JP7384570B2 - catheter - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to catheters.

Catheters that are used by being inserted into living body lumens, such as the vascular system, lymph gland system, biliary tract system, urinary tract system, respiratory tract system, digestive system, secretory glands, and reproductive organs, are known. Catheters of different lengths are used depending on conditions such as the height of the patient, the location of the lesion, and the meandering shape of the blood vessel. In addition, for intermediate catheters (e.g., support catheters, suction catheters, etc.) that are used between the guiding catheter and the treatment device, in addition to the patient's conditions, the length of the guiding catheter and the treatment device Conditions such as length must also be considered. As described above, in conventional catheters, a plurality of catheters with different lengths are prepared in advance so that a catheter of an appropriate length can be selected in consideration of the conditions of the patient and the conditions of the combined device.

Preparing in advance a plurality of catheters with different lengths is not preferable because it complicates inventory management. In this regard, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose catheters that can be used by cutting a portion of the proximal end into an appropriate length.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-244007 JP 2018-050723 Publication

A catheter generally includes a tube body inserted into a biological lumen and a connector attached to the proximal end of the tube body and used to access the inside of the tube body. Here, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, after cutting the proximal end side of the tube body with scissors or the like, a connector (embedded port) is screwed and connected to the cut cross section. However, with the technique described in Patent Document 1, for example, when the cut cross section is obliquely inclined, the connection becomes insufficient and there is a risk that the connector may come off from the tube body. Furthermore, the technique described in Patent Document 2 does not take any consideration into the connection between the tube body and the connector.

The present invention has been made to solve at least part of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to suppress detachment of a connector in a catheter whose length can be adjusted by cutting.

The present invention has been made to solve at least part of the above-mentioned problems, and can be realized as the following forms.

(1) According to one embodiment of the present invention, a catheter is provided. This catheter includes a main body portion having a distal tube portion and a proximal tube portion disposed on the proximal side of the distal tube portion, and a hollow connector attached to the main body portion. The distal end tube portion is made of resin and has a reinforcing layer embedded therein, and the proximal end tube portion is made of resin and has no reinforcing layer embedded therein, and the proximal end tube portion is made of resin and has no reinforcing layer embedded therein. The section is provided with an attachment section for attaching the connector, and the connector includes a first portion that covers the outer surface of the proximal tube section and an inner surface of the proximal tube section, in the attachment section. and a covering second portion.

According to this configuration, since the proximal tube portion is formed of resin and has no reinforcing layer buried therein, it can be easily cut with cutting means such as scissors, a scalpel, a knife, or a heating wire. (tube body) length can be adjusted. Further, since the connector has a first portion that covers the outer surface of the proximal tube portion and a second portion that covers the inner surface of the proximal tube portion, the connector has the outer surface and the inner surface. By covering the proximal tube portion from both sides of the connector, detachment of the connector from the main body portion can be suppressed. As a result, according to the catheter of this configuration, detachment of the connector can be suppressed in a catheter whose length can be adjusted by cutting.

(2) In the catheter of the above embodiment, the attachment portion is a spiral convex portion formed on the outer surface of the proximal tube portion, and the inner surface of the connector includes a spiral convex portion that fits into the convex portion. A convex portion having a shape may be formed. According to this configuration, the mounting portion is a spiral convex portion, and the inner surface of the connector is formed with a spiral convex portion, so that the body portion and the connector are connected by the spiral concave-convex fitting structure. can be easily fixed.

(3) In the catheter of the above embodiment, the attachment portion is a spiral recess formed on the outer surface of the proximal tube portion, and the inner surface of the connector includes a spiral recess that fits into the recess. A convex portion may be formed. According to this configuration, the mounting portion is a spiral recess, and the inner surface of the connector is formed with a spiral convex portion, so that the body portion and the connector are connected by the spiral concave-convex fitting structure. Can be easily fixed.

(4) In the catheter of the above embodiment, at least one of the outer surface of the distal end tube portion and the outer surface of the proximal end tube portion may have a marking that can be visually distinguished. According to this configuration, at least one of the outer surface of the distal tube section and the outer surface of the proximal tube section has a display that can be visually distinguished, so that the operator can The range of the tube portion can be easily identified visually.

