JPH06343648A - Ultrasonic therapeutical apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus which permits structuring a hand piece compactly, enhancing the easiness in maneuvering, and enlarging the vibratory amplitude at the tip of a horn. CONSTITUTION:Ultrasonic vibrating elements 12 are installed in line on the outside of a horn 13, and with the input end of this horn 13, one end of that of the elements which mates therewith is coupled. The direction of transmitting the ultrasonic vibration generated in the vibrating elements 12 is inverted when the vibration is transmitted from the elements 12 to the horn. The heat generated in the elements 12 is easy to be radiated, The factor of enlargement of the vibratory amplitude at the horn is heightened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic therapeutic device for treating by excising, crushing, emulsifying or the like by the action of ultrasonic vibration.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-51523, a conventional ultrasonic treatment device has a handpiece portion shown in FIG.
It is configured as shown in. That is, the ultrasonic vibration element portion 1, the horn 2, and the ultrasonic vibration transmission member 3 are arranged in a straight line and connected to each other, and are covered with a cover 4. Then, the ultrasonic vibration generated in the ultrasonic vibration element unit 1 is amplified by the horn 2 and transmitted to the ultrasonic vibration transmission member 3.

The operator holds the handpiece portion with the cover 4 as a gripping portion, holds the tip of the ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 3 against living tissue or a calculus, and applies ultrasonic vibration to the living tissue. Treatments such as cutting and crushing are performed using vibration energy. When performing this operation, especially when delicate tissues or organs such as blood vessels or nerves are present in the immediate vicinity of the target surgical site, this ultrasonic therapy device does not damage delicate normal tissues other than the surgical site. It is necessary to perform the surgical operation with great care. For this purpose, the handpiece part needs to be small, lightweight and easy to operate.

[0004]

By the way, in the conventional ultrasonic therapeutic device, the handpiece portion (ultrasonic transducer portion) is
Since the ultrasonic vibration element unit 1, the horn 2, and the ultrasonic vibration transmission member 3 are arranged and connected in a straight line, the total length of the handpiece unit is an integral multiple of a half wavelength of ultrasonic vibration. Is determined by the ultrasonic transducer. For this reason,
There is a problem that the handpiece part becomes long and the operability is poor.

On the other hand, as an attempt to shorten the total length of the handpiece portion, there is, for example, one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-198673. This has a structure in which an ultrasonic vibration element portion is arranged inside a hollow horn, and one end of the ultrasonic vibration element portion is fixed to the bottom of the hollow portion of the horn.

However, with this configuration, the horn has a large diameter due to its configuration, and the cover of the handpiece portion that covers the horn also becomes much thicker. As a result, it has been difficult to improve the operability of the ultrasonic treatment device by reducing the weight and size of the handpiece portion. Also, in order to avoid increasing the diameter of the horn as much as possible, it is not possible to increase the cross-sectional area ratio between the input end and the output end of the horn, and as a result, the vibration amplitude at the horn tip cannot be increased, It was powerless.

Further, since the ultrasonic vibrating element portion is arranged in the hollow portion of the horn, the ultrasonic vibrating element portion is surrounded by the horn, and the heat generated in the ultrasonic vibrating element portion cannot be efficiently released. There was a structural problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to make a handpiece compact, improve operability, and increase the vibration amplitude at the tip of the horn. An object is to provide an ultrasonic therapeutic device that can be used.

[0009]

According to the present invention, an ultrasonic vibration element section for generating ultrasonic vibration, a horn for expanding and propagating the amplitude of ultrasonic vibration generated in this ultrasonic vibration element section, and an expansion of the amplitude by the horn. An ultrasonic treatment device comprising an ultrasonic transducer made of an ultrasonic transmission member for transmitting the ultrasonic vibration to the surgical site, and at least an ultrasonic vibration element portion and a horn of the ultrasonic transducer are covered with a cover to serve as a gripping portion, Ultrasonic transducer elements were arranged side by side on the outside of the horn, and one end of the corresponding ultrasonic transducer element was connected to the input end of the horn.

[0010]

Function: The direction in which the ultrasonic vibration generated in the ultrasonic vibration element section is transmitted is reversed when the ultrasonic vibration is transmitted from the ultrasonic vibration element section to the horn. Since the ultrasonic transducer is folded back, the total length is shortened and the total length of the handpiece including the ultrasonic transducer is shortened. For this reason, the operability of the handpiece is improved, and highly safe ultrasonic treatment can be performed.
Since the ultrasonic vibration element section is arranged outside the horn, the heat generated in the ultrasonic vibration element section can be efficiently radiated. Further, the cross-sectional area ratio between the input end and the output end of the horn can be increased without increasing the diameter of the horn, and as a result, the vibration amplitude at the tip of the horn is increased.

