JP3389518B2 - Endoscope shape detector - 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 shape detecting apparatus, and more particularly to an endoscope shape detecting apparatus characterized by a portion where a single-core coil group is arranged outside a patient when the endoscope is inserted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an endoscope requires an elongated and flexible insertion portion from the outside to observe the examination area, which is a lumen in a body cavity. Can be treated.

By the way, the lumen of the body cavity is bent as seen in the large intestine or the small intestine, and the position of the inserted endoscope insertion part or the shape of the endoscope is changed. It is not easy for the surgeon to know if there is any.

For this reason, conventionally, the subject portion in which the endoscope insertion portion has been inserted is irradiated with X-rays from the outside to detect the insertion position such as the insertion position and insertion shape of the insertion portion into the lumen. However, the X-ray is not harmless to the human body, and the irradiation place is limited, so that it is not always preferable as a means for detecting the insertion state of the endoscope insertion portion.

Therefore, the insertion state of the endoscope insertion portion into the lumen of the body cavity can be detected by using the magnetic field by the magnetic field generation means and the magnetic field detection means without adversely affecting the human body physiologically. An endoscope and catheter insertion state detecting device and a detecting method have been proposed in detail, for example, in Japanese Patent Application No. 10-69075 filed by the present applicant.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, the magnetic field detecting means is arranged in an absolute position space based on, for example, a bed on which the patient lies, and the absolute position space based on the bed is used. Insert the endoscope with the magnetic field generating means inserted into the body of the patient lying on it, and detect the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating means in the absolute position space by the magnetic field detecting means. Occasionally, when the patient's body position changes, the absolute position within the patient's body changes, which makes it difficult to understand the relationship between the position of the patient's body and the obtained endoscope shape.

Further, in the prior art, since the magnetic field generating means and the magnetic field detecting means are arranged at distant positions from each other, there is a possibility that detection may not always be possible with high detection sensitivity, and the endoscope-shaped image may be blurred. There is also a possibility.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an endoscope capable of accurately grasping the position of the patient's body and the insertion state of the endoscope regardless of the position of the patient at the time of insertion. A shape detection device is provided.

[0009]

An endoscope shape detecting apparatus according to the present invention includes an endoscope having an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity, magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field, and magnetic field of the magnetic field generating means. With a magnetic field detecting means for detecting, one of the magnetic field generating means or the magnetic field detecting means is arranged in a tube built in the insertion portion, the other is arranged outside the body cavity,
In the endoscope shape detection device including shape calculation means for calculating the shape of the insertion part based on the magnetic field from the magnetic field generation means detected by the magnetic field detection means, the patient body surface into which the insertion part is inserted It is configured to include an arrangement fixing means for arranging and fixing it in the vicinity of.

In the endoscope shape detecting apparatus of the present invention, the placement and fixing means places and fixes the other single-core coil group in proximity to the patient's body surface into which the insertion section is inserted. It is possible to accurately grasp the position of the patient's body and the insertion state of the endoscope regardless of the position of the patient.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 6 relate to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an endoscope system, and FIG. 2 is incorporated in an insertion portion of the electronic endoscope of FIG. 2 is an explanatory view for explaining the arrangement of the source coil, and FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the built-in source coil in the sectional view showing the AA line cross section and the BB line cross section of the insertion portion of the electronic endoscope of FIG. FIG. 4 is a second explanatory diagram for explaining, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a modified example of the arrangement of the source coil incorporated in the insertion portion of the electronic endoscope of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the coil unit of FIG. Configuration diagram, FIG. 6 is FIG.
3 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a sense coil portion of the coil unit of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, an endoscope system 1 according to the present embodiment includes an endoscope device 2 mounted on a cart 2a for performing an endoscopic examination and an endoscope mounted on the cart 3a. The endoscope shape detecting device 3 used for assisting the examination is provided. The endoscope shape detecting device 3 has an elongated shape having flexibility of the electronic endoscope 6 in the body cavity of the patient 5 lying on the bed 4. The insertion portion 7 is inserted and used as an insertion assisting means when performing an endoscopic examination.

The electronic endoscope 6 has an operation portion 8 provided with a bending operation knob for bending the bending portion at the rear end of the insertion portion 7, and a universal cord 9 extends from the operation portion 8 for universal operation. It is connected to the light source device 11 by a connector 10 provided at the tip of the cord 9. Also,
The connector 10 is provided with an electrical connector 12,
It is connected to a video imaging system (or video processor) 14 by a connection cord 13 connected to this electric connector 12.