(5) In the catheter of the above embodiment, a scale indicating the length of the main body from the proximal end may be displayed on the outer surface of the proximal tube. According to this configuration, since a scale indicating the length from the proximal end of the main body part is displayed on the outer surface of the proximal tube part, the operator can easily refer to the scale to The cutting length of the section (tube body) can be determined.

(6) In the catheter of the above embodiment, a scale indicating the length from the distal end of the main body portion may be displayed on the outer surface of the proximal tube portion. According to this configuration, since a scale indicating the length from the distal end of the main body is displayed on the outer surface of the proximal tube, the operator can easily refer to the scale to easily understand the length of the main body. (tube body) effective length can be grasped.

Note that the present invention can be realized in various forms, for example, in the form of a catheter, a medical tube for a catheter, a method for manufacturing a catheter or a medical tube, and the like.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of a catheter according to a first embodiment. It is an explanatory view illustrating attachment of a connector to a main part. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating length adjustment of the main body portion and connector attachment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating length adjustment of the main body portion and connector attachment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of a catheter according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating length adjustment and connector attachment of the main body portion of the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of a catheter according to a third embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of a catheter according to a fourth embodiment. It is an explanatory view showing an example of a catheter of a 5th embodiment. It is an explanatory view showing other examples of the catheter of a 5th embodiment.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of a catheter 1 according to the first embodiment. The entire catheter 1 is illustrated in the upper part of FIG. The lower part of FIG. 1 shows an enlarged cross-sectional configuration of a portion of the proximal end side of the main body 10 of the catheter 1 surrounded by a broken line frame. The catheter 1 is inserted into a living body lumen such as a vascular system, a lymphatic system, a biliary system, a urinary tract system, a respiratory system, a digestive system, a secretory gland, and a reproductive organ, and is used to diagnose or treat the inside of a living body lumen. used. The catheter 1 includes a tube-shaped main body 10 and a connector 90 connected to the proximal end of the main body 10.

In FIG. 1, an axis passing through the center of the catheter 1 is represented by an axis O (dotted chain line). In the following examples, the axis passing through the center of the main body 10 and the axis passing through the center of the connector 90 both coincide with the axis O. However, the axes passing through the centers of the main body 10 and the connector 90 may be different from the axis O, respectively. Further, FIG. 1 shows XYZ axes that are orthogonal to each other. The X axis corresponds to the axial direction of the catheter 1, the Y axis corresponds to the height direction of the catheter 1, and the Z axis corresponds to the width direction of the catheter 1. The left side of FIG. 1 (-X-axis direction) is referred to as the "distal side" of the catheter 1 and each component, and the right side of FIG. 1 (+X-axis direction) is referred to as the "proximal end" of the catheter 1 and each component. Regarding the catheter 1 and each component, the end located on the distal side and the vicinity thereof is referred to as the "distal end" or simply the "tip", and the end located on the proximal end and the vicinity thereof is referred to as the "proximal end". Or simply called the "proximal end." The distal end corresponds to the "distal side" that is inserted into the living body, and the proximal end corresponds to the "proximal side" that is operated by an operator such as a doctor. These points are also common in FIG. 1 and subsequent figures.

The main body section 10 is a substantially cylindrical (tubular) member extending in the direction of the axis O, and includes a distal tube section 11 provided on the distal end side and a proximal tube section 12 provided on the proximal end side. The distal end tube portion 11 has a resin layer 111 and a reinforcing layer 112 embedded in the resin layer 111. The resin layer 111 can be formed of a flexible resin material, such as polyamide, polyamide elastomer, polyester, polyurethane, polyurethane elastomer, or the like.

The reinforcing layer 112 has a mesh shape made of flat wires woven into a mesh pattern. The strands constituting the reinforcing layer 112 can be made of any metal material such as a stainless steel alloy such as SUS304, a superelastic alloy such as a NiTi alloy, or any hard resin material such as reinforced plastic (PEEK). Note that the reinforcing layer 112 may be formed using a round wire or a twisted wire, and may have a coil shape instead of a mesh shape. In this case, the reinforcing layer 112 may be a single coil formed by winding one strand into a single thread, or a multi-thread coil formed by winding a plurality of strands into multiple threads. It may be a single stranded wire coil formed by winding a stranded wire made by twisting a plurality of strands together into a single thread, or a stranded wire made by twisting a plurality of strands together. A multi-stranded wire coil may be formed by using a plurality of wires and winding each stranded wire into multiple threads.

