JP2532780B2 - Ultrasonic therapy equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus for treating an affected part of a living body by ultrasonic vibration.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-159953, there is known an ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus for treating an affected area of a living body by utilizing ultrasonic vibration. In this type of ultrasonic therapy device, the treatment probe for transmitting ultrasonic vibration is composed of a metal pipe. This probe
Its base is connected to the ultrasonic transducer via a horn. The tip of the probe is the working end.

When using this ultrasonic treatment device,
While pressing the tip of the probe to the affected part in the living body, the ultrasonic oscillator is operated at a drive frequency that makes the tip of the probe an antinode of ultrasonic vibration, and the biological tissue of the affected part is ultrasonically vibrated at the probe tip. Perform emulsification and excision.

Considering the ease of arranging the probe in the body cavity, such an ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-62-207450 and US Pat. No. 4,63.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,419, there is proposed a probe in which the tip side portion is bent. When bending the tip side of the probe in this way, bend a straight pipe material at an arbitrary angle or cut the butt end faces of two straight tubular pipes, etc. diagonally with respect to the center axis, and The end face is fixed by means such as screw fastening or welding to obtain a predetermined angle for bending the tip side portion.

However, the conventional bending type probe has the following problems. That is, in a type in which a predetermined bending angle is obtained by bending a straight pipe or the like, bending the material causes cracks and strains to remain in the bent portion, significantly reducing the fatigue strength of the probe, Is easily damaged.

For this reason, in this type of device to which bending is applied, it is necessary to suppress the vibration amplitude transmitted to the probe to a small extent, and the operation time becomes long. It should be noted that damage to the probe is a serious drawback for this type of ultrasonic treatment apparatus because it is necessary to avoid damage to the probe during the operation such as brain surgery, for example. Become.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12,
There is known an ultrasonic probe in which two linear pipe members are obliquely butted and bent as a whole.

As shown in FIG. 11, this type of ultrasonic treatment apparatus is provided between a horn 1 also serving as a front plate and a backing plate 2.
By sandwiching the piezoelectric element 3 as an ultrasonic vibration generating portion and tightening the horn 1 and the backing plate 2 with the bolt 4 and the nut 5, the piezoelectric element 3 is tightened with a torque such that the piezoelectric element 3 has a constant vibration characteristic. A probe 6 made of a vibration transmitting member for performing work is connected to the tip of the horn 1.

FIG. 12 shows details of the bent connection portion of the probe 6. That is, the base end of the probe 6 is obliquely connected to the tip of the tubular portion 7 formed at the tip of the horn 1. The end surface 8 of the tip wall of the tubular portion 7 is
A so-called cut-off end face is formed obliquely with respect to the central axis of the tubular portion 7.

The end face 9 on the base end side of the probe 6 is formed perpendicularly to the axial direction of the pipe member forming it. Further, at the base end of the probe 6, a male screw 10 perpendicular to the end face 9 thereof is projected. The male screw 10 is screwed into a female screw 11 formed on the distal end wall of the tubular portion 7, and the probe 6 is fastened and fixed to the tubular portion 7 in a state where the end surfaces 8 and 9 abut. A suction hole 12 is formed inside the probe 6, the horn 1, the piezoelectric element 3, and the bolt 4 so as to communicate therewith.

[0011]

In the ultrasonic treatment apparatus configured as described above, the horn 1 also serves as a front plate,
Since the piezoelectric element 3 is sandwiched between the backing plate 2 and the backing plate 2 so as to have a constant vibration characteristic, the horn 1 is fixed.
Cannot be replaced easily.

Therefore, the bending angle of the probe 6 is determined to be a constant angle depending on the angle with respect to the central axis of the end face 8 of the tubular portion 7 of the horn 1. For this reason, when it is desired to use a probe with a different bending angle or a probe 6 that is not bent, there is a problem in that an ultrasonic treatment apparatus having horns 1 having different end face 8 angles must be prepared. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic treatment apparatus capable of selecting various probes having different bending angles and detachably mounting them. To provide.

[0014]

An ultrasonic therapy apparatus according to the present invention is an ultrasonic vibration generator, and a horn for expanding the amplitude of ultrasonic vibration from the ultrasonic vibration generator.
An ultrasonic treatment apparatus having a probe for bending and connecting to a tip portion of a horn and transmitting ultrasonic vibration to a target site of a living body, wherein the probe is attached to the tip portion of the horn via a detachable bending member. And the base end of the bending member is connected to the tip of the horn in the vicinity of the antinode position of the ultrasonic vibration, and the base end of the probe is attached to the end of the bending member of the ultrasonic vibration. In the vicinity of the antinode position, the central axis of the probe is bent and connected to the central axis of the horn. Therefore, various probe states with different bending angles can be selected and used.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Since the general configuration of this ultrasonic treatment apparatus is the same as that described above, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of a portion for connecting the probe 6 in a bending direction to a distal end portion of a cylindrical portion 7 of the horn 1 via a detachable bending member 20.
That is, the bending member 20 is formed of a tubular member. A male screw 21 is formed at the base end of the bending member 20 coaxially with the central axis a '.

