JP3207235B2 - Ultrasound probe for blood flow measurement - 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 probe for measuring blood flow, which measures the flow velocity and flow rate of blood flowing in a blood vessel during and after surgery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for obtaining a tomographic image or a blood flow image of a living body by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves is known. In recent years, an ultrasonic probe is directly attached to a blood vessel to measure a blood flow. An ultrasonic probe for measuring blood flow to be measured is used.

[0003] This ultrasonic probe for measuring blood flow is attached to a blood vessel exposed to the outside through an incision, for example, during a vascular operation on the heart to determine whether or not the blood flow is normal. What is used. It is also used for testing whether or not the artificial blood vessel is functioning normally.

FIG. 4 shows three examples (A), (B) and (C) of a conventional ultrasonic probe for measuring blood flow.

In the example shown in FIG. 1A, the ultrasonic probe 1
0 itself has a hook function. Specifically, the probe is attached to the blood vessel 12 by hooking the blood vessel 12 on the folded end of the ultrasonic probe 10. In this state, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received by the ultrasonic vibrator 14, and the blood flow velocity, the blood flow rate, and the like are measured using the so-called ultrasonic Doppler method.

In the example shown in FIG. 1B, two needles 18 extending forward are provided at the tip of the ultrasonic probe 16.
The needle 18 is inserted into the blood vessel wall (specifically, a fat layer surrounding the blood vessel).
Thus, the ultrasonic probe is attached to a blood vessel.

In the example shown in FIG. 1C, the ultrasonic probe 20
Is fixed to the blood vessel 12 by an adhesive 22.

[0008]

However, in recent years, there has been a demand for continuous measurement of blood flow in blood vessels in a living body after surgery.
Therefore, a so-called indwelling ultrasonic probe for blood flow measurement has been demanded. That is, during the operation, the ultrasonic probe for blood flow measurement is attached to a blood vessel, suturing is performed in a state where the cable of the ultrasonic probe is put out of the body, and then ultrasonic diagnosis is continued.

[0009] In addition to the above demands, there is a demand for an ultrasonic probe that can take out an ultrasonic probe placed inside the body by pulling a cable outside the body after use. That is, according to such an indwelling ultrasonic probe, the ultrasonic probe can be taken out of the body very easily by pulling the cable without reopening the incised wound wound. The hole through which the cable has been passed can be completely closed with a little suturing later.

[0010] However, despite the above-mentioned demand for the in-body indwelling ultrasonic probe, the conventional blood flow measurement ultrasonic probe shown in FIG. There has been a problem that the ultrasonic probe cannot be easily taken out of the body and cannot meet the above demand.
That is, in the example shown in (A), since the ultrasonic probe itself has a hook shape, if the cable is inevitably pulled, damage to the blood vessel 12 is large, and
In the example shown in (B), the blood vessel itself is likely to be damaged, and in the example shown in (C), the blood vessel may be damaged in the same manner as described above.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe for measuring blood flow which can be placed in a body, and which pulls a cable after use. It is an object of the present invention to provide a blood flow measurement ultrasonic probe which can be taken out of the body without damaging blood vessels at all.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a blood flow measuring ultrasonic probe which is attached to a blood vessel in a living body and measures blood flow. A blood vessel holder detachably attached to the blood vessel, an ultrasonic transducer provided in the blood vessel holder for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, a flexible probe cable including a signal line therein and having one end connected to the blood vessel holder, Wherein the blood vessel holder comprises: a holder base extending in a blood vessel axial direction from a connection point of the probe cable; and a plurality of holders extending from the holder base to one side and the other side to the blood vessel opposite side along the blood vessel outer peripheral surface. And an arm.

[0013]

According to the above arrangement, the blood vessel holder including the holder base and the plurality of holder arms is mounted on a blood vessel in a living body, and in this state, the blood flow is measured by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves of the ultrasonic transducer. Be executed. Note that the other end of the probe cable is connected to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

When the other end of the probe cable is pulled out while the other end is pulled out, a pulling force is applied to the connection point of the probe cable, and as a result, the holder arm is sequentially removed from the blood vessel. Therefore,
By continuing to pull the other end of the probe cable as it is, the ultrasonic probe can be easily removed from the blood vessel, and can be taken out of the body.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an in-dwelling ultrasonic probe for measuring blood flow according to the present invention.

(A) is a view as viewed from above, and (B) is a view as viewed from below.

The ultrasonic probe according to the present embodiment includes a blood vessel holder 32 detachably mounted on a blood vessel, a cable 34, and a vibrator 35, each of which will be described in detail below. The blood vessel holder 32 includes a base 36 and left and right rib-shaped arm groups 38. The base 36 extends from the coupling end 34a of the cable 34 along the axial direction of the blood vessel 30, and each arm 38a extends from the base 36 around the outside of the blood vessel to the opposite side of the blood vessel in one direction and around the other. I have. In this embodiment, six arms 38a are provided on both sides, that is, a total of twelve arms 38a are provided.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2B, the length of the arm group 38 is such that the arms 38a on the opposite sides when the blood vessel holder 32 is mounted on the blood vessel 30 do not make a complete round of the blood vessel. It is desirable that the tip is set slightly open. That is, as described later, the blood vessel holder 32 is easily detached from the blood vessel 30 by pulling the cable 34. In this embodiment, the blood vessel holder 32 is made of a flexible material such as a fluororesin that does not adversely affect the living body. As described above, the blood vessel holder 32
Has a rib-like arm group 38, whereby the vibrator 35 comes into close contact with the blood vessel 30 via a stand-off member arranged at the opening of the base 36.

