JP2991068B2 - Ultrasound diagnostic 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 diagnostic apparatus which is inserted into a body cavity to perform ultrasonic diagnostics.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is used to obtain information on tissue tomography in a body. Among these ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is inserted into a body cavity to transmit and receive an ultrasonic signal from an inner wall of the body cavity. What is done is conventionally used. In addition, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the body cavity insertion type,
It has an insertion part to be inserted into the body cavity, and the ultrasonic transducer is provided at the tip of the insertion part so as to be exposed to the outside, or a member having good ultrasonic transmission characteristics, that is, a member having excellent acoustic characteristics. In some cases, a tip cap is provided and an ultrasonic vibrator is provided in the tip cap. The insertion portion includes a portion that is directly inserted into a body cavity and a portion that is inserted into a body cavity via a guide means such as an endoscope. Further, an ultrasonic endoscope provided with an endoscope observation mechanism is also used for the insertion portion in addition to one provided with only an ultrasonic observation mechanism including an ultrasonic transducer.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of a type inserted into a body cavity through a treatment instrument insertion channel provided in an endoscope as an example of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the type inserted into a body cavity.

[0006] First, in FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an endoscope. The endoscope 1 is inserted into a body operation unit 2 by an insertion unit 3 inserted into a body cavity.
The light guide flexible part 4 is connected to the main body operation part 2. The insertion portion 3 is composed of a flexible portion 3a that can be bent in an arbitrary direction along the insertion path for most of the length from the portion connected to the main body operation portion 2, and the distal end of the flexible portion 3a has An angle portion 3b is provided, and a tip end body 3c is continuously provided at a tip end of the angle portion 3b.
Although not shown, the distal end main body 3c is provided with an endoscope observation mechanism including an illumination window and an observation window, and the angle portion 3b is used to direct the distal end main body 3c in a desired direction. belongs to. A treatment instrument introduction section 5 is provided in the main body operation section 2 in the vicinity of a portion connected to the insertion section 3, and a treatment instrument insertion channel 6 opening in the distal end surface of the distal end main body 3 c is provided in the insertion section 3. Have been. A treatment tool such as forceps is inserted through the treatment tool insertion channel 6 so that cells can be collected, treated, or otherwise treated.

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 includes a catheter 11 and an operation unit 1.
2 and a cable 13. The catheter 11 is inserted into the body cavity through the treatment instrument insertion channel 6, and has a proximal end connected to the operation unit 12. The operation unit 12 is detachably fixed to the treatment instrument introduction unit 5, and the cable 13 is for connecting a signal line drawn from the operation unit 12 to an ultrasonic observation device (not shown). .

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the distal end portion of the catheter 11. As can be seen from the figure, the catheter 11 has a tube 20 made of a slippery flexible member, and a distal end made of a resin material having excellent acoustic characteristics via a connecting pipe 21 at the distal end of the tube 20. The cap 22 is connected. The ultrasonic vibrator 23 is mounted on a support stand 24 and provided in the distal end cap 22. The support 24 includes a mount 24a on which the ultrasonic transducer 23 is mounted, and a connecting portion 23 connected to the mount 24a.
b. The connecting portion 24b is connected to the tip cap 22
It extends into the tube 20 from inside through the connection pipe 21, and is connected to the close contact coil 25 inserted into the tube 20. The contact coil 25 is formed of a double contact coil-shaped member in which metal wires are wound in opposite directions, and a cable connected to the ultrasonic vibrator 23 is inserted therein.

The operating unit 12 is provided with push / pull operating means 12a for performing a push / pull operation of the catheter 11. Although not shown, the casing of the operation unit 12 is provided with a rotation drive means such as a motor for rotating the contact coil 25, and further, an encoder in a linear direction and a radial direction are provided.

With the above-described configuration, the operating unit 12 pushes and pulls the catheter 11 by the operating unit 12 with the arrangement of the ultrasonic transducer 23 at the distal end of the catheter 11 facing the inner wall of the body cavity to be diagnosed. For example, the ultrasonic transducer 23 moves in the axial direction, transmits ultrasonic pulses at predetermined intervals, and receives reflected echoes from a tomographic portion of the body tissue, thereby obtaining a linear ultrasonic wave. A sound wave scan is performed. Also, while the contact coil 25 is driven to rotate around the axis by the rotation driving means,
When an ultrasonic pulse is transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer 23 at every predetermined angle and its reflected echo is received, radial ultrasonic scanning is performed.

