JP2022038950A - Catheter for animal - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a catheter for an animal by which womb cleaning can be carried out easily in a simple operation by a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A catheter for an animal includes a tube body 11 to inject and recover a cleaning fluid by being inserted into a womb of a cow, and an expandable balloon 20 which is disposed midway in the tube body and detains at a proper location in the womb. A front end side than the balloon 20 in the tube body 11 is branched correspondingly to two lumens in the womb. Branch parts 15 thus branched have such a length that their respective tips reach a location where the cleaning fluid is stored in the back of the individual lumens.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Application for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Law Shingo Haneda, "Clinical Veterinarian" published by Midori Shobo Co., Ltd., December 2019 issue (issued December 2, 2019), pages 2-6, Haneda We presented the results of examining the uterine lavage method for cattle using the animal catheter invented by Shingo.

The present invention relates to an animal catheter used to clean the uterus of an animal.

Conventionally, uterine lavage has been known as a treatment method for diseases of the uterus of animals, especially cattle. In order to perform this uterine lavage, for example, in addition to using the special equipment described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a general balloon catheter has been used. In the uterine lavage method using a balloon catheter, the catheter is inserted into the uterus of a cow, the balloon is placed at the base of the uterine horn, and the lavage fluid is repeatedly injected or collected.

According to such a uterine lavage method, as shown in FIG. 7, the lavage fluid accumulated in the uterus is discharged from the vicinity of the catheter tip, but in cows, the catheter tip is the most dorsal side (essentially the upper side) in the uterus. It is placed at the base of the uterine horn (see FIG. 7 (a)). Therefore, with the above arrangement, only the cleaning liquid around the tip of the catheter can be discharged. Therefore, it was necessary to lift the uterus through the rectum so that the tip of the catheter was in contact with the lavage fluid (see FIG. 7 (b)).

In the artiodactyla to which the cow belongs, there are two lumens in the uterus, and in the case of the cow's uterus, the uterine body is immediately divided into left and right uterine horns (lumens) with a length of several cm. Therefore, after washing one uterine horn, it was necessary to reinsert the balloon catheter and repeat the same washing method for the other uterine horn.

JP-A-59-189840 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-277995

According to the above-mentioned uterine lavage method using a balloon catheter, it is expensive and does not require the use of special equipment. It was complicated and troublesome. In addition, since only one of the two uterine horns can be washed and the same operation must be repeated, the work is more complicated and troublesome.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the problems of the above-mentioned conventional techniques, and to provide an animal catheter capable of easily performing uterine lavage with a simple operation by a simple configuration. It is an object.

The gist of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object lies in the inventions of the following items.
[1] In the animal catheter (10) used for cleaning the uterus of an animal,
A tube body (11) that extends long and is flexible and is inserted into the uterus to inject and collect lavage fluid.
It has an inflatable balloon (20) provided in the middle of the tube body (11) and placed in place in the uterus.
In the tube body (11), the tip side from the balloon (20) branches according to the two lumens in the uterus, and the tip of each of the branched branches (15) is the back of each lumen. An animal catheter (10) characterized by having a length that reaches a place where a cleaning solution is stored in the uterus.

[2] The inflow path (12) for injecting the cleaning liquid and the outflow path (13) for collecting the cleaning liquid are separately provided inside the tube main body (11), respectively [1]. ] The animal catheter (10).

[3] A cleaning liquid supply port (12b) from the inflow path (12) is opened on the base end side of each branch portion (15).
The animal catheter (10) according to the above [2], wherein a cleaning liquid collection port (13b) to the outflow passage (13) is opened on the distal end side of each branch portion (15).

[4] The animal product according to the above [1], [2] or [3], wherein a check valve (52) is provided in the middle of the external route connected to the outflow passage (13). Catheter (10).

[5] When the tube body (11) is inserted into the uterus, a stylet (1) to be inserted inside the tube body (11) including the tip side of each branch portion (15) is combined. The animal catheter (10) according to the above [1], [2], [3] or [4].

