JPH0134052B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an endoscope with an improved structure for raising and operating a treatment instrument.

Generally, an endoscope is provided with an insertion channel through which a treatment tool such as forceps is inserted, and a treatment tool elevator is provided near the exit of this insertion channel.
This treatment instrument raising table allows the protrusion direction of the treatment instrument to be changed and selected as desired. Further, the treatment instrument raising table can be raised and lowered by pushing and pulling it from a hand-held operation unit via an operation wire. When inserting and using a treatment tool such as forceps, the following procedure is followed.

First, the treatment instrument elevator is raised by pulling the operation wire, and forceps are inserted into the insertion channel, and the tips of the forceps are brought into contact with the treatment instrument elevator. After feeling this, loosen the operating wire and push forward to lower the treatment instrument elevator. Therefore, the complicated task of pushing the forceps further into the body cavity through the exit and then raising the treatment instrument raising table again was performed.

The reason why such a complicated operation is necessary is that if the forceps are inserted while the treatment instrument elevator is lying down, there is a risk that the tips of the forceps will inadvertently protrude from the exit and damage the wall of the body cavity. It's for a reason. Therefore, conventionally, the above-mentioned procedure must be followed to ensure safety.

On the other hand, after using the forceps, when pulling out the forceps, first return the treatment instrument raising table and then pull them out. Otherwise, there is a hard part at the tip of the forceps, which will get caught and make it impossible to remove it. However, in their rush to perform the examination, doctors often try to pull out the instrument without returning it, and at this time a large amount of tension is applied to the operating wire, which is designed to prevent stretching as much as possible. Disconnection sometimes occurred.

In addition, the guide channel that guides the operating wire is placed in the insertion section of the endoscope, shifted to one side from the center, so especially when the operating wire is pulled all the way and the instrument elevator is raised to its maximum. When the insertion portion is bent to the side opposite to the guide conduit side, the operating wire is placed on the outside of the curve, so a large tension is applied to the operating wire. This also caused the operating wire to break.

The present invention has been made focusing on the above circumstances,
The purpose is to provide an endoscope in which it is easy to insert and remove a treatment instrument, and the operation wire can be prevented from breaking due to forced operation.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

The drawing shows an endoscope. This endoscope consists of an operating section 1, an insertion section 2, and a light guide cable 3, and the insertion section 2 has a structure in which a distal end section 6 is connected to the distal end of a flexible tube 4 via a curved tube 5. The bending tube 5 is remotely bent by operating the operating section 1 by a bending operation means (not shown), so that the direction of the tip end 6 can be changed.

An observation window 7 is provided on the upper side of the tip 6, and an objective lens system 8 is installed inside the observation window 7. An image guide 9 made of an optical fiber bundle is optically connected to the objective lens system 8. The image guide 9 is inserted and arranged inside each of the insertion section 2 and the operation section 1, and is connected to the eyepiece lens 10 of the operation section 1. Also,
Although not shown, the tip portion 6 is provided with an illumination window, and this illumination window is connected to a light guide (not shown). Further, this light guide is inserted and arranged inside each of the insertion section 2, the operation section 1, and the light guide cable 3, and
It is connected to a guide tube 12 of a connector 11 provided at the tip of the light guide cable 3.

Further, on the upper side of the distal end portion 6, a treatment instrument raising chamber 1 that forms an outlet of an insertion channel 13, which will be described later, is provided.
4 is open. As shown in the drawings, the insertion channel 13 is formed inside each of the insertion section 2 and the operation section 1, and its proximal end is connected to a treatment instrument insertion port 15 provided in the operation section 1. Then, a treatment instrument such as forceps 16 is inserted through the treatment instrument insertion opening 15 into the insertion channel 13.
The treatment instrument can be inserted into the body cavity and protruded from the treatment instrument raising chamber 14 into the body cavity.

The treatment instrument raising chamber 14 is provided with a treatment instrument raising stand 17 whose one end is pivotally connected to the bottom side thereof.
The tip of an operating wire 18 is connected to the rotating end of the treatment instrument raising table 17, and the operating wire 18 is guided to the operating section 1 through a guide channel 19 and connected to a wire operating mechanism 20. has been done. This wire operating mechanism 20 includes a rack 22 and a pinion 23 provided in an operating chamber 21, and an operating knob 24 is connected to the pinion 23.
The proximal end of the operating wire 18 is connected to the rack 22. The operating knob 24 rotates the pinion 23 to move the rack 22 back and forth, thereby allowing the operating wire 18 to be pushed or pulled. That is, by pulling the operating wire 18, the treatment instrument raising table 17 can be raised as shown in the drawing, and by pushing the operating wire 18, the treatment instrument raising table 17 can be lowered. Note that the rotation angle range of the operating knob 24 is regulated by contacting the operating knob 24 with the open end of the operating chamber 21. That is, as shown in the drawing, when the operating knob 24 is pressed against the front end, the treatment instrument elevator 17 is raised to the maximum extent, and when it is pressed against the rear end, the treatment instrument elevator 17 is completely collapsed. It's becoming like that.

