JPH10234855A - Catheter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a catheter which can smoothly discharge or draw in a fluid such as a medicinal liquid from a tube outer peripheral surface side. SOLUTION: A catheter tube 2 has a plurality of lumens 22, 23. On the outer peripheral surface of the catheter tube 2, an opening 24 which communicates the inside and the outside of the lumen 23, is formed. At a location closer to the leading end side from the location where the opening 24 is formed, a leading end sealing body 25 is provided. The leading end sealing body 25 seals several of the lumens 22, 23. On the base end side of the leading end sealing body 25, a fluid guiding slope 25a is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a catheter having a catheter tube having a plurality of lumens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a catheter has been known as a kind of medical instrument to be inserted into a body. A catheter tube having a diameter of several mm or less that constitutes a catheter is inserted into various tubes in a human body, such as blood vessels. The distal end of the catheter tube is guided to a desired site in the body, and performs a measuring operation (for example, measuring blood pressure) and a therapeutic operation (for example, expanding a blood vessel) at the site. For this reason, the catheter operator needs to reliably guide the distal end of the catheter tube to a desired site by an external operation.

[0003] By the way, the tube in the body is not always straight, but is often partially bent or branched. In addition, the diameter of the tube is not always constant, and the tube itself becomes thinner or obstructions (eg, thrombus) inside the tube.
The tube may be thinner due to Therefore, in a conventional catheter having no means for detecting a state in front of the catheter tube in the traveling direction, the operator has to rely only on his / her intuition to operate the tube. For this reason, inconvenience such as requiring skill is required to guide the distal end of the tube to a desired site.

Therefore, recently, a catheter 51 with a sensor mechanism has been proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned inconvenience. In the catheter 51 shown in FIG. 6, a sensor mechanism 52 is attached to a distal end side of a catheter tube 53.
The catheter tube 53 has two lumens 54, 5
Have five. One of them is assigned to the signal line lumen 54, and the other is assigned to the liquid circulation lumen 55. A flat cable 56 for taking out an output signal from the sensor mechanism 52 to the outside is accommodated in the signal line lumen 54.

Since the sensor mechanism 52 is located at the distal end of the catheter tube 53, liquid such as a drug solution or a contrast medium cannot be discharged from the distal end surface of the tube to the affected part. Accordingly, in this catheter 51, an opening 57 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the liquid flow lumen 55, and the inside and outside of the lumen 55 are communicated by the opening 57. Further, a distal end sealing body 58 for sealing the lumen 55 is located on the distal end side of the tube from the position where the opening 57 is formed.
Is provided. Therefore, the liquid is discharged from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube 52.

[0006]