[6] A loop (16) is attached to the tip end side of the shorter branch portion (15b) with a difference in the length of each branch portion (15a, 15b).
When the tube body (11) is inserted into the uterus, the stylet (1) is inserted into the longer bifurcation portion (15a) and guided into the inside of the longer bifurcation portion (15a). By passing the stylet (1) through the loop (16), the tube body (11) can be inserted into the uterus in a state where the branch portions (15a, 15b) are put together into one.
After inserting the tube body (11) into the uterus, the stylet (1) is pulled out so that the tip side of each branch portion (15a, 15b) can be separated to both sides. The animal catheter (10A) according to [5].

[7] When the tube body (11) is inserted into the uterus, an outer cylinder (2) to be attached to the outside of the tube body (11) including the tip side of each branch portion (15) is combined. The animal catheter (10) according to the above [1], [2], [3] or [4].

[8] The animal is a cow and
The two lumens within the uterus are the uterine horns,
The appropriate place in the uterus where the balloon (20) is placed is the uterine body.
The place where the lavage fluid collects in the back of each lumen is the back of the uterine horn, which is characterized by the above-mentioned [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6] or [ 7] The animal catheter (10, 10A) according to.

Next, the operation based on the above-mentioned solution will be described.
In the animal catheter (10) according to the above [1], the distal end side of the tube body (11) is inserted into the uterus of the animal, and the balloon (20) is inflated and placed in an appropriate place in the uterus. In this state, the lavage fluid is injected to clean the uterus, and then the lavage fluid is recovered from the uterus. In the tube body (11), the tip side from the balloon (20) is branched according to the two lumens in the uterus of a cow or the like, and the tip of each branched portion is a cleaning solution at the back of each lumen. Reach the place where the uterus accumulates.

As a result, with the animal catheter (10), it is possible to clean two lumens in the uterus at the same time, and it is not necessary to repeat the same work for each lumen, which can greatly reduce the work time. can. Further, in the animal catheter (10), the operation of lifting the uterus is not required, and the work itself is simplified and easily cleaned, as compared with the conventional case in which the tip of the tube body (11) does not come into contact with the cleaning solution at the back of the lumen. It can be performed. Furthermore, by setting the lower end side of the external path for discharging the cleaning liquid from the tube body (11) to a position lower than the branched portion of the tube body (11), the cleaning liquid can be easily discharged by the siphon principle. Become.

According to the animal catheter (10) according to the above [2], the inflow path (12) for injecting the cleaning solution and the outflow path (13) for collecting the cleaning solution are provided inside the tube body (11), respectively. Separately provided. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the collected lavage fluid flows back into the uterus, which was the case when the lavage fluid was injected and recovered in one route.

According to the animal catheter (10) described in the above [3], a cleaning liquid supply port (12b) from the inflow path (12) is opened on the proximal end side of each branch portion (15), and an outflow path is provided. A cleaning liquid collection port (13b) to (13) was opened on the tip side of each branch portion (15).

As a result, the cleaning liquid flows from the supply port (12b) from the entrance side of the lumen in the uterus toward the back while washing the surroundings, and the washing liquid that has been washed flows from the back side of the lumen from the collection port (13b). Since it is collected, the cleaning efficiency is improved.

According to the animal catheter (10) according to the above [4], a check valve (52) is provided in the middle of the external route connected to the outflow route (13). This makes it possible to prevent the phenomenon of inhaling air from the external route even when the pressure inside the uterus becomes negative.

According to the animal catheter (10) according to the above [5], when the tube body (11) is inserted into the uterus, it is inside the tube body (11) including the tip end side of each branch portion (15). Insert the stylet (1). This makes it possible to easily and quickly insert the tube body even if the inside of the uterus is narrow and has a complicated structure.

According to the animal catheter (10A) described in [6] above, when the tube body (11) is inserted into the uterus, the stylet (1) is inserted into the longer bifurcation portion (15a) and the stylet (1) is inserted. The stylet (1) is passed through the loop (16) of the shorter branch portion (15b) led to the inside of the longer branch portion (15a).

As a result, the tube body (11) can be smoothly inserted into the uterus in a state where each branch portion (15a, 15b) is put together into one. Then, by inserting the tube body (11) into the uterus and then pulling out the stylet (1), the tip side of each branch portion (15a, 15b) can be separated to both sides.

