JPH0724092Y2 - Ultrasound endoscope - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a so-called ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic probe for obtaining an ultrasonic tomographic image of a subject is provided at the tip of the insertion portion.

Ultrasonic waves pass through liquids very well, but have low transmissivity in gases. Therefore, it is impossible to obtain a good ultrasonic tomographic image if there is an air layer between the ultrasonic probe and the surface of the part to be inspected, and it is necessary to fill the space between them with a liquid.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 7 shows a conventional ultrasonic endoscope, in which a balloon-shaped balloon 52 is provided so as to surround a tip end main body 51 provided at the tip of the insertion portion of the endoscope. 53 is an ultrasonic probe. 54 is an observation window of the observation optical system. 55 is the observation visual field range.

The balloon 52 is connected to a conduit through which liquid can be freely taken in and out. Therefore, the balloon 52 is filled with a liquid so that the balloon 52 is inflated, and the balloon 52 is pressed against the surface 100 of the portion to be inspected.
An air layer does not exist between 53 and 53, and an ultrasonic tomographic image of the subject is obtained.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

FIG. 8 shows an observation screen by the conventional ultrasonic endoscope as described above. For example, the outer surface of the balloon 52 is observed below and the index 48 of the visual field mask is observed above. Thereby, the operator can roughly judge the direction of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, that is, the scanning cross-section position of ultrasonic waves.

However, the scanning cross-section position of the ultrasonic wave cannot be visually recognized specifically and accurately from such an observation visual field.

Therefore, for example, when an abnormality is found in the examined part by an ultrasonic tomographic image, it is difficult to accurately guide the treatment tool to the affected part (abnormal part) under observation with an endoscope.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the conventional drawbacks described above, and an object thereof is to provide an ultrasonic endoscope capable of accurately visually recognizing a scanning cross-section position of an ultrasonic wave in an optical image observation visual field of a subject. And

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the ultrasonic endoscope of the present invention comprises:
At the tip of the endoscope insertion part, an observation window of an observation optical system for obtaining an optical image of the surface of the subject and an ultrasonic probe for emitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to obtain an ultrasonic tomographic image of the subject. In an attached ultrasonic endoscope, an inflatable and deflatable balloon provided so as to surround the ultrasonic probe so as not to surround the observation window, and an outer surface of the balloon so as to be in the observation field of view of the observation optical system. And an index formed in accordance with the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving direction of the ultrasonic probe.

[Action]

The index formed on the outer surface of the balloon is within the observation visual field of the observation optical system, so that the observer can visually recognize the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving direction.

〔Example〕

 An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a tip portion main body 1 formed at the tip of an insertion portion (endoscope insertion portion) 20 of an ultrasonic endoscope.

The tip portion main body 1 is connected to the objective portion side block 1a containing the objective portion 2 of the observation optical system for obtaining an optical image of the surface of the portion to be inspected and the front side thereof, and is an ultrasonic tomographic image of the portion to be inspected. And an ultrasonic scanning unit 1b for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves for scanning.

2a is an observation window of the objective part, and 2b is an observation visual field range. The observation image formed by the objective lens (not shown) is transmitted by the image guide fiber bundle (not shown), but a solid-state image sensor for electrically transmitting the image may be used instead.

An outlet 3b of the forceps channel 3 for inserting a treatment tool or the like is formed in the object side block 1a, and the treatment tool 14 can be projected into the observation visual field range 2b. The forceps channel 3 is also used as a suction channel for sucking and discharging dirty liquid and the like.

An illumination window (not shown) is provided to face the light emitting end of the light guide fiber bundle for illumination along with the observation window 2a, and the observation visual field range 2b is illuminated by the illumination light emitted from the illumination window. To be done.

The ultrasonic scanning unit 1b is provided with a so-called convex type ultrasonic probe 11 formed in a convex shape.
The ultrasonic probe 11 is formed so as to emit and receive ultrasonic waves to the side of the tip body 1 and scan in a fan shape. In this embodiment, an electronic scanning type ultrasonic probe is used as the ultrasonic probe 11, and scanning is performed in a plane parallel to the axis of the tip body 1. Reference numeral 4 indicates the scanning range.

The objective-side block 1a of the tip body 1 and the ultrasonic scanning unit 1b are fitted and connected, and can be rotated about the axis of the connecting portion. Then, the fitting portion has an O for sealing.
The ring 12 is attached to maintain the watertightness of the tip body 1.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a fixing screw for fixing the objective side block 1a and the ultrasonic scanning unit 1b, and if the fixing screw is tightened, the objective side block 1a and the ultrasonic scanning unit 1b are fixed and relatively. I can't rotate. Reference numeral 15 is a signal line passage of the ultrasonic probe 11.

8 is an inflatable and deflatable balloon formed in a balloon shape,
The tip body 1 is covered so as to surround the ultrasonic scanning portion 1b. The mouth portion is watertightly fixed to the outer peripheral portion near the connecting portion between the ultrasonic scanning portion 1b of the tip portion main body 1 and the objective side block 1a by a detachable ring 9.
Therefore, the ultrasonic probe 11 is surrounded by the balloon 8 and the observation window 2a is not surrounded by the balloon 8.

