JP2005144001A - Flexible endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flexible endoscope letting an appropriate amount of lubricant surely outflow from the outer surface near the distal ends of flexible insertion tubes as necessary without increasing a pain inflicting on a patient. <P>SOLUTION: This flexible endoscope is so formed as to curve a curved section 2, which is bendably formed near the distal ends of the flexible insertion tubes 1, 2 and 3, in an arbitrary direction by a remote control from an operating section 4 connected to the proximal ends of the flexible insertion tubes 1, 2 and 3. A lubricant feed tube 6 having an outlet 7 in the outer surface near the distal ends of the flexible insertion tubes 1, 2 and 3 is insertedly disposed in the flexible insertion tubes 1, 2 and 3, and a lubricant injecting section 8 for injecting lubricant in the lubricant feed tube 6 is disposed in the operating section 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a flexible endoscope.

  When inserting a flexible endoscope into the body, it is necessary to apply a lubricating liquid on the surface of the insertion portion to reduce frictional resistance with the mucosal surface of the body. It is common to apply by hand.

  However, since most of the lubricant applied to the surface of the insertion part is scraped to the mucosal surface at a position not far from the entrance in the body, in the case of an endoscope or the like that is inserted deep into the body, the insertion part In some cases, the tip of the sticking to the mucous membrane surface makes it difficult to insert further.

Therefore, conventionally, a flexible coated tube formed with a plurality of through holes is loosely covered over the entire length of the insertion portion, and an injection port for injecting a lubricating liquid into the gap between the coated tube and the insertion portion is provided. Provided on the hand side, the lubricating liquid can be allowed to flow out from the through-hole as needed during use of the endoscope (for example, Patent Document 1).
Shoko 109-1965

  However, if the insertion tube is loosely covered with the covering tube over the entire length, the outer diameter of the insertion portion becomes extremely thick and causes great pain to the patient. Even in order to flow out, it is necessary to inject a large amount of lubricating liquid into the gap between the covering tube and the insertion portion.

  Therefore, it is extremely uneconomical, and at the same time, the lubricating liquid collected in the gap between the coated tube and the insertion part flows out against the surgeon's will due to the bending of the insertion part, and stains the observation site There is.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a flexible endoscope that can reliably flow out an arbitrary amount of lubricating liquid from the outer surface near the distal end of the flexible insertion portion only when necessary without increasing the pain given to the patient. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the flexible endoscope of the present invention is an operation in which a bending portion formed so as to be bendable in the vicinity of the distal end of the flexible insertion portion is connected to the proximal end of the flexible insertion portion. In a flexible endoscope that can be bent in an arbitrary direction by remote operation from a section, a lubricating liquid delivery pipe having an outlet opening on the outer surface near the distal end of the flexible insertion section is flexibly formed. The lubricating liquid injection part for injecting the lubricating liquid into the lubricating liquid insertion part and injecting the lubricating liquid into the lubricating liquid delivery pipe line is arranged in the operation part.

  In addition, the outlet opening of the lubricating liquid delivery pipe line may be disposed at a front position from the curved portion, may be disposed at a rear position from the curved portion, or may be disposed at an intermediate position of the curved portion. .

  According to the present invention, the lubricating liquid delivery pipe having the outlet opening on the outer surface near the tip of the flexible insertion section is inserted and arranged in the flexible insertion section, and the lubricating liquid is injected into the lubricating liquid delivery pipe. Since the lubricating liquid injection part is arranged in the operation part, an arbitrary amount of lubricating liquid can be applied to the flexible insertion part without increasing the outer diameter of the flexible insertion part and thus increasing the pain given to the patient. Can be reliably discharged only when necessary from the outer surface near the tip.

  A lubricating liquid delivery line having an outlet opening on the outer surface near the distal end of the flexible insertion part is inserted into the flexible insertion part, and a lubricating liquid injection part for injecting the lubricating liquid into the lubricating liquid delivery line is provided. Place in the operation unit.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the entire configuration of a flexible endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A flexible insertion portion is connected to a flexible and elongated flexible insertion tube 1 and a distal end portion thereof. It is comprised by the curved part 2 made and the front-end | tip part main body 3 arrange | positioned at the most front-end | tip part.

  The bending portion 2 has, for example, a framework in which a large number of node rings are tiltably connected, and can be bent in any direction as illustrated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. A bending operation knob 5 for performing bending operation at an arbitrary angle in an arbitrary direction is disposed on the operation unit 4 connected to the proximal end of the flexible insertion tube 1.

  In the flexible insertion tube 1, for example, a tetrafluoroethylene resin tube or the like for passing a lubricating liquid that reduces frictional resistance between the outer surface of the flexible insertion portions 1 to 3 and the human mucosa surface. A lubricating liquid delivery pipe 6 made of such a flexible tube is inserted through the entire length, and the lubricating liquid delivery pipe 6 further passes through the bending portion 2.

  The outlet opening 7 of the lubricating liquid delivery pipe 6 is formed on the outer surface of the tip body 3, and the lubricating liquid injection part 8 for injecting the lubricating liquid into the lubricating liquid delivery pipe 6 is a flexible insertion pipe. 1 is protruded on the rear surface of the lower portion of the operation unit 4 close to the connecting portion with 1, and by connecting a syringe etc. to the lubricating liquid injection part 8 and injecting the lubricating liquid, it is optional at any time from the outlet opening 7. The amount of the lubricating liquid can be made to flow out.