The male screw 21 is adapted to be screwed into a female screw 22 formed coaxially with the central axis a of the horn 1 at the tip of the tubular portion 7 on the tip side of the horn 1.

The alignment surface 23 of the bending member 20 and the tip end surface 24 of the tubular portion 7 are formed as surfaces perpendicular to the central axis a of the horn 1. Then, the bending member 2
0 is detachably screwed in using the male screw 21 and the female screw 22, and the matching surface 23 of the bending member 20 is the horn 1
The tip end surface 24 of the horn 1 is fixed by abutting it, and the central axis a ′ of the bending member 20 is connected in a state where it coincides with the central axis a of the horn 1.

The tip portion of the bending member 20 is formed as a wall portion, and the tip surface 25 thereof is formed as a surface inclined at, for example, 60 ° with respect to the central axis a'of the bending member 20. A female screw 26 perpendicular to the tip surface 25 is bored at the tip of the bending member 20.

The central axis b of the female screw 26 is offset (offset amount C) downward from the intersection point d between the central axis a'of the bending member 20 and the tip surface 25, and the central axis a'of the bending member 20 is formed. The central axis b of the female screw 26 intersects inside the bending member 20. The male screw 10 of the probe 6 is screwed into the female screw 26 of the bending member 20, and the matching surface 9 of the probe 6 is in contact with the tip face 25 of the bending member 20.

Further, since the male screw 10 is provided at the base end portion of the probe 6 concentrically with the central axis b of the probe 6, the central axis of the probe 6 is aligned with the central axis b of the female screw 26. The central axes a ′ and b are the bending members 20.
Intersect inside. Then, the position of the antinode of the ultrasonic vibration is made to coincide with the intersection of the central axes a ′ and b. Therefore, the antinode of vibration is provided closer to the base end side than the front end surface 25 of the bending member 20.

The connecting portion 27 between the horn 1 and the bending member 20 can be provided at an arbitrary position from the antinode of the vibration to the horn base end side λ / 4 (λ is a wavelength). Since there is a possibility that the screw connection part may be damaged by the applied stress, in order to use with a large amplitude of about 100 to 300 μm, the connection is made in the vicinity of the antinode of the vibration where the generated stress is small.

According to the ultrasonic therapy apparatus thus constructed, the bending member 20 can be removed from the horn 1, so that the probe 6 which is not bent can be attached to the horn 1.

Various bending members 2 having different bending angles
By preparing 0, the probe 6 having various bending angles can be used with one horn 1. On the other hand, the total length of the ultrasonic treatment apparatus is the same as that of the conventional one which does not use the bending member 20 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, and does not impair the operability by making the total length longer than necessary.

2 to 3 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the projecting portion (shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 2) on the tip surface 25 of the bending member 20 is cut off, and this edge portion is formed into a spherical portion 28. Further, the tip surface 25 of the bending member 20 and the matching surface 9 of the probe 6 are made to coincide with each other so as to come into full contact. Other configurations and the like are the same as those of the above-mentioned embodiment.

With this configuration, the visual field is not obstructed by the protrusion, and the surgery can be performed safely, and the distal end surface 25 of the bending member 20 and the matching surface 9 of the probe 6 are entirely covered. Is in contact with
The transmission efficiency of ultrasonic vibration can be improved.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the matching surface 36 of the bending member 35 is
The bending member 35 is formed as a surface inclined at 60 ° with respect to the central axis b ′. The bending member 35 includes
A male screw 37 perpendicular to the matching surface 36 is provided, and the male screw 37 is used as the female screw 22 of the tubular portion 7 of the horn 1.
The alignment surface 36 of the bending member 35 is in contact with the tip end surface 24 of the horn 1.

