JP2007296054A - Endoscope device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an endoscope device, in which an endoscope is prevented from being damaged at a fixture position at an end of a balloon. <P>SOLUTION: The endoscope device is provided with the endoscope 10 having an insert part 12, the balloon 60 formed roughly in a cylindrical form to which the insert part 12 is inserted, and a tip side ring 61 and a base end side ring 62 respectively engaged outside a tip part 60A and a base end part 60B of the balloon 60. Inner diameter D2 of the base end side ring 62 is formed to be smaller than inner diameter D1 of the tip side ring 61. Fastening force of the base end side ring 62 is smaller than fastening force by the tip side ring 61. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus, and more particularly to an endoscope apparatus that observes by inserting an insertion portion into a deep digestive tract such as a small intestine or a large intestine.

  When inserting the insertion part of the endoscope into the deep digestive tract such as the small intestine, simply pushing the insertion part makes it difficult for force to be transmitted to the distal end of the insertion part due to the complicated bending of the intestinal tract. Have difficulty. For example, if excessive bending or bending occurs in the insertion portion, the insertion portion cannot be inserted further deeper. Therefore, a method has been proposed in which an insertion aid is put on the insertion portion of the endoscope and inserted into the body cavity, and the insertion portion is guided by this insertion aid to prevent excessive bending or bending of the insertion portion. Yes.

Patent Document 1 discloses an endoscope apparatus in which a first balloon is provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion of an endoscope and a second balloon is provided at a distal end portion of an insertion assisting tool (also referred to as an overtube or a sliding tube). Are listed. By inflating the first balloon and the second balloon, the insertion portion and the insertion aid can be fixed in the intestinal tract such as the small intestine. Therefore, by inserting the insertion portion and the insertion aid alternately while repeating the expansion and contraction of the first balloon and the second balloon, the insertion portion can be inserted into a deep portion of the intestinal tract that is bent in a complicated manner, such as the small intestine. .
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-230083

  By the way, in Patent Document 1, since the balloon is mounted on the bending portion of the endoscope, the covering member (angle rubber) of the bending portion is easily pressed and damaged at the fixing position of the end portion of the balloon. was there. The angle rubber has a problem that its mechanical strength is relatively weak in order to maintain the bending portion with high bending performance, and it is easily damaged by being pressed.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope apparatus that can prevent the endoscope from being damaged at the fixed position of the end of the balloon.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an endoscope having an insertion portion, a balloon formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and through which the insertion portion is inserted, a distal end portion and a proximal end of the balloon A distal end side ring member and a proximal end side ring member that are respectively fitted on the respective portions, and the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon are tightened by the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member to the insertion portion. In the endoscope apparatus to be fixed, the tightening force by which the distal end side ring member tightens the distal end portion is different from the tightening force by which the proximal end side ring member tightens the proximal end portion.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the tightening force of the distal end portion of the balloon is different from the tightening force of the proximal end portion, the structure of the insertion portion at each fixed position (material, strength, outer diameter of the covering member) Even when the dimensions are different, the balloon can be fixed securely and without damaging the endoscope.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the insertion portion of the endoscope is provided with a bending portion that is bent, and one of a distal end portion and a proximal end portion of the balloon is provided on the bending portion. It is characterized in that one of the distal end portion and the proximal end portion disposed at the curved portion has a smaller tightening force than the other of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion.

  According to the invention described in claim 2, since the tightening force of the end portion of the balloon fixed to the bending portion is small, damage to the covering member of the bending portion can be prevented.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member are different in inner diameter before fitting.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the inner diameter dimension of the distal end side ring member before the outer fitting is different from the inner diameter dimension of the proximal end ring member before the outer fitting, the tightening of the distal end side ring member after the outer fitting is performed. The applied force and the tightening force of the proximal end ring member after external fitting are different. Therefore, the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon can be fastened and fixed with different fastening forces.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member have different thicknesses before external fitting.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, since the thickness of the distal end side ring member before external fitting and the thickness of the proximal end side ring member before external fitting are different, the tightening force of the distal end side ring member after external fitting and The tightening force of the base end side ring member after external fitting is different. Therefore, the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon can be fastened and fixed with different fastening forces.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the distal side ring member and the proximal side ring member are made of different materials.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the material of the distal end side ring member and the material of the proximal end side ring member are different, the tightening force of the distal end side ring member after external fitting and the proximal end side ring after external fitting The clamping force of the members is different. Therefore, the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon can be fastened and fixed with different fastening forces.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that different indicators are formed on the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the different indicators are formed on the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member, the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member can be easily distinguished and attached. The mistakes can be eliminated.