According to the animal catheter (10) according to the above [7], when the tube body (11) is inserted into the uterus, it is on the outside of the tube body (11) including the tip end side of each branch portion (15). Attach the outer cylinder (2). In this case as well, even if the inside of the uterus is narrow and has a complicated structure, it is possible to easily and quickly insert the tube body.

In the animal catheter (10) as described above, as described in [8] above, the target animal is, for example, a cow, the two lumens in the uterus are the uterine horns, and the balloon (20). ) Is placed in the right place in the uterus, and it can be optimally applied when the place where the lavage fluid collects in the back of each lumen is in the back of the uterine horn.

According to the animal catheter according to the present invention, the uterine lavage can be easily performed by a simple operation due to the simple configuration.

It is a front view which shows the animal catheter of this embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the position in front of the balloon of the animal catheter of this embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the position with the balloon of the animal catheter of this embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the branch part of the tip from the balloon of the animal catheter of this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the use state of the animal catheter of this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the use state of the animal catheter of this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the use state of the conventional animal catheter. It is a front view which shows the animal catheter of another example of this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outer cylinder in the animal catheter of another example of this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the animal catheter of the modification of this embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments representative of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 6, FIGS. 8 and 9 show embodiments of the present invention.
The animal catheter 10 according to the present embodiment is used for cleaning the uterus of an animal. Hereinafter, the case where the animal catheter 10 is used for uterine lavage of an artiodactyla having two uterine horns (lumens) in the uterus, particularly a cow, will be described as an example.

<Overview of Animal Catheter 10>
As shown in FIG. 1, the animal catheter 10 has a tube body 11 that extends long and is flexible and is inserted into the uterus of a cow to inject and recover lavage fluid. In the middle of the tube body 11, an inflatable balloon 20 is provided in place in the uterus. Here, the appropriate place in the uterus is the uterine body part a4 in front of the uterine horn base a3 following the cervical canal a1 as shown in FIG. 5 in the case of a cow. The tip of the uterine horn base a3 is divided into left and right uterine horns a2.

The balloon 20 is provided in the middle of the tip side (left side in FIG. 1) which is the front in the approach direction of the tube main body 11. Further, a catheter head 30 is provided on the proximal end side (right side in FIG. 1) behind the approach direction of the tube body 11. Further, the animal catheter 10 is connected to a cleaning liquid supply tube 40 for supplying a cleaning liquid to the tube body 11, and a recovery liquid discharge tube 50 for guiding the cleaning liquid discharged from the tube body 11 to the outside, which will be described later. ing.

<Tube body 11>
As shown in FIG. 1, the tube body 11 is elongated and formed into a flexible elongated tube, which can be freely curved. As the material of the tube body 11, a flexible synthetic resin such as silicone rubber, polyurethane, or soft polyvinyl chloride is suitable. The tube body 11 has a lumen extending in the axial direction inside the tube body 11. The lumen is separated into a plurality of paths, and as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, an inflow path 12 into which the cleaning liquid flows in, an outflow path 13 in which the cleaning liquid flows out, and a supply / discharge path for inflating the balloon 20. 14 and.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the inflow path 12 allows the cleaning liquid to flow in. The inflow passage 12 is formed as a narrow pipe (lumen) extending in the axial direction at a position eccentric from the axial center of the tube main body 11. The tip end side of the inflow path 12 is the base end side of the branch portion 15 branched from the immediate tip side of the balloon 20 described later, and each is opened to the outside as a plurality of supply ports 12b. Further, the proximal end side of the inflow path 12 communicates with the inside of the catheter head 30 described later. Specifically, for example, physiological saline or Ringer's solution is suitable as the cleaning solution.

The outflow tract 13 allows the washing liquid after washing the inside of the uterus to flow out. The outflow passage 13 is formed through as a main pipe (lumen) extending around the axis of the tube main body 11. The tip side of the outflow path 13 is the tip side of each branch portion 15, and is provided to the outside as a plurality of collection ports 13b, respectively. Further, the proximal end side of the outflow passage 13 communicates with the inside of the catheter head 30 described later. The cleaning solution discharged from the uterus is also referred to as "recovery solution" in the following description.

