JP3441532B2 - Ultrasound endoscope tip - 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 obtaining an ultrasonic tomographic image of a subject at the tip of an objective block provided with an objective optical system for obtaining an optical image of the subject surface. The present invention relates to a distal end portion of an ultrasonic endoscope to which a provided ultrasonic scanning unit block is detachably connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ultrasonic endoscope, an ultrasonic scanning block is detachably connected to an objective block so that only the ultrasonic probe can be replaced when it fails. However, it is necessary to prevent the rotation, the stopper, and the waterproof seal at the connecting portion.

Therefore, conventionally, at the connecting portion, the ultrasonic scanning unit block is formed into a cylindrical cross-section, the outer surface of which is fitted to the objective unit block, and an O-ring is attached to the fitting surface to provide a waterproof seal. It was done by using screws from the side to prevent rotation between both blocks and retaining.

[0004]

In the structure in which the ultrasonic scanning unit block is connected to the front side of the objective unit block, the tip hard portion is much longer than that of the ordinary endoscope, and therefore the pain to the patient is great. In particular, since a considerable length is required to mount the O-ring on the fitting surface, the rigid portion becomes longer and the patient suffers more.

Further, in the above-described cylindrical fitting, neither the rotation nor the retaining of the connecting portion can be prevented, and both are performed by screwing, so that the screwing portion is heavily loaded and damaged. In some cases, even the objective block side cannot be used as a result.

Therefore, according to the present invention, only the ultrasonic scanning unit block detachably connected to the front side of the objective unit block can be replaced and the objective unit block side can be reused, and the length of the hard tip portion can be increased. It is an object of the present invention to provide a distal end portion of an ultrasonic endoscope having a short length and causing little pain to a patient.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the present invention is an objective unit block provided with an objective optical system for obtaining an optical image of the surface of a subject. At the tip of, the ultrasonic scanning unit block provided with the ultrasonic probe for obtaining the ultrasonic tomographic image of the subject is detachably connected, and the signal line connected to the ultrasonic probe is provided in the connecting portion. At the distal end of the inserted ultrasonic endoscope, at the connecting portion, the cross-sectional shape of the ultrasonic scanning unit block is formed into a substantially pentagonal shape having one long side, and its outer surface is fitted with the objective unit block, The fitting surface is filled with a sealing material to make a waterproof seal, and the both blocks are screwed and fixed at the fitting portion.

The ultrasonic scanning unit block is preferably made of a material having a hardness lower than that of the objective unit block.

[0009]

Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 11 shows the overall configuration of the ultrasonic endoscope, and the distal end body 1 is connected to the distal end of a flexible endoscope insertion portion 40 that is inserted into the body cavity of a patient. Further, a bending portion 30 that is bendable by remote control is formed on the distal end side of the insertion portion 40.

An operation portion 41 is connected to the base end side of the insertion portion 40. The operation portion 41 includes a bending operation knob 42 for remotely controlling the bending amount of the bending portion 30, a treatment instrument raising operation lever 43 for performing a raising operation of the treatment instrument raising base 14 described later, and a treatment instrument insertion channel. A suction operation is performed via an insertion opening 44 for inserting a treatment tool, an air / water switch 45a for performing an operation for ejecting air and water from the air / water nozzle 6 of the distal end body 1 and a forceps channel. A suction switch 45b and the like are provided.

Reference numeral 46 is a water injection port for feeding deaerated water into the balloon when the balloon is attached to the tip end main body 1. Reference numeral 47 is a suction conduit switching lever for switching the suction conduit between the forceps channel and the drainage conduit from the balloon.

An eyepiece portion 48 having an eyepiece lens built therein is projected from the operation portion 41, and the base end side of the image guide fiber bundle is arranged at the observation position. Therefore, the optical image of the surface of the subject obtained at the tip body 1 can be observed through the eyepiece 48.

Reference numeral 50 is a light guide connector for connecting the incident end of the light guide fiber bundle for illumination to the light source device, 51 is an air / water supply socket, 52 is a vent mouth ring, 53 is a suction nipple, and 54 is a functional ground. It is a terminal. Further, reference numeral 60 is a processing circuit that performs electrical processing on the ultrasonic probe 3 described later. Reference numeral 61 is a CRT monitor for displaying and observing an ultrasonic tomographic image.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are two side views and a plan view, respectively, showing a part of the tip body 1 cut away.
The tip body 1 is provided on the tip side of the objective block 1a provided with an objective optical system 2 for obtaining an optical image of the surface of the subject.
An ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b provided with an ultrasonic wave transmitter / receiver (hereinafter referred to as "ultrasonic probe") 3 for obtaining an ultrasonic tomographic image of a subject is detachably connected.

Observation window 4, illumination window 5 and air / water nozzle 6
Is disposed on a first sloped surface 7 that is formed in the left half portion on the upper surface side of the objective unit block 1a so as to face obliquely forward. This first slope 7 is formed with a relatively gentle slope in order to obtain an area sufficient for arranging the observation window 4, the illumination window 5, and the air / water supply nozzle 6.

