JPH07231906A - Extremely low temperature medical treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently, safely and sanitarily cool a medical treatment room by a simple operation. CONSTITUTION:A heat exchanger 1 is provided in a medical treatment room 2 and a liquid guide passage 3 is connected to a liquid air supply source 4 to be guided into the medical treatment room 2 through the heat exchanger 1 and the open end 20 of the liquid guide passage 3 is arranged in the medical treatment room 2. The liquid air formed in a liquid air generator is supplied to the heat exchanger 1 in a liquid state to be subjected to the heat exchange with the air in the medical treatment room 2. By this constitution, the liquid air cools the air in the medical treatment room 2 and absorbs the heat of the air in the medical treatment room 2 to be evaporated. The evaporated liquid air is supplied into the medical treatment room 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cryogenic treatment device used in a whole body cooling treatment method for treating a patient such as rheumatism or low back pain by cooling the whole body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional method for treating rheumatism or low back pain, for example, as described in JP-A-56-168123 and JP-A-63-502321, the whole body of a patient, for example, -100. It is known to cool in a cryogenic treatment room of ℃ to -150 ℃, temporarily paralyze the affected part, and then actively exercise to treat.

That is, in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-168123, dust and water are removed from the air, and this dry air is cooled by heat exchange with liquid nitrogen, and then placed in a treatment room at an extremely low temperature. It is designed to be supplied as air. Also,
In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-502321, the liquid nitrogen and the liquid oxygen are mixed, or the liquid nitrogen and the liquid oxygen are vaporized and mixed, and then supplied as cryogenic artificial air into the treatment room. It has become.

[0004]

However, in the former case of the above-mentioned prior art, since the nitrogen gas still in a low temperature state which has been vaporized by the heat exchange with the dry air is released to the atmosphere as it is, the cold heat of the liquid nitrogen is reduced. The utilization rate is low and the treatment room cannot be cooled quickly.

In the latter of the above prior arts, the oxygen concentration must be adjusted within a certain range in order to prevent an oxygen deficiency or an excess oxygen state, which makes the concentration management troublesome. Become. It is an object of the present invention to cool a treatment room efficiently, safely and hygienically by a simple operation.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows, for example, as shown in FIG. It is composed of a heat exchanger 1, a treatment room 2, and a liquid air supply source 4, the heat exchanger 1 is provided in the treatment room 2, and a liquid passage 3 is connected to the liquid air supply source 4 and the liquid passage The passage 3 is guided into the treatment room 2 through the heat exchanger 1, and the open end 20 of the liquid guide passage 3 is connected to the treatment room 2.
And a liquid air feeding means for feeding the liquid air to the liquid air supply source 4, the liquid air feeding means is used to keep the liquid air of the liquid air supply source 4 in the liquid state. 3, the liquid air supply source 4
The liquid air from the above is heat-exchanged with the air in the treatment chamber 2 by the heat exchanger 1 to be vaporized and then supplied into the treatment chamber 2 from the open end 20.

[0007]

The present invention operates as follows, for example, as shown in FIG. The liquid air of the liquid air supply source 4 is kept in a liquid state by the liquid air feeding means and passes through the liquid guiding path 3 to the heat exchanger 1.
Be delivered to. In this heat exchanger 1, the liquid air supply source 4
Heat exchange is performed between the liquid air fed from the air and the air in the treatment room 2. As a result, the liquid air sent to the heat exchanger 1 cools the air in the treatment room 2. Further, the liquid air is evaporated by absorbing the heat quantity of the air in the treatment room 2, and almost all is vaporized and supplied into the treatment room 2 from the open end 20 of the liquid guide path 3, and the inside of the treatment room 2 is Are further cooled by the vaporized liquid air. That is, the air in the treatment room 2 is also cooled by the heat absorption due to the vaporization of the liquid air in the heat exchanger 1.