Here, since the ultrasonic wave is greatly attenuated in the air, the ultrasonic wave transmission medium made of, for example, liquid paraffin or the like is sealed in the tip cap 22 in order to suppress the attenuation as much as possible. I have. This ultrasonic transmission medium can extend from the inside of the distal end cap 22 to the entire catheter 11 including the inside of the tube 20, or as shown in FIG.
6, the ultrasonic transmission medium is sealed only inside the tip cap 22.

In any case, at least the distal end cap 22 in which the ultrasonic vibrator 23 is disposed must be completely filled with the ultrasonic transmission medium and kept free of air bubbles and the like. To fill the ultrasonic transmission medium, a screw hole 22 is formed at the tip of the tip cap 22.
a, and a plug member 27 is inserted into the screw hole 22a.
Is screwed.

To fill the ultrasonic transmission medium, the plug member 2 is used.
7 is removed, the catheter 11 is immersed in a tank of an ultrasonic transmission medium, and the ultrasonic transmission medium is placed in the tip cap 2.
2 or the entire catheter 11 to completely replace the air. When this operation is completed, the plug member 27 is screwed into the screw hole 22a of the distal end cap 22 and taken out, whereby the ultrasonic transmission medium is sealed. Here, by arranging the screw hole 22a of the tip cap 22 upward in the tank, the ultrasonic transmission medium can flow into the tip cap 22 from the screw hole 22a. When filling the entire catheter 11 including the tube 20 with the ultrasonic transmission medium, by connecting a vacuum suction device to the proximal end of the catheter 11 to make the inside of the catheter 11 a negative pressure, The ultrasonic transmission medium can be supplied more smoothly.

[0012]

By the way, the insertion of the plug member 27 into the screw hole 22a after filling the ultrasonic transmission medium must be performed in the tank, and the plug member 27 is screwed. Is an extremely difficult task. In particular, in the catheter 11 inserted into the body cavity through the treatment instrument insertion channel 5 of the endoscope 1, the distal end cap 22 is also very thin, and the plug member 27 is considerably small. It is extremely difficult to screw the tip cap 22 into the tank.

Further, the screw hole 22a of the plug member 27 and the corresponding tip cap 22 is small, and it is difficult to form and process them. There is a limit and the plug member 27
Requires not only the screw portion 27a but also the head 27b, but it cannot be mounted so as to be embedded in the tip cap 22 up to the head 27b. Therefore, since the head 27b of the plug member 27 projects from the distal end cap 22, the plug member 27 must be formed after mounting the plug member 27 with an adhesive or the like so that there is no step at this portion. Because the plug member 27 is screwed in, the tip cap 22
There is a problem that there is a limitation on the shape of the head and it is not possible to make the tip elongated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to easily seal a through hole for filling an ultrasonic transmission medium provided in a distal end cap. It is another object of the present invention to eliminate the need to provide a threaded portion for the sealing member, to simplify the configuration of the sealing member, and to facilitate processing and the like.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to a distal end portion of a distal end cap provided at a distal end of a catheter inserted into a body cavity and having an ultrasonic transducer mounted therein. In order to provide a through hole for filling the ultrasonic transmission medium, and to seal with the sealing member after filling the ultrasonic transmission medium through the through hole, the sealing member includes a plug member and a retainer. And the total axial length of the retainer is equal to or shorter than the entire length of the through hole, the plug member is inserted into the through hole in a tight fit, and in order to fix this plug member, The through hole is filled with an adhesive, and a retainer having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the through hole is inserted.

[0016]

First, at a stage before mounting the sealing member, the catheter is immersed in the tank of the ultrasonic transmission medium, and the ultrasonic transmission medium is filled through the through hole. When the filling of the ultrasonic transmission medium is completed, the plug member constituting the sealing member is first inserted into the through hole of the distal end cap while the catheter is immersed in the bath. Here, since the plug member only has to be pushed into the through hole, even if the plug member and the through hole into which the plug member is inserted are extremely small in diameter, it can be easily mounted. Since the plug member is substantially tightly fitted in the through hole, if the plug member is mounted, there is no possibility that the ultrasonic transmission medium leaks out, and the catheter can be taken out of the tank.