The supply / discharge passage 14 allows a fluid (for example, air, sterile distilled water, etc.) that inflates the balloon 20, which will be described later, to pass through. The supply / discharge passage 14 is formed as a narrow pipe (lumen) extending in the axial direction at a position eccentric from the axial center of the tube main body 11 (opposite side of the inflow passage 12). The tip end side of the supply / discharge passage 14 is sealed, and in the middle of the front side thereof, the tube body 11 is opened from the outer peripheral surface and communicates with the inside of the balloon 20. The base end side of the supply / discharge passage 14 communicates with the inside of the catheter head 30 described later.

<< Tip side of tube body 11 >>
As shown in FIG. 1, the tip side of the tube body 11 from the balloon 20 is branched according to the two uterine horns a2 (see FIG. 5) in the uterus of the cow. The bifurcated portions 15 are set to have a length at which the tips of the bifurcated portions 15 reach the points where the lavage fluid is stored at the back of each uterine horn a2. The outer diameter of each branch portion 15 may be set to about half of the reference outer diameter of the tube main body 11.

The place where the lavage fluid collects in the back of the uterine horn a2 is the back of the uterine horn a2 as shown in FIGS. Is the lower part). Therefore, as will be described later, when the balloon 20 is installed in the uterine body portion a4, the tip of the bifurcation portion 15 is installed in the middle of the uterine horn a2, that is, in a place corresponding to the ventral side when viewed from the entire uterus. In FIGS. 5 and 6, only one side of the bifurcation portion 15 is shown, but this is for convenience of drawing, and the bifurcation portion 15 is actually inserted into each of the two uterine horns a2. ..

More specifically, the branch portion 15 is formed by adhering the tubes forming the two branch portions 15 from the end surface of one tube body 11 at a portion of the tube body 11 immediately on the tip side of the balloon 20 so as to branch. There is. Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the tube constituting the branch portion 15 has a semi-circular cross section and is circular when two are combined, and a circular cross section bonded along one end side thereof and having a smaller diameter. , Are combined.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the circular and small-diameter tube of the branch portion 15 is interrupted immediately at the base end side of the entire branch portion 15 (see FIG. 1), and the inside thereof is the inflow path. It is a small-diameter inflow path 12a that is directly connected to 12 as it is. Here, the inflow path 12a is immediately opened as a supply port 12b on the base end side of the branch portion 15. The number and shape of the supply ports 12b are not particularly limited and are design items that can be appropriately determined.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the tube having a semicircular cross section in the branch portion 15 extends over the entire branch portion 15, and the inside thereof communicates with the outflow passage 13 as it is. It is a connected outflow path 13a. Here, the outflow passage 13a extends in the axial direction from the base end side to the tip end side of the branch portion 15, and is opened as a recovery port 13b as it is on the tip end side, and is also opened as a recovery port 13b at a plurality of places in front of the branch portion 15. There is. The number and shape of the collection ports 13b are not particularly limited, and are design items that can be appropriately determined.

<< Base end side of tube body 11 >>
As shown in FIG. 1, a catheter head 30 is provided on the proximal end side of the tube body 11. The catheter head 30 is formed in a three-pronged funnel shape that communicates with the inflow path 12, the outflow path 13, and the supply / discharge path 14, respectively. As the material of the catheter head 30, a synthetic resin having a hardness higher than that of the tube body 11 is suitable. Of the catheter head 30, the main pipe portion extending in the coaxial direction with the tube body 11 is a connector 31 for communicating with the outflow passage 13 and discharging the cleaning liquid.

One pipe portion that branches from the tip side of the connection connector 31 is a connection connector 32 that communicates with the inflow passage 12 to inject the cleaning liquid, and the other pipe portion communicates with the supply / discharge passage 14 to inflate the balloon 20. It is a connection connector 33 that allows the fluid to pass through. The connection connector 33 is integrally provided with a balloon expansion valve 33a. A check valve is provided inside the balloon expansion valve 33a, and the supply / discharge passage 14 is configured to communicate with the outside only when a syringe for injecting fluid (not shown) is inserted.