  A seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon are different in thickness.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the thickness is different between the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon, the tightening force when the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member are externally fitted is different. Therefore, the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon can be fastened and fixed with different fastening forces.

  According to the present invention, since the clamping force at the distal end of the balloon and the clamping force at the proximal end are different, the configuration of the endoscope (the material of the covering member, the strength, the outer diameter, etc.) at each fixed position Even in different cases, the balloon can be securely fixed and the endoscope can be prevented from being damaged.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an endoscope according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of an endoscope apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the endoscope apparatus mainly includes an endoscope 10 and a balloon control device 100.

  The endoscope 10 includes a hand operation unit 14 and an insertion unit 12 connected to the hand operation unit 14 and inserted into a body cavity. A universal cable 16 is connected to the hand operation unit 14, and an LG connector 18 is provided at the tip of the universal cable 16. The LG connector 18 is detachably connected to the light source device 20, whereby illumination light is sent to an illumination optical system (not shown) provided at the distal end of the insertion portion 12. In addition, an electrical connector 24 is connected to the LG connector 18 via a cable 22, and the electrical connector 24 is detachably coupled to the processor 26.

  The hand operating unit 14 is provided with an air / water supply button 28, a suction button 30, a shutter button 32, and a function switching button 34, and a pair of angle knobs 36 and 36. A balloon air supply port 38 is formed at the proximal end portion of the hand operation unit 14 by a tube bent in an L shape. By supplying or sucking fluid such as air to the balloon air supply port 38, a balloon 60 described later can be inflated or deflated.

  The insertion portion 12 includes a flexible portion 40, a bending portion 42, and a distal end portion 44 in order from the hand operating portion 14 side. The soft part 40 is configured by covering the outer periphery of a spirally wound metal plate with a net and further covering the outer periphery with a net, and is configured to have sufficient flexibility. The flexible portion 40 is connected to the proximal end side of the bending portion 42.

  The bending portion 42 is configured to be bent remotely by rotating the angle knobs 36, 36 of the hand operating portion 14. For example, the bending portion 42 rotatably connects a plurality of cylindrical node rings with a guide pin, and inserts a plurality of operation wires into the node ring to guide the operation wires. By pushing and pulling, the nodes are rotated so that the bending portion 42 is bent. By bending the bending portion 42, the distal end portion 44 can be directed in a desired direction.

  The distal end portion 44 is provided with an observation optical system 52, illumination optical systems 54 and 54, an air / water supply nozzle 56, and a forceps port 58 on the distal end surface 45. A CCD (not shown) is disposed behind the observation optical system 52, and a signal cable (not shown) is connected to a substrate that supports the CCD. The signal cable is inserted into the insertion portion 12, the hand operating portion 14, the universal cable 16, etc., is extended to the electrical connector 24, and is connected to the processor 26. Therefore, the observation image captured by the observation optical system 52 is formed on the light receiving surface of the CCD and converted into an electric signal, and this electric signal is output to the processor 26 in FIG. 1 via the signal cable and converted into a video signal. Is done. Thereby, an observation image is displayed on the monitor 50 connected to the processor 26.

  The illumination optical systems 54 and 54 in FIG. 2 are provided with an exit end of a light guide (not shown) behind them, and the light guide is inserted through the insertion section 12, the hand operation section 14, and the universal cable 16 in FIG. An incident end is disposed in the LG connector 18. Therefore, by connecting the LG connector 18 to the light source device 20, the illumination light emitted from the light source device 20 is transmitted to the illumination optical systems 54 and 54 in FIG. Irradiated forward.

  The air / water supply nozzle 56 is connected to a valve (not shown) operated by the air / water supply button 28 in FIG. 1, and this valve is connected to an air / water supply connector 48 provided in the LG connector 18. An air / water supply means (not shown) is connected to the air / water connector 48 to supply air and water. Accordingly, by operating the air / water supply button 28, air or water can be ejected from the air / water supply nozzle 56 toward the observation optical system.

