JPH08126603A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an endoscope capable of obtaining the state in the body of an examinee on the basis of sight data and hearing data in endoscopic examination. CONSTITUTION: A light guide 10 emitting illumination light, an object lens 11 taking in the light image in the body, a CCD element 12 taking the light image transmitted through the object lens 11 to convert the same to an image signal, an optical element 13 formed from a filter cutting off unnecessary light such as infrared rays and a microphone 21 detecting the sound in the body through a waterproof film are provided in an endoscope 1. The image signal converted by the CCD element 12 is sent to a TV monitor through the object lens 11 to project an image on the screen thereof and the sound signal formed by the microphone 21 is sent to the TV monitor to output a sound from the speaker of the microphone 21. By this constitution, an operator can obtain the sight data and hearing data in the body of an examinee.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope capable of observing an image inside the body of a subject by inserting the tip thereof into the body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a device as shown in FIG. 3 has been known as an endoscope. The endoscope includes an endoscope main body 100 that detects an image inside the body of the subject M and generates a video signal,
A light source 102 that supplies illumination light to the endoscope main body 100 via an optical fiber cable 101, a TV monitor 103 that displays a video signal from the endoscope main body 100 as an image,
It is composed of a video 104 for recording the image on the TV monitor 103.

In actual clinical practice, as shown in FIG. 3, the endoscope body 100 is directly inserted into the body of the subject M. Then, the light from the light source 102 is guided by the optical fiber cable 101 to illuminate the inside of the subject M brightly, and the diagnostic treatment is performed while observing the lesion with the naked eye.

[0004]

Needless to say, various sounds generated in the body of the subject M, such as heartbeat and respiratory noise, are important diagnostic factors in endoscopic examination and treatment. . Also, if the surgeon can hear the sound generated inside the body during surgery, such as the sound of burning tissue with a laser device or an electric knife, the sound generated when using forceps, it will be added to the visual information. It is useful for grasping the status of surgery in the form of an arrow. However, with the above-mentioned conventional endoscope, only image information can be obtained,
Further, heartbeat sounds and the like are inspected and managed by an operator different from the operator using a device different from the endoscope.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an endoscope capable of obtaining the internal condition of a subject by visual information and auditory information in endoscopic examination and treatment. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a light irradiation unit that irradiates illumination light, an optical unit that captures an optical image of the inside of the body of the subject that has been brightened by the light irradiation unit, and an optical image captured through the optical unit is imaged to obtain a video signal. In the endoscope which inserts the tip of a scope having an imaging means for converting into a body of a subject, and projects a video signal from the imaging means on a display means as an image of the body of the subject, The sound detector includes sound detection means for collecting sound in the body of the subject to generate a sound signal, and sound output means for outputting the sound signal from the sound detection means as sound.

[0007]

According to the structure of the present invention, the following effects are obtained. When the scope is inserted into the body of the subject, the illumination light provided to the scope illuminates the region of interest in the body with illumination light. Then, the optical image of the region of interest brightened by the illumination light is captured via the optical means. This light image is picked up by the image pickup means and converted into a video signal, and this video signal is sent to the display means. At the same time, the body sound of the subject and the sound generated in the body during the surgery are collected by the voice detection means to generate a voice signal, and the voice signal is sent to the voice output means. Then, the image inside the body of the subject is displayed on the display unit, and the sound output unit outputs the sound generated in the body of the subject. Therefore, the surgeon performs excision surgery on the lesion in the body, for example, using an electric scalpel while grasping the condition inside the body of the subject by video and voice.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration inside a distal end of a scope.

The endoscope of this embodiment has a scope 1 for detecting an image of the inside of the body of a subject M, a light source 3 for supplying illumination light to the scope 1 via an optical fiber cable 2, and a scope 1 to be described later. And a TV monitor 4 as a sound output means and a speaker with a speaker for outputting the audio signal from the scope 1 as audio, and a video 5 for recording the video and audio on the TV monitor 4. It consists of The configuration of the scope 1 will be described below.

The scope 1 comprises a tip portion 1a formed in a rod shape having a small diameter, and a hand portion 1b formed in a diameter larger than the tip portion 1a. As shown in FIG. 2, a light guide 10 as a light irradiating means formed of an optical fiber bundle extending from the optical fiber cable 2 is inserted inside the tip portion 1a, and illuminating light is radiated from the tip thereof. I try to make my body brighter. Also, the tip 1a
An objective lens 11 as an optical means for taking in an optical image inside the body, and a CCD (Ch as an imaging means for taking an optical image transmitted through the objective lens 11 and converting it into a video signal inside the tip of the
an arge coupled device) element 12 and an optical element 13 provided between the objective lens 11 and the CCD element 12 and formed by a filter or the like for blocking unnecessary light such as infrared rays. CCD element 1 through objective lens 11
The video signal converted in 2 is sent to the TV monitor 4 and a video is displayed on its screen.

Further, on the inner side near the tip of the tip 1a,
A microphone 21 as an ultra-small voice detecting means is provided through a waterproof film 20 for preventing the inflow of blood or body fluid.
The microphone 21 is equipped with
Body sounds and sounds generated in the body during surgery are collected to generate an audio signal. The sound signal generated by the microphone 21 is sent to the TV monitor 4 and sound is output from the speaker.