<Balloon 20>
As shown in FIG. 1, the balloon 20 is arranged in the middle of the tip end side of the tube main body 11 and is provided so as to be inflatable so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the portion in the entire circumferential direction. More specifically, the balloon 20 is formed in a substantially cylindrical expandable bag shape, and the tip end edge and the proximal end edge of the balloon 20 are respectively fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the tube body 11 with an adhesive margin of a predetermined width. ing. The supply / discharge passage 14 is opened in the middle of the tube main body 11 located inside the balloon 20.

The balloon 20 expands or contracts around the tube body 11 by the operation of pressurization or depressurization by a fluid through the supply / discharge passage 14. That is, the balloon 20 expands into a spherical shape whose front and rear are slightly crushed around the tube body 11 by the pressurizing operation in which the fluid is introduced from the supply / discharge passage 14 (see FIG. 1), and the fluid is released from the supply / discharge passage 14. By the discharged decompression operation, the tube body 11 is shrunk so as to be in close contact with the outer peripheral surface. The material of the balloon 20 may be any material as long as it is flexible and can be elastically deformed, and for example, silicone rubber or the like is suitable.

<Attached configuration>
As shown in FIG. 1, when the tube body 11 is inserted into the uterus, the stylet 1 to be inserted inside the tube body 11 including the tip end side of each branch portion 15 is combined. The stylet 1 is inserted inside the tube body 11 to form an inner core. The tip side of the stylet 1 is branched according to the two branch portions 15. As the material of the stylet 1, a metal such as stainless steel is suitable. Instead of the stylet 1, an outer cylinder 2 (see FIG. 8) mounted on the outside of the tube body 11 may be combined. The outer cylinder 2 will be described in detail later.

Further, when the tube body 11 is used, the cleaning liquid supply tube 40 for supplying the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid supply unit 41 to the inflow path 12 of the tube body 11 is connected to the connector 32 of the catheter head 30. Here, the supply unit 41 is a tubular case capable of storing a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid, and is communicated with and connected to a cleaning liquid bag (not shown) via a tubular cleaning liquid injection port 41a provided above the tubular case. As the cleaning liquid bag, for example, a physiological saline bag may be used as it is.

The cleaning liquid supply tube 40 may be provided with a three-way stopcock 42 and a clamp 43 in this order from the tip side connected to the connector 32 of the catheter head 30. The three-way stopcock 42 and the clamp 43 are for adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing through the cleaning liquid supply tube 40, respectively.

Further, when the tube body 11 is used, the recovery liquid discharge tube 50 is connected to the connector 31 of the catheter head 30 via a three-way stopcock 51. The three-way stopcock 51 opens and closes the recovery liquid discharge tube 50 to switch the flow path. Further, a check valve 52 is provided in the middle of the recovery liquid discharge tube 50.

The discharge port (tip side) of the recovery liquid discharge tube 50 is arranged in a collection section such as a bucket. As will be described in detail later, the cleaning liquid can be recovered by the siphon principle without using the power of a pump or the like due to the vertical positional relationship between the discharge port of the recovery liquid discharge tube 50 and each branch portion 15 of the tube body 11. ..

<Action of animal catheter 10>
Next, the operation of the animal catheter 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.
Uterine lavage in cattle is a necessary reproductive treatment for non-conception, especially after calving, if the uterus still has contents that are remnants of the endometrium or placenta. .. Therefore, when cleaning the uterus of a cow using the catheter 10 for animals, in FIG. 1, first, the cleaning liquid supply tube 40 is connected to the connector 32 of the catheter head 30, and the inflow path 12 of the tube body 11 is filled with the cleaning liquid. ..

Subsequently, the insertion stylet 1 is inserted into the outflow path 13 of the tube body 11. The branched portion on the distal end side of the stylet 1 is also inserted into each branched portion 15 on the distal end side of the tube body 11 to form an inner core. In this state, the animal catheter 10 is introduced into the uterus of a cow. That is, the tip end side of the tube body 11 is pushed through the cervical canal a1 of the cow shown in FIG. 5 together with the stylet 1. Then, after inserting each branch portion 15 into the uterine horn a2, the stylet 1 is removed.

