JP5057859B2 - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from a living body and displaying a tomographic image of the internal structure of the living body as an ultrasonic image with an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  Conventionally, in order to display a tomographic image of an internal structure of a living body as an ultrasonic image by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an ultrasonic probe that transmits / receives ultrasonic waves to / from the living body is used. For example, the ultrasonic probe is inserted into a body cavity via a treatment instrument channel of an endoscope.

  In an ultrasonic probe, it is desired that three things of flexibility, insertability into a body cavity, and good image quality of an ultrasonic tomographic image to be observed are established in a high dimension. As shown in FIG. 5, the ultrasonic probe 50 has a configuration having these three performances in a well-balanced manner, so that the sheath 52 constituting the exterior of the insertion portion 51 is made of a flexible resin to ensure flexibility. is doing. Then, by inserting a flexible shaft 53 made of SUS, for example, into the sheath 52, the insertability is ensured, and the rotational force of the motor unit provided in the ultrasonic observation device (not shown) is transmitted to the flexible shaft 53, so The housing 55 constituting the acoustic probe portion 54 is mechanically rotated, and an ultrasonic beam is transmitted / received as indicated by an arrow from the ultrasonic probe 56 mounted on the housing 55 to obtain excellent ultrasonic waves. A tomographic image is obtained. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a conventional ultrasonic probe.

  The ultrasonic probe is used repeatedly. Therefore, the ultrasonic probe is sterilized and sterilized between cases. In recent years, in order to realize a simpler and more effective disinfection / sterilization process, a new disinfection / sterilization apparatus including, for example, a high-temperature sterilization process, that is, a heating step, has been developed during the disinfection / sterilization process. When the disinfection / sterilization process includes a heating step, the dimensional change due to heat cannot be ignored in a part having a large coefficient of thermal expansion.

  In the ultrasonic probe, a resin sheath having a completely different thermal expansion coefficient and a metal flexible shaft run in parallel by about 2 m. Therefore, after the disinfection / sterilization process including the heating step is completed, only the sheath 52 extends as shown by the broken line in FIG. 5, and the length of the flexible shaft does not change. Then, the space between the housing distal end surface 55a of the ultrasonic probe portion and the proximal end surface 57a of the sealing member 57 constituting the sheath distal end portion, that is, the dead space is widened from the distance X1 to the distance X2. That is, the dead space unnecessary for ultrasonic observation is increased by the amount indicated by X1-X2 in the figure.

  And, since the dead space increases, the ultrasonic probe tip 58 may interfere with the body cavity wall before the ultrasonic tomographic image of the target site is obtained by the ultrasonic probe unit, which may adversely affect the diagnosis. . In addition, when performing a procedure to insert the ultrasonic probe into the pancreatic duct or bile duct trans-papillarily, the direction of the ultrasonic probe is adjusted by operating the forceps raising base provided in the endoscope. There is a possibility that the housing portion or the like may be damaged when the forceps raising stand comes into contact with the space portion and stands.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an ultrasonic catheter having a structure that absorbs a shift of a drive shaft due to expansion and contraction of a catheter. In this ultrasonic catheter, an elastic member is provided on the distal end side of a housing that is rotated by a drive shaft, and a part of the elastic member is fitted with an elastic locking portion provided inside the catheter. The tensile breakage of the distal end portion of the ultrasonic catheter shaft is prevented.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-10215

  However, according to the ultrasonic catheter of Patent Document 1, since a fitting mechanism is provided, it is possible to avoid a dead space unnecessary for ultrasonic observation on the distal end side of the ultrasonic probe portion. However, since the free length of the drive shaft changes in the long axis direction, rotation irregularities occur when the drive shaft rotates, and the image quality of the radial image deteriorates.

  Therefore, an ultrasonic probe that can be operated and observed after the disinfection / sterilization process including the heating process between cases is completed in the same manner as before the disinfection / sterilization process.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is capable of obtaining an ultrasonic tomographic image of good image quality by resetting the dead space increased by the disinfection and sterilization process including the heating step to the initial state. The purpose is to provide a probe.

