JP3231391B2 - 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 provided with an ultrasonic probe for obtaining an ultrasonic tomographic image of an object to be inspected at the distal end of an insertion section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to obtain a tomographic image of a body cavity using an ultrasonic probe, generally, at least two to It is necessary to keep an interval of about 3 cm.

[0003] Ultrasonic waves are easily transmitted in a liquid but hardly transmitted in the air. Therefore, it is necessary to fill the space between the ultrasonic probe and the test portion with a liquid such as deaerated water having a good ultrasonic transmission property. is there.

Therefore, in an ultrasonic endoscope, an inflatable balloon is generally provided so as to surround a distal end of an insertion portion provided with an ultrasonic probe, and a balloon inflated by injecting a liquid is pressed against a subject. To use.

As such an ultrasonic endoscope, conventionally,
As shown in FIG. 7, only the mouth portion of a sack-shaped balloon 92 placed on the distal end 91 of the insertion portion is locked to the distal end 91 of the insertion portion by an O-ring 93 (actually open flat 3-11681).
No. 7) and as shown in FIG. 8, the front and rear ends of the balloon 92 are connected to the distal end 91 of the insertion portion with two O-rings 93 and 94.
(JP-A-2-286143).

[0006]

However, as shown in FIG. 9, only the mouth of the balloon 92 is connected to the distal end 9 of the insertion portion.
1, the balloon 92 is connected to the test portion 100.
When the ultrasonic probe 90 is pressed against the distal end 91 of the insertion section, the ultrasonic probe 90 easily moves with respect to the distal end 91, and the distance between the ultrasonic probe 90 and the test section 100 cannot be maintained at an appropriate distance.

Therefore, a balloon 9 as shown in FIG.
If both ends of the second part 2 are locked to the distal end 91 of the insertion portion, the balloon 92 does not move with respect to the distal end 91 of the insertion portion. However, in this case, since the balloon 92 is inflated evenly in all directions and the distal end 91 of the insertion portion is always located at the center thereof, for example, in a lumen such as the esophagus, as shown in FIG. There is a great risk that it will not be possible to make an interval with 100 or that the airway will be blocked by a balloon in the trachea.

Further, the difference between the two O-rings 93, 94 is difficult for the user to understand and is easy to make mistakes.
If the balloon 4 is mounted in reverse, the balloon may be damaged, fall off, leak, etc., or if it is forcibly mounted, the ultrasonic probe may be damaged in some cases.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which can easily secure a predetermined distance between an ultrasonic probe and a test portion, and which is easy to use and can be used safely without misuse. The purpose is to provide.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention is provided at the tip of an insertion portion to generate an ultrasonic tomographic image of a test portion and emits ultrasonic waves. An ultrasonic probe to be received, an inflatable balloon arranged to surround the distal end of the insertion section, and a pair of front and rear sides of the ultrasonic probe for pressing and fixing the balloon to the distal end of the insertion section. It has a balloon holding part and a connecting part for connecting the pair of balloon holding parts at a position different from the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving direction of the ultrasonic probe, and is provided detachably with respect to the tip of the insertion part. A balloon fixing member, wherein the balloon is prevented from bulging by the balloon fixing member and the bulging of the balloon in that direction is regulated.

The pair of balloon holding portions of the balloon fixing member may be formed in substantially the same shape, and the balloon fixing member may be formed of an elastic material.

[0012]

An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an overall configuration of the ultrasonic endoscope, in which a distal end main body 1 is attached to a distal end of a flexible insertion portion 20 inserted into a body cavity of a patient.
Is provided.

The distal end main body 1 is provided with an objective optical system for obtaining an optical image of the surface of the test portion and an ultrasonic probe for obtaining an ultrasonic tomographic image of the test portion. A bending portion 2 which can be bent by remote control is provided on the distal end side of the insertion portion 20.
1 is formed.