Such a tip tube portion 11 is constructed by, for example, inserting a substantially cylindrical core into a substantially cylindrical (tubular) outer frame, and inserting a reinforcing layer 112 prepared in advance between the outer frame and the core. After that, it can be manufactured by pouring a resin material between the outer frame and the core metal and hardening it. By providing the reinforcing layer 112, the wall thickness (thickness in the YZ axis direction) of the main body 10 can be reduced on the distal end side of the catheter 1, and the torque transmittance, pushability, and kink resistance of the main body 10 can be improved. can be improved. Note that in the example shown in the lower part of FIG. 1, the resin layer 111 is a single layer, but the resin layer 111 may be composed of multiple layers (for example, two layers (inner layer/outer layer), three layers (inner layer/intermediate layer/outer layer, etc.)). may have been done.

The proximal tube portion 12 includes a resin layer 121 and a bonding agent layer 129 provided on the outer surface of the resin layer 121. The resin layer 121 is made of a flexible resin material such as polyamide, polyamide elastomer, polyester, polyurethane, polyurethane elastomer, etc., and unlike the resin layer 111, no reinforcing layer is embedded therein. Note that in order to ensure torque transmission, pushability, and kink resistance of the main body 10, the resin layer 121 has higher rigidity than the resin layer 111, and can be cut with any cutting means (scissors, scalpel, knife, electric It is preferable that it is made of a resin material that can be cut by a hot wire or the like. Bonding agent layer 129 is a layer of thermoplastic resin applied to the outer surface of resin layer 121 . As the thermoplastic resin, for example, EVA, polyolefin, synthetic rubber, polyamide, polyester, polyurethane, etc. can be used. In this embodiment, the bonding agent layer 129 corresponds to the "attachment part".

The distal end of the proximal tube section 12 is joined to the proximal end of the distal tube section 11 using an arbitrary bonding agent such as an epoxy adhesive. In the example shown in the lower part of FIG. 1, the wall thickness of the distal tube portion 11 (thickness in the YZ-axis direction) and the wall thickness of the proximal tube portion 12 (thickness in the YZ-axis direction) are approximately the same. . However, the wall thickness of the distal tube portion 11 and the wall thickness of the proximal tube portion 12 may be different. In addition, in the example shown in the lower part of FIG. 1, a single resin layer 121 is illustrated, but the resin layer 121 is composed of multiple layers (for example, two layers of inner layer/outer layer, three layers of inner layer/intermediate layer/outer layer, etc.). may have been done.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating attachment of the connector 90 to the main body portion 10. 2(A) shows an enlarged cross-section of the proximal end side of the main body 10, and FIG. 2(B) shows an enlarged cross-section of the main body 10 with the connector 90 inserted. The connector 90 is a hollow, substantially cylindrical member, and includes a shaft portion 91, a blade portion 92 (FIG. 1), and an inner layer 93. The shaft portion 91 is a substantially cylindrical member extending in the direction of the axis O, and in a portion on the distal end side, the outer diameter decreases from the proximal end side to the distal end side (FIG. 1). Further, the shaft portion 91 has a circular hole 94 formed on its inner surface on the distal end side, into which the proximal end portion 10p of the main body portion 10 is inserted (FIG. 2). The blade portion 92 is two blade-like members extending from the outer surface of the shaft portion 91 in the ±Y axis direction (FIG. 1). The wing portion 92 is used when the operator grasps the connector 90.

The inner layer 93 is a substantially cylindrical member disposed along the inner surface of the shaft portion 91 (FIG. 2). The inner layer 93 is arranged such that a portion of the distal end side is located closer to the distal end than the bottom surface of the circular hole 94 . The connector 90 can be formed from a resin material such as polyurethane, polypropylene, hard polyvinyl chloride, or the like. Note that each component of the connector 90 (shaft portion 91, blade portion 92, inner layer 93) may be integrally molded. Here, as shown in FIG. 2(B), a portion of the shaft portion 91 that overlaps with the range in which the circular hole 94 is formed is referred to as a "first portion 81." In addition, a portion of the inner layer 93 located closer to the tip than the circular hole 94 is also referred to as a "second portion 82."

