JP2852104B2 - Ultrasound therapy equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an ultrasonic treatment apparatus for treating an affected part of a living body by ultrasonic vibration.

2. Description of the Related Art An ultrasonic therapy apparatus for performing a therapy using ultrasonic vibration is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-159953. A probe (vibration transmitting member) in this type of ultrasonic therapy apparatus is generally formed of a metal pipe or the like, and the tip is a working end. The probe (vibration transmitting member) has a base connected to an ultrasonic vibrator (ultrasonic vibration generating unit) via a horn.

When this is used, the ultrasonic vibrator generates ultrasonic vibrations at a drive frequency determined as the antinode of the vibration while pressing the tip of the probe against the affected part of the living body. Thereby, the living tissue of the affected part is emulsified and excised by the tip of the probe.

Some of such ultrasonic treatment apparatuses include a probe, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
As shown in US Pat. No. 7450, US Pat. No. 4,634,419, etc., there is a probe in which the tip side portion of the probe is bent. The probe having the distal end portion bent as described above bends a material such as a straight tubular pipe to an arbitrary angle, or cuts a butt end face of two straight tubular pipes obliquely with respect to a central axis, and cuts the projecting portion. A predetermined angle at which the tip end portion is bent is obtained by fixing the mating end face by means such as screw fastening or welding.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in a conventional general bending probe,
There were the following problems. That is, in a type in which a predetermined bending angle is obtained by bending a straight pipe or the like, cracking or distortion remains in the bent portion by bending the material, and the fatigue strength of the probe is significantly reduced. Is easily damaged. For this reason, in this type, it is necessary to use the probe while keeping the vibration amplitude small, and the operation time becomes long. Further, the susceptibility to breakage is a serious drawback, since breakage of the probe during the surgery, such as surgery, such as brain surgery, must be avoided as much as possible.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, there has been known a probe in which linear members are bent obliquely by abutting each other. As shown in FIG. 6, a piezoelectric element (ultrasonic vibration generating unit) 3 is sandwiched between a horn 1 also serving as a front plate and a backing plate 2, and the piezoelectric element 3 is tightened by bolts 4 and nuts 5. I have. The tip of the horn 1 is connected to a probe 6 composed of a vibration transmitting member for performing work. FIG. 7 shows details of the bent portion of the probe 6. That is, the base of the probe 6 is connected to the distal end cylindrical portion 7 of the horn 1. The distal end surface of the distal end cylindrical portion 7 is cut off obliquely with respect to its central axis, and the cut end surface 8 is provided with a female screw 9 perpendicular to the end surface 8. Further, a proximal end face 10 of the probe 6 for performing an operation in a direction perpendicular to the end face 8 is abutted, and a male screw 11 protruding from the base end face 10 is screwed into the female screw 9. Thereby, the above both are fastened and fixed.

A suction hole 12 is formed in the probe 6, the horn 1, the inside of the piezoelectric element 3, and the inside of the bolt 4.

However, when the bending angle of the probe 6 with respect to the horn 1 is large (30 °), the ultrasonic treatment apparatus configured as described above has a configuration in which the female screw 9 is secured at the tip of the horn 1 to secure the female screw 9. The diameter must be increased. Therefore, when using the ultrasonic treatment apparatus, the operator's line of sight follows the upper surface of the probe 6 at the distal end side portion of the probe 6 in order to confirm the working location of the distal end. When the thickness is increased, the field of view is obstructed, and a problem occurs that the working portion at the tip of the probe 6 cannot be sufficiently visually recognized.

Further, when the diameter of the horn 1 is reduced as shown in FIG. 8 in order to solve the above-described problem, there is no more space for securing the female screw 9 at the tip of the horn 1,
The bending angle of the probe 6 with respect to the horn 1 is reduced (15
Ii) I have to do it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 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 capable of forming a large bending angle of a vibration transmitting member with respect to a horn member even if the horn member has a small diameter. It is to provide a device.

[Means and Actions for Solving the Problems] An ultrasonic therapy apparatus according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic vibration generating section, a horn for expanding the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration from the ultrasonic vibration generating section, and a tip side of the horn. A vibration transmitting member connected to the horn-side member for transmitting the ultrasonic vibration having the increased amplitude to a target portion of the living body, and a base end of the vibration transmitting member at a distal end of the horn-side member, and a center of the horn-side member. In addition to being connected to the shaft in an inclined manner, the antinode of the vibration is provided on the base end side from the end surface of the horn-side member, and the center axis intersection of the horn-side member and the vibration transmission member coincides with the antinode. is there.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an ultrasonic therapy apparatus according to a 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 denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a bent connecting portion between the horn 1 and a probe 6 as a vibration transmitting member. The end surface 8 of the tip cylindrical portion 7 of the horn 1 is formed as a surface inclined at, for example, 60 ° with respect to the central axis a of the horn 1.
The end face 8 is provided with a female screw 21 perpendicular to the end face 8. The central axis b of the female screw 21 is offset downward (offset amount c) from the point of the central axis a passing through the end face 8 of the horn 1, and the central axis a of the horn 1 and the central axis b of the female screw 21 are different from each other. Crosses inside horn 1. The male screw 11 of the probe 6 is screwed into the female screw 21 of the horn 1, and the base end face 10 of the probe 6 is in contact with the end face 8 of the horn 1. Further, since the male screw 11 is provided concentrically at the base end of the probe 6, the center axis of the probe 6 coincides with the center axis b of the female screw 21, and the respective center axes a, b
Crosses inside horn 1. And each central axis a,
The position of the antinode of the ultrasonic vibration is matched with the intersection of b. Therefore, the antinode of vibration is provided on the base end side of the end face 8 of the horn 1.