An operation section 30 is connected to the base end of the insertion section 20. The operation section 30 includes a bending operation knob 31 for remotely controlling the bending state of the bending section 21, a treatment tool insertion port 3 a for inserting a treatment tool into the forceps channel, and an air supply nozzle and a water supply nozzle (not shown). An air / water switch 32 for performing an operation of ejecting air and water, and a suction switch 33 for performing a suction operation via a forceps channel or the like.
And so on.

Numeral 34 denotes a water injection port for sending a liquid such as deaerated water into the balloon when the balloon is attached to the distal end main body 1. Reference numeral 35 denotes a suction line switching lever for switching the suction line between a forceps channel and a drainage line (not shown) from the balloon.

An eyepiece 40 having an eyepiece built therein is protruded from the operation unit 30. The base end of the image guide fiber bundle inserted into the endoscope insertion unit 20 is disposed at the observation position. I have. Therefore, the optical image of the surface of the test portion formed by the objective optical system can be observed through the eyepiece unit 40.

Reference numeral 50 denotes a connector for connecting the incident end of the illumination light guide fiber bundle to the light source device, 51 denotes an air / water supply socket, 52 denotes a vent, 53 denotes a suction nipple, and 54 denotes a functional ground terminal. is there.

Reference numeral 60 denotes a processing circuit for performing electrical processing on the ultrasonic probe. Reference numeral 61 denotes a CRT monitor for displaying and observing an ultrasonic tomographic image. FIG. 1 shows the vicinity of the distal end body 1. Numeral 2 denotes a convex type ultrasonic probe, which has a tip main body 1 by electronic scanning.
Side is scanned. Reference numeral 3 denotes the scanning range (that is, the direction of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves).

An optical observation window and an illumination window are arranged on the inclined surface 4 immediately behind the ultrasonic probe 2, and an objective optical system and the like are built in the rear portion 1a. In such a manner as to surround the distal end main body 1 at the portion where the ultrasonic probe 2 is provided,
For example, an inflatable balloon 6 made of thin silicon rubber or the like is detachably attached. 6a is a balloon 6
Is a mouth portion of the balloon 6.

The balloon 6 is formed in the shape of a sack as shown in FIG. 3, and as shown in FIG. Is fixed to the distal end body 1.

The balloon fixing member 7 is formed at both ends thereof with a pair of annular balloon pressing portions 7a for pressing and fixing the balloon 6 to the distal end portion main body 1 so as to elastically fasten the balloon 6 at an interval. By the connecting portion 7b integrally formed of the same material as the balloon holding portion 7a,
The balloon holding portions 7a at both ends are connected. As a material of the balloon fixing member 7, for example, silicon rubber or the like can be used.

FIG. 5 shows the distal end main body 1 in a state where the balloon 6 and the balloon fixing member 7 are not attached. Reference numeral 8 denotes a pair of annular grooves formed in the distal end body 1 before and after the ultrasonic probe 2, and the balloon holding portion 7 a of the balloon fixing member 7 is tightly engaged here.

The pair of annular grooves 8 are formed in the same shape and the same size, and the pair of balloon holding portions 7a of the balloon fixing member 7 are also formed in the same shape and the same size. Therefore, the balloon fixing member 7 may engage any one of the pair of balloon pressing portions 7 a with either of the annular grooves 8.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a liquid passage through which a liquid for inflating the balloon 6 is sent out, and a vent hole (not shown) for letting air in and out is provided on the opposite side of the distal end body 1. Is formed.

In order to attach the balloon 6 to the distal end body 1 of the embodiment thus formed, first, the distal end body 1
A balloon 6 from the tip side. Thereby, the balloon 6 is put on the ultrasonic probe 2 and the annular grooves 8 before and after the ultrasonic probe 2.

Next, while expanding the balloon holding portion 7a of the balloon fixing member 7, the distal end main body 1 covered with the balloon 6 is inserted into the balloon holding portion 7a. Then, with the balloon 6 interposed therebetween, each balloon holding portion 7
a are engaged with the annular grooves 8 of the distal end body 1 respectively. As a result, the balloon 6 is pressed and fixed to the distal end main body 1 at two places before and after the ultrasonic probe 2 by the contraction force of the balloon pressing portion 7a.