[0008]

The present invention has the following effects because it is configured and operates as described above. By supplying the liquid air in a liquid state as it is into the treatment chamber and vaporizing and supplying the liquid air in the treatment chamber, the cold heat of the liquid air can be used without waste. Therefore, the treatment room can be cooled quickly and efficiently. Also, since the entire liquid air is vaporized and supplied to the treatment room, the ratio of oxygen and nitrogen after vaporization matches the ratio of normal air, so oxygen deficiency and excess oxygen can be prevented, and oxygen and nitrogen are mixed. It is safer than the case where it is supplied. Furthermore, the treatment room is sanitary because fresh air is always sent to it.

In the above structure, when the heat exchanger is provided on the ceiling in the treatment room, the air warmed in the treatment room and rising to the ceiling can exchange heat with the liquid air in the heat exchanger. It is possible to more efficiently vaporize liquid air and cool the treatment room. Further, the vaporized cryogenic liquid air from the heat exchanger drops into the treatment chamber, so that the vaporized liquid air can be efficiently diffused throughout the treatment chamber.

Further, when the liquid air generator is provided as the liquid air supply source, the liquefied air is sent immediately, so that the composition of the air can be reliably maintained and sent.

Further, when the local treatment device is provided, only the affected part of the patient can be cooled. Therefore, it is possible to selectively use the cooling treatment for the whole body of the patient in the treatment room and the cooling treatment for only the affected part. it can. Further, since the atmosphere and liquid air are used, it is possible to prevent oxygen deficiency or the like that may occur when cooling the affected area with liquid nitrogen or the like. Moreover, since the liquid air vaporized by heat exchange with the atmosphere is used for cooling the affected area, the liquid air can be used without waste.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a cryogenic treatment apparatus, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the heat exchanger shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat exchanger 1 is provided on the ceiling in the treatment room 2 and is connected to the liquid air generator 4 via the liquid guiding path 3. This liquid air generator 4 is
After sucking air, dust and dirt are removed by the dust remover 5, compressed and cooled by the air compressor 6, moisture and carbon dioxide are removed by the air dryer 7, and then the cryogenic temperature is provided in the liquid air storage tank 8. It is adapted to be introduced into the liquid air storage tank 8 via the generating unit 9.

The cryogenic refrigerator 10 is installed in the cryogenic generator 9.
Are connected. In the cryogenic refrigerator 10, a gas such as helium or argon is compressed by a gas compressor 10a, cooled by cooling water in a cooling unit 10b, and then supplied to the cryogenic generation unit 9. Then, the dry air from the air dryer 7 is cooled and liquefied by the cryogenic gas from the cryogenic generator 9, and then stored in the liquid air storage tank 8. The cryogenic gas obtained by cooling the dry air is returned to the cryogenic refrigerator 10.

Into the liquid air storage tank 8, the inlet 3a of the liquid guiding path 3 is inserted so as to be located at the bottom of the liquid air storage tank 8. The liquid air stored in the liquid air storage tank 8 is vaporized in the liquid air storage tank 8 and the pressure of the air accumulated in the upper portion of the liquid air storage tank 8 causes the inlet 3a of the liquid guide passage 3 to flow. It is fed to the heat exchanger 1 via the. The liquid air storage tank 8 is provided with an exhaust valve 11 for discharging the liquid air in the liquid air storage tank 8. A dry air shutoff valve 12 is provided between the liquid air storage tank 8 and the air dryer 7.

The treatment room 2 has a heat insulating structure. A pre-cooling chamber 13 having a heat insulating structure is adjacent to the treatment chamber 2, and the pre-cooling chamber 13 and the treatment chamber 2 are communicated with each other through a port 14. In addition, the doorway 14 is provided with an inner door 15 having a heat insulating structure, and with the inner door 15 closed, the precooling chamber 13 and the treatment room 2 are provided.
It is designed to insulate and. The pre-cooling chamber 13 and the outside are communicated with each other through an inlet / outlet port 16, and the inlet / outlet port 16 is provided with an outer door 17 having a heat insulating structure.