The ultrasonic probe according to the present invention includes a flexible sheath whose tip is closed with a sealing member, and an inner portion on the distal end side of the sheath that is integrally fixed to the distal end of a flexible shaft that is inserted into the sheath. An ultrasonic probe comprising: a housing member on which an ultrasonic probe is mounted, and a locking mechanism that constitutes an attachment / detachment mechanism for detachably connecting the housing member and the distal end of the sheath. a is, the locking mechanism, the tip end of the housing member, or a recess for constituting the engaging portion of the locking mechanism are found provided on the sealing member, the sealing member, or to said housing member And a convex portion that is pushed into the concave portion constituting the locked portion of the locking mechanism .

  According to this configuration, the distance between the distal end surface of the inner hole of the sheath and the distal end surface of the housing member allows the locking portion provided in the housing member and the locked portion provided in the sheath to be in a predetermined locking state. By doing so, it becomes a certain distance.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the ultrasonic probe which can reset the dead space increased by the disinfection and sterilization process including a heating process to an initial state, and can obtain an ultrasonic tomographic image is realizable.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 4 relate to one embodiment of the ultrasonic probe, FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the ultrasonic probe, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the insertion portion and the locking mechanism in the locked state. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining a connector portion provided with a sheath length adjusting tube in a sheath fixing portion, and FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a locking mechanism in which the locked state is released. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic probe 1 of the present embodiment includes an insertion portion 2 and a connector portion 3. The connector part 3 is provided at the proximal end of the insertion part 2. The connector unit 3 is mechanically and electrically connected to a motor unit of an ultrasonic observation apparatus (not shown) so as to transmit a rotational driving force and an electric signal.

  The insertion portion 2 includes a sheath 4 that is an exterior member. A flexible shaft 5 is inserted into the sheath 4 as shown in FIG. An ultrasonic probe section 6 is provided at the tip of the flexible shaft 5. The ultrasonic probe unit 6 includes a housing 7 and an ultrasonic probe 8 mounted on the housing 7.

  The housing 7 is a cylindrical member and is integrally fixed to the tip of the flexible shaft 5. The housing 7 includes a protruding portion 9 that protrudes further to the distal end side than the distal end surface 7a. The protruding portion 9 is a tubular portion that constitutes the distal end side of the housing 7, and forms a concave portion that serves as a locking portion of the locking mechanism by providing a crimped portion 9 a.

  Specifically, the caulking portion 9a of the protruding portion 9 is provided substantially at the center of the tubular portion. By providing the caulking portion 9a in the tubular portion, the hollow space of the protruding portion 9 has an introductory portion whose diameter changes from the locking portion 9b toward the distal end with the locking portion 9b as a boundary. 9c and a spherical portion arrangement space 9d in which the diameter dimension increases from the locking portion 9b toward the proximal direction. The locking portion 9b is formed on the inner surface side of the caulking portion 9a, and locks a spherical portion of a protrusion described later.

  In addition, the flexible shaft 5 is formed by a hollow contact coil spring composed of one layer or a plurality of layers. A signal cable (not shown) extending from the ultrasonic probe 8 is inserted into the hollow space of the flexible shaft 5. The sheath 4 is filled with an ultrasonic transmission medium 20. The ultrasonic transmission medium 20 is, for example, liquid paraffin that also serves as a lubricating oil.

  The sheath 4 constituting the insertion portion 2 of the ultrasonic probe 1 is formed in a slender shape with a flexible resin member such as polyethylene or fluorine resin. The distal end portion 4 a of the sheath 4 is sealed with, for example, a sealing member 10. The sealing member 10 includes a hemispherical portion 11 that forms the distal end surface of the insertion portion 2 on one end side, and includes, for example, a planar shape portion 12 that configures the distal end surface of the inner hole of the sheath 4 on the other end side. Yes.

  The planar shape portion 12 is provided with a protruding portion 13 that constitutes a convex portion serving as a locked portion of the locking mechanism. The protruding portion 13 includes a cylindrical portion 14 and a spherical portion 15. The sphere part 15 is arranged by being pushed into the sphere part arrangement space 9d. The sphere portion 15 pushed into the sphere portion arrangement space 9d comes into contact with the locking portion 9b to be locked.