At the time of this mounting, the connecting portion 7b of the balloon fixing member 7 is connected to the transmitting / receiving direction 3 of the ultrasonic probe 2.
Orient so that it is located on the back side of. When the balloon 6 is attached to the distal end main body 1 in this manner, degassed water is injected into the balloon 6 from the water inlet 34 and the balloon 6
Inflate.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the balloon 6 greatly expands in front of the ultrasonic probe 2, which is the direction of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. However, on the back side, since the balloon 6 is sandwiched between the connecting portion 7b of the balloon fixing member 7 and the distal end main body 1, the balloon 6 is pressed from the outside by the connecting portion 7b and does not expand in that direction.

Therefore, even if the balloon 6 is strongly pressed against the portion 100 to be inspected, the positional relationship between the balloon 6 and the distal end main body 1 does not change, and a predetermined interval between the object 100 and the ultrasonic probe 2 is ensured. Can be secured.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the ultrasonic probe 2 may be of any type other than the convex type. The shape and size of the connecting portion 7b of the balloon fixing member 7 can be freely set so that the inflation direction of the balloon 6 is in accordance with the user's desire.

The insertion portion of the present invention may be rigid, and the present invention may be applied to an ultrasonic probe having no optical observation device (endoscope).

[0032]

According to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, the expansion of the balloon in a direction other than the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving direction is restricted by the connecting portion of the balloon fixing member, and the balloon and the distal end of the insertion portion do not relatively move. Therefore, it is possible to easily secure a predetermined distance between the ultrasonic probe and the test portion, and obtain a well-focused ultrasonic tomographic image.

Since the size for inflating the balloon is small, it is easy to secure the airway at the time of examination.
In addition, since the time required to inflate the balloon is shortened, the inspection is speedy, and the inspection of the inside of a body cavity or the like can be performed safely and easily.

Further, by forming the pair of balloon holding portions of the balloon fixing member to have substantially the same shape, the balloon can be stably fixed even if the balloon fixing member is mounted from either front or rear direction, and the balloon can be damaged, dropped off or the liquid can be removed. Accidents such as leakage can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a distal end of an insertion portion according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ultrasonic endoscope of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the balloon of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the balloon fixing member of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the distal end of the insertion portion of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the distal end of the insertion portion in the use state of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a distal end of an insertion section of a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a distal end of an insertion section of a conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a distal end of an insertion portion in a conventional use state.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a distal end of an insertion portion in a use state of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tip main body 2 Ultrasonic probe 6 Balloon 7 Balloon fixing member 7a Balloon holding part 7b Connecting part 8 Annular groove 20 Insertion part 100 Test part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-57-57535 (JP, A) JP-A-4-244144 (JP, A) Full-scale operation 59-188410 (JP, U) Real-time operation 186701 (JP, U) Jikken 49-1670 (JP, Y1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 8/00-8/15

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An ultrasonic probe is provided at a tip of an insertion section for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave to obtain an ultrasonic tomographic image of a test section, and an expansion / contraction arranged so as to surround the tip of the insertion section. A flexible balloon and a bag that can be
Rune fixing member and is provided, the balloon fixing member includes a pair of annular balloon holding portion, the pair of the balloon pressing for the balloon in front and rear side to press fixed to the distal end of the insertion portion of the ultrasonic probe So that the insertion portion is connected at a position different from the ultrasonic transmission / reception direction of the ultrasonic probe.
Press the pair of balloons into a curved plate along the side wall surface of the tip of
An ultrasonic wave, wherein the balloon has an inflatable portion and an integrally formed connecting portion, and the inflation of the balloon is prevented by the balloon fixing member so that the inflation of the balloon in the direction is regulated. Diagnostic device. 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pair of balloon holding portions of said balloon fixing member are formed in substantially the same shape. 3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said balloon fixing member is formed of an elastic material.