The tip portion of the balloon 11 is a double-sided adhesive tape 8a,
It is attached to the tip surface of the tip body 1. Therefore,
When degassed water is sent from the water supply port 7 into the balloon 8 through the water supply path 7a to inflate the balloon 8, the balloon 8 does not inflate forward but inflates laterally in accordance with the amount of water delivery. Therefore, the surface of the balloon 8 can be brought into close contact with the inspected part with a proper distance from the ultrasonic probe 11. In addition, when the balloon 8 is pressed against the subject,
The distance between the ultrasonic probe 11 and the test part is maintained without the balloon 8 being pushed by the test part and moving laterally to the tip portion main body 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, the balloon 8 has a double-sided adhesive tape 8a attached to the inner surface of the tip portion as shown in FIG. 8b is a non-adhesive sheet attached to the surface of the adhesive surface, and when the balloon 8 is attached to the tip body 1,
As shown in FIG. 4, the mouth portion of the balloon 8 is rolled, and the sheet 8b is removed from the adhesive surface of the double-sided adhesive tape 8a.

The balloon 8 attached to the tip body 1 is a ring 9
Can be removed and the double-sided adhesive tape can be peeled off to remove it from the tip portion main body 1.

It should be noted that the balloon 8 is not limited to the double-sided adhesive tape for fixing the balloon 8 to the front end surface of the front end body 1, but other sticking means or mechanical fixing means may be used.

As shown in FIG. 5, the outer surface of the balloon 8 is marked with a linear index 10 in the axial direction. Then, when the balloon 8 is attached to the tip end main body 1, the balloon 10 is attached so that the position of the index 10 coincides with the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving direction of the ultrasonic probe 11.

This index 10 falls within the observation visual field 2b of the observation optical system. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the inspection screen 49 of the endoscope is displayed.
The direction indicated by the index 10 observed inside is the ultrasonic wave emission / reception direction 4, that is, the ultrasonic wave scanning cross-section position, which the operator can always visually recognize.

FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of an ultrasonic endoscope, in which a tip body 1 is provided at the tip of a flexible endoscope insertion portion 20 that is inserted into a body cavity of a patient. In addition, the distal end side of the endoscope insertion portion 20 has a bending portion 21 that can be flexibly bent by remote control.
Are formed.

An operation section 30 is connected to the proximal end side of the endoscope insertion section 20. The operation section 30 includes a bending operation knob 31 for remotely controlling the bending amount of the bending section 21, an insertion port 3a for inserting the treatment tool 14 into the forceps channel 3, an air supply nozzle 5, and a water supply nozzle 6.
An air / water supply switch 32 for performing an operation of ejecting air and water from the device, a suction switch 33 for performing a suction operation via the forceps channel 3, and the like are provided.

Reference numeral 34 is a water injection port for sending degassed water into the balloon 8 and communicates with the water supply passage 7a. Reference numeral 35 is a suction conduit switching lever for switching the suction conduit to a forceps channel 3 and a drain conduit (not shown) from the balloon 8.

An eyepiece 40 having an eyepiece built therein is provided in a protruding manner on the operation unit 30, and the proximal end side of the image guide fiber bundle is arranged at the observation position. Therefore, the optical image of the surface of the subject portion formed by the objective unit 2 can be observed through the eyepiece unit 40.

Reference numeral 50 is a connector for connecting the incident end of the light guide fiber bundle for illumination to the light source device, 51 is an air / water supply socket, 52 is a vent mouthpiece, 53 is a suction nipple, and 54 is a functional ground terminal.

Further, 60 is a processing circuit that performs an electrical process on the ultrasonic probe 11. Reference numeral 61 is a CRT monitor for displaying and observing an ultrasonic tomographic image.

[Effect of device]

According to the ultrasonic endoscope of the present invention, the index formed on the balloon indicates the scanning cross-section position of the ultrasonic wave in the observation screen of the observation optical system, so that the ultrasonic tomographic image obtained by the ultrasonic probe is obtained. It is possible to see exactly where is on the surface of the part to be inspected, so that a correct diagnosis can be made, and it is also possible to accurately guide the treatment tool, etc. Have an effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial side sectional view of a distal end of an insertion portion of an ultrasonic endoscope of an embodiment, FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of the ultrasonic endoscope, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a balloon of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the balloon with its mouth portion rounded, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the balloon, FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an observation screen of an ultrasonic endoscope, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a tip portion of the ultrasonic endoscope, and FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing an observation screen of the conventional ultrasonic endoscope. 1 ... Tip body, 8 ... Balloon, 10 ... Index, 11 ...
… Ultrasonic probe, 20 …… Endoscope insertion part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An endoscope having an observation window of an observation optical system for obtaining an optical image of the surface of a subject and an ultrasonic probe for emitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to obtain an ultrasonic tomographic image of the subject. In an ultrasonic endoscope attached to the tip of the insertion part, an inflatable and deflatable balloon provided so as to surround the ultrasonic probe and not to surround the observation window, and to be within the observation field of view of the observation optical system. An ultrasonic endoscope having an index formed on the outer surface of the balloon in accordance with the ultrasonic wave emitting and receiving direction of the ultrasonic probe.