A light guide for transmitting the illumination light from the light source device 11 of the endoscope device 2 is inserted into the electronic endoscope 6, and the illumination light transmitted from the illumination window provided at the tip of the insertion portion 7 is transmitted. The light is emitted and the affected area is illuminated. An illuminated subject such as a diseased part is imaged by an objective lens attached to an observation window provided adjacent to the illumination window on an image pickup element arranged at an image forming position, and photoelectrically converted by this image pickup element.

The signal photoelectrically converted is a video processor 1.
A standard video signal is generated by signal processing by the video signal processing unit in 4 and is displayed on the image observation monitor 15 connected to the video processor 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, the insertion portion 7 of the electronic endoscope 6 has, for example, a plurality of magnetic field generating elements (or source coils) 16a, 16b, ... (Represented by reference numeral 16g). Is installed.

More specifically, the insertion portion 7 is constituted by a distal end portion 7a, a bending portion 7b and a flexible tube 7c which are sequentially connected from the distal end. In addition, as shown in FIG.
Built-in components such as the light guide bundle 17a, the forceps channel 17b, and the air / water channel 17c are provided. In particular, at the tip portion 7a, the tip of the bending wire 19 for bending the imaging unit 18 and the bending portion 7b is arranged. There is little free space for built-in objects. On the other hand, in the curved portion 7b and the flexible tube 7c, an image pickup cable 18a is arranged, although it has a smaller space occupying space than the image pickup unit 18. Further, since the outer skins of the light guide bundle 17a, the forceps channel 17b, and the air / water feeding channel 17c are thick in the bending portion 7b that is operated to be bent, and the flexible tube 7c is relatively thin, the built-in objects in the bending portion 7b. The empty space for is smaller than the empty space for the built-in parts in the flexible tube 7c. That is, the empty space for the built-in object increases toward the tip portion 7a, the bending portion 7b, and the flexible tube 7c.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the source coil 16g has a first tube 20 having a first diameter at the tip portion 7a.
Is fixed to the inner surface of the second tube 21 having a second diameter larger than the first diameter in the curved portion 7b, and the third diameter larger than the second diameter in the flexible tube 7c. Is fixed to the inner surface of the third tube 22, and the first tube 20, the second tube 21, and the third tube 22 are connected by adhesion or the like.

Further, since the diameter of the source coil 16g can be successively increased, the signal line 23 connected to each source coil 16g is inserted inside the source coil 16g. That is, in the first tube 20, the number of signal lines 23 connected to the source coil 16g is small, but in the second tube 21 and the third tube 22, the source coil 16g.
Although the signal line 23 connected to the source coil 16 is sequentially increased, the diameter of the source coil 16g is sequentially increased, so that the inside of the source coil 16g can be inserted. As a result, since the space occupied by the built-in object by the signal line 23 connected to the source coil 16g is not required, the diameter of the insertion portion 7 is not increased.

The source coil 16g may be arranged as shown in FIG. That is, the source coil 16g
Is fixed to the inner surface of the fourth tube 24 having a semicircular cross section with a first diameter (diameter portion) at the tip portion 7a, and a second diameter (diameter portion) larger than the first diameter at the curved portion 7b. Is fixed to the inner surface of the fifth tube 25 having a semicircular cross section, and the flexible tube 7
In c, the tube is fixed to the inner surface of the sixth tube 26 having a circular cross section with a third diameter larger than the second diameter up to a predetermined position. The fourth tube 24, the fifth tube 25, the sixth tube 26 and the seventh tube 27 may be connected to each other by adhesion or the like by arranging and fixing them on the inner surface of the seventh tube 27 having a large fourth diameter cross section. . Also in this case, the signal line 23 connected to each source coil 16g is inserted inside the source coil 16g.

By configuring as shown in FIG. 4, the tip portion 7a
Also, the space occupied by the built-in object by the source coil 16g in the bending portion 7b can be made smaller, and in the endoscopic procedure, the flexible portion having a higher flexibility on the distal end side than the predetermined position in the flexible tube 7c. Is desired, and a flexible portion having lower flexibility is desired on the proximal side from the predetermined position. However, since the diameter of the seventh tube 27 is larger than that of the sixth tube 26, the sixth tube 26 has a larger diameter. More flexible,
With this configuration, it is possible to configure the flexible tube 7c having a desired flexibility.

