JP2006223422A - Distal end part of ultrasonic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distal end part of an ultrasonic endoscope which enables an ultrasound tomographic diagnosis without causing burns by heat from an output end of a light guide if an ultrasonic probe makes contact with mucous membranes or the like in the body of a subject for a long period of time. <P>SOLUTION: The ultrasonic probe 3 is mounted on a main body 2 of the distal end part comprising a member of low thermal conductivity, and a heat radiating member 6 comprising a member of high thermal conductivity to release heat from the output end part 7a of the light guide 7 to the outside is provided on the main body 2 of the distal end part in such a state that the heat radiating member 6 makes contact with the output end part 7a of the light guide 7 and never makes contact with the ultrasonic probe 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a distal end portion of an ultrasonic endoscope.

As shown in FIG. 5, for example, an ultrasonic probe 91 for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals, an observation window 92 for optical observation, and its optical observation range are generally provided at the distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope. And an emission end 93a of a light guide 93 for illuminating the light guide 93 is attached to the tip body (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP2002-345820

  The vicinity of the exit end 93a of the light guide 93 that transmits the illumination light generates heat due to a phenomenon in which the illumination light is reflected on both the front and back surfaces of the cover glass 94 disposed in the illumination window, but the ultrasonic probe 91 is also provided. In the case of a general endoscope that does not have this, there is no problem because it is not used in such a way that the heat generating part and its surroundings directly touch the body mucous membrane of the subject for a long time.

  However, in the case of an ultrasonic endoscope that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves having characteristics that are difficult to transmit in the gas, the ultrasonic probe 91 may be kept in contact with the body mucous membrane of the subject for a long time. In addition, there is a possibility that burns may occur in the mucous membrane of the body due to heat transmitted to the ultrasonic probe 91 from the vicinity of the emission end 93a of the light guide 93.

  Therefore, the present invention can perform an ultrasonic tomographic diagnosis without causing a burn due to heat generation from the light guide exit end even when the ultrasonic probe is in contact with the mucous membrane of the subject for a long time. It aims at providing the front-end | tip part of an ultrasonic endoscope.

  In order to achieve the above object, the distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope of the present invention illuminates an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals, an observation window for optical observation, and an optical observation range thereof. At the distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope where the light guide exit end is arranged, the ultrasonic probe is attached to the distal end main body made of a member having a low thermal conductivity, and from the light guide exit end portion. A heat dissipating member made of a member having a high thermal conductivity for dissipating heat to the outside is provided on the tip end main body so as to be in contact with the emission end portion of the light guide but not to the ultrasonic probe.

  The heat radiating member may be exposed on the outer surface in a region around the light guide exit end surface, and the heat radiating member is directly or directly on the solid-state imaging device disposed behind the observation window. You may arrange | position in the state which contacts via.

  According to the present invention, since the heat generated from the light guide emission end is radiated through the heat radiating member and does not act as a factor to raise the temperature of the ultrasonic probe, the ultrasonic probe is applied to the subject's internal mucous membrane or the like. Even when touched over time, ultrasonic tomography diagnosis can be performed safely without causing burns due to heat generation from the light guide exit end.

  The tip of an ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals, an observation window for optical observation, and an exit end of a light guide for illuminating the optical observation range are arranged In addition, the ultrasonic probe is attached to the tip end body made of a member having a low thermal conductivity, and the heat radiating member made of a member having a high thermal conductivity for radiating the heat generated from the light emitting end portion of the light guide to the outside. The tip end body is provided so as to be in contact with the emitting end portion of the guide and not in contact with the ultrasonic probe.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The distal end portion body 2 connected to the distal end of the flexible insertion portion 1 is, for example, polycarbonate. The ultrasonic probe 3 for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals toward the side is disposed on the side surface of the front half of the plastic material.

  An observation window 4 for optically observing the direction of the ultrasonic scanning range by the ultrasonic probe 3 and an illumination window 5 for emitting illumination light for optical observation are made of a metal material having a high thermal conductivity such as stainless steel. Is formed on the surface of the heat dissipating member 6 disposed along the latter half of the tip body 2.

  The heat dissipating member 6 is arranged in a state in which the recess formed in the side wall surface of the rear half of the tip end body 2 is completely filled, as shown in FIG. 2 illustrating the II-II cross section in FIG. The tip body 2 is fixed integrally with the adhesive or the like.