However, in the case of the catheter 51 shown in FIG. 6, since the direction in which the liquid flows in the vicinity of the opening 57 must be changed by about 90 °, turbulence is liable to occur there. The resistance of the liquid also increases. Therefore, conventionally, it has been difficult to smoothly discharge the liquid from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube 52 through the opening 57. In addition, such a problem is caused by the tube 5
It was expected that as the diameter of No. 2 became smaller, it would become even more remarkable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a catheter capable of smoothly discharging or inhaling a fluid such as a chemical solution from the outer peripheral surface of a tube.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an opening is formed in an outer peripheral surface of a catheter tube having a plurality of lumens for communicating the inside and the outside of the lumen. The gist of the catheter is characterized in that a fluid guide slope is provided inside the lumen and near the opening.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, an opening for communicating the inside and the outside of the lumen is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the catheter tube having a plurality of lumens, and the opening is formed closer to the distal end of the tube than the position where the opening is formed. The gist of the catheter is a catheter in which some of the lumens are sealed by providing a distal end sealing body, wherein a fluid guide slope is provided on a proximal end side of the distal end sealing body.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the fluid guide slope is an R-shaped fluid guide slope recessed toward the tube tip side. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect, the distal end sealing body is made of a thermosetting resin.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the second to fourth aspects, the distal end sealing body is made of a biocompatible material. Hereinafter, the “action” of the present invention will be described.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the direction of the flow is changed by flowing the fluid along the fluid guiding slope, turbulence is less likely to occur near the opening.
Therefore, the resistance when the fluid flows is reduced, and the fluid is smoothly discharged or sucked from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the direction of the flow is changed by flowing the fluid along the fluid guiding slope, turbulence is less likely to occur near the opening.
Therefore, the resistance when the fluid flows is reduced, and the fluid is smoothly discharged or sucked from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube.
In addition, since the fluid guide slope is provided on the base end side of the distal end sealing body, unlike the case where a separate member is used, the number of parts is reduced, and the cost is reduced. Is done.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the fluid guide slope is concave toward the distal end of the tube,
As the fluid flows along the fluid guiding slope, the direction of the flow is changed rather than abruptly. Therefore, turbulence is more unlikely to occur, and the resistance when the fluid flows is further reduced.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the distal end sealing body is made of a thermosetting resin, even when the diameter of the catheter tube is reduced, the distal end sealing body having a desired shape can be relatively easily formed. Can be formed. Therefore, the manufacture of a small-diameter catheter is facilitated, and cost reduction is achieved.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the tip sealing body made of a biocompatible material does not cause a reaction with the in-vivo substance even when it comes into contact with the in-vivo substance. Therefore, a catheter suitable for use in a living body can be realized.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a catheter 1 having a sensor mechanism for detecting an obstacle will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

This vascular catheter 1 has a catheter tube (made of polyvinyl chloride, 1.6 mm in diameter in this embodiment) 2 to be inserted into a blood vessel and a proximal end of the tube 2 for operating the catheter outside the body. Operating means provided. The operating means is constituted by, for example, a plurality of wires inserted into the tube 2 and a wire operating unit for operating the wires. Also, at the base end of the tube 2,
A syringe for pumping a liquid such as a drug solution or a contrast agent is connected to the distal end side of the tube 2.

In the catheter 1 of the present embodiment, a sensor assembly 3 as a sensor formed separately from the catheter tube 2 is attached to the distal end side of the catheter tube 2.

The sensor assembly 3 has an outer tube 4 and an inner tube 5. The distal end side of the outer tube 4 serving as the outer tube member is a large-diameter portion 4a having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the catheter tube 2. On the other hand, the proximal end of the outer tube 4 is
The small diameter portion 4b has an outer diameter smaller than that of the small diameter portion 4a. The small diameter portion 4b is a portion that is fitted to the distal end opening of the catheter tube 2. Accordingly, a plurality of retaining grooves 6 extending in the circumferential direction are formed on the outer peripheral surface.
A piston 7 as a pressure receiving body is fitted in the distal opening of the outer tube 4 so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the tube 2. The joint between the piston 7 and the outer tube 4 is sealed by a sealing material 8.

The inner tube 5, which is the inner tube member, is a tubular member having a smaller outer diameter and a shorter length than the outer tube 4. The inner tube 5 is non-slidably fitted into the outer tube 4. A notch 9 is formed at one end of the inner tube 5 protruding into the large diameter portion 4a. A pedestal 11 is joined to the inner wall surface of the cutout 9 with an adhesive A1. On the pedestal 11, a semiconductor type pressure sensor chip 10 as a pressure sensing means is mounted. The bonding material A1 is obtained by hardening a fluid substance.

Most preferably, the bonding material A1 satisfies all three requirements: a) being made of an insulating material, b) being hard, and c) being made of a biocompatible material. In view of such circumstances, the present embodiment uses a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin. This is because the epoxy resin satisfies all the above three requirements.

A back pressure chamber 19 may be formed between the upper surface of the pedestal 11 and the lower surface of the sensor chip 10, as shown in FIG. Further, the back pressure chamber 19 includes the pedestal 1.
It may be connected to the relative pressure region via a back pressure hole (not shown) formed in the first pressure sensor.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the semiconductor pressure sensor chip 10 has a thin portion at the center. A strain gauge 12 is formed on the upper surface of the thin portion. A plurality of unillustrated bonding pads are formed on the upper surface of the sensor chip 10. These bonding pads and the relay tabs 14 of the flat cable 13 are electrically connected via bonding wires 15. The flat cable 13 passes through the inside of the catheter tube 2 and reaches the base end of the tube 2.