According to the bent connecting portion between the horn 1 and the probe 6 configured as described above, even if the diameter of the horn 1 is reduced,
By offsetting the center axis b of the horn 1 below the center axis a of the end face 8 of the horn 1, the female screw 21 can be secured at the end of the horn 1. Therefore, horn 1
The bending angle between the probe and the probe 6 can be set to 30 °. Conventionally, it has been considered impossible to increase the diameter of the horn 1. However, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the center axis a
And the central axis b of the probe 6 are located inside the horn 1,
By matching the antinode of vibration to this center axis intersection,
An ultrasonic treatment apparatus having a small diameter and a high bending angle can be configured.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The protruding portion (indicated by a two-dot chain line) on the end face 8 of the tip cylindrical portion 7 of the horn 1 is cut off to form a spherical portion 22.

With such a configuration, the field of view is not obstructed by the projections, and the operation can be performed safely. In addition, the end face 8 of the horn 1 and the base end face of the probe 6 can be used.
Since 10 is in full contact, the transmission efficiency of ultrasonic vibration can be improved.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. The protruding portion (indicated by a two-dot chain line) of the end surface 8 of the tip cylindrical portion 7 of the horn 1 is cut off to form a plurality of spherical portions 23, which also has the same operation as the above-described second embodiment. The effect is obtained.

However, even with this configuration, in the connecting portion forming the bent portion of the probe 6, the edge portion 15 that protrudes into a shape, which is the upper surface side of the probe 6, is cut off, so that the field of view during the operation is obstructed. It is possible to perform a safe operation by visually observing the working tip.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a vibrator cover 31 that covers the vicinity of the piezoelectric element 3 and other parts except the tip of the horn 1, and a sheath 32 that covers the tip of the horn 1 and the other part except the tip of the probe 6, The vibrator cover 31 and the sheath 32 are formed of an electrically insulating material. The above sheath 32
Is formed by connecting the pipes 32a and 32b. The vibrator cover 31 and the sheath 32 are fastened by a connecting ring 33 and are detachably connected.

Further, a high-frequency power supply cord 34 is connected to the horn 1, and a leading end of the high-frequency power supply cord 34 is connected to a high-frequency power supply unit 35 via a connector (not shown). Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In the fourth embodiment, the high-frequency current generated by the high-frequency power supply unit 35 is supplied to the high-frequency power cord 34.
To the horn 1 and the probe 6 connected thereto. That is, the tip of the probe 6 is used as a high-frequency treatment electrode. In addition, for example, an extracorporeal electrode (not shown) is provided correspondingly.

When bleeding from a living tissue during an operation, a high-frequency current is applied to coagulate the living tissue at the bleeding site with a high frequency to stop bleeding.

Even if a high-frequency current flows from the high-frequency power cord 34 through the horn 1 and the probe 6 in this manner, the ultrasonic vibration generator vibrator 3, the horn 1 and the probe 6
Since the vibrator cover 31 and the sheath 32 are formed of an electrically insulating material, the high-frequency current for hemostasis does not leak to the outer surface of the ultrasonic treatment apparatus, and the high-frequency current flows to portions other than the affected part of the patient. Absent. Therefore, there is no risk of electric shock to the patient or the operator, and the treatment can be performed safely.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the base end of the vibration transmitting member is connected to the distal end of the horn side member at an angle to the center axis of the horn side member, Since the antinode is provided on the base end side from the end face of the horn-side member, and the center axis intersection of the horn-side member and the vibration transmitting member coincides with the antinode, the ultrasonic treatment apparatus having a small bending diameter and a high bending angle Can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an ultrasonic treatment apparatus showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing the entire ultrasonic treatment apparatus showing a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main part, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main part in an ultrasonic treatment apparatus showing a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic treatment apparatus, FIG. 6 is a side view showing the entire conventional ultrasonic treatment apparatus, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are partial sectional views of the conventional ultrasonic treatment apparatus. 1 ... horn, 3 ... piezoelectric element (ultrasonic vibration generator),
6 ... probe, 8 ... end face.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Toshihiko Suzuda 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside O-Limpus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masahiro Kudo 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside the Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Kazuya Hijii 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside the Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. Mitsuma Okada 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. Within Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hitoshi Karasawa 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Hiroaki Kagawa 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. O-limpus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tomohisa Sakurai 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Within Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tetsumaru Kubota 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo O Within Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Kenji Yoshino 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo O (72) Inventor Tadao Hagino 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo O-Limpus Optical Co., Ltd. (56) Reference: Shokai 221-2581 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A61B 17/36 330

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An ultrasonic vibration generating section, a horn for expanding the amplitude of ultrasonic vibration from the ultrasonic vibration generating section, and an ultrasonic vibration having an expanded amplitude connected to a tip side of the horn for the purpose of a living body. In the ultrasonic treatment apparatus provided with a vibration transmitting member for transmitting the vibration transmitting member to a site, the base end of the vibration transmitting member is connected to the distal end of the horn side member at an angle with respect to the central axis of the horn side member. An ultrasonic therapy apparatus, wherein an antinode of vibration is provided on the base end side of the end surface of the horn-side member, and a center axis intersection of the horn-side member and the vibration transmitting member is made coincident with the antinode.