The tip end surface 38 of the bending member 35 has the bending member 3
5 is formed as a surface perpendicular to the central axis b ', and the bending member 35 is provided with a female screw 39 perpendicular to the tip surface 38. The male screw 10 of the probe 6 is connected to the female screw 39 of the bending member 35 as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the central axis b ′ of the bending member 35
Coincides with the central axis b of the probe 6. Even with this structure, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the tip end surface 42 of the tubular portion 41 of the horn 40 is formed as a surface inclined at, for example, 75 ° with respect to the central axis e of the horn 40. The cylindrical portion 41 is provided with a female screw 43 perpendicular to the tip surface 42 thereof. The male screw 21 of the bending member 20 shown in the first embodiment can be screwed into the female screw 43. Bending member 2
When 0 is attached, the matching surface 23 is in contact with the tip end surface 42 of the horn 40. The probe 6 is connected to the tip end side of the bending member 20 as in the first embodiment.

With this structure, the probe 6 is bent twice with respect to the horn 40, so that the central axis a'of the bending member 20 is the same as the central axis a of the horn 1 as in the first embodiment. A larger bending angle can be obtained as compared with the case where they match.

FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the matching surface 45 of the bending member 44 is
It is formed as a surface that is inclined at, for example, 75 ° with respect to the central axis f of the bending member 44. The bending member 44 is provided with a male screw 46 perpendicular to the matching surface 45. The male screw 46 of the bending member 44 is the cylindrical portion 7 of the horn 1.
Is screwed into the female screw 22 formed in parallel with the central axis a of the horn 1, and the matching surface 45 of the bending member 44 contacts the tip surface 24 formed perpendicular to the central axis a of the horn 1. There is. The probe 6 is connected to the distal end side of the bending member 44 as in the first embodiment.

Even with this construction, a larger bending angle can be obtained as compared with the first embodiment, as in the fourth embodiment. Further, in this embodiment, the tip end surface 24 of the tubular portion 7 of the horn 1 is formed perpendicularly to the central axis a of the horn 1, and the female screw 22 is also bored perpendicularly to the tip end surface 24. Therefore, the probe 6 which is not bent can be attached to the horn 1.

FIG. 7 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the horn 1 is provided near the piezoelectric element 3.
The transducer cover 50 covers the other portions of the transducer cover except the tip portion thereof, and the sheath 51 covers the tip portion of the horn 1 and the other portion of the probe 6 other than the tip portion. The sheath 51 is made of an electrically insulating material. The sheath 51 is bent to connect the pipes 51a and 51b. Transducer cover 50 and sheath 5
1 is fastened by a connecting ring 52 and is detachably connected.

Further, the horn 1 has a high frequency power cord 5
3 is connected, and the leading end of the high frequency power supply cord 53 is connected to the high frequency power supply unit 54 via a connector (not shown). The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment.

Therefore, in the sixth embodiment,
The high frequency current generated by the high frequency power supply unit 54 can be transmitted to the horn 1, the bending member 20 connected to the horn 1, and the probe 6 through the high frequency power supply cord 53.
That is, the tip of the probe 6 is used as a high-frequency treatment electrode. Corresponding to this, for example, an extracorporeal electrode (not shown) is provided. Then, when bleeding from the living tissue during the operation, by passing a high frequency current, the living tissue at the bleeding site can be coagulated with a high frequency to stop the bleeding.

Even if a high-frequency current is passed from the high-frequency power cord 53 through the horn 1, the bending member 20 and the probe 6 as described above, the ultrasonic vibration generator vibrator 3, the vibrator cover covering the horn 1 and the probe 6 are provided. Fifty
Since the sheath 51 is made of an electrically insulating material, the hemostatic high-frequency current does not leak to the outer surface of the ultrasonic treatment apparatus, and the high-frequency current does not flow to a portion other than the affected part of the patient.
Therefore, there is no risk of electric shock to the patient or operator, and safe treatment can be performed.

FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10B and FIG.
Each shows a modification of the second embodiment of the present invention.
In each of the above embodiments, a female screw is formed on the tip end of the bending member, and a male screw is formed on the base end, which are screwed to the male screw on the probe base end and the female screw on the horn tip, respectively. Instead, it may be configured as shown below.

In the first modification shown in FIG. 8, a male screw 71 is formed at the tip of the bending member 20 in the second embodiment at a right angle to the tip surface 25. A female screw 72, which is formed perpendicularly to the matching surface 9, is screwed into the male screw 71 at the base end portion of the probe 6, and the matching surface 9 of the probe abuts against the tip surface 25 of the bending member. ing. The other structure is similar to that of the second embodiment.

In a second modification shown in FIG. 9, a female screw 74 is formed in the base end portion of the bending member 20 in the second embodiment at a right angle to the base end face 76. A male screw 73 formed concentrically with the central axis A1 of the horn is screwed into the cylindrical portion 7 of the horn 1 into the female screw 74, and the base end surface 76 of the bending member 20 is attached to the horn 1. Is fixed by abutting on the matching surface 75. The other structure is similar to that of the second embodiment.