Further, the operation wire 18 has superelasticity (pseudoelasticity)
It is made of alloy. Examples of this superelastic alloy include copper, which has an elastic limit of around 5% or more.
Aluminum-nickel alloys and titanium-nickel alloys are used. Furthermore, the strength of the tensile force is set so that the direction of the forceps 16 can be changed by operating the treatment instrument raising table 17 while the forceps 16 are passed through the forceps 16 within a tension range that allows for some stretch. .

The forceps 16 has a hard forceps section 26 attached and fixed to the tip of a tightly wound coil 25, and a hand operation section 27 is provided at the proximal end of the tightly wound coil 25.

Next, a case in which the forceps 16 are used will be described.

First, as shown in the figure, when the operation knob 24 is tilted forward and the rack 22 is moved backward by the pinion 23, the operation wire 18 is pulled and the treatment instrument raising table 17 is pulled.
rises to its maximum. In this way, the treatment instrument raising table 17
While raising the forceps 16, the forceps 16 are inserted into the insertion channel 13 from the treatment instrument insertion port 15. Then, the tip of the forceps 16 is connected to the treatment instrument raising chamber 14.
When it reaches this point, it hits the raised treatment instrument raising table 17,
Physicians can sense it by the sensation. Therefore, forceps 16 are pushed in further. Therefore, the operating wire 18 is stretched due to the superelastic effect, and the forceps lifting base 17 is appropriately tilted, allowing the forceps 1 to
In order to create a gap large enough to allow the forceps part 26 of No. 6 to pass through, the forceps part 26 passes through the treatment instrument raising chamber 14 and is projected to the outside. And the forceps part 26
When it penetrates through, the treatment instrument raising table 17 automatically raises again due to the restoring force of the operating wire 18 and returns to its original position, pushing up the tightly wound coil 25 and raising it. To adjust this elevation angle, the amount of elevation of the treatment instrument elevation table 17 can be changed by rotating the operation knob 24 on the operation unit 1 of the endoscope and pushing or pulling the operation wire 18 as appropriate. , the elevation angle can be adjusted arbitrarily. Note that when the forceps 16 are fully extended, no great force is required to raise them. For this reason, the operating wire 18 hardly stretches, so that followability of the operation can be ensured.

On the other hand, when pulling out the forceps 16, the operation knob 2
Although it is preferable to operate the treatment instrument raising table 17 by operating the handle 4 to lower it, there is no problem in pulling it out while it is raised. When the forceps 16 is pulled out while being raised, the forceps part 26 in particular
However, since the operation wire 18 stretches due to the superelastic effect, the treatment instrument raising table 17
automatically collapses, allowing the forceps 16 to be easily pulled out. Moreover, since no large tension is applied to the operating wire 18, it will not break.

In addition, as shown in the figure, when the treatment instrument raising table 17 is raised to its maximum level or when the forceps 16 are fully raised with the forceps 16 protruding, the insertion section 2 is placed on the lower side of the figure.
When curved, the operating wire 18 is placed on the outside of the curve and tension is applied. However, this tension is
8 is absorbed by stretching due to the superelastic effect. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operating wire 18 from breaking.

Although the above embodiments have been described with respect to a side-viewing endoscope, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be applied to other types of endoscopes, such as a direct-viewing type or a perspective-viewing type.

As explained above, in the present invention, the operation wire for operating the treatment instrument elevator is made of a superelastic alloy, and the operation wire is set to operate the treatment instrument elevator within a range in which it is not fully stretched. be. Therefore, when inserting a treatment instrument, if the tip of the treatment instrument hits the treatment instrument elevator and then is pushed in, the operating wire will stretch due to the superelastic effect, push the treatment instrument elevator aside, pass through, and protrude to the outside. be able to. In other words, there is no need to operate the treatment instrument raising table each time on the hand side. Therefore, operability is good and the treatment instrument can be inserted quickly.

Furthermore, even if the treatment instrument is pulled out while the treatment instrument raising table remains in the raised position, the operating wire will stretch due to the superelastic effect, so no large tension will be applied to the operating wire. Therefore, breakage can be prevented at this time. moreover,
Since the treatment instrument may be pulled out without performing an operation to return the treatment instrument elevator, operability is good and rapid operation is possible.

Further, even if tension is applied to the operating wire by bending the insertion portion while the operating wire is fully pulled, the tension is absorbed because the operating wire stretches due to the superelastic effect. Therefore, the operating wire will not break. Moreover, since the operating wire does not get stretched out, the insertion portion can be slightly curved.

Moreover, since the operating wire itself is made of a superelastic alloy, there is no need to provide any other separate members.
Therefore, the purpose can be achieved without complicating the structure or increasing the size and weight.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawing is a schematic side sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 2... Insertion section, 13... Insertion channel, 1
4... Treatment instrument raising chamber, 16... Forceps, 17... Treatment instrument raising table, 18... Operation wire, 20... Wire operation mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An insertion channel for inserting a treatment instrument into the insertion section is provided, a treatment instrument elevator is installed near the exit of this insertion channel, and the operating wire inserted into the insertion section is connected to the treatment instrument elevator. death,
In an endoscope in which the treatment instrument raising table is operated by pushing and pulling the operating wire from the hand-held operating section, the operating wire is made of a superelastic alloy, and the operating wire is made of a superelastic alloy, and the operating wire is made of a superelastic alloy and can be operated under tension within a range that does not fully stretch. An endoscope characterized in that the treatment instrument raising table is set to be operable.