A fluid (for example, air, sterile distilled water, etc.) is injected into the balloon 20 from the balloon expansion valve 33a. At this time, if the pressure when pushing the syringe for injecting the fluid is strong, since the balloon 20 is in the cervical canal a1, the tube body 11 is further pushed to inflate. In this way, the balloon 20 is placed at the position of the uterine body portion a4. Then, the tip end side of each branch portion 15 reaches a place where the lavage fluid is stored in the back of the uterine horn a2.

After that, the cleaning liquid supply unit 41 is connected to the connection connector 32 that serves as the cleaning liquid injection port via the cleaning liquid supply tube 40, and the cleaning liquid is supplied into the uterus from the inflow path 12 of the tube main body 11. While the cleaning liquid is being supplied, the outflow passage 13 of the tube body 11 is closed by the three-way stopcock 51. The flow rate of the cleaning liquid is adjusted as necessary by a three-way stopcock 42 and a clamp 43 in the middle of the cleaning liquid supply tube 40.

The cleaning liquid is discharged from the supply port 12b on the base end side of each branch portion 15 immediately ahead of the balloon 20. The inside of the uterus is washed with the washing liquid, and the washing liquid after washing collects in the uterine horn a2. When the lavage fluid has accumulated in the entire endometrium, the inflow passage 12 is closed and the outflow tract 13 is opened so that the lavage fluid after cleaning is discharged to the outside. In the uterine horn a2, the cleaning liquid is collected from the collection port 13b on the tip end side of each branch portion 15, and the collection liquid is collected from the connection connector 33 of the catheter head 30 via the three-way stopcock 51 via the outflow passage 13 of the tube body 11. It is guided to the discharge tube 50.

At this time, if the discharge port of the recovery liquid discharge tube 50 is placed in a bucket or the like for receiving the recovery liquid installed at a position lower than the uterine horn a2, the cleaning liquid after cleaning can be easily collected by the siphon principle. .. If the uterus is not discharged even though a sufficient amount of cleaning solution has been supplied, there is a possibility that a highly viscous residue is clogged. In such a case, the contents can be sucked by connecting the syringe to the connector 31 of the catheter head 30 and applying negative pressure.

When the recovery liquid is ready to flow smoothly, the outflow passage 13 is closed, while the inflow passage 12 is opened to supply the lavage fluid into the uterus. When a certain amount of the inflow of the cleaning liquid or the inflow due to free fall stops, the inflow passage 12 is closed and the outflow passage 13 is opened to discharge the cleaning liquid to the outside. Such an operation is repeated until the collected cleaning liquid is sufficiently clean (transparent), the turbidity of the cleaning liquid is confirmed, and the cleaning is completed.

In the animal catheter 10 of the present embodiment, the tip side of the balloon 20 of the tube body 11 is branched according to the two uterine horns a2 in the uterus of the cow, and each branch portion 15 has a tip of each uterus. It reaches the place where the cleaning liquid collects in the back of the corner a2. As a result, it becomes possible to wash the two uterine horns a2 in the uterus at the same time, and it is not necessary to repeat the same work for each uterine horn a2, and the working time can be significantly shortened.

Further, in the animal catheter 10 of the present embodiment, the operation of lifting the uterus becomes unnecessary and the work itself is simplified as compared with the conventional case in which the tip of the tube body 11 does not come into contact with the cleaning solution at the back of the uterine horn a2. It can be easily washed. Further, by setting the lower end side of the recovery liquid discharge tube 50 that discharges the cleaning liquid from the tube body 11 to a position lower than each branch portion 15 of the tube body 11, the cleaning liquid can be discharged without using the power of a pump or the like according to the siphon principle. It can be easily discharged.

Further, according to the animal catheter 10 of the present embodiment, the inflow passage 12 for injecting the cleaning liquid and the outflow passage 13 for collecting the cleaning liquid are provided inside the tube main body 11 completely separated from each other. As a result, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the washing liquid collected halfway is pushed back into the uterus and flows back, which was the case where the injection and the recovery of the washing liquid were combined in one route as in the conventional case.