As shown in FIG. 2, the objective optical system 2 is arranged in the observation window 4, and an image of a subject obliquely in front of the tip end main body 1 is formed on the incident end face of the image guide fiber bundle 9. It is transmitted to the eyepiece unit 48. A solid-state image sensor may be used instead of the image guide fiber bundle 9. The exit end of the light guide fiber bundle 10 is arranged in the illumination window 5.

The air supply / water supply nozzle 6 is open toward the surface of the illumination window 5, and as shown in FIG. 3, the air supply tube 11 and the water supply tube 12 are integrally connected to each other. There is. A coil for bending prevention is wound around the outer circumference of both the tubes 11 and 12.

On the right half portion of the upper surface side of the objective block 1a, a treatment instrument raising base 14 for changing the projecting direction of the treatment instrument is rotated adjacent to the first slope 7 of the left half portion. A recessed portion 15 that is freely accommodated is formed.

An outlet of the treatment instrument insertion channel 13 is connected to the rear wall of the recess 15 so that the treatment instrument raising base 14 is supported in the recess 15 so as to be rotatable around a shaft 16. There is.

A coil for bending prevention is wound around the outer circumference of the treatment instrument insertion channel 13, and this channel 13 is also used as a suction channel for sucking and discharging dirty liquid and the like.

Then, the operating wire 17 is operated to move back and forth from the operating portion 41, whereby the treatment instrument raising base 14 is moved.
Rotates in the recess 15 as indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1 and converts the projecting direction of the tip of the treatment instrument projected through the treatment instrument insertion channel 13 within the range indicated by A. be able to.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 5, the portion located outside the concave portion 15 protrudes forward from the first sloped surface 7 at an angle higher than the first sloped surface 7. Is formed on the slope 18.

The base end portion of the second slope 18 is the first slope 7
The second sloped surface 18 is formed so as to gradually extend upward from the base end portion of the first sloped surface 7.

As a result, the tip portion of the treatment instrument raising base 14 which does not project from the surface of the first slope 7 when inverted but projects from the surface of the first slope 7 when rising,
Even when the robot rises, it does not project from the second slope 18 and there is no risk of damaging the inner wall of the body cavity.

Therefore, the treatment instrument raising base 14 is formed in a size necessary for sufficiently raising the treatment implements, and the treatment instrument raising base is not formed with a large outer diameter of the tip portion main body 1. The protrusion of 14 can be configured so as not to damage the inner wall of the body cavity.

The ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b is provided with an ultrasonic probe 3 formed in a convex shape, and the side of the tip body 1 is fan-shaped in a plane including the central axis of the tip body 1. To scan. Although an electronic scanning type ultrasonic probe is used as the ultrasonic probe 3 in this embodiment, a mechanical scanning type ultrasonic probe may be used.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a water supply port for sending degassed water for inflating the balloon into the balloon when the expandable and contractible balloon is attached to the tip end main body 1. On the opposite side (not shown), A drain port is formed to discharge degassed water.

The objective block 1a of the tip body 1 is formed of a metal member such as stainless steel,
The ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b is made of a plastic material such as polycarbonate resin which is softer than the objective unit block 1a, and both are detachably fitted and connected and screwed and fixed.

Therefore, when the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b fails, only the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b can be removed and replaced, and the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b is the objective unit block 1a. Since it is softer, the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b is used in the case of breakage of the connecting portion.
Is more likely to be damaged, and only the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b needs to be replaced.

FIG. 5 shows a cross section (VV cross section) of the connecting portion between the objective unit block 1a and the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b, and the connecting portion uses just the lower half of the tip body 1. It is sized.

At the connecting portion, the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1
The base b is formed in a shape in which the top of a pentagonal home-base-shaped baseball is rounded down and its opposite side is a long side and is placed on the upper side. A hole 24 through which the signal cable 23 connected to the ultrasonic probe 3 is inserted
Are bored in the axial direction.

On one side of the objective unit block 1a, there is formed a substantially pentagonal fitting hole 26 into which the outer surface of the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b is fitted almost exactly. The ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b is fitted. Therefore, the relative rotation between the objective unit block 1a and the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b is prevented by this fitted state, particularly by the long side portion.

In order to prevent water or the like from entering the inside from the outside through the fitting surface, a flexible waterproof sealing material 27 of, for example, silicon rubber is applied to the fitting surface without any gap.

Since no sealing member such as an O-ring is provided there, the axial length can be shortened. The waterproof seal material 27 does not necessarily have to be soft.

On the ultrasonic scanning block 1b side of the fitting portion, a pair of metal plates 28, each having a female screw,
28 are buried on the left and right. Then, the fixing screws 29,
29 is a metal plate 28, 28 from the side of the objective unit block 1a.
The ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b is fixed so that the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b does not come out forward from the objective unit block 1a.

The metal plates 28, 28 embedded in the ultrasonic scanning unit block 1b have a non-circular outer shape so as not to be rotated by the force for tightening the fixing screws 29, 29.

It should be noted that the metal plates 28, 28 may be constructed such that only round holes are formed and the fixing screws 29, 29 are screwed into the objective unit block 1a side. In that case, the tip portions of the fixing screws 29, 29 are formed in a cylindrical shape to be fitted into the round holes.