[0011]

1 shows an ultrasonic therapeutic device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The handpiece portion 11 of this has an ultrasonic vibration element portion 12, a horn 13, and an ultrasonic vibration transmission member 1.
4, the ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 1 is attached to the tip of the horn 13.
4 are arranged in a straight line and connected. This horn 13
Is formed in a shape in which the cross-sectional area on the exit end (tip end) side is larger than the cross-sectional area on the entrance end (base end) side. A flange 15 is integrally formed on the outer circumference of the large-diameter base end of the horn 13.
Then, the flange 15 has a cylindrical ultrasonic vibration element portion 1
One end of 2 is connected.

The ultrasonic vibration element portion 12 is formed by stacking a plurality of ring-shaped piezoelectric elements to form a laminated body,
The first cylindrical metal member 16 and the second cylindrical metal member 1
By sandwiching between 7 and fastening, it is comprised as the ultrasonic vibration element part 12 of a cylindrical shape as a whole. One end of the ultrasonic vibration element portion 12 is connected to the flange 1 of the horn 13.
It is fixed to 5. In other words, the horn 13 is located inside and the ultrasonic vibration element section 12 is located inside, and are arranged concentrically.

A drive signal line 18 is connected to the electrode of the ultrasonic vibration element portion 12, and the drive signal line 18 is connected to an external cable 19
Through to the ultrasonic signal power source 22 installed in the ultrasonic therapy device main body 21. Then, when an ultrasonic drive signal is applied to the electrode of the ultrasonic vibration element section 12 through the drive signal line 18, ultrasonic vibration is excited in the ultrasonic vibration element section 12.

At this time, the flange 15 becomes an antinode of the ultrasonic vibration. That is, the horn 13 has the flange 15 at the incident end on the large diameter side. The small diameter tip side portion of the horn 13 extends through the inside of the cylindrical ultrasonic vibration element portion 12, and the ultrasonic transmission member 14 is attached to the small diameter tip thereof.

That is, in this handpiece portion 11, the direction in which the ultrasonic vibration generated in the ultrasonic vibration element portion 12 is transmitted is once determined by the flange 15 which is the connecting portion between the ultrasonic vibration element portion 12 and the horn 13. It forms a vibration system that is folded back 180 ° and propagates from the horn 13 to the ultrasonic transmission member 14. Here, when the ultrasonic vibration element portion 12 and the horn 13 are set to have a half wavelength (λ / 2) length, respectively, and the length from the horn 13 to the ultrasonic transmission member 14 is set to a wavelength (λ) length, A vibration waveform as shown by 1 is shown.

The ultrasonic vibration element portion 12 of the handpiece portion 11 to the ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 14 are covered with a cover 23 over substantially the entire length. The tip of the ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 14 is slightly exposed from the tip of the cover 23. The cover 23, especially the ultrasonic vibration element unit 1
The portion that covers 2 is a grip portion 24.

When using the ultrasonic treatment device, the handpiece portion 11 is driven as described above, and the operator operates the cover 2
By holding the part of the grip portion 24 of No. 3 in the hand and applying the tip of the ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 14 to the affected tissue not shown,
Surgery work such as cutting, emulsification of the affected tissue or crushing of calculi is performed.

In the ultrasonic therapeutic device having the above structure, however, since it is folded back between the horn 13 of the ultrasonic vibrator and the ultrasonic vibrating element portion 12, the total length is shortened,
The total length of the handpiece portion 11 including the ultrasonic transducer can be shortened. For this reason, the operability of the handpiece portion 11 is improved, and ultrasonic treatment with high safety can be performed.

Further, since the ultrasonic vibration element section 12 is arranged outside the horn 13, the heat generated in the ultrasonic vibration element section 12 is efficiently radiated. Furthermore, the horn 13
It is possible to increase the cross-sectional area ratio between the input end and the output end of the horn 13 without increasing the diameter, and as a result, it is possible to increase the vibration amplitude at the tip of the horn 13.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This is an ultrasonic therapeutic device configured to destroy ureteral stones by using the ultrasonic therapeutic device 10 described above. That is, the second ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 25 is connected to the tip of the ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 14. The second ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 25 has a flexible hollow structure, and a liquid 26 such as silicone oil or water is sealed inside the second ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 25. The liquid 26 has a function of transmitting ultrasonic vibration.
Then, the ultrasonic vibration element portion 12, the horn 13, the ultrasonic transmission member 14 and the second ultrasonic vibration transmission member 25 are integrated to form a vibration system of the handpiece portion (ultrasonic vibrator) 11.

Therefore, when this ultrasonic therapeutic device is used, the second ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 25 is attached to the urethra 3 of the human body.
From 0, through the bladder 31, to reach the site in the ureter 32 where the stone 33 is located. Then, the tip of the second ultrasonic vibration transmission member 25 is applied to the calculus 33, and the ultrasonic therapeutic device is driven to apply ultrasonic vibration, as described above. As a result, the calculus 33 is crushed.