Further, according to the animal catheter 10 of the present embodiment, the cleaning liquid supply port 12b from the inflow passage 12 is opened on the proximal end side of each branch portion 15, and the cleaning liquid collection port 13b to the outflow passage 13 is provided. , It is provided on the tip side of each branch portion 15. As a result, the washing liquid flows from the supply port 12b from the inlet side of the uterine horn a2 toward the back in the uterus while washing the surroundings, and the washing liquid that has been washed is collected from the collecting port 13b from the back side of the uterine horn a2. To. Therefore, the cleaning efficiency is improved, and automatic cleaning can be performed with the inflow path 12 and the outflow path 13 open.

Further, in the animal catheter 10 of the present embodiment, a check valve 52 is provided in the middle of the recovery liquid discharge tube 50 connected to the outflow passage 13. When such a check valve 52 is provided, it is possible to prevent the phenomenon of sucking air from the recovery liquid discharge tube 50 even when the inside of the uterus becomes negative pressure.

Further, according to the animal catheter 10 of the present embodiment, when the tube body 11 is inserted into the uterus, the stylet 1 is inserted into the inside of the tube body 11 including the distal end side of each branch portion 15 to insert the inner core. And. This makes it possible to easily and quickly insert the tube body 11 even if the cervical canal a1 has a narrow and complicated structure such as a cow's uterus.

<< About outer cylinder 2 >>
In the above embodiment, when the tube body 11 is inserted into the uterus, the stylet 1 which is the inner core is used, but the outer cylinder 2 shown in FIG. 8 may be used instead of the inner core. More specifically, the outer cylinder 2 is set to have a length extending from at least the balloon 20 to the tip end side of the branch portion 15. As the material of the outer cylinder 2, a metal such as stainless steel is suitable. As the outer cylinder 2, specifically, for example, a metal tubular instrument for collecting fertilized eggs or injecting semen may be used as it is.

By attaching such an outer cylinder 2 to the outside of the tube body 11 including each branch portion 15, the tube body 11 can be easily and quickly inserted even if the inside of the uterus is narrow and has a complicated structure. It becomes possible to perform work. When inserting the tube body 11 into the uterus, the balloon 20 comes out from the tip opening of the outer cylinder 2 only through the tube body 11 by pushing it into the cervical canal a1 with the outer cylinder 2 attached. Each branch portion 15 is inserted into the uterine horn a2 until.

The outer cylinder 2 is attached to the outside of the tube body 11 in a state where the tip of each branch portion 15 slightly protrudes to the outside from the tip opening of the outer cylinder 2 when the tube body 11 is inserted into the uterus. As shown in FIG. 9A, the tips of the branch portions 15 are formed so as to have a smooth spherical crown shape with no corners when they are overlapped with each other. The outer cylinder 2 is prevented from coming off by a balloon 20 arranged inside the base end side thereof.

Further, when each branch portion 15 is projected from the tip port of the outer cylinder 2, the tips of the branch portions 15 need to be separated from each other and spread to the left and right. Therefore, it is preferable to form each branch portion 15 so that the tip side of the branch portion 15 expands from the original to the left and right. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9B, the tip of each branch portion 15 protruding from the tip opening of the outer cylinder 2 is applied with a force in the vicinity of the seam from the direction orthogonal to the direction in which they spread to the left and right. It is also conceivable to spread the tips of the branch portions 15 to the left and right.

<Variation example of animal catheter 10>
Next, the animal catheter 10A according to the modified example of the present embodiment will be described.
In the animal catheter 10A according to this modification, the lengths of the bifurcations 15a and 15b are different so that the left and right can be distinguished in the uterus. As shown in FIG. 10 (a), the stylet 1 to be the inner core is inserted into the longer branch portion 15a (see the arrow (1) in the figure). A loop 16 is attached to the tip end side of the shorter branch portion 15b. The loop 16 is an annular shape having a certain degree of hardness and capable of elastic deformation, and may be formed by, for example, a fishing line.