  2 is communicated with the forceps insertion portion 46 of FIG. Therefore, the treatment tool can be led out from the forceps port 58 by inserting a treatment tool such as a forceps from the forceps insertion portion 46. The forceps port 58 communicates with a valve operated by the suction button 30, and this valve is connected to the suction connector 49 of the LG connector 18. Therefore, by connecting a suction means (not shown) to the suction connector 49 and operating the valve with the suction button 30, a lesioned part or the like can be sucked from the forceps opening 58.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a balloon 60 made of an elastic material such as rubber is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portion 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the balloon 60 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape in which the distal end portion 60A and the proximal end portion 60B are narrowed, and has a small diameter distal end portion 60A and a proximal end portion 60B, and a central bulging portion 60C. Consists of. The balloon 60 is inserted through the insertion portion 12 and disposed at a predetermined position of the insertion portion 12, and then the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are fitted into the distal end portion 60A and the proximal end portion 60B, respectively. It is fixed to the insertion part 12. At that time, as shown in FIG. 2, the distal end portion 60A of the balloon 60 is disposed on the distal end portion 44 of the insertion portion 12, and the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60 is disposed on the curved portion 42 and fixed. .

  The distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are made of an elastic body such as rubber, and are formed in a ring shape as shown in FIG. An inner diameter D1 of the distal end side ring 61 before external fitting and an inner diameter D2 of the proximal end side ring 62 before external fitting are formed to be slightly smaller than the outer diameter D3 of the insertion portion 12. Therefore, when the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are externally fitted to the insertion portion 12, the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are expanded in diameter by elastic deformation. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are fitted on the distal end portion 60A and the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60, the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are The distal end portion 60A and the proximal end portion 60B are tightened over the entire circumference by the elastic force and fixed to the insertion portion 12.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the inner diameter D <b> 2 of the proximal end side ring 62 is formed larger than the inner diameter D <b> 1 of the distal end side ring 61. Therefore, when the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are externally fitted to the insertion portion 12 as shown in FIG. 2, the tightening force with which the proximal end side ring 62 tightens the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60 is The ring 61 is smaller than the tightening force for tightening the distal end portion 60 </ b> A of the balloon 60. Thereby, since the fastening force of the base end side ring 62 arrange | positioned at the curved part 42 becomes small, damage to the coating | coated member (angle rubber | gum) of the curved part 42 can be prevented. Note that the tightening force of the proximal end side ring 62 is set so that the airtightness between the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60 and the insertion portion 12 can be maintained. Similarly, the tightening force of the distal end side ring 61 is set so that the airtightness between the distal end portion 60A of the balloon 60 and the insertion portion 12 can be maintained.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a supply / suction port 64 is formed at the proximal end position of the distal end portion 44 of the insertion portion 12. The supply / suction port 64 is connected to a tube (not shown), and this tube is inserted into the insertion portion 12 and communicated with the balloon air supply port 38 of the hand operation portion 14. The balloon control device 100 is connected to the balloon air supply port 38 via a tube 110 described later. Therefore, the balloon 60 can be inflated and deflated by supplying and sucking air with the balloon control device 100. The balloon 60 expands into a substantially spherical shape by supplying air, and sticks to the outer surface of the insertion portion 12 by sucking air.

  The balloon control device 100 in FIG. 1 is a device that supplies and sucks fluid such as air to the balloon 60. The balloon control device 100 mainly includes a device main body 102 and a hand switch 104 for remote control.

  On the front surface of the apparatus main body 102, a power switch SW1, a stop switch SW2, and a pressure display unit 106 are provided. The pressure display unit 106 is a panel that displays the pressure value of the balloon 60, and an error code is displayed on the pressure display unit 106 when an abnormality such as balloon breakage occurs.

  A tube 110 that supplies and sucks air to and from the balloon 60 is connected to the front surface of the apparatus main body 102. A connection portion between the tube 110 and the apparatus main body 102 is provided with a backflow prevention unit 112 for preventing backflow of body fluid when the balloon 60 is broken. The backflow prevention unit 112 is configured by incorporating a gas-liquid separation filter in a hollow disk-like case (not shown) that is detachably attached to the apparatus main body 102, and liquid is contained in the apparatus main body 102. Inflow is prevented by a filter.

  On the other hand, the hand switch 104 is provided with various switches. For example, a stop switch similar to the stop switch SW2 on the apparatus main body 102 side, an ON / OFF switch for instructing pressurization / depressurization of the balloon 60, a pause switch for holding the pressure of the balloon 60, and the like are provided. The hand switch 104 is electrically connected to the apparatus main body 102 via a cord 130. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the hand switch 104 is provided with a display unit that indicates an air supply state or an exhaust state of the balloon 60.