After the catheter is removed from the bath, an adhesive is filled in the through-hole, and a retainer is inserted, whereby the plug member and the retainer are stably fixed in the through-hole. Here, the retainer does not necessarily need to be closely fitted in the through hole. Further, since the total axial length of the plug member and the retainer is equal to or shorter than the entire length of the through hole, in a state where these are mounted, the plug member protrudes from the inner surface of the tip cap, Also, the retainer does not protrude outside the tip cap. In this state, the inside of the retainer is filled with an adhesive.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the distal end cap 32 provided with the ultrasonic transducer 31 in the catheter 30.
The configuration of the catheter 30 other than the tip cap 32 is not particularly different from that of the above-described conventional technology, and therefore, illustration and description thereof are omitted. A through hole 33 is formed in the tip of the tip cap 32. A plug member 34 and a retainer 35 that constitute a sealing member are inserted into the through holes 32. The plug member 34 is
One end is a tapered pin-shaped member whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 33 and the other end is slightly larger than the diameter of the through hole 33. The retainer 35 is formed of a hollow pipe-shaped member, and has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the through hole 33. Then, the plug member 34 and the retainer 3
5, the total length in the axial direction is slightly shorter than the entire length of the through hole 33. Further, the mounting position of the retainer 35 in the through hole 33 is filled with an adhesive 36.

In this embodiment, the ultrasonic transmission medium is sealed in the tip cap 32 with the plug member 34 and the retainer 35 removed. In this state, the entire catheter 30 is immersed in the tank of the ultrasonic transmission medium, and the ultrasonic transmission medium is filled into the distal end cap 32 through the through hole 33. When the filling of the ultrasonic transmission medium is completed, as shown in FIG.
The plug member 34 is inserted into the through hole 31 in the tank. Here, since the plug member 34 has a tapered pin shape, the plug member 34 can be easily guided into the through hole 33 by being inserted into the through hole 33 from a narrow side. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, when the plug member 34 is completely buried in the through-hole 33, the plug member 34 fits tightly into the through-hole 33, so that even if the catheter 30 is taken out of the tank. Therefore, there is no possibility that the ultrasonic transmission medium leaks from the periphery of the plug member 34.

After raising the catheter 30 from the bath,
The plug member 34 is pushed down to a predetermined depth. by this,
A space for inserting the retainer 35 is secured in the through hole 33. Then, the ultrasonic transmission medium attached to the inner surfaces of the tip cap 32 and the through hole 33 is wiped off, and the inside of the through hole 33 is filled with an adhesive 36 as shown in FIG. Can be completely sealed. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the retainer 35 is inserted into the portion of the through hole 33 where the adhesive 36 is filled. As a result, the gap between the retainer 35 and the plug member 34 and the inner wall of the through hole 33 are fixed by the adhesive 36, and the through hole 33 is completely sealed. Moreover, since the total axial length of the plug member 34 and the retainer 35 is shorter than the entire length of the through hole 33, they do not project from the inner and outer surfaces of the tip cap 32.
Also, if the retainer 35 is not provided only with the adhesive 36,
The adhesive 36 may peel off from the inner surface of the through hole 33 formed of a resin material. However, since the retainer 35 is inserted together with the adhesive 36, the adhesive 3 in the through hole 33 may be removed.
The shape of the portion filled with 6 is maintained, the peeling of the adhesive can be prevented, and the sealing member can be stably maintained for a long period of time, and the sealed state in the tip cap 32 can be secured.

As described above, in the tank, the plug member 3
Since the plug member 34 is formed into a tapered pin shape simply by pushing the plug 4 into the through hole 33, the plug member 34 can be smoothly and reliably inserted into the through hole 33, and is performed in the tank. The operation of inserting the plug member 34 into the through hole 33 becomes extremely easy. Of course, the plug member 34 is not screwed in, but is merely inserted into the through hole 33 and is not fixed. The adhesive 36 and the retainer 35 are used for the plug member 3.
Since the work for fixing 4 can be performed in the air outside the tank, the workability is good.