As shown in FIG. 10 (b), the loop 16 in the shorter branch portion 15b is inserted into the collection port 13b of the longer branch portion 15a (see the arrow (2) in the figure). Then, as shown in FIG. 10 (c), the stylet 1 inserted in the longer branch portion 15a is moved to the tip side (see the arrow (3) -1 in the figure), and the collection port 13b is used. Pass through the loop 16 inside. In this state, the tube body 11 is inserted into the back of the uterus and passed through the cervical canal (see arrow (3) -2 in the figure). As a result, the bifurcation portions 15a and 15b can be combined into one when inserted into the uterus, and the tips of the bifurcation portions 15a and 15b can be prevented from shifting from each other.

As shown in FIG. 10D, after passing the distal end side of each bifurcation portion 15a, 15b through the cervical canal, the stylet 1 is pulled out, the catheter body 11 is further advanced, and the bifurcation portions 15a, 15b are separated. Push each into both uterine horns. Then, the balloon 20 is inflated and fixed at the uterine body. After that, the above-mentioned cleaning work is performed. In this way, by pulling out the stylet 1 after the bifurcations 15a and 15b are smoothly passed through the narrow cervical canal, the loop 16 is also disengaged from the stylet 1 and the tip side of each bifurcation 15a and 15b. Can be separated on both sides.

According to the animal catheters 10 and 10A as described above, it can be optimally applied to, for example, uterine washing of cattle. By washing the uterus using the animal catheters 10 and 10A of the present embodiment, unnecessary substances in the uterus are discharged and the self-cleaning action is assisted, and it becomes possible to restore the fertility of the cow. ..

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the present invention may be changed or added without departing from the gist of the present invention. included. For example, the specific shape and relative size of the branch portion 15, the balloon 20, and the catheter head 30 in the tube body 11 are not limited to those shown in the illustration. Further, the animal to be used is not necessarily limited to cattle, and it can be applied to other artiodactyla having two uterine horns (lumens) in the uterus.

The animal catheter according to the present invention can be applied particularly for cleaning the uterus of an animal such as a cow.

1 ... Stylet 2 ... Outer cylinder 10,10A ... Animal catheter 11 ... Tube body 12 ... Inflow path 12b ... Supply port 13 ... Outflow path 13b ... Recovery port 14 ... Supply / discharge path 15, 15a, 15b ... Branch 16 ... Loop 20 ... Balloon 30 ... Catheter head 40 ... Cleaning liquid supply tube 50 ... Recovery liquid discharge tube 52 ... Check valve

Claims (8)

In animal catheters used to clean the uterus of animals
A tube body that extends long and is flexible and can be inserted into the uterus to inject and collect lavage fluid.
It has an inflatable balloon, which is provided in the middle of the tube body and is placed in place in the uterus.
In the tube body, the tip side of the balloon is branched according to the two lumens in the uterus, and the branched branch portion has a length at which the tip reaches a place where the lavage fluid is stored in the back of each lumen. An animal catheter characterized by having a lumen. The animal catheter according to claim 1, wherein an inflow path for injecting a cleaning solution and an outflow path for collecting the cleaning solution are separately provided inside the tube body. A supply port for cleaning liquid from the inflow passage is opened on the base end side of each branch portion.
The animal catheter according to claim 2, wherein a cleaning liquid collection port for the outflow tract is opened on the distal end side of each branch portion. The animal catheter according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein a check valve is provided in the middle of the external path connected to the outflow path. 2. Animal catheter. A loop is attached to the tip side of the shorter branch portion with a difference in the length of each branch portion.
When the tube body is inserted into the uterus, the stylet is inserted into the longer bifurcation and the stylet is passed through the loop leading to the inside of the longer bifurcation. The tube body can be inserted into the uterus with the bifurcations in one.
The animal catheter according to claim 5, wherein the tube body is inserted into the uterus and then the stylet is pulled out so that the distal end side of each branch can be separated on both sides. 2. Animal catheter. The animal is a cow
The two lumens within the uterus are the uterine horns,
The appropriate place in the uterus where the balloon is placed is the uterine body.
The animal catheter according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, wherein the place where the lavage fluid is stored in the back of each lumen is the back of the uterine horn.

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