Signal line 2 connected to the source coil 16g
Returning to FIG. 1, 3 is connected to a source coil connector 28 provided in the connector 10, and a source cable 29, which is a high-frequency signal transmitting means, is connected to the source coil connector 28 of the endoscope shape detecting device 3 via the source coil connector 28. Magnetic field generator 3
0a is detachably connected. And the magnetic field generator 3
By applying a high frequency signal (driving signal) from the 0a side to the source coil 16g serving as a magnetism generating means via the source cable 29, the source coil 16g radiates an electromagnetic wave accompanied by a magnetic field to the surroundings.

The source coil 1 is provided on the back of the patient 5.
A coil unit 31 incorporating a plurality of sense coils, which will be described later, for detecting electromagnetic waves accompanied by a magnetic field from 6g is arranged.

As shown in FIG. 5, the coil unit 31 includes a sense coil portion 32a and a sense coil portion 32a on the patient 5.
, And a plurality of sense coils, for example, six sense coils 33a, 33b, ..., In the sense coil unit 32a.
Each of the sense cords 34 which are arranged (hereinafter represented by reference numeral 33j) and are connected to the respective sense coils 33j extend through the sense cable 35.

As shown in FIG. 6, the sense coil section 32a has a structure in which each sense coil 33j is sandwiched between and fixed to a seat 36. With this structure, the coil unit 31 is attached to the back of the patient 5. Even when the sensor coil 33 is attached, the respective positions and orientations of the respective sense coils 33j are kept to have a constant spatial relationship with the respective positions and orientations.

Returning to FIG. 1, each sense coil 33j in the coil unit 31 is connected to the shape calculation device 30b of the endoscope shape detection device 3 via a sense cable 35 as a detection signal transmission means. This shape calculation device 30b
Is provided with an operation panel or a keyboard (not shown) for the user to operate the apparatus. Further, a monitor 38 is connected to the shape calculation device 30b as a display unit for displaying the detected endoscope shape.

As described above, in this embodiment, the coil unit 31 having the sense coil 33j built therein is arranged on the back of the patient 5 to detect the shape of the endoscope, so that the electronic endoscope 6 is used.
Even if the body position of the patient 5 changes during insertion into the body, the coil unit 31 also changes with the body position.
The relative positional relationship between 3j and the source coil 16g inserted in the patient 5 does not change, and an endoscopic image in which the shape of the endoscope inside the patient 5 can be easily recognized can be displayed. Moreover, since the sense coil 33j can be arranged at a position close to the source coil 16g, the detection sensitivity of the magnetic field from the source coil 16g can be increased, and a highly accurate endoscopic image can be displayed.

The sense coil 33j is arranged in the insertion portion 7, the source coil 16g is arranged in the coil unit 31, and the magnetic field from the source coil 16g of the coil unit 31 is detected by the sense coil 33j of the insertion portion 7, The endoscope shape may be calculated.

7 and 8 relate to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is an external view showing the external appearance of a belt-shaped coil unit, and FIG. 8 is a structural view showing the configuration of the coil unit shown in FIG. Is.

Since the second embodiment is almost the same as the first embodiment, only different points will be described, the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, the coil unit of the present embodiment has, for example, two belt-shaped coil units 3
1a and 31b, and these two coil units 31a and 31b are arranged on the back of the patient 5 with a predetermined fixed distance L between them.

As shown in FIG. 8, each of the coil units 31a and 31b has two sets of sense coil groups 51a and 51b each consisting of three single-core coils. As a result, a total of 12 pieces are provided on the back of the patient 5. The single core coil is the sense coil 3
3j will be arranged.

As described above, in this embodiment, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the two belt-shaped coil units 31a and 31b are separated by a predetermined constant distance L, so that, for example, the buttocks of the patient 5 can be obtained. It can be placed on the back near the armpit and the detection range of the source coil 16g can be expanded.

[Additional Notes] (Additional Item 1) An endoscope having an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity, magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field, and magnetic field detecting means for detecting a magnetic field of the magnetic field generating means. , One of the magnetic field generation means or the magnetic field detection means is arranged in a tube built in the insertion portion, the other is arranged outside the endoscope, from the magnetic field generation means detected by the magnetic field detection means. An endoscope shape detecting device comprising shape calculating means for calculating the shape of the insertion portion based on a magnetic field, comprising an arrangement fixing means for arranging and fixing the other side in proximity to a patient body surface into which the insertion portion is inserted. An endoscope shape detection device characterized by the above.

(Additional Item 2) The endoscope shape detecting apparatus according to Additional Item 1, wherein the magnetic field generating means includes a plurality of coil groups.

(Additional Item 3) The endoscope shape detecting apparatus according to Additional Item 1, wherein the magnetic field detecting means includes a plurality of coil groups.