  7 is a light guide fiber bundle for transmitting illumination light for illuminating the optical observation range, and its emission end 7a is inserted into a hole formed in the heat radiating member 6 and contacts the heat radiating member 6 all around. The exit end face 7 b is arranged to face the back surface of the illumination window 5.

  An objective optical system 8 is disposed at the back surface position of the observation window 4, and a solid-state imaging device 9 for capturing an image of the subject is disposed at a projection position of the subject by the objective optical system 8. The solid-state imaging device 9 is disposed in a state surrounded by a shield tube 10 made of a conductive metal having a large thermal conductivity, together with an electronic component (not shown) disposed adjacent to the rear of the solid-state imaging device 9.

  And such a solid-state image sensor 9 is arrange | positioned in the state which contacts the heat radiating member 6. FIG. Strictly speaking, as shown in FIG. 2, the solid-state imaging device 9 is arranged in contact with the heat radiating member 6 in the range of a half circumference through the shield tube 10 therebetween. 2, 12 is an ultrasonic signal line insertion passage, 13 is a treatment instrument insertion passage, and 14 and 15 are deaerated water supply / drainage passages for expanding and contracting a balloon (not shown).

  As described above, the heat radiating member 6 attached to the tip end body 2 in contact with the emission end portion 7a of the light guide fiber bundle 7 and the solid-state image pickup device 9 has a side surface portion exposed to the outer surface to a large extent. Even the periphery of the illumination window 5 facing the exit end surface 7b of the guide fiber bundle 7 is exposed to the outer surface. The ultrasonic probe 3 is disposed in a state of being thermally isolated from the emission end 7 a of the light guide fiber bundle 7 and the solid-state imaging device 9 by the distal end body 2 having a small thermal conductivity.

  Therefore, the heat generated from the emission end portion 7a of the light guide fiber bundle 7 and the solid-state imaging device 9 is radiated to the outside through the heat radiating member 6 and does not act as a factor for raising the temperature of the ultrasonic probe 3. Even if the patient touches the mucous membrane or the like of the subject for a long time, no burns occur and the ultrasonic tomographic diagnosis can be performed safely.

  FIG. 3 shows the distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows the vicinity of the emission end portion 7a of the light guide fiber bundle 7 in an enlarged manner. The heat radiating member 6 is formed smaller than in the example, and is embedded in the tip end body 2 so as to surround only the exit end 7a portion of the light guide fiber bundle 7.

  Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment, and the heat radiating member 6 is exposed to the outer surface around the illumination window 5 facing the emission end surface 7b of the light guide fiber bundle 7, so that the light guide Heat generated from the exit end 7 a of the fiber bundle 7 is radiated to the outside through the heat radiating member 6. Compared with the heat generation from the solid-state image pickup device 9, the heat generation from the emission end 7a of the light guide fiber bundle 7 is much larger, so even with this configuration, a sufficient burn prevention effect can be obtained.

It is side surface sectional drawing of the front-end | tip part of the ultrasonic endoscope of 1st Example of this invention. It is II-II sectional drawing in FIG. 1 of the 1st Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the front-end | tip part of the ultrasonic endoscope of 2nd Example of this invention. It is a partial expanded side surface sectional view of the 2nd example of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the front-end | tip part of the conventional ultrasonic endoscope.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Insertion part 2 Tip part main body 3 Ultrasonic probe 4 Observation window 5 Illumination window 6 Heat radiating member 7 Light guide fiber bundle 7a Ejection end part 7b Ejection end surface 9 Solid-state image sensor 10 Shield cylinder

Claims (3)

The tip of an ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals, an observation window for optical observation, and an exit end of a light guide for illuminating the optical observation range are arranged In
The ultrasonic probe is attached to a tip body made of a member having a low thermal conductivity, and a heat radiating member made of a member having a high thermal conductivity for radiating heat generated from the light emitting end of the light guide to the outside, A distal end portion of an ultrasonic endoscope, which is provided in the distal end portion main body so as to be in contact with an emission end portion of a light guide but not in contact with the ultrasonic probe.   The distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipating member is exposed on an outer surface in a region around the emission end face of the light guide.   3. The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the heat radiating member is disposed in a state in which the heat radiating member is in contact with a solid-state imaging device disposed in the back of the observation window directly or via a member having high thermal conductivity. Tip.

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