  In the present embodiment, the diameter of the spherical portion 15 constituting the convex portion is a predetermined dimension and a larger diameter than the inner diameter of the locking portion 9b constituting the concave portion. Therefore, when the sphere part 15 is arranged in the sphere arrangement space 9d, the sphere part 15 is arranged in the introduction part 9c, and the center of the sphere part 15 is set to the longitudinal axis of the protruding part 9 with a predetermined amount of force or more. The spherical portion 15 is disposed in the spherical portion arrangement space 9d by passing along the engaging portion 9b by being pushed in along the ultrasonic probe portion 6 direction.

  On the other hand, in a state in which the sphere part 15 is arranged in the sphere part arrangement space 9d, the center of the sphere part 15 is set in the direction of the introduction part 9c of the protrusion part 9 along the longitudinal axis of the protrusion part 9 with a predetermined force or more. By pulling, the ball portion 15 passes through the locking portion 9b and is extracted from the ball portion arrangement space 9d.

  That is, the protruding portion 9 constituting the housing 7 fixed to the flexible shaft 5 and the protruding portion 13 constituting the sealing member 10 for sealing the distal end portion 4a of the sheath 4 are so-called hooks. A detachable mechanism is configured.

  In this figure, the protrusion 13 has an integral structure with the sealing member 10. However, the sealing member 10 and the protruding portion 13 may be configured separately, and the sealing member 10 and the protruding portion 13 may be configured integrally by bonding or welding.

  The connector portion 3 is provided with a sheath fixing portion 31 shown in FIG. The sheath fixing portion 31 has, for example, a tube shape, and includes a sliding hole 32 that is a through hole in which the sheath length adjusting tube 21 is slidably disposed. The sliding hole 32 includes a pore 33 and a thick hole 34 having an inner diameter larger than that of the pore 33. On the side of the pore 33 of the sheath fixing portion 31, a female screw portion 35 to which a sheath fixing screw 29 for fixing the sheath length adjusting tube 21 slidably disposed in the sliding hole 32 is screwed is provided.

The sheath length adjusting tube 21 is made of, for example, stainless steel and includes a sliding portion 22 and a flange portion 23 having an outer flange shape. The flange 23 is a so-called stopper member, and abuts against a stepped surface between the large hole 34 and the fine hole 33 constituting the sliding hole 32. The sheath length adjusting tube 21 includes an inner hole 24, and the flexible shaft 5 is inserted through the inner hole 24. The diameter of the inner hole 24 is larger than the outer diameter of the flexible shaft 5.
A sheath fixing portion 25 is provided on the outer periphery of the tip of the sliding portion 22. The base end portion 4b of the sheath 4 is integrally fixed to the sheath fixing portion 25 by, for example, adhesion.

  The sliding portion 22 is slidably inserted into the pore 33 of the sliding hole 32. The flange 23 is slidably disposed in the thick hole 34 of the sliding hole 32. A circumferential groove 36 in which an O-ring 28 is disposed is formed on the inner peripheral surface on the thick hole 34 side, which is the base end side of the pore 33. The O-ring 28 disposed in the circumferential groove 36 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the sliding portion 22 and maintains watertightness. This prevents the ultrasonic transmission medium 20 from leaking from the sheath fixing portion 31 of the connector portion 3.

  The length of the sheath 4 of the ultrasonic probe 1 can be adjusted by loosening the sheath fixing screw 29. Specifically, when the user slides the sheath length adjusting tube 21 in the direction indicated by the arrow with the sheath fixing screw 29 loosened, the sheath 4 moves to the proximal end side with respect to the flexible shaft 5 and the housing 7. .

  In the present embodiment, when the ultrasonic probe 1 is assembled, the spherical portion 15 of the protruding portion 13 constituting the sealing member 10 is removed from the protruding portion 9 constituting the housing 7 as shown in FIG. For this reason, the operator manually pushes the spherical portion 15 into the spherical portion arrangement space 9d in a state where the sheath fixing screw 29 is loosened.