In the catheter 1 of this embodiment, the main body 10 and the connector 90 are prepared separately (in a removed state) in the product package. Therefore, the operator attaches the connector 90 to the main body 10 before using the catheter 1. Specifically, first, the connector 90 is inserted from the proximal end side of the proximal tube portion 12. At this time, the operator inserts the proximal tube part 12 along the circular hole 94 formed on the inner surface of the shaft part 91, so that the proximal end part 10p of the proximal tube part 12 is on the bottom surface of the circular hole 94. Be careful to hit the nail on the head. Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, the outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12 is covered with the first portion 81 of the shaft portion 91, and the inner surface of the proximal tube portion 12 is covered with the second portion of the inner layer 93. 82. In this state, the operator heats the distal end side of the shaft portion 91 using a heating instrument such as a hot gun. Then, the bonding agent layer 129 provided on the outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12 melts, so that the main body portion 10 and the connector 90 can be bonded and fixed.

After fixing the main body 10 and the connector 90 in this way, the operator connects the catheter 1 from the distal end 1d (FIG. 1: the distal end 10d of the main body 10) to the inner lumen 1L of the catheter 1. A guide wire etc. can be inserted. Further, other medical devices can be inserted into the lumen 1L of the catheter 1 from the proximal end 1p of the catheter 1 (FIG. 1: the proximal end 90p of the connector 90).

3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams illustrating length adjustment of the main body portion 10 and attachment of the connector 90. 3(A) and 4(A) show enlarged cross sections of the base end side of the main body 10, and FIGS. 3(B) and 4(B) show the connector 90 inserted into the main body 10 after cutting. It represents an enlarged cross section of the state. As described above, the proximal tube portion 12 is composed of a resin layer 121 made of resin and a bonding agent layer 129, and does not have a reinforcing layer (reinforcing layer 112) buried therein like the distal tube portion 11. Therefore, the operator can easily move the proximal tube portion 12 at a desired position on the proximal tube portion 12, such as position C1 shown in FIG. 3(A) or position C2 shown in FIG. 4(A). Can be amputated (cut). To cut the proximal tube portion 12, any cutting means such as scissors, a scalpel, a knife, a heating wire, etc. can be used.

As shown in FIG. 3(A), when the proximal tube portion 12 is cut at the middle position C1 of the proximal tube portion 12, the proximal end of the proximal tube portion 12 is cut as shown in FIG. 2(B). The connector 90 is inserted from the side, and the main body 10 and the connector 90 are joined and fixed by heating (FIG. 3(B)). On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4(A), when the proximal tube part 12 is cut at the position C2 of the distal end of the proximal tube part 12, use any bonding agent such as a separately prepared epoxy adhesive. After coating the outer surface of the proximal end of the distal tube portion 11, the connector 90 is inserted from the proximal side of the distal tube portion 11, and the main body portion 10 and the connector 90 are fixed (FIG. 4(B)).

In such a fixed state, the connector 90 includes a first portion 81 that covers the outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12 (distal tube portion 11 in the case of FIG. 4), and a first portion 81 that covers the outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12 (the distal tube portion 11 in the case of FIG. 4). The second portion 82 covers the inner surface of the distal end tube portion 11). For this reason, by covering the proximal tube portion 12 (distal tube portion 11 in the case of FIG. 4) with the connector 90 from both the outer surface and the inner surface, for example, the cut cross section of the proximal tube portion 12 can be made obliquely. Even if the connector 90 is tilted, the connector 90 can be prevented from detaching from the main body 10. As a result, according to the catheter 1 of the first embodiment, detachment of the connector 90 can be suppressed in the catheter 1 whose length can be adjusted by cutting. Further, since the inner surface of the proximal tube portion 12 is covered with the inner layer 93 at the proximal end portion of the proximal tube portion 12, even if the end shape is deformed due to cutting of the proximal tube portion 12, the proximal tube portion 12 The proximal end of 12 will be shaped by the inner layer 93. Therefore, when the guide wire is inserted into the lumen 1L of the catheter, it is possible to prevent the tip of the guide wire from getting caught at the boundary between the connector 90 and the proximal tube portion 12.