The tip portion main body 1 is connected to the tip portion of a bendable bending portion 30 by remote control. As shown in FIG. 2, the connection is made by screwing and fixing the frontmost node ring 31 near the rear end of the objective block 1a.

As shown in FIG. 6, the bending portion 30 has a large number of short tubular joint rings 31 ... Connected rotatably by rivets 32 ..., and a rubber tube (not shown) around it. It is formed by coating.

The rivets 32 ... are connected to the adjacent rivets 32 ...
... are alternately rotated in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. Therefore, the bending portion 30 can be bent in any direction as a whole.

The four bending operation wires 33 (33U ...) Which are selectively pulled by the operation unit 41 are shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, one at a time is arranged along the inner circumference of the node ring 31 in the up, down, left, and right directions at 90-degree intervals, and the tips thereof are all connected to the most advanced node ring 31. Therefore, by pulling one of the bending operation wires 33U ... From the operating portion 41, the bending portion 30 is bent accurately in each of the up, down, left, and right directions.

FIG. 8 shows a cross section in the vicinity of the connecting portion between the distal end portion main body 1 and the bending portion 30. Inside the node ring 31, the air supply tube 11, the water supply tube 12, the treatment instrument insertion channel 13, and the treatment. Operation wire 17 for raising platform, image guide fiber bundle 9, light guide fiber bundle 1
0, degassed water feeding tube 37, degassed water drainage tube 38, ultrasonic probe signal cable 23, and the like are inserted therein. Reference numeral 35 is a rubber tube that covers the curved portion 30.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the tip portion main body 1 portion, there is no built-in object on the extension lines of the bending operation wires 33U, 33L, 33R in the three directions of the upward and leftward and rightward directions. The signal cable 23 arranged near the center of the lower portion extends on an extension of the downward bending operation wire 33D. Therefore, if the signal cable 23 is arranged so as to extend straight rearward as it is, it will interfere with the downward bending operation wire 33D.

Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the signal cable 23 is provided in the most advanced node ring 31.
The path of the signal cable 23 is deformed before reaching the tip fixing portion 34 of the downward bending operation wire 33D so that the signal cable 23 does not interfere with the downward bending operation wire 33D.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a changed state of the track of the signal cable 23 as viewed from the front, and as shown by an arrow B, the track of the signal cable 23 is changed to the side and the downward direction. It does not interfere with the bending operation wire 33D.

Therefore, the downward bending operation wire 33
It is not necessary to shift the arrangement position of D to the left and right, and if the downward bending operation wire 33D is pulled, the bending portion 30 is accurately bent downward, and any one of the other three bending operation wires 33U, When 33L and 33R are pulled, they are bent accurately in either the upward direction or the lateral direction.

[0047]

According to the present invention, in the connecting portion between the ultrasonic scanning unit block and the objective unit block, the sectional shape of the ultrasonic scanning unit block is formed into a substantially pentagonal shape having one long side, and its outer surface is formed. Since it is fitted with the objective block to prevent rotation, and the mating surface is filled with a sealing material for a waterproof seal, only the ultrasonic scanning block that is detachably connected to the front side of the objective block It can be replaced, and since the length of the hard tip portion is short, the pain to the patient can be reduced.

If the ultrasonic scanning unit block is made of a material having a hardness lower than that of the objective unit block, the connecting unit will be damaged on the ultrasonic scanning unit block side, so that only the ultrasonic scanning unit block is damaged. The objective block side can be reused as long as it is exchanged.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a part of a distal end portion of an ultrasonic endoscope according to an embodiment by cutting away the end portion.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a part of the distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the embodiment by cutting out.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of the distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the embodiment by cutting out.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of the example.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a curved portion of the embodiment by cutting off a part thereof.

FIG. 7 is a front sectional view of a bending portion mechanism of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view showing the state in which the trajectory of the signal cable is changed in the vicinity of the connecting portion between the distal end portion and the bending portion of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a schematic front view showing a state in which the trajectory of the signal cable is changed in the vicinity of the connecting portion between the distal end portion and the bending portion of the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the ultrasonic endoscope of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Tip body 1a Objective block 1b Ultrasonic scanning block 27 Waterproof sealing material 28 Metal plate 29 fixing screw

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Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ultrasonic scanning system in which an ultrasonic probe for obtaining an ultrasonic tomographic image of a subject is provided at the tip of an objective block having an objective optical system for obtaining an optical image of the subject surface. Section of the ultrasonic scanning section block at the connecting section, at the distal end of the ultrasonic endoscope in which the signal line connected to the ultrasonic probe is inserted into the connecting section by detachably connecting the section blocks. The shape is formed into a substantially pentagonal shape having one long side, the outer surface of which is fitted to the objective section block, and the fitting surface is filled with a sealing material for waterproof sealing. The tip part of the ultrasonic endoscope is characterized in that the screw is fixed. 2. The distal end portion of the ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic scanning unit block is made of a material having a hardness lower than that of the objective unit block.