By inserting a plug member and a retainer into the through hole, the through hole can be sealed. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, an ultrasonic transducer 41 in the catheter 40 is provided. Tip cap 42
It is also possible to elongate the tip portion. As described above, when the tip portion of the tip cap 42 is formed to be tapered,
The total length of the through-hole 43 formed therein is also increased. However,
The plug member 44 does not necessarily have to be elongated accordingly, but it is only necessary that the through hole 43 can be temporarily sealed. Further, the axial dimension of the retainer 45 for fixing the plug member 44 does not need to be too long.
Thereby, as shown in the figure, the end of the plug member 44 may not be located at substantially the same position as the inner surface of the tip cap 42 but may be located inside the through hole 43 therefrom. Also,
The retainer 45 does not need to be formed substantially the same surface as the outer surface of the tip cap 42, and may be inserted to the depth of the through hole 43. However, the front end side of the through hole 43 from the position where the retainer 45 is disposed is completely embedded by filling with the adhesive 46.

As described above, if the distal end portion of the distal end cap 42 is formed to be tapered, it becomes convenient to insert the catheter 40 from the papilla of the duodenum into the pancreaticobiliary duct as shown in FIG. 9, for example. Moreover, if the retainer 45 is formed of a metal material that does not transmit X-rays, the position of the distal end portion of the catheter 40 inserted into the pancreatic bile duct can be confirmed by an X-ray fluoroscope, so that safety of the patient is ensured. It will be excellent.

In each of the above-described embodiments, a sealing member is interposed between the tip cap and the tube connected to the tip cap so that only the inside of the tip cap is filled with the ultrasonic transmission medium. Alternatively, the ultrasonic transmission medium may be configured to fill the entirety including the distal end cap and the tube. Further, the plug member may not be formed in a tapered pin shape, and the retainer may not be formed in an annular shape, and one or both may be formed of a cylindrical member. Further, as the ultrasonic transmission medium, not only liquid paraffin but also other materials having good acoustic characteristics can be used.

[0025]

As described above, the present invention comprises a plug member and a retainer as a sealing member provided on the distal end cap and used for filling the inside with the ultrasonic transmission medium. In the state of being inserted in the through hole in a tight fit state,
Since the retainer is inserted into the through hole after filling the adhesive after the insertion of the plug member, the through hole for filling the ultrasonic transmission medium provided in the distal end cap can be easily and reliably formed. The sealing member can be hermetically sealed, and there is no need to provide a threaded portion for the sealing member, so that the structure of the sealing member is simple, and effects such as easy processing can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view illustrating an example of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a distal end portion of a catheter in a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a distal end portion of a catheter in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view showing an attached state of a plug member in a through hole after an ultrasonic transmission medium is sealed in a distal end cap of a catheter.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view showing a state where a plug member is arranged at a predetermined position.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view showing a state in which an adhesive is filled in a through hole after the plug member is attached.

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory view showing a state in which a retainer is mounted in the through hole.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a distal end portion of a catheter in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory view showing a state in which the catheter according to the second embodiment is inserted into a diagnostic site in a body cavity.

[Explanation of symbols]

 30, 40 Catheter 31, 41 Ultrasonic transducer 32, 42 Tip cap 33, 43 Through-hole 34, 44 Plug member 35, 45 Retainer 36, 46 Adhesive

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A through hole for filling an ultrasonic transmission medium is provided at a distal end of a distal end cap provided at a distal end of a catheter inserted into a body cavity and having an ultrasonic vibrator mounted therein. The sealing member is sealed by a sealing member after filling with the ultrasonic transmission medium, and the sealing member includes a plug member and a retainer, and the total axial length of the plug member and the retainer is the transparent length. The plug member is inserted into the through hole in a tight fit with the entire length of the hole or shorter, and an adhesive is filled in the through hole to secure the plug member. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized in that a retainer having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the hole is inserted. 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plug member is formed in a tapered pin shape, and said retainer is formed in a hollow pipe shape. 3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plug member and the retainer is formed of a member that does not transmit X-rays.