<Second embodiment>
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of a catheter 1A according to the second embodiment. FIG. 5(A) shows an enlarged cross section of the proximal end side of the main body portion 10A and the distal end side of the connector 90A. FIG. 5(B) shows an enlarged cross-section of the connector 90A fitted into the main body 10A. A catheter 1A of the second embodiment includes a main body 10A and a connector 90A. The main body portion 10A includes a proximal tube portion 12A instead of the proximal tube portion 12. The proximal tube portion 12A includes a convex portion 122 in place of the bonding agent layer 129. The convex portion 122 is a helically formed protrusion on the outer surface of the resin layer 121, and functions as a male thread for fitting the proximal tube portion 12A and the connector 90A. In the second embodiment, the convex portion 122 corresponds to the “attachment portion”. The connector 90A includes a shaft portion 91A instead of the shaft portion 91. In the shaft portion 91A, a spirally formed protrusion (protrusion 95) that fits into the protrusion 122 is formed on the inner surface of the portion where the circular hole 94 is formed. The convex portion 95 functions as a female thread for fitting the proximal tube portion 12A and the connector 90A.

As shown by the white arrow in FIG. 5(A), the operator inserts the connector 90A from the proximal end side of the proximal tube portion 12A. Thereafter, as shown by the counterclockwise arrow, the connector 90A is rotated to fit the protrusion 122 and the protrusion 95, thereby fitting the connector 90A into the proximal tube portion 12A. At this time, the operator continues to rotate the connector 90A until the proximal end portion 10p of the proximal tube portion 12A hits the bottom surface of the circular hole 94. Then, as shown in FIG. 5(B), the outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12A is covered with the first portion 81 of the shaft portion 91A, and the inner surface of the proximal tube portion 12A is covered with the second portion of the inner layer 93. 82. In the catheter 1A of the second embodiment, by fitting the convex part 122 of the proximal tube part 12A and the convex part 95 of the connector 90A, the main body part 10A and the connector 90A can be connected to each other without the need for adhesives, hot guns, etc. and can be fixed.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating length adjustment of the main body portion 10A and attachment of the connector 90A in the second embodiment. FIG. 6(A) shows an enlarged cross section of the proximal end side of the main body portion 10A and the distal end side of the connector 90A. FIG. 6(B) shows an enlarged cross section of a state in which the connector 90A is fitted into the main body portion 10A after cutting. As shown in FIG. 6(A), even when the proximal tube portion 12A is cut at a position C3 in the middle of the proximal tube portion 12A, the base of the proximal tube portion 12A is By inserting the connector 90A from the end side and rotating it, the connector 90A can be fitted and fixed (FIG. 6(B)). In addition, when the proximal tube part 12A is cut at the position of the distal end of the proximal tube part 12A, the main body part 10A and the connector 90A can be fixed with any bonding agent such as a separately prepared epoxy adhesive. .

In this way, for the attachment structure between the main body portion 10A and the connector 90A, means other than the bonding agent and thermoplastic resin described in the first embodiment may be employed. Also in the catheter 1A of the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved. In addition, in the catheter 1A of the second embodiment, the attachment portion of the proximal tube portion 12A is a spiral convex portion 122, and the helical convex portion 95 is formed on the inner surface of the connector 90A. Due to the concave-convex fitting structure, the main body 10A and the connector 90A can be easily fixed without using a bonding agent or the like.

<Third embodiment>
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of a catheter 1B according to the third embodiment. FIG. 7A shows an enlarged cross section of the proximal end side of the main body portion 10B and the distal end side of the connector 90A. FIG. 7(B) shows an enlarged cross section of the connector 90A fitted into the main body 10B. The catheter 1B of the third embodiment includes a main body 10B and the connector 90A described in the second embodiment. The main body portion 10B includes a proximal tube portion 12B instead of the proximal tube portion 12. The proximal tube portion 12B includes a recess 123 instead of the adhesive layer 129. The recess 123 is a groove formed in a spiral shape on the outer surface of the resin layer 121. In the third embodiment, the recess 123 corresponds to the "attachment part".

As shown by the white arrow in FIG. 7(B), the operator inserts the connector 90A from the proximal end side of the proximal tube portion 12B. Thereafter, as shown by the counterclockwise arrow, the connector 90A is rotated to fit the concave portion 123 and the convex portion 95, thereby fitting the connector 90A into the proximal tube portion 12B. In this way, also in the catheter 1B of the third embodiment, by fitting the concave portion 123 of the proximal tube portion 12B and the convex portion 95 of the connector 90A, the main body portion 10A and the connector 90A can be fixed. Also, in the catheter 1B of the third embodiment, the length of the main body portion 10B can be adjusted by cutting the proximal tube portion 12B at an arbitrary location. In this way, various means can be adopted for the attachment structure between the main body portion 10B and the connector 90A. In FIG. 7, the concave portion 123 is formed in the main body portion 10B (base end tube portion 12B), and the convex portion 95 is formed in the connector 90A (shaft portion 91A), but these may be reversed. That is, a convex portion may be formed in the main body portion 10B, and a concave portion may be formed in the connector 90A. Also in the catheter 1B of the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the first and second embodiments can be achieved.