With the above structure, when the abdomen of the subject M is to be endoscopically examined or treated, the abdominal epidermis layer M of the subject M is first
If necessary, a plurality of trocars (T
rocar) T is attached. This trocar T is formed in a hollow shape, and has the tip portion 1 of the scope 1 described above.
a and surgical tools such as a laser and an electric scalpel are guided from the outside to the inside of the abdomen. Also, Trocar T
Is designed to maintain the airtightness of the inside to which the gas described later is supplied. An insufflation device is connected to the trocar T via a valve (not shown), and carbon dioxide gas (CO ₂ ) or the like is supplied from the insufflation device into the abdomen. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 1, the abdominal cavity M as a work area
b is formed, and an operation is performed in this abdominal cavity Mb.

Through the trocar T, the tip of the scope 1 is inserted toward the abdominal cavity Mb, and a surgical instrument is inserted if necessary. Next, the illumination light is supplied from the light source 3 to the scope 1 via the optical fiber cable 2, so that the abdominal cavity Mb is illuminated with the illumination light from the tip of the light guide 10 to brighten the abdominal cavity Mb. Abdominal space Mb
The image of is projected by the objective lens 11 onto the image pickup surface of the CCD element 12, where it is converted into a video signal and guided to the TV monitor 4. Then, an image of the abdominal cavity Mb is displayed on the screen of the TV monitor 4. The operator, while observing the image displayed on the screen of the TV monitor 4,
The affected part of the subject M is excised using an electric knife F or the like.

The body sound of the subject M and the sound generated in the abdominal cavity Mb during surgery are collected by the microphone 21 to generate an audio signal, and this audio signal is sent to the TV monitor 4 and its speaker. Sound is output. In this way, since the video and audio are output to the TV monitor 4, the operator observes the internal condition of the subject M with the video and audio,
For example, the lesion in the abdominal cavity Mb can be excised using an electric knife F or the like.

As described above, the sound generated from the TV monitor 4 during the operation, for example, the sound generated when the tissue is burned or excised when the affected area is removed using an electric knife or a laser, Further, since the sound or the like generated when crushing a calculus is directly obtained, the operator can obtain information that cannot be obtained only by visual information with auditory information. Therefore,
The operator will be able to pay more attention to the surgery.

Further, as described above, in the endoscopic examination and treatment, carbon dioxide gas or the like must be supplied into the body of the subject M in order to form the abdominal cavity Mb which is the working area. This carbon dioxide gas is easily dissolved in blood, but if carbon dioxide gas is excessively supplied, it may remain in the blood vessel as a gas without being dissolved in blood, and the subject M may be in a dangerous state. Therefore, by using the endoscope of the above-mentioned embodiment, it is possible to hear the abnormal sound of the heart sound generated when gas is generated in the blood vessel, so that it is possible to prevent excessive supply of carbon dioxide gas. .

In the above embodiment, the endoscope is used for observing the abdomen, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various types of endoscopes according to the observation can be provided with the above-mentioned voice detecting means. The microphone may be provided.

In the above embodiment, the microphone 2 is used.
1 is provided near the tip of the tip 1a, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when noise such as noise generated during surgery is to be isolated, the microphone 2 is provided near the center of the tip 1a.
1 may be provided.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above description, the endoscope of the present invention has the following effects. Since the image of the inside of the subject's body and the body sound can be obtained, a separate device for the body sound is unnecessary, and since the operator himself can hear the body sound, another operator is not required.

Sound generated during surgery, for example, sound generated when tissue is burned or excised when an affected area is removed by using an electric knife or laser, and also generated when calculi are crushed Because the sound that you make is directly obtained, the surgeon
Information that cannot be obtained only with visual information can be obtained with auditory information. Therefore, the operator can pay more attention to the operation and is less likely to fail.

When carbon dioxide or the like is supplied into the body of the subject to form the abdominal cavity, an abnormal sound of the heart sound generated when a large amount of carbon dioxide is supplied into the blood vessel can be heard, so that it is excessive. Poisoning of the subject due to carbon dioxide can be avoided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an endoscope of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a scope.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional endoscope.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Scope 2 ... Optical fiber cable 3 ... Light source 4 ... TV monitor (display means, sound output means) 10 ... Light guide (light irradiation means) 11 ... Objective lens (optical means) 12 ... CCD element (imaging means) 13 ... Optical element 20 ... Waterproof film 21 ... Microphone (voice detection means)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light irradiating means for irradiating illumination light, an optical means for taking in an optical image of the inside of the body of a subject brightened by the light irradiating means, and an optical image taken in through the optical means. In the endoscope which inserts the tip of a scope having an image pickup means for converting the image signal into a video signal, and inserts the image signal from the image pickup means into a display means as an image of the inside of the body of the subject, The scope is provided with a voice detection unit that collects a sound in the body of the subject to generate a voice signal, and a voice output unit that outputs the voice signal from the voice detection unit as a voice. Endoscope.