Thereafter, the operator appropriately operates the sheath length adjusting tube 21 to adjust the locking state between the ball portion 15 and the locking portion 9b, that is, the contact condition to an optimum state, and then adjust the sheath fixing screw 29. Conclude. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the distance between the front end surface 7 a of the housing 7 and the planar shape portion 12 of the sealing member 10, the so-called dead space distance, is set to D.

  In the present embodiment, the projecting portion 13 constituting the convex portion is provided on the sealing member 10, and the protruding portion 9 constituting the concave portion is provided on the housing 7. However, the sealing member 10 may be provided with a concave portion, and the housing 7 may be provided with a convex portion to constitute a locking mechanism.

The operation of the ultrasonic probe 1 configured as described above will be described.
When the ultrasonic probe 1 is used, the connector portion 3 of the ultrasonic probe 1 is connected to a motor unit of an ultrasonic observation apparatus (not shown). Thus, the ultrasonic probe 1 and the ultrasonic observation apparatus are mechanically and electrically connected. Turn on the ultrasonic observation device. Then, the rotational force for rotating the ultrasonic probe portion 6 of the ultrasonic probe 1 is transmitted to the flexible shaft 5, and the ultrasonic drive signal generated by the drive signal generation circuit of the ultrasonic observation apparatus is super Applied to the acoustic probe 8. Accordingly, an ultrasonic beam is repeatedly emitted from the ultrasonic probe 8 toward the living tissue, and an echo of the ultrasonic beam returns from the living tissue to the ultrasonic probe 8 and is converted into an ultrasonic echo signal.

  This ultrasonic echo signal is output from the ultrasonic probe 8 and input to the video signal processing circuit of the ultrasonic observation apparatus. The video signal processing circuit generates a video signal from the ultrasonic echo signal and outputs the video signal to a monitor (not shown). As a result, a radial ultrasonic tomographic image is displayed on the screen of the monitor.

  After the ultrasonic observation is completed, the ultrasonic observation apparatus is turned off. Then, the used ultrasonic probe 1 is sterilized and sterilized by a high-temperature sterilization process, which is a heating process, using a disinfection sterilization apparatus provided for the ultrasonic probe disinfection sterilization process.

  The ultrasonic probe 1 to be disinfected / sterilized is affected by heat in the high-temperature sterilization process. That is, the sheath 4 having a high coefficient of thermal expansion extends under the influence of heat, while the lengths of the housing 7 and the flexible shaft 5 having a low coefficient of thermal expansion do not change. At this time, since the base end portion 4b of the sheath 4 is integrally fixed to the sheath fixing portion 25 of the sheath length adjusting tube 21, the sheath 4 affected by heat causes the sealing member 10 of the distal end portion 4a to move. The length changes to move to the tip side.

  Then, as the sealing member 10 moves to the tip side, a pulling force in the tip direction acts on the ball portion 15. When the pulling force at this time is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount of force, the ball portion 15 passes through the locking portion 9b and moves from the inside of the ball portion arrangement space 9d to the introduction portion 9c side. That is, the locked state between the ball portion 15 and the locking portion 9b is released.

  After the disinfection / sterilization is completed, the surgeon performs a re-locking operation for locking the ball portion 15 to the locking portion 9b. At that time, the operator first makes the sheath fixing screw 29 loose. Then, the surgeon manually pushes the ball portion 15 into the ball portion arrangement space 9d. Thereafter, the operator manually operates the sheath length adjusting tube 21 against the urging force of the O-ring 28 to adjust the contact state between the ball portion 15 and the locking portion 9b to an optimum state, The sheath fixing screw 29 is fastened.

As a result, the proximal end portion 4b of the extended sheath 4 is moved to the proximal end side, and the distance between the distal end surface 7a of the housing 7 and the planar shape portion 12 of the sealing member 10 as shown in FIG. The distance is reset to D, which is an initial setting value.

  In this way, the heat of the high-temperature sterilization processing step provided in the disinfection / sterilization apparatus is obtained by providing the locking member and the locked portion that constitute the locking mechanism in the sealing member and the housing that constitute the ultrasonic probe. If only the sheath is stretched due to the influence of the housing, it is possible to readjust the locking state of the locking mechanism in the same manner as the locking state before the high-temperature sterilization process. The interval between and can always be constant.