  The balloon control device 100 configured as described above supplies air to the balloon 60 to inflate it, and controls the air pressure to a constant value to hold the balloon 60 in an inflated state. In addition, air is sucked from the balloon 60 and contracted, and the air pressure is controlled to a constant value to hold the balloon 60 in a contracted state.

  The balloon control device 100 is connected to the balloon dedicated monitor 82 and displays the pressure value and the inflated / deflated state of the balloon 60 on the balloon dedicated monitor 82 when the balloon 60 is inflated and deflated. The pressure value and the inflated / deflated state of the balloon 60 may be superimposed on the observation image of the endoscope 10 and displayed on the monitor 50.

  As an example of the operation method of the endoscope apparatus configured as described above, the insertion portion 12 is pushed and the balloon 60 is inflated as necessary to insert the insertion portion 12 in the body (for example, in the large intestine). Secure to. Then, after pulling the insertion portion 12 to simplify the tube shape in the body (for example, the large intestine), the balloon 60 is deflated and the insertion portion 12 is further inserted into the deep portion of the intestinal tract. For example, the insertion portion 12 is inserted from the subject's anus, and when the distal end of the insertion portion 12 passes the sigmoid colon, the balloon 60 is inflated to fix the insertion portion 12 to the intestinal tract, and the insertion portion 12 is pulled. The sigmoid colon is made substantially straight. Then, the balloon 60 is deflated and the distal end of the insertion portion 12 is inserted into the deep portion of the intestinal tract. Thereby, the insertion part 12 can be inserted in the deep part of an intestinal tract.

  Next, the operation of the endoscope apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  The base end portion 60 </ b> B of the balloon 60 is fixed on the angle rubber of the curved portion 42. The angle rubber is composed of a rubber material having high flexibility in order to ensure the bending operability of the bending portion 42. For this reason, if the force for fixing the base end portion 60B of the balloon 60 on the bending portion 42 (that is, the tightening force by the base end side ring 62) is too large, the angle rubber may be compressed and damaged, There is a possibility that the angle rubber is sometimes pinched between the node rings in the curved portion 42 and damaged.

  On the other hand, the distal end portion 60 </ b> A of the balloon 60 is fixed on the distal end portion 44 of the insertion portion 12. Since the distal end portion 44 is hard, a force for fixing the distal end portion 60A of the balloon 60 (that is, a tightening force by the distal end side ring 61) is increased so that the fixing position of the distal end portion 60A of the balloon 60 is not shifted. Thus, there is a desire to firmly fix the distal end portion 60A of the balloon 60.

  From this background, in the present embodiment, the inner diameter D2 of the base end side ring 62 before external fitting is formed larger than the inner diameter D1 of the distal end side ring 61 before external fitting. When the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 formed in this way are fitted onto the distal end portion 60A and the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60 and fastened and fixed, the distal end portion 60A of the balloon 60 is fixed to the distal end side ring. The base end 60B of the balloon 60 can be fixed with the minimum necessary tightening force of the base end side ring 62, and the angle rubber of the curved portion 42 is damaged. Can be prevented. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the distal end portion 60A and the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60 are securely fixed to the distal end portion 44 and the bending portion 42 having different configurations and without damaging the bending portion 42. Can do.

  In the embodiment described above, the inner ring D2 of the proximal ring 62 is formed larger than the inner diameter D1 of the distal ring 61, so that the clamping force of the proximal ring 62 becomes the clamping force of the distal ring 61. However, the configuration of the proximal end side ring 62 and the distal end side ring 61 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 before external fitting are formed with the same inner diameter, and the thickness T2 of the proximal end side ring 62 before external fitting is the distal end before external fitting. It may be configured to be thinner than the thickness T1 of the side ring 61. Thereby, the fastening force of the proximal end side ring 62 after external fitting can be made smaller than the fastening force of the distal end side ring 61 after external fitting.

  In FIG. 6, the inner diameter D2 of the proximal end side ring 62 is formed larger than the inner diameter D1 of the distal end side ring 61, and the thickness T2 of the proximal end side ring 62 is formed thinner than the thickness T1 of the distal end side ring 61. It is an example. In the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 configured in this way, the tightening force of the proximal end side ring 62 is surely smaller than the tightening force of the distal end side ring 61.

