JP3045578B2 - Endoscope maintenance system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope maintenance system for maintaining an endoscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an endoscope used for diagnosis is first set on a maintenance net of a cleaning / disinfecting apparatus and then cleaned and disinfected. After the cleaning and disinfection, the endoscope is removed from the maintenance net and stored in a sterilization case for sterilization, and the sterilization case is set in a sterilization apparatus to perform sterilization. After sterilization, the endoscope is taken out of the sterilization case and stored on an endoscope hanger in an endoscope storage.

[0003]

In the conventional endoscope maintenance method, when the endoscope is cleaned or disinfected or sterilized by using a cleaning and disinfecting apparatus or a sterilizing apparatus, the maintenance of the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus is temporarily performed. The endoscope is housed in a net or the sterilization case, and the endoscope storage space of the maintenance net or the sterilization case is relatively small, and the long endoscope overlaps with the small space. It is very troublesome to perform the complicated work of attaching and detaching without any trouble between the steps of washing, disinfecting, sterilizing, and storing the endoscope.

[0004] In addition, since the endoscope is touched by the operator during the operation of attaching and detaching the endoscope between the steps of washing, disinfecting, sterilizing, and storing the endoscope, the operator may endoscope. There was a risk of contamination of the mirror or infection from the endoscope to the worker.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope maintenance system capable of performing sanitary and easy maintenance of an endoscope.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an endoscope cleaning apparatus capable of accommodating an endoscope and setting itself in a cleaning / disinfecting apparatus with the endoscope accommodated. The case for disinfection and this case for endoscope cleaning and disinfecting can be stored, and the case for storing the case for endoscope cleaning and disinfecting can be set in a sterilizer itself, thereby blocking bacteria and permeating sterilizing gas. An endoscope maintenance system is constituted by an endoscope sterilization case that can be used, and an endoscope storage case that can accommodate the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case and the endoscope sterilization case.

[0007]

According to the above construction, the endoscope can be washed, disinfected, sterilized, and stored in the endoscope sterilizing case or the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case without removing the endoscope from the case. Further, once the endoscope is stored in each of the cases, the worker does not touch the endoscope thereafter.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention. The maintenance system for an endoscope according to the present embodiment includes an endoscope 1
0, which is capable of storing the endoscope 10, and which can be set in the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 30 (see FIG. 4) by itself in the state in which the endoscope 10 is stored. And an endoscope sterilizing case 12 (see FIG. 2), which can store the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 and can be set in a sterilization device (not shown) by itself. An endoscope storage 20 (see FIG. 3) capable of accommodating the case 10 and the endoscope sterilizing case 12 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1A, an endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 10 includes a box-shaped case main body 6a and a lid provided in the opening 4 of the case main body 6a by, for example, a hinge. 6b
The outer part 6 is constituted by the above. On the other hand, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the endoscope 10 comprises an endoscope main body including an operation unit 10a and an insertion unit 10b.
The universal cord 11 is connected to a.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 has a holding portion 8 for holding the endoscope 10 over its entire length in an exterior portion 6 thereof. The holding section 8 is configured to wind and hold the insertion section 10b of the endoscope 10 in the direction of the buckling section 13 side of the universal cord 11 connected to the operation section 10a of the endoscope. When the cleaning liquid or the disinfecting liquid is sprayed from the outside of the case 2 toward the case 2, the cleaning liquid or the disinfecting liquid is supplied to the endoscope 10 contained in the case 2. The exterior part 6 is formed in a net shape so as to allow sufficient contact, and has handles 9, 9 on both sides of the case body 6a. 30 (see FIG. 4).

As shown in FIG. 2, a case 1 for sterilizing an endoscope
2, the exterior part 14 is constituted by a box-shaped case main body 14a and a lid part 14b provided in the opening 19 of the case main body 14a by, for example, a hinge. The case 12 for endoscope sterilization can seal the inside from the outside by closing the opening 19 with the lid 14b.

A filter 16 that allows steam or sterilizing gas to pass through but does not allow bacteria to pass through is provided, for example, in the lid 14b of the endoscope sterilizing case 12, and the filter 16 allows only steam or sterilizing gas to pass through. It can enter into the case 12 for endoscope sterilization.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the case 12 for sterilizing the endoscope is formed in a space capable of sufficiently housing the case 2 for cleaning and disinfecting the endoscope shown in FIG. Handles 15 and 15 are provided on both sides of the case main body 14b so that the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 can be set in a sterilizer (not shown) in a state where the case 2 is housed. As shown in FIG. 3, the endoscope storage 20 is configured as a storage shelf capable of storing a large number of endoscope cleaning / disinfecting cases 2 or endoscope sterilizing cases 12.