The heat exchanger 1 is, as shown in FIG. 2, a liquid guide tube 18 formed of a copper tube or the like which is formed by bending it in multiple stages in the vertical direction.
Is a plurality of heat conduction plates 19 arranged side by side in the lateral direction.
It is formed by penetrating. The heat conduction plate 19 is formed of a member having high heat conductivity such as a copper plate. One end of the liquid guide pipe 18 is connected to the liquid guide passage 3 and an open end 20 of the other end is arranged on the pan 21.

Then, the liquid air fed to the liquid guide tube 18 and the air in the treatment room 2 are heat-exchanged by the heat exchanger 1. As a result, the liquid air in the liquid guiding tube 18 is transferred to the treatment room 2
The air inside is cooled, and the heat quantity of the air inside the treatment room 2 is absorbed and evaporated (vaporized), and the vaporized liquid air is supplied from the open end 20 of the liquid guiding tube 18 into the treatment room 2. Treatment room 2
The inside is further cooled by the vaporized liquid air.

As described above, the air in the treatment room 2 is also cooled by the heat absorption due to the vaporization of the liquid air in the liquid guide tube 18. Thereby, the air in the treatment room 2 is cooled quickly and efficiently. Note that normally, all the liquid air is vaporized in the heat exchanger 1, but the liquid air that is not completely vaporized in the heat exchanger 1 and remains partially is the open end 20 of the liquid guiding tube 18. It is discharged from the above-mentioned saucer 21
And is vaporized in this saucer 21.

A temperature sensor 22 and an oxygen concentration sensor 23 are arranged in the treatment room 2. These sensors 22 and 23 are connected to the control panel 24. The control panel 24 is provided in the middle of the liquid guide path 3 so that the temperature inside the treatment room 2 is in the temperature range of, for example, −100 ° C. to −150 ° C. in response to the detection signal of the temperature sensor 22. The opening / closing control of the temperature control valve 25 is performed. The supply amount of liquid air is adjusted according to the opening / closing of the temperature control valve 25.

When the cryogenic treatment apparatus is not used for a long period of time, nitrogen having a relatively low vaporization temperature is gradually vaporized from the liquid air remaining in the liquid air storage tank 8, and the liquid air is oxygen. Become overloaded. In order to prevent excess oxygen in the treatment room 2 due to this excess oxygen air, the control panel 24 receives a detection signal from the oxygen concentration sensor 23 and receives a detection signal from the cryogenic treatment device when the treatment room is activated. When the oxygen concentration in 2 exceeds a predetermined concentration range, the exhaust valve 11 is opened to discharge the liquid air in the liquid air storage tank 8 to the atmosphere. Further, as a safety function provided just in case, the control panel 24 receives the detection signal of the oxygen concentration sensor 23, and when the oxygen concentration in the treatment room 2 becomes insufficient below the predetermined concentration range, an alarm buzzer 26 is activated. I try to ring.

The control panel 24 is provided with a thermometer 27 and an oxygen concentration meter 28 to display the temperature and oxygen concentration in the treatment room 2. Further, a temperature sensor 29 is arranged in the precooling chamber 13. The temperature sensor 29 is connected to the control panel 24, and the temperature inside the precooling chamber 13 is displayed on the thermometer 30.

The partition wall between the treatment room 2 and the pre-cooling chamber 13 is provided with a ventilation hole 31 with a relief damper and a ventilation hole 32, and the partition wall between the pre-cooling chamber 13 and the outside is provided with a ventilation hole 33 with a relief damper. The pressure of the treatment room 2 is made higher than that of the precooling chamber 13 by the action of the relief damper of the ventilation hole 31, and the cryogenic air in the treatment room 2 is fed to the precooling chamber 13 through the ventilation holes 31 and 32. Shed. Further, the ventilation holes 3
The air pressure inside the pre-cooling chamber 13 is made higher than the outside by the action of the relief damper 3 and the low temperature air inside the pre-cooling chamber 13 is discharged to the outside through the ventilation holes 33.