  FIG. 2 shows the vicinity of the outlet opening 7 of the lubricating liquid delivery pipe 6, and the tip of the lubricating liquid delivery pipe 6 is connected to the rear end portion of the tip body 3 and is formed in the tip body 3. It communicates with the outlet opening 7 via a pipe line. Reference numerals 11 and 12 denote an observation window and an illumination window arranged on the distal end surface of the distal end portion main body 3, and reference numerals 21 and 22 denote a node ring and an outer tube constituting the bending portion 2.

  In the flexible endoscope of the embodiment thus configured, at least one thin tube (for example, an inner diameter of about 1.5 mm) can be used as a configuration for allowing the lubricating liquid to flow out from the outlet opening 7. Since it suffices to insert the flexible insertion portions 1 to 3 into the flexible insertion portions 1 to 3, the outer diameter dimensions of the flexible insertion portions 1 to 3 need not be increased.

  Further, since the amount of the lubricating liquid staying between the lubricating liquid injection portion 8 and the outlet opening 7 is extremely small, the lubricating liquid is not wasted and lubrication is performed even if the flexible insertion tube 1 or the bending portion 2 is bent. Since the lubricating liquid in the liquid delivery pipe 6 is not pushed out from the outlet opening 7, the lubricating liquid does not flow out against the will of the operator and does not contaminate the subject.

  3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a plurality of outlet openings 7 are opened on the outer surface portion on the curved portion 2 side. A metal pipe 9 bent at a right angle is connected to the tip of the lubricating liquid delivery pipe 6, and the tip of the metal pipe 9 is fixed to the node ring 21 and opens to the outer surface. Even if comprised in this way, the effect similar to the above-mentioned 1st Example can be acquired.

  5 and 6 show two embodiments in which the outlet opening 7 is provided in the vicinity of the boundary between the flexible insertion tube 1 and the bending portion 2. In the embodiment of FIG. Provided only at the boundary between the flexible insertion tube 1 and the bending portion 2, the outlet opening 7 is also provided near the tip of the bending portion 2 in the embodiment of FIG. 6.

  FIG. 7 illustrates the structure of the embodiment in which the outlet opening 7 is provided at the boundary portion between the flexible insertion tube 1 and the bending portion 2, and connects the flexible insertion tube 1 and the bending portion 2. An outlet opening 7 is formed on the outer surface of the metal connection tube 10, and the tip of a metal pipe 9 connected to the tip of the lubricating liquid delivery pipe 6 is fixed to the connection tube 10.

  With such a configuration, the lubricating liquid can be arbitrarily discharged from the boundary portion between the flexible insertion tube 1 and the bending portion 2, and even if the tubular organ is bent sharply, etc. The sex insertion portions 1 to 3 can be passed smoothly.

  FIG. 8 shows an arrangement in which outlet openings 7 are arranged at both the front and rear end positions and the intermediate position of the bending portion 2 and the intermediate position of the flexible insertion tube 1. Thus, an appropriate number of outlet openings 7 can be arranged at appropriate positions. However, since the number of the lubricating liquid delivery pipes 6 inserted and arranged in the flexible insertion tube 1 needs to be increased by an increase in the number, the outer diameter of the flexible insertion tube 1 needs to be increased. Then, the position and number of arrangements may be determined.

1 is a side view showing an overall configuration of a flexible endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is side surface partial sectional drawing of the front-end | tip part of the flexible insertion part of the flexible endoscope of 1st Example of this invention. It is a perspective view near the front-end | tip of the flexible insertion part of the flexible endoscope of 2nd Example of this invention. It is side surface partial sectional drawing of the front-end | tip part of the flexible insertion part of the flexible endoscope of 2nd Example of this invention. It is a perspective view near the front-end | tip of the flexible insertion part of the flexible endoscope of 3rd Example of this invention. It is a perspective view near the front-end | tip of the flexible insertion part of the flexible endoscope of 4th Example of this invention. It is a side surface fragmentary sectional view of the front-end | tip part of the flexible insertion part of the flexible endoscope of the 4th Example of this invention. It is a perspective view near the front-end | tip of the flexible insertion part of the flexible endoscope of 5th Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Flexible insertion tube (flexible insertion part)
2 Curved part (flexible insertion part)
3 Tip body (flexible insertion part)
4 Operation part 6 Lubricating liquid delivery line 7 Outlet opening 8 Lubricating liquid injection part

Claims (4)

The bending portion formed so as to be bendable in the vicinity of the distal end of the flexible insertion portion can be bent in any direction by a remote operation from the operation portion connected to the proximal end of the flexible insertion portion. In flexible endoscopes,
Lubricating liquid for inserting a lubricating liquid delivery passage having an outlet opening on the outer surface near the tip of the flexible insertion section into the flexible insertion section and injecting the lubricating liquid into the lubricating liquid delivery pipe A flexible endoscope in which an injection part is arranged in the operation part. The flexible endoscope according to claim 1, wherein an outlet opening of the lubricating liquid delivery conduit is disposed at a position ahead of the curved portion. The flexible endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an outlet opening of the lubricating liquid delivery pipe line is disposed at a position rearward of the curved portion. The flexible endoscope according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein an outlet opening of the lubricating liquid delivery conduit is disposed at an intermediate position of the curved portion.

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