(Additional Item 4) The endoscope shape detecting apparatus according to Additional Item 1, wherein the arrangement fixing means is arranged and fixed in close contact with the surface of the patient's body.

(Additional Item 5) The additional fixing device comprises a plurality of separate arrangement fixing devices for separating the other into a plurality of parts and fixing and fixing them in proximity to the surface of the patient's body. The endoscope shape detection device according to item 1.

(Additional Item 6) The endoscope according to Additional Item 1, wherein the tube has an outer diameter increasing from the distal end side toward the proximal end side along the longitudinal axis direction of the insertion portion. Shape detection device.

(Additional Item 7) The tube has an outer diameter increasing from the distal end side toward the proximal end side along the longitudinal axis direction of the insertion portion, and at least a part of the cross-sections at different outer diameter positions. The endoscope shape detection device according to item 1, wherein the shapes are different.

[0042]

As described above, according to the endoscope shape detecting device of the present invention, the arrangement fixing means arranges and fixes the other single-core coil group in the vicinity of the patient's body surface into which the insertion portion is inserted. Therefore, there is an effect that the position of the patient's body and the insertion state of the endoscope can be accurately grasped regardless of the position of the patient at the time of insertion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an endoscope system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the arrangement of source coils built in the insertion portion of the electronic endoscope of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a second explanatory diagram for explaining the arrangement of the source coils incorporated in the cross-sectional view showing the AA line cross section and the BB line cross section of the insertion portion of the electronic endoscope of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a modified example of the arrangement of the source coils built in the insertion portion of the electronic endoscope of FIG.

5 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the coil unit of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of a sense coil portion of the coil unit of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an external view showing a mounting external appearance of a belt-shaped coil unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a coil unit in FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Endoscope system 2 ... Endoscopic device 2a, 3a ... cart 3 ... Endoscope shape detection device 4 ... Bet 5 ... Patient 6 ... Electronic endoscope 7 ... insertion part 7a ... Tip 7b ... Bending part 7c ... Flexible tube 8 ... Operation part 9 ... Universal code 10 ... Connector 11 ... Light source device 12 ... Electric connector 13 ... Connection code 14 ... Video processor 15 ... Monitor for image observation 16g ... source coil 17a ... Light guide bundle 17b ... forceps channel 17c ... Air / water channel 18 ... Imaging unit 18a ... Imaging cable 19 ... Bent wire 20 ... First tube 21 ... Second tube 22 ... Third tube 23 ... Signal line 24 ... Fourth tube 25 ... Fifth tube 26 ... 6th tube 27 ... 7th tube 28 ... Source coil connector 29 ... Source cable 30a ... Magnetic field generator 30b ... Shape calculation device 31 ... Coil unit 32a ... Sense coil section 32b ... Fixing belt 33j ... sense coil 34 ... sense code 35 ... sense cable 36 ... Sheet 38 ... Monitor

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Chieko Aizawa 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Seiki Toriyama 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takayasu Miyagi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Oka ▲ saki ▼ 2nd birth Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 43-2 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroki Moriyama 2-chome Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 43-2 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasuo Hirata 2-chome Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. 43-2 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Katsuyoshi Sasakawa 2-34-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Pass Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshinao Daimei 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP 9-84745 (JP, A) JP JP 9-28659 (JP, A) JP-A-62-35318 (JP, A) JP-A-62-172940 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 1/00 -1/32 A61B 8/00-8/15 A61B 5/07

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. An endoscope having an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity, magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field, and magnetic field detecting means for detecting the magnetic field of the magnetic field generating means, the magnetic field generating means or One of the magnetic field detection means is arranged in a tube built in the insertion portion, the other is arranged outside the endoscope, and the insertion portion is based on the magnetic field from the magnetic field generation means detected by the magnetic field detection means. In the endoscope shape detecting device having a shape calculating means for calculating the shape of, the arrangement fixing means is provided for arranging and fixing the other in the vicinity of the body surface of the patient into which the insertion portion is inserted. Endoscope shape detector. 2. The endoscope shape detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field generating means is composed of a plurality of coil groups. 3. The endoscope shape detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field detecting means includes a plurality of coil groups. 4. The arrangement fixing means is in close contact with the surface of the patient's body.
It arrange | positions and it fixes it, The inside of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.
Endoscope shape detection device. 5. The arrangement fixing means comprises a plurality of the other ones.
Separated into several parts and placed close to the patient's body surface
To claim 1, characterized in that it consists of a release arrangement securing means
The endoscopic shape detection device described.