In addition, a reinforcing tube 14 for reinforcement is covered in the vicinity of the base end of the flexible tube 4 of the insertion portion up to the joint to the connection base 13, and the vicinity of the base end portion of the insertion portion 1 including that portion is broken. It is surrounded by a stopper rubber 23.
[0031]
A connection base 30 a joined to the end of the connection cord 30 is screw-connected to the rear end of the grip body 21, and a portion near the connection portion of the connection cord 30 to the grip body 21 is a rubber stopper 24. Surrounded by
[0032]
In the grip body 21, a hole is formed to penetrate the insertion portion 1 and the connection cord 30 in a straight line at an axial position, and the inside of the hole is formed by the image guide fiber bundle 2 and the light guide fiber bundle 3. Has passed.
[0033]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. A spiral tube 15 formed by spirally winding a thin metal strip having a thickness of about 05 mm with a constant diameter may be arranged.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 6, a coil tube formed by tightly winding a thin metal wire having a diameter of, for example, about 0.03 to 0.05 mm at a constant diameter inside the flexible tube 4 of the insertion portion. 16 may be arranged.
[0035]
With such a configuration, the mechanical strength of the insertion portion 1 can be improved without significantly impairing the characteristic that allows the insertion portion 1 to be flexibly bent.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, at least a portion near the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion is configured to be bent 270 ° or more with a radius of curvature of 5 mm or less in any direction due to a reaction force received from an insertion target, so that an ear organ or The insertion part can be inserted into the cochlear spiral tube without damaging the equipment on the endoscope side, and the deep part of the cochlear spiral tube can be observed. In order to cope with the problem, the electrodes of the cochlear implant can be correctly implanted.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing the vicinity of a distal end of an insertion portion of an ultrafine diameter endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the ultrafine endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the distal end surface of the insertion section of the ultrafine endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the grip portion according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a distal end of an insertion portion of the ultrafine endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing the vicinity of a distal end of an insertion portion of an ultrafine endoscope according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 2 Image guide fiber bundle 3 Light guide fiber bundle 4 Insertion part flexible tube 5 Tip part main body 7 Observation window 8 Illumination window 9 Objective lens 15 Spiral tube 16 Coil tube 20 Grip part 30 Connection code 31 Light guide connector 32 Image Guide connector

Claims (7)

An observation window and an illumination window are provided at a distal end portion of the insertion portion, and an image guide fiber for transmitting an observation image captured from the observation window and a light guide fiber for transmitting illumination light to the illumination window. In an ultra-fine diameter endoscope that is inserted through the entire length in the insertion portion,
An ultra-fine endoscope wherein at least a portion near the distal end of the insertion portion is configured to bend at least 270 ° with a radius of curvature of 5 mm or less in any direction due to a reaction force received from an insertion target. 2. The ultrafine endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the image guide fiber is formed of a crown-based or flint-based multi-component fiber. The ultrafine endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flexible tube of the insertion portion, which is an exterior portion of the insertion portion, is formed only of a flexible tube. The insertion portion flexible tube, which is an exterior portion of the insertion portion, is constituted only by a spiral tube formed by spirally winding a metal thin strip with a constant diameter, and a flexible tube covered on the outer surface thereof. The endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the endoscope is provided. The insertion portion flexible tube, which is an exterior portion of the insertion portion, is constituted only by a coil tube formed by closely winding a thin metal wire with a constant diameter and a flexible tube tube coated on the outer surface thereof. The ultra-fine diameter endoscope according to claim 1. The ultrafine endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the illumination window is formed in a crescent shape surrounding the observation window. A light guide connector for connecting the light guide fiber to a light source device and the image guide fiber are sent to a distal end of a connection flexible tube extending from a grip portion connected to the base end of the insertion portion. The ultrafine endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an image guide connector for projecting an endoscope observation image is provided integrally.

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