As a result, the inside of the precooling chamber 13 is cooled to about -50 ° C. In addition, the atmosphere has ventilation holes 33 and ventilation holes 31.
Intrusion into the pre-cooling chamber 13 and the treatment room 2 via 32 is prevented, heat loss due to ventilation is reduced, and condensation / freezing is caused in the pre-cooling chamber 13 and the treatment room 2 due to the humidity contained in the atmosphere. To prevent. Then, the patient opens the outer door 17 to enter the pre-cooling chamber 13 and become accustomed to the low temperature air, and then opens the inner door 15 to enter the treatment room 2 for treatment.

A branch passage 35 is formed in the middle of the liquid guide passage 3. A cryogenic air generator 36 is connected to the tip of the branch passage 35 via a liquid air shutoff valve 34, and a local treatment device 37 is connected to the cryogenic air generator 36. Dry air is introduced into the cryogenic air generator 36 from the air dryer 7 through a dry air stop valve 38 and a ventilation path 40. The air passage 40 has a tip portion 40a formed in a spiral shape. Then, by immersing the tip portion 40a in the liquid air flowing into the cryogenic air generator 36,
The dry air exchanges heat with the liquid air to be cooled, and the liquid air is vaporized by the heat exchange. Then, by mixing the cooled dry air and the vaporized liquid air, extremely low temperature air of about −180 ° C. to −170 ° C. is generated and discharged from the opening 39 provided at the tip of the local treatment device 37. It The emitted cryogenic air is blown to the affected area of the patient for treatment.

The above embodiment can be modified as follows. For example, as the liquid air feeding means, the liquid air is fed to the heat exchanger 1 by the pressure of the air accumulated in the upper portion of the liquid air storage tank 8.
A pump may be provided in the middle of the process, and liquid air may be fed to the heat exchanger 1 by this pump.

The heat exchanger 1 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 2, and for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of liquid guiding pipes 18 are branched and a plurality of liquid guiding pipes 18 are provided. It may be formed by penetrating through a single heat conduction plate 19.

The heat exchanger 1 may be provided on the side wall of the treatment room 2. Alternatively, the heat exchanger 1 may be provided with a fan, and the air in the treatment room 2 may be forcibly blown onto the heat conduction plate 19 by this fan.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a cryogenic treatment apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a heat exchanger of the cryogenic treatment apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the heat exchanger.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Heat exchanger, 2 ... Treatment room, 3 ... Liquid guide path, 4 ... Liquid air generator (liquid air supply source), 20 ... Open end of liquid guide path,
35 ... Branch path, 36 ... Local treatment device, 37 ... Heater (heater), 38 ... Opening part.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A heat exchanger (1), a treatment room (2) and a liquid air supply source (4), wherein the heat exchanger (1) is provided in the treatment room (2), and the liquid air supply is provided. The liquid guide passage (3) is connected to the source (4), and the liquid guide passage (3) is introduced into the treatment room (2) through the heat exchanger (1) and the liquid guide passage (3) is introduced. ) Is disposed in the treatment room (2), and liquid air supply means for supplying liquid air to the liquid air supply source (4) is provided, and the liquid air supply means Liquid Air Supply Source (4)
The liquid air from the liquid air supply source (4) is supplied to the treatment room (2) by the heat exchanger (1). A cryogenic medical device, characterized in that the heat is exchanged with the air in () to be vaporized and then the air is supplied from the open end (20) into the treatment room (2). 2. The cryogenic medical device according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger (1) is provided on a ceiling in the treatment room (2). 3. The cryogenic medical device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid air supply source (4) is composed of a liquid air generator (4) for cooling the atmosphere and converting it into liquid air. 4. The cryogenic medical device according to claim 1, wherein a branch passage (35) is provided in the middle of the liquid guide passage (3), and a cryogenic air generator is provided at the tip of the branch passage (35). (36) is provided, the local treatment device (37) is connected to the cryogenic air generator (36), the atmosphere is introduced into the cryogenic air generator (36), and the atmosphere and the branch path (35) are introduced. Heat exchange is performed between the liquid air flowing in through, and the atmosphere cooled by this heat exchange and the vaporized liquid air are mixed and supplied to the local treatment device (37), A structure capable of sending out the supplied air through an opening (39) provided in the local treatment device (37).