The vibrator 35 transmits an ultrasonic wave into the blood vessel 30 and receives a reflected wave reflected by blood or the like in the blood vessel, and is provided in the cable 34 (not shown). It is electrically connected to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body by a signal line. The vibrator 35 of this embodiment is positioned so as to transmit and receive an ultrasonic wave at an incident angle of, for example, 45 degrees with respect to the blood flow. That is, the direction of the ultrasonic beam is set at a constant angle with respect to the blood flow direction in order to measure the blood flow using the ultrasonic Doppler method.

Although not shown, an opening is formed below the vibrator 35 of the base 36, and a rubber stand-off member for transmitting an ultrasonic beam is disposed in the opening. That is, one surface of the standoff material is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the blood vessel 30, and the other surface is joined to the front surface of the ultrasonic transducer 35.

Next, using the ultrasonic probe of this embodiment,
A specific operation example for measuring a blood flow will be described.

In FIG. 2A, when the blood vessel holder 32 is not mounted on the blood vessel, the left and right arm groups 38 are closed inward, and it is difficult to mount the blood vessel holder 32 on the blood vessel in this state. Therefore, in the ultrasonic probe according to the present embodiment, the mounting spacer 40 is prepared as an accessory. The spacer 40 is a thin, substantially semi-cylindrical, boat-bottom-shaped plate having the outer diameter of the blood vessel as its inner diameter.
8 has the rigidity that can be opened. Specifically, for example, it is made of a hard fluororesin or the like.
As shown in (A), the spacer 40 is wide at the center and narrow at both ends and warps slightly outward.

Therefore, as shown in (A), the spacer 40 is inserted between the left and right arm groups 38, and the blood vessel holder 32 is applied to the blood vessel 30 with the spacer 40 inserted as shown in (B). Thus, the blood vessel holder 32 can be easily mounted on the blood vessel 30. As shown in (B),
After the mounting, the spacer 40 is removed from the end, and the blood vessel holder 32 is completely mounted on the blood vessel 30 as shown in FIG.

In the state shown in FIG. 3C, the other end of the cable 34 extends outside the body and is connected to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus via a relay cable. Therefore, by transmitting and receiving the ultrasonic waves by the vibrator 35 in the state shown in (C), the blood flow velocity and the blood flow rate are measured by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. Such a measurement is performed during or after the operation, and when such a measurement is performed after the operation, the measurement is performed in a state where the incision wound is sutured while the ultrasonic probe remains in the body.

When the ultrasonic probe placed inside the body is taken out of the body while only the other end of the cable 34 is outside the body, (D) is pulled by pulling the other end of the cable 34. As shown in ()), the blood vessel holder 32 is easily detached from the blood vessel 30, and if the blood vessel holder 32 is pulled out as it is, the ultrasonic probe can be taken out of the body. Here, in the ultrasonic probe of the present embodiment, the base 36 is connected to the cable 3.
Because it extends along the blood vessel axis direction from the connection point 4
When the cable 34 is pulled out, the blood vessel holder 32 is gradually removed from the connection point, thereby preventing the blood vessel 30 from being damaged.

When the cable is taken out of the body while the ultrasonic probe is indwelled in the body, the cable is twisted due to the routing of the cable and the movement of the living body, and the blood vessel holder 32 is detached from the blood vessel in the body. There is a risk. Therefore, in this embodiment, the connecting mechanism shown in FIG. 3 is provided in the middle of the cable. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the cable 34 is separated into one cable 34-1 and the other cable 34-2, and the one cable 34-1
4-1 and the other cable 34-2 are provided with cylindrical hooks 50-1 and 50-2 each having an L-shaped cross section and having an open center. And this hook 50-
A bobbin-shaped connecting member 54 of a sewing machine rotatable with respect to the two is provided over the connecting member 1 and 50-2.
Various signal lines are passed through the openings formed in the axial direction of.

Therefore, according to the connecting mechanism shown in FIG. 3, even if one of the cables 34-1 rotates, the rotation is not transmitted to the other cable 34-2, and the above-mentioned detachment of the blood vessel holder 32 and the like occur. Is prevented. Note that the signal lines in the cable 34 are not shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the hole through which the signal line passes is formed at the center of the connector 54, but the signal may be transmitted by, for example, electromagnetic coupling. The cable 34 is manufactured on the assumption that it is pulled. Therefore, it is preferable that the signal line and the outer cover are made of a material or structure resistant to pulling, or that the signal line and the outer cover are ordinary ones and a wire or the like that is strong against pulling is incorporated as a core.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the ultrasonic probe is detached from the blood vessel, an indwelling ultrasonic probe that can prevent damage to the blood vessel can be configured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a blood flow measurement ultrasonic probe according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of use of an ultrasonic probe for measuring blood flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic cross-section of a coupling mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a conventional ultrasonic probe for measuring blood flow.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 30 blood vessel 32 blood vessel holder 34 cable 36 base 38 arm group

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-90135 (JP, A) JP-A-62-106745 (JP, A) JP-A-5-168632 (JP, A) Jpn. US Patent 3,605,726 (US, A) US Patent 4,268,875 (US, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 8/00 -8/15 A61B 5/026

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ultrasonic probe for measuring blood flow which is attached to a blood vessel in a living body and measures a blood flow, wherein the blood vessel holder is detachably attached to the blood vessel and provided on the blood vessel holder. An ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and a flexible probe cable including a signal line therein and having one end connected to the blood vessel holder, wherein the blood vessel holder is connected to a blood vessel from a connection point of the probe cable. A blood flow measurement system comprising: a holder base extending in the axial direction; and a plurality of holder arms extending from the holder base to one side and the other side to the blood vessel opposite side along the outer peripheral surface of the blood vessel. Ultrasonic probe.