<Fourth embodiment>
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of a catheter 1C according to the fourth embodiment. In the upper part of FIG. 8, the entire catheter 1C is illustrated. In the lower part of FIG. 8, a part of the proximal end side of the main body 10C of the catheter 1C, surrounded by a broken line frame, is illustrated in an enlarged manner. A catheter 1C of the fourth embodiment includes a proximal tube portion 12C instead of the proximal tube portion 12. The outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12C is colored in a different color from that of the distal tube portion 11. Here, "different colors" can be any color (combination of hue, brightness, and saturation) as long as it can be visually distinguished, and it does not matter whether it is a chromatic color or an achromatic color.

In this way, the operator can easily visually identify the range of the proximal end tube portion 12C that can be cut. Note that the coloring illustrated in FIG. 8 may be applied only to the outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12C, only to the outer surface of the distal tube portion 11, or to the outer surface of the distal tube portion 11 and the distal tube portion 11. The outer surfaces of both the proximal tube portion 12C and the proximal tube portion 12C may be colored differently. Furthermore, instead of being colored, the distal tube section 11 and the proximal tube section 12C may be made of resins of different colors (combinations of hue, brightness, and saturation). Further, characters, figures, symbols, etc. may be displayed on the outer surface of at least one of the distal tube portion 11 and the proximal tube portion 12C. For the display, any means such as printing or engraving can be used as long as visual discrimination is possible.

Also in the catheter 1C of the fourth embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved. In addition, in the catheter 1C of the fourth embodiment, at least one of the outer surface of the distal tube portion 11 and the outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12C is provided with a visually distinguishable display (for example, a color, a character, a figure, etc.). , symbols, etc.), the operator can easily visually identify the range of the proximal tube portion 12C that can be cut.

<Fifth embodiment>
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the catheter 1D of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the catheter 1D of the fifth embodiment. The entire catheter 1D is illustrated in the upper part of FIGS. 9 and 10. 9 and 10, a portion of the proximal end side of the main body portion 10D of the catheter 1D, surrounded by a broken line frame, is illustrated in an enlarged manner. The catheter 1D of the fifth embodiment includes a proximal tube portion 12D instead of the proximal tube portion 12.

In the example of FIG. 9, a scale 13 indicating the length from the proximal end 10p of the main body 10D is displayed on the outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12D. In the illustrated example, the unit of the scale 13 is millimeter (mm), but the unit of the scale 13 can be any arbitrary unit such as centimeter (cm) or inch (inch). Further, the display interval of the numbers on the scale 13, display/non-display of the scale lines, and display mode of the scale lines can also be changed arbitrarily. In this way, the operator can easily visually determine the cut length of the proximal tube portion 12D by referring to the scale 13.

In the example of FIG. 10, the proximal tube portion 12D has a scale 14 displayed on its outer surface that indicates the length from the distal end portion 10d of the main body portion 10D, in other words, the length from the distal end portion 1d of the catheter 1D. has been done. The scale 14 is in units of mm like the scale 13 (FIG. 9), but may be in other units such as cm or inch. The same applies to the scale lines. In this way, the operator can easily visually determine the length of the catheter 1D from the distal end 1d (that is, the effective length of the catheter 1D) by referring to the scale 14. Since the effective length of the catheter 1D is a general index that is widely used when selecting a catheter 1D, this method can greatly improve convenience for the operator.

In this way, the proximal tube portion 12D may be provided with markings such as the scale 13 representing the cutting length and the scale 14 representing the effective length of the catheter 1D. In this way, the cut length of the proximal tube portion 12D and the effective length of the catheter 1D can be easily grasped by visual inspection, which greatly improves convenience for the operator. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, by not displaying the scales 13 and 14 on the distal tube portion 11 and displaying the scales 13 and 14 only on the proximal tube portion 12D, the operator can The range of the proximal tube portion 12D that can be cut can be easily identified visually (based on the presence or absence of a scale). Also in the catheter 1D of the fifth embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved.