In the ultrasonic therapeutic device having such a structure,
The second ultrasonic vibration transmission member 25 that transmits ultrasonic waves transmits the ultrasonic waves by the liquid 26 therein. Since the second ultrasonic vibration transmission member 25 can take a free shape according to the shape of the urethra 30 or the ureter 32 into which the second ultrasonic vibration transmission member 25 is inserted, the second ultrasonic vibration transmission member 25 can be attached to the ureter 32 more easily than a conventional one in which the ultrasonic vibration transmission member is hard. It is not necessary to forcibly stretch it in a straight line, and the patient's pain can be reduced.

Further, in the case of transmitting a large amplitude, in the conventional ultrasonic vibration transmitting member made of metal, the ultrasonic transmitting member may be broken due to the limit of the tensile stress of the material, so the amplitude is sufficiently small. I had to keep it down, and I could only transfer a small amount of energy to the stone. For example,
Hard stones could not be crushed.

However, in this ultrasonic therapeutic device, when a sufficiently large amplitude is given, only a cavity is generated in the liquid 26, and there is a risk that the ultrasonic vibration transmitting member 25 will break or fall off. Absent. Therefore, since ultrasonic vibration with a sufficiently large amplitude can be applied up to the limit, it becomes possible to effectively destroy even hard stones and large stones.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In the handpiece portion 40 of the ultrasonic treatment device according to the third embodiment, an ultrasonic vibration element portion 41 having a length of one wavelength and a horn 42 are arranged in parallel. That is, the ultrasonic vibration element portions 41 are arranged outside the horn 42.
Are placed. The ultrasonic vibration element portion 41 is formed by stacking a plurality of piezoelectric elements to form a laminated body, and sandwiching and fastening the laminated body between the first cylindrical metal member 16 and the second cylindrical metal member 17. .

Further, the large-diameter end of the horn 42 and the end of the ultrasonic transducer element 41 on the same side as the large-diameter end of the horn 42 are connected by a connecting member 43. An ultrasonic transmission member 44 is connected to the small-diameter tip of the horn 42 as described above.

A grip portion 45 is formed so as to extend on the cover 23. The other structure is the same as that of the above-mentioned embodiment. The ultrasonic vibration generated in the ultrasonic vibration element portion 41 is transmitted to the large-diameter end portion of the horn 42 via the connecting member 43. That is, in the ultrasonic transducer of the handpiece portion 40, the directions in which the ultrasonic vibration generated in the ultrasonic vibration element portion 41 is transmitted are the ultrasonic vibration element portion 41 and the horn 4.
It is once folded back by the connecting member 43 which is a connecting portion with 2, and is propagated to the ultrasonic transmission member 44 after the amplitude is enlarged by the horn 42. Also in the configuration of this embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0028]

As described above, in the ultrasonic therapeutic device of the present invention, the ultrasonic vibrating element portions are arranged side by side on the outside of the horn, and one end of the ultrasonic vibrating element portion corresponding to this is arranged at the input end of the horn. Since the ultrasonic transducers are combined, the total length of the ultrasonic transducers is shortened, and the total length of the handpiece including the ultrasonic transducers can be shortened. Therefore, the operability of the handpiece is improved, and the ultrasonic treatment with high safety can be performed.

Further, since the ultrasonic vibration element section is arranged outside the horn, the heat generated in the ultrasonic vibration element section can be efficiently radiated. Further, the cross-sectional area ratio between the input end and the output end of the horn can be increased without increasing the diameter of the horn, and as a result, the vibration amplitude at the tip of the horn is increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasonic therapeutic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a usage state of the ultrasonic therapeutic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a handpiece portion of an ultrasonic therapeutic device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a handpiece portion of a conventional ultrasonic therapeutic device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Ultrasonic treatment device, 11 ... Handpiece part, 12 ... Ultrasonic vibration element part, 13 ... Horn, 14 ... Ultrasonic vibration transmission member, 18 ... Drive signal line, 19 ... External cable, 22 ...
Ultrasonic signal power supply.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic vibration element section for generating ultrasonic vibrations, a horn for expanding and propagating the amplitude of ultrasonic vibrations generated by the ultrasonic vibration element section, and an ultrasonic vibration section for expanding ultrasonic vibrations by the horn. An ultrasonic treatment device that includes an ultrasonic transducer made up of an ultrasonic transmission member that covers at least the ultrasonic vibration element part and the horn of the ultrasonic transducer with a cover to form a grip portion. An ultrasonic therapeutic device, wherein a vibrating element section is arranged, and one end of an ultrasonic vibrating element section corresponding to the vibrating element section is coupled to an input end of the horn.