Next, a method of maintaining an endoscope by the maintenance system for an endoscope having the above-described configuration will be described. First, the endoscope 10 used for diagnosis is set in the holding portion 8 of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 as shown in FIG. Holder 8
When the endoscope 10 is set in the case 2, the lid 6b of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 is closed, and the handles 9 on both sides of the case main body 6a are closed.
Holding the endoscope 9, the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 containing the endoscope 10 is set in the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 30 (see FIG. 4).
Then, the endoscope 10 is cleaned and disinfected together with the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting case 2 by the cleaning and disinfecting device 30. in this case,
The cleaning liquid or disinfecting liquid supplied from the cleaning and disinfecting device 30 cleans and disinfects the endoscope 10 inside the case 2 through the mesh of the exterior part 6 of the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting case 2.

Thereafter, when sterilization of the endoscope is not required, the endoscope 10 having been cleaned and disinfected is held by holding the handles 9 and 9.
Is taken out of the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 30 together with the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 and stored in the endoscope storage 20 as it is (FIG. 3).
reference).

When sterilization is required after cleaning and disinfection, the endoscope 1 having been cleaned and disinfected is held by holding the handles 9 and 9.
0 is stored in the endoscope sterilizing case 12 together with the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 (see FIG. 2B). Then, the lid 14b of the endoscope sterilization case 12 is closed, and the endoscope 10 is set with the handles 15, 15 on both sides of the case body 14a of the endoscope sterilization case 12, and the endoscope 10 is set and cleaned and disinfected. The endoscope sterilization case 12 in which the case 2 is accommodated is set in a sterilization device (not shown).

Thereafter, the endoscope 10 is sterilized by the sterilizer.
Is sterilized together with the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2. in this case,
The sterilizing gas supplied from the sterilizer enters the endoscope sterilizing case 12 through the filter 16 provided on the lid 14b of the endoscope sterilizing case 12, and the sterilizing gas of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 is removed. The endoscope 10 is sterilized through the mesh of the exterior unit 6.

After the endoscope 10 has been sterilized, the handles 15, 15 of the endoscope sterilization case 12 are held, and the endoscope 10 is sterilized.
The endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 containing the container and the endoscope sterilizing case 12 containing the same are taken out of the sterilization apparatus.
It is stored in the endoscope storage 20 as it is (see FIG. 3).

Therefore, according to the maintenance system for an endoscope having the above-described configuration, the endoscope 10 is moved to the case 2 for cleaning and disinfecting the endoscope.
Alternatively, cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and storage can be performed in a state where the endoscope 10 is stored in the cases 2 and 12 without being taken out of the endoscope sterilization case 12, so that maintenance work of the endoscope 10 can be performed easily and smoothly. be able to.

Further, once the endoscope 10 is
After that, since the worker does not touch the endoscope 10 afterwards, there is no risk of contamination of the endoscope 10 from the worker or infection from the endoscope 10 to the worker. Maintenance work of the endoscope 10 can be performed hygienically.

In this embodiment, the handles 9, 15 provided on the endoscope sterilizing case 12 and the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 may be configured to be foldable. That is, the handles 9 and 15 are projected from both sides of the case bodies 6a and 14a so that the cases 2 and 12 can be carried only when the cases 2 and 12 are transported, and otherwise the handles 9 and 15 are folded. May be held.

According to this configuration, by holding the handles 9, 15 in the folded state, the case 12 for sterilizing the endoscope and the case 2 for cleaning and disinfecting the endoscope are cleaned and disinfected by the cleaning and disinfecting device 30.
It can be stored in a space-saving device such as a sterilizer, an endoscope storage 20, or the like.

When transporting the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2, the dirt or the like is attached to the bottom of the case 2 so that the dirt or the like adhering to the endoscope 10 does not drip outside from the mesh of the case 2 having the mesh structure. A receiving member for receiving the sheet may be attached. The receiving member may be dish-shaped, bag-shaped capable of covering the entire case, or box-shaped such as a plastic case.

Further, when transporting the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 and the endoscope sterilizing case 12, a plurality of cases 2 and 12 can be loaded and a movable cart which can be moved by pushing by hand is used. Is also good.

The endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 and the endoscope sterilizing case 12 are prepared in various sizes that can be set in either the vertical or horizontal direction with respect to the cleaning / disinfecting device 30 or the sterilizing device. Good to put. The size of each of the cases 2 and 12 varies depending on the type of the endoscope 10. For example, there is a margin for storing two endoscope cleaning / disinfecting cases 2 of a standard size at the same time. For cleaning and disinfecting equipment, a large-sized endoscope cleaning and disinfecting case that can set just one without excess and short, and a small endoscope cleaning and disinfecting case that can set exactly two or more at the same time without any excess and shortage are prepared. It is good to keep. Further, when two standard-sized endoscope cleaning / disinfecting cases are simultaneously set in such a cleaning / disinfecting apparatus, a dummy case is inserted into an extra space. The volume can be increased, and the amount of the cleaning solution and the disinfecting solution used can be saved. In addition, it is preferable that the endoscope storage 20 is formed to have a size that can store the endoscope sterilizing case 12 and the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 in any of the vertical and horizontal directions.

Further, the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 and the endoscope sterilizing case 12 may be provided with display means 24 for indicating whether or not the cleaning / disinfecting or sterilizing process has been performed and the date of processing. For example, in the case 2 for endoscope cleaning and disinfecting, as shown in FIG. 4A, the display means 24 is provided at a corner of the lid 6b, and the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting is performed in the cleaning and disinfecting device 30. The display means 24 is connected to the display control means 32 of the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus 30 in a state in which the use case 2 is stored. At the end of the cleaning and disinfection, a mechanical or electrical signal is sent from the display control means 32 of the cleaning and disinfecting device 30 to the display means 24 of the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting case 2. Is displayed, or the presence / absence of cleaning / disinfecting and the date of processing for cleaning / disinfecting are recorded.

Further, a lid opening / closing lock mechanism 26 is provided in the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2, and the lid opening / closing lock mechanism 26 is released by opening the lid 6b. Alternatively, the display such as the date of processing for cleaning and disinfection may disappear, and the display may be changed to a display indicating that processing such as cleaning and disinfection has not been performed.

Further, a timer mechanism is provided in the display means 24, and when the elapsed time from immediately after the completion of the processing such as cleaning and disinfection exceeds a predetermined time, the display means 24 indicates the necessity of reprocessing. You may do so.

Further, the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 is formed by overlapping two endoscope cleaning / disinfecting cases 2 and 2 having the same shape in opposite directions so that no extra space is left. The two cases may be formed in such a shape that they are in close contact with each other and are integrally formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped one case shape.

As shown in FIG. 6, the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 40 having such a configuration is formed in a minimum space within a range in which the endoscope 10 can be set. Then, the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 40 includes, as shown in FIG. 6B, an operation section housing section 40as for housing the operation section 10a of the endoscope 10, and a juxtaposition with the operation section housing section 40a. And an insertion portion accommodating portion 40b for accommodating the insertion portion 10b of the endoscope 10.
a and the insertion portion accommodating portion 40b form a common end surface of the case 40 by making their one end surfaces flush with each other. Further, the operation section housing section 40a projects upward from the insertion section housing section 40b, and the operation section housing section 40a.
The width of “a” is just half of the width of the insertion portion accommodating portion 40b.

Therefore, in this configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, two endoscope cleaning / disinfecting cases 40, 4 having the same shape.
The two cases 40 and 40 are overlapped with each other in a direction opposite to each other without leaving any extra space.
Are in close contact with each other and are integrally formed in one substantially rectangular parallelepiped case shape. The two endoscope cleaning / disinfecting cases 40 are simultaneously set in the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus in this paired state.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting cases 100, 100 are set in the cleaning / disinfecting apparatus in the same vertical direction, so that an extra space 102 is formed and the cleaning liquid Although the disinfecting solution is wastefully used, the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 40 having the above-described structure has an extra space 102.
, The space in the cleaning and disinfecting apparatus in which the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting case 40 is set can be reduced, and the amount of the cleaning liquid and the disinfecting liquid to be used can be reduced, so that it is economical. It is.

