JPH08233701A - Exhalation sampling tube and exhalation sampling determination unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To surely determine exhalation being sampled into an exhalation sampling tube from a subject. CONSTITUTION: A straw 3, a thin air ventilation tube 4, and a syphon detector 5 penetrate a rubber plug 2 fitted to the opening of an exhalation sampling tube 1. The straw 3 is used for blowing exhalation and the thin air ventilation tube 4 is used for discharging the residual air in the tube 1. The syphon detector 5 detects the level of a liquid 6 in the tube 1 which varies depending on the temperature variation caused by the exhalation principally comprising carbon dioxide gas.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exhalation collection confirmation device for an exhalation collection tube, which is required for the purpose of analysis such as diagnosis and analysis of lesions using carbon dioxide gas in exhalation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of analysis for clinical diagnosis or lesion diagnosis and analysis using carbon dioxide in exhaled breath is, for example, administration of a compound labeled with a stable carbon isotope ¹³ C to a subject, and then exhaled breath of the subject. There is a method for diagnosing and analyzing the extent of digestion, absorption, and metabolism of the compound by detecting and measuring the stable isotope carbon dioxide ¹³ CO ₂ , which is used to diagnose the digestive system,
For example, it is one of the useful methods for gastric ulcer and gastric cancer.

For this, the breath of the subject is used as a sample, and the collection is performed by the subject breathing into the breath collection tube.

[0004]

In order to accurately perform this diagnosis and analysis, it is necessary to collect a sufficient amount of exhaled carbon dioxide gas in the exhaled air collection tube to obtain stable results. It is absolutely necessary to obtain reproducible results.

However, since exhaled breath is invisible, it was not possible to confirm whether or not a sufficient amount of exhaled breath was collected. In particular, despite the differences in sex, age difference, physical strength difference, medical condition difference, etc., in order to collect a sufficient amount of exhaled carbon dioxide gas, the total amount of exhaled air to be blown must be increased or decreased. Since it was not possible to confirm the success or failure, this improvement was eagerly awaited.

In view of this situation, the present invention aims to provide an exhalation collection confirmation device for an exhalation collection tube for use at the exhalation collection site.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The gist of the present invention is that a rubber plug fitted into the opening of an exhalation collection tube has a straw for blowing inhalation and an air remaining in the tube is expelled. The exhalation collection confirmation for the exhalation collection tube which is made by inserting the air bleeding tube for the purpose and the siphon detector that raises the liquid level of the liquid held inside due to the temperature change due to the exhalation of carbon dioxide On the device.

[0008]

Next, the operation of the present invention having the above configuration will be described. First, the rubber plug 2 through which the straw 3, the air bleeding thin tube 4, and the siphon detector 5 penetrate is attached to the exhalation collection tube 1
And is held almost vertically as shown in FIG.

At this time, the two liquid surfaces of the siphon detector 5, that is, the upper liquid surface inside the siphon detector 5 and the lower liquid surface of the lower gas, which are continued from the upper gas, are below the rubber stopper 2 and substantially coincide with each other. Check that This is necessary to visually confirm this state when the temperatures of the upper gas and the lower gas are almost equal.

If the two liquid surfaces are widely separated, the rubber stopper 2 can be slowly moved to the side or upside down to mix and equilibrate the upper gas and the lower gas.

Since the air inside the tube 1 and the outside air are connected by the air bleeding tube 4, before exhalation,
The upper liquid level coincides with the lower liquid level.

Next, the straw 3 is put in the mouth and exhaled air is passed through the straw 3 and blown into the exhaled air collecting tube 1. Straw 3
Since the outlet is located near the bottom of the exhalation collection tube 1, since the carbon dioxide gas in the exhalation is heavier than air, it collects from the bottom and the upper air is exhausted from the air venting thin tube 4. When a sufficient amount of exhaled air is blown, the exhaled air mainly composed of carbon dioxide gas in the exhaled air is accumulated in the collection tube 1.

On the other hand, in the normal collection state, the air temperature at the collection site is lower than the body temperature of the person, and the exhaled air blown into it is almost equal to the body temperature. It will gradually accumulate.

Accordingly, when a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide gas as the main component is filled in the exhalation collection tube 1, the gas below the siphon detector 5 located below the rubber stopper 2 is passed through the thin glass wall. It will warm up.

When the lower gas is heated, the volume of the lower gas expands due to the temperature difference, and the gas pressure in the lower gas container increases. On the other hand, since the upper gas is in contact with the outside air through the thin glass wall, the air temperature is still the same, and therefore the pressure of the upper gas is the same as before the exhalation.

Therefore, the liquid 6 is pushed up into the capillary siphon portion by the weight equal to the pressure difference between the lower gas and the upper gas generated here. By observing the upper liquid surface pushed up above the rubber stopper 2,
It is possible to easily confirm whether or not a sufficient amount of exhaled carbon dioxide is accumulated in the exhaled gas collection tube.

After the confirmation, the rubber plug 2 through which the siphon detector is inserted is removed and sealed with a normal rubber plug. Even when exchanging the rubber stopper, the exhaled air mainly composed of carbon dioxide is heavier than the air,
There is no danger of being dissipated.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are operation explanatory views of a siphon detector. In the figure, 1 is an exhalation collection tube. Reference numeral 2 is a rubber plug fitted into the opening of the exhalation collection tube 1. The present apparatus comprises the rubber plug 2, a straw, an air bleeding tube, and a siphon detector, which will be described later.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a straw which is inserted into the rubber plug 2 and is for inhaling breath. Reference numeral 4 denotes an air vent thin tube inserted through the rubber plug 2 for discharging air remaining in the tube. Furthermore, 5 is a siphon detector which is inserted through the rubber plug 2 and which raises the liquid level of the liquid 6 held therein according to the temperature change due to the filling of the exhaled gas mainly composed of carbon dioxide gas.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
The straw 3 and the air-bleeding thin tube 4 are inserted into the rubber stopper 2, and the breath-collecting tube 1 is held through the grip 8 attached to the detector holder 7, and the outlet of the air-bleeding thin tube 4 is connected to the siphon detector 5. It is arranged so as to be adjacent to the lower gas portion 9. In this way, the obtained operation and effect are exactly the same as those in the above-mentioned embodiment, but further, in addition to the ease of manufacturing the rubber stopper, the exhalation collection tube 1 and the siphon detector 5 can be easily attached and detached. The excellent effect is obtained.

[0021]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION Since the present invention has the above-described structure and operation, it is possible to confirm whether or not the exhaled air blown by the subject is surely collected in the exhalation collecting tube.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the operation of the siphon detector.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of a siphon detector.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Breath collection tube 2 Rubber stopper 3 Straw 4 Air bleeding tube 5 Siphon detector 6 Liquid 7 Detector holder 8 Grip 9 Lower gas part

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A rubber stopper fitted into the opening of an exhalation collection tube, a straw for blowing inhaled air, an air bleeding tube for exhausting air remaining in the tube, and an expiratory gas filled mainly with carbon dioxide gas. An exhalation collection confirmation device for an exhalation collection tube that is inserted through a siphon detector that raises the liquid level of the liquid held inside according to the temperature change due to.