  In addition, when the sheath length adjustment tube is provided in the connector part of the ultrasonic probe provided with the locking mechanism, and only the sheath is extended due to the influence of heat in the high-temperature sterilization process provided in the disinfection / sterilization device, the sheath Adjust the fixing position of the length adjustment tube, absorb the amount of sheath extension, and set the tension applied to the flexible shaft to the same tension as before the high temperature sterilization treatment process, that is, a predetermined constant tension, It is possible to obtain an ultrasonic tomographic image with good image quality that is the same as before the high-temperature sterilization process.

  Furthermore, since the locking mechanism is constituted by the resin sheath and the metal housing, good sliding characteristics can be ensured.

  In addition, by providing, for example, a protrusion that integrally forms the locked portion on the sealing member, and by providing, for example, a protruding portion that integrally forms the locking portion on the front end surface of the housing, workability is improved. Thus, the locking mechanism can be reduced in size.

  In addition, it is possible to lock whether disinfection or sterilization has been achieved by adopting a structure in which the locked state is easily released by the heat treatment of the sterilization / sterilization process and the locked portion and the locked portion are released. It can be determined by whether or not the mechanism is in a locked state.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A perspective view illustrating the configuration of an ultrasonic probe 1 is an enlarged view illustrating the structure of the insertion portion and the locking mechanism in the locked state. Partial cross-sectional view for explaining a connector portion having a sheath length adjusting tube in a sheath fixing portion The figure explaining the latching mechanism in which the latching state is cancelled | released The figure explaining the structure of the conventional ultrasonic probe

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ultrasonic probe 2 ... Insertion part 3 ... Connector part 4 ... Sheath 5 ... Flexible shaft 6 ... Ultrasonic probe part 7 ... Housing 8 ... Ultrasonic probe 9 ... Protrusion part 9a ... Caulking part 9b ... Locking Part 9c ... Introduction part 9d ... Spherical part arrangement space 10 ... Sealing member 11 ... Hemispherical part 12 ... Planar part 13 ... Protrusion part 14 ... Cylindrical part 15 ... Spherical part 20 ... Ultrasonic transmission medium 21 ... Sheath length adjusting tube 22 ... sliding part 23 ... collar part 31 ... sheath fixing part 32 ... sliding hole

Claims (5)

A flexible sheath having the tip closed with a sealing member ;
A housing member mounted with an ultrasonic probe, which is integrally fixed to the distal end of a flexible shaft inserted into the sheath, and is rotatably disposed inside the distal end side of the sheath;
In the ultrasonic probe comprising: a locking mechanism that constitutes a detachable mechanism that removably couples the housing member and the distal end of the sheath ;
The locking mechanism is
A recess constituting the distal end side, or the locking portion of the locking mechanism are found provided on the sealing member of the housing member,
A convex portion that is provided in the sealing member or the housing member and is pushed into the concave portion constituting the locked portion of the locking mechanism ;
Ultrasound probe, characterized in that Ru comprising a. The convex portion is a protruding portion, and includes a cylindrical portion and a spherical portion,
The concave portion is a locking portion that is provided with a caulking portion at the center of the tubular protruding portion and locks the ball portion configured in the hollow space of the protruding portion, and extends from the locking portion toward the distal end. 2. An introduction portion having a diameter that changes to a larger diameter as it goes and a spherical portion arrangement space in which the diameter changes to a larger diameter from the locking portion toward the proximal direction. The ultrasonic probe according to 1. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 2, wherein a protrusion or a protrusion provided on the sealing member is made of resin.   A sheath length adjusting portion is provided at a proximal end of the sheath to adjust a distance between a distal end surface of the housing member fixed integrally to a distal end of the flexible shaft and an inner hole distal end of the sheath. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1.   The ultrasonic wave according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism releases the locked state between the locking portion and the locked portion in a heating / cooling step of an ultrasonic probe disinfection sterilization process. probe.

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