Incidentally, the method of inserting the insertion portion 10b of the endoscope 10 differs depending on the type and case. For example, when the insertion section 10b of the endoscope 10 is to be orally inserted into the body of a patient, there are roughly two methods as shown in FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 8A, the first method is to insert the insertion portion 10b of the endoscope 10 from the front of the patient 50, facing the patient 50. In this case, the insertion portion 10b is bent toward the buckling portion 13 of the universal cord 11.

In the second method, as shown in FIG. 8B, the insertion section 10b is inserted into the lying patient 50 from the head side of the patient 50. In this case, the insertion portion 10b is provided with the buckling portion 13 of the universal cord 11.
Bent to the opposite side.

As described above, when the insertion portion 10b of the endoscope 10 is to be orally inserted into the body of the patient 50, there are at least the two insertion methods. For example, the endoscope 10 is described above. The holding section 8 in the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 (FIG. 1)
If the insertion part 10b of the endoscope 10 is stored for a long time in a state where the insertion part 10b is wound around the holding part 8, the insertion part 10
It becomes difficult to orally insert b into the patient 50 while bending b in the direction opposite to the direction in which it is bent.

Conventionally, the direction in which the insertion portion 10b of the endoscope 10 is wound around the holding portion 8 is limited to one direction. Therefore, the insertion portion 10b always has a bending habit only in the winding direction, and is inserted into the body. It was very inconvenient in terms of gender.

In order to eliminate such inconvenience, as shown in FIG. 9, the endoscope 1 is moved in the direction opposite to the buckling section 13 of the universal cord 11 connected to the operation section 10a of the endoscope 10.
If the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 60 having the holding portion 65 configured to wind and hold the 0 insertion portion 10b is used in combination with the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case 2 of FIG. Good. By selectively using the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting cases 2 and 60 having the two types of holding portions 8 and 65, a bending habit can be formed in a direction in which the insertion portion 10b can be easily inserted in advance when the insertion portion 10b is inserted into the body. Therefore, the insertability is improved. Further, by alternately using the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting cases 2 and 60 having the two types of holding portions 8 and 65, the bending habit is corrected, and the bending habit is hardly formed. Also,
For a material that has already been bent, it can be corrected by using a holding portion that is wound in the opposite direction.

[0039]

As described above, according to the maintenance system for an endoscope of the present invention, the endoscope can be removed from the case for sterilizing the endoscope or the case for cleaning and disinfecting the endoscope.
Since cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and storage can be performed in the state of being housed in the case, maintenance work of the endoscope can be performed easily and smoothly.

Further, once the endoscope is stored in each of the cases, since the operator does not touch the endoscope thereafter, contamination from the endoscope by the operator or work from the endoscope is not performed. Maintenance work of the endoscope can be performed hygienically without fear of infection to the patient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a front view of an endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case constituting a maintenance system for an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention;
(B) is a plan view of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case.

FIG. 2A is a front view of an endoscope sterilization case constituting an endoscope maintenance system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
(B) is a top view of the case for endoscope sterilization.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an endoscope storage included in the maintenance system for an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 (a) is a perspective view showing a modified example of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 (b) shows a state in which the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case of FIG. 1 (a) is set in a cleaning / disinfecting apparatus. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing assembling means of another modification of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case of FIG. 1;

6 (a) is a plan view of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case of FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 (b) is a side view of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case of FIG. 5 (a).

FIG. 7 is a side view showing assembling means of a conventional endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case.

8A is a schematic view showing a method of orally inserting an endoscope insertion part into a patient's body, and FIG. 8B is a schematic view showing another method of orally inserting an endoscope insertion part into a patient's body. It is a schematic diagram showing a method.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a modification of the holding portion of the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case, 10 ... Endoscope, 12 ... Endoscope sterilization case, 20 ... Endoscope storage.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Mikihiko Nakagawa 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside O-limpus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Daisaku Negoro 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside the Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masato Abe 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside the Olympus Optical Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Nobuyuki Nakanishi 2-43-2, Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Manabu Yajima 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-62-49854 (JP, A) 1979-42201 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00-1/32

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An endoscope cleaning and disinfecting case capable of accommodating an endoscope, which can be set in a cleaning and disinfecting apparatus in a state where the endoscope is stored, and an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting case. An endoscope sterilizing case which can be set in a sterilizer itself in a state in which the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting case is housed, and which can block bacteria and allow a sterilizing gas to permeate; and the endoscope cleaning / disinfecting A maintenance system for an endoscope, comprising: an endoscope case; and an endoscope storage that can accommodate the endoscope sterilization case.