<Modification of this embodiment>
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the following modifications are also possible.

[Modification 1]
In the first to fifth embodiments described above, the configurations of the catheters 1, 1A to 1D are illustrated. However, the configuration of the catheter 1 can be modified in various ways. For example, in each of the above embodiments, the catheter 1 having the tube-shaped main body 10 is illustrated, but the main body 10 may include other components (e.g., a balloon member, a mesh member made of net-like wires, an electrode). components, etc.).

[Modification 2]
In the first to fifth embodiments described above, the configurations of the main body portions 10, 10A to D are illustrated. However, the configuration of the main body 10 can be modified in various ways. For example, the bonding agent layer 129 formed on the outer surface of the proximal tube portion 12 may be omitted, and an arbitrary bonding agent such as an epoxy adhesive may be used to connect the proximal tube portion 12 to A configuration in which the connector 90 is fixed may also be adopted. In this case, the arbitrary bonding agent corresponds to the "attachment part". For example, at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface of the main body portion 10 may be coated with a resin such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). For example, other members (e.g., a distal tip) may be provided on the distal end side of the distal tube portion 11, and other members (e.g., An intermediate tube portion, etc.) may be provided.

[Modification 3]
In the first to fifth embodiments described above, the configurations of the connectors 90, 90A, and B are illustrated. However, the configuration of connector 90 can be modified in various ways. For example, it is assumed that the lengths of the first portion 81 of the shaft portion 91 and the second portion 82 of the inner layer 93 in the direction of the axis O have a relationship of first portion 81>second portion 82 (FIG. 2). However, the lengths of the first portion 81 of the shaft portion 91 and the second portion 82 of the inner layer 93 in the direction of the axis O may be such that the first portion 81=the second portion 82, and the first portion 81< It may also be the second portion 82 . For example, the wing portion 92 of the connector 90 may be omitted. For example, instead of the so-called hub shape shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector 90 may be in the shape of a subcutaneously implanted port used for implanting under the skin and administering a drug.

[Modification 4]
The configurations of the catheters 1, 1A to 1D of the first to fifth embodiments and the configurations of the modifications 1 to 3 described above may be combined as appropriate. For example, in the catheters 1A and 1B having the uneven fitting structure described in the second or third embodiment, the display described in the fourth or fifth embodiment (display of color, text, figure, symbol, etc., display of scale) You may do so. For example, in the catheter 1 described in the first to third embodiments, two or more of the displays described in the fourth and fifth embodiments (display of colors, characters, figures, symbols, etc., display of scales) may be used. It may be applied in combination.

Although the present aspect has been described above based on the embodiments and modified examples, the embodiments of the above-described aspect are for facilitating understanding of the present aspect, and do not limit the present aspect. This aspect may be modified and improved without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and this aspect includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, if the technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be deleted as appropriate.

1, 1A to D...Catheter 10, 10A to D... Main body part 11... Distal tube part 12, 12A to D... Proximal tube part 13... Scale 14... Scale 81... First part 82... Second part 90, 90A... Connector 91, 91A... Shaft part 92... Wing part 93... Inner layer 95... Convex part 111... Resin layer 112... Reinforcement layer 121... Resin layer 122... Convex part 123... Concave part 129... Bonding agent layer

Claims (4)

A catheter,
a main body portion having a distal tube portion and a proximal tube portion disposed on the proximal side of the distal tube portion;
a hollow connector attached to the main body;
Equipped with
The tip tube portion is formed of resin and has a reinforcing layer embedded therein,
The proximal tube portion is formed of resin and has no reinforcing layer embedded therein;
A mounting portion for attaching the connector is provided at the proximal end of the proximal tube portion,
The connector has a first portion that covers an outer surface of the proximal tube portion and a second portion that covers an inner surface of the proximal tube portion at the attachment portion,
The attachment portion is a layer of thermoplastic resin applied to the outer surface of the proximal tube portion. The catheter according to claim 1 ,
A catheter, wherein at least one of the outer surface of the distal end tube portion and the outer surface of the proximal end tube portion has an indication that can be visually distinguished. The catheter according to claim 2 ,
In the catheter, a scale indicating a length from the proximal end of the main body part is displayed on an outer surface of the proximal tube part. The catheter according to claim 2 or 3 ,
A catheter, wherein a scale indicating a length from a distal end of the main body portion is displayed on an outer surface of the proximal tube portion.

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