  In the above-described embodiment, the tightening force is changed by changing the shapes (inner diameter, thickness, etc.) of the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62, but the present invention is not limited to this. The tightening force may be changed by changing the material of 61 and the base end side ring 62. For example, the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 may be formed in the same shape, and the hardness of the rubber material of the proximal end side ring 62 may be smaller than the hardness of the rubber material of the distal end side ring 61. As a result, the proximal end ring 62 becomes easier to extend than the distal end side ring 61, so that the tightening force of the proximal end side ring 62 is smaller than the tightening force of the distal end side ring 61. In addition, while changing a material by the front end side ring 61 and the base end side ring 62, you may make it change a shape by the front end side ring 61 and the base end side ring 62 as mentioned above.

  Further, as described above, when the shape, material, and the like of the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are changed, an index is provided on the surface of the distal end side ring 61 and / or the surface of the proximal end side ring 62. The distal side ring 61 and the proximal side ring 62 may be distinguished from each other. In that case, the type of the index is not particularly limited, and may be distinguished by a color or a pattern.

  The lengths in the axial direction of the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are not particularly limited, but the axial length of the proximal end side ring 62 having a small tightening force is equal to the axial direction of the distal end side ring 61. It is preferable to form so that it may become longer than this length. Thereby, in the proximal end side ring 62 with a small tightening force, the adhesion between the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60 and the curved portion 42 can be improved, and airtightness can be ensured.

  In the above-described embodiment, the tightening force is changed by the configuration of the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62. However, the tightening force is changed by the configurations of the distal end portion 60A and the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60. You may make it make it. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the thickness T3 of the distal end portion 60A of the balloon 60 may be configured to be thicker than the thickness T4 of the proximal end portion 60B. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, when the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are externally fitted to the distal end portion 60A and the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60, the distal end side ring 61 and the proximal end side ring 62 are provided. Regardless of the configuration (shape, material, etc.), the clamping force at the base end 60B is smaller than the clamping force at the distal end 60A.

  The embodiment described above is an example in which the balloon 60 is mounted from the distal end portion 44 of the insertion portion 12 to the curved portion 42. However, the mounting position of the balloon 60 is not limited to this. The distal end portion 60 </ b> A may be fixed to the curved portion 42, and the proximal end portion 60 </ b> B of the balloon 60 may be fixed to the flexible portion 40. In this case, the clamping force of the distal end portion 60A of the balloon 60 by the distal end side ring 61 may be configured to be smaller than the clamping force of the proximal end portion 60B of the balloon 60 by the proximal end side ring 62.

System configuration diagram showing an example of an endoscope apparatus according to the present invention The perspective view which shows the insertion part of an endoscope The perspective view which shows a balloon, a front end side ring, and a base end side ring Front view showing the distal end side ring and the proximal end side ring Front view showing another embodiment of the distal end side ring and the proximal end side ring Front view showing another embodiment of the distal end side ring and the proximal end side ring Sectional drawing which shows another embodiment of a balloon Sectional drawing of the state where the balloon of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Endoscope, 12 ... Insertion part, 14 ... Hand operation part, 42 ... Curve part, 44 ... Tip part, 60 ... Balloon, 60A ... Tip part, 60B ... Base end part, 61 ... Tip side ring, 62 ... Proximal ring

Claims (7)

An endoscope having an insertion portion, a balloon formed in a substantially cylindrical shape through which the insertion portion is inserted, and a distal end side ring member and a proximal end side ring that are respectively fitted on the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon An endoscope device in which a distal end portion and a proximal end portion of the balloon are tightened and fixed to the insertion portion by the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member,
An endoscope apparatus, wherein a tightening force at which the distal end side ring member tightens the distal end portion is different from a tightening force at which the proximal end side ring member tightens the proximal end portion. The insertion portion of the endoscope is provided with a bending portion that is operated to bend, and one of the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon is disposed in the bending portion,
The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of a distal end portion and a proximal end portion arranged in the curved portion has a smaller tightening force than the other of the distal end portion and the proximal end portion.   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member have different inner diameter dimensions before external fitting.   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member have different thicknesses before external fitting.   The endoscope apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member are made of different materials.   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 3, wherein different indices are formed on the distal end side ring member and the proximal end side ring member.   The endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distal end portion and the proximal end portion of the balloon have different thicknesses.

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