In FIG. 9, the base end surface 7 of the bending member 20 is
6 is perpendicular to the central axis A2 of the bending member 20, and the female screw 74 at the base end of the bending member 20 is formed concentrically with the central axis A2 of the bending member 20. Although A2 and the central axis A1 of the horn 1 are coincident with each other, the base end surface 76 of the bending member 20 may be formed as a surface inclined at, for example, 75 ° with respect to the central axis A2 of the bending member 20. At this time, since the central axis A2 of the bending member 20 is connected to the central axis A1 of the horn 1 at an angle of 15 °, the bending angle between the probe 6 and the horn 1 is further increased. Become.

FIG. 10A shows the second embodiment,
As shown in the figure, the horn 1, the bending member 20, the probe 6
It is possible to easily change the bending angle of the probe 6 only by preparing the bending members 20 that are detachably fastened and the tip surfaces 25 have different angles.

FIG. 10B shows a third modification, in which the bending member 20 and the probe 6 are joined to each other by a joint 81.
It is fixed by brazing, gluing, welding or the like, and is detachably screwed to the horn 1. Therefore,
A probe 6 with a bending member 20 having different tip end angles.
The bending angle of the probe 6 can be easily changed by preparing various types. In addition, since there is only one detachable part, handling is simple.

FIG. 10 (c) shows a fourth modified example. In this modified example, the bending member 20 is fixed to the horn 1 at the joint portion 82 by bonding, bonding or welding, and the like. −
The hook 6 is detachably screwed. Therefore, the bending angle of the hand piece is constant depending on the angle of the tip surface 25 of the bending member 20, but in this modified example, other portions except the bending member 20, that is, the horn 1, the piezoelectric element 3, An ultrasonic transducer consisting of a backing plate 2, bolts 4, and nuts 5,
Since they can be standardized and mass-produced regardless of the type of probe, they can be manufactured at a lower cost than conventional products. The above-mentioned professional
The bending angle formed by the hood 6 and the horn 1 is 5 ° to 60 °, preferably 10 °, for reasons of operability and ultrasonic driving described below.
The angle of 45 ° is suitable.

In laparotomy in the field of gastroenterological surgery and the like, a bending angle of about 5 ° to 30 ° is suitable because there are few operational restrictions. Further, in the microsurgery in the field of neurosurgery and the like, there are large operational restrictions, so that a bending angle of 15 ° to 60 ° is appropriately selected and used according to the depth of the surgical site.

On the other hand, the greater the bending angle, the more professional
The ultrasonic vibration transmitted to the tip of the probe becomes large, and the amplitude of the tip of the probe becomes small. Also, the attenuated ultrasonic vibration energy
Most of the
The temperature of the lobe etc. rises. In order to cool it, the flow rate of the cooling perfusate must be increased. For such reasons of ultrasonic driving, a bending angle of up to about 60 ° is suitable. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, the central axis of the horn and the central axis of the vibration transmitting probe are intersected obliquely at the antinode of the ultrasonic vibration, and the tip portion of the horn and Since the proximal end of the probe is connected to the horn in the vicinity of the belly via a detachable bending member, the bending member can be removed from the horn, and various probes with different bending angles can be attached to the horn. You can In addition, the total length of the ultrasonic therapy device does not become longer than necessary, and the operability is not impaired.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of an ultrasonic treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of a main part of an ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a main part of an ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of an ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of an essential part showing a first modified example of the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of an essential part showing a second modification of the second embodiment.

FIG. 10A is an exploded view of the ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus of the second embodiment, and FIGS. 10B and 10C are exploded views of another modification of the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a side view of a conventional ultrasonic therapy device.

FIG. 12 is a side sectional view of a part of a conventional ultrasonic therapy device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Horn, 3 ... Piezoelectric element, 6 ... Probe, 20 ... Bending member.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ultrasonic vibration generator, a horn for enlarging the amplitude of ultrasonic vibration from the ultrasonic vibration generator, and a horn that is bent and connected to the tip of a horn to connect to a target part of a living body. In an ultrasonic treatment device having a probe for transmitting sonic vibration, the probe is connected to the tip of the horn via a detachable bending member, and the base end of the bending member is The probe is connected to the tip of the horn in the vicinity of the antinode position, and the base end of the probe is bent to the tip of the bending member so that the central axis of the probe bends with the central axis of the horn in the vicinity of the antinode position of the ultrasonic vibration. An ultrasonic treatment device characterized in that the ultrasonic treatment device is connected.