As shown in FIG. 1A and the like, the bonding material A 1 seals a gap between the lower surface and the side surface of the pedestal 11 and the inner wall surface of the cutout portion 9 of the inner tube 5. As a result, the pedestal 11 is fixed to the inner tube 5. In addition, in the region near the base end of the pedestal 11 and the sensor chip 10, the bonding material A 1 also goes upward and seals the through hole of the inner tube 5 in a non-penetrating state. Accordingly, the pressure barrier 16 is located at a position slightly closer to the base end than the notch 9 inside the inner tube 5.
Are formed. The pressure barrier 16 entirely seals the bonding wire 15 drawn from the sensor chip 10. The medium barrier space 17 is defined in the outer tube 4 by the pressure barrier 16. The medium housing space 17 is filled with a silicone gel 18 as a pressure transmission medium. The pressure barrier 16 functions to prevent the silicone gel 18 from flowing toward the proximal end of the tube 2.

Next, sensing by the catheter 1 will be described. When the situation of the front end of the catheter tube 2 in the traveling direction changes, the insertion resistance of the tube 2 changes, and accordingly, the pressure acting on the piston 7 also changes. For example, when there is an obstacle (thrombus, tumor, or the like) or a stenosis site inside the blood vessel into which the tube 2 is inserted, the insertion resistance is increased by pressing the head of the sensor assembly 3 against the site. . Accordingly, the pressure acting on the piston 7 also increases accordingly. When such a change occurs, the pressure of the silicone gel 18 filled in the medium accommodating space 17 increases, and as a result, the pressure applied to the thin portion of the sensor chip 10 also increases. That is, the change in pressure occurring outside the sensor assembly 3 is transmitted to the sensor chip 1 via the silicone gel 18.
0 indirectly. Then, the strain in the thin portion of the sensor chip 10 increases, and the resistance value of the strain gauge 12 on the thin portion changes. At this time, the sensor chip 10 outputs the change in pressure as an electric signal to the outside. The output electric signal is input / processed via a bonding wire 15 and a flat cable 13 into an electric circuit at the base end of the tube 2, and thereby visualized. Therefore, the operator can reliably detect the situation ahead in the traveling direction, that is, the presence or absence of an obstacle or stenosis, using the visualized data as a judgment material. That is, by operating the wire in the above case, the operator only has to turn the head of the sensor assembly 3 in such a direction as to reduce the pressure.

Next, the liquid ejection structure of the catheter 1 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, a separation wall 2 is provided inside the catheter tube 2.
There is one. The separation wall 21 divides the inside of the tube 2 into two regions along the axial direction of the tube 2.
The separation wall 21 defines a signal line lumen 22 and a liquid distribution lumen 23. Both lumens 2
Both 2 and 23 have a semicircular cross section. The flat cable 13 is accommodated in the signal line lumen 22.
In the liquid distribution lumen 23, a liquid medicine, a contrast agent, and the like as a liquid can flow. The reason for supplying the contrast agent is to grasp the position of the sensor assembly 3 in more detail by imaging the blood vessel. Examples of the drug solution include a thrombolytic agent.

The catheter tube 2 has a liquid discharge port 24 as an opening on the outer peripheral surface. The liquid discharge port 24 communicates the inside and outside of the liquid distribution lumen 23. Therefore, the liquid supplied from the proximal end side of the tube 2 is supplied to the affected part by being discharged from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube 2 through the liquid discharge port 24.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the catheter tube 2 has a distal end seal 25. The distal end sealing body 25 seals at the distal end only the liquid circulation lumen 23 among the two lumens 22 and 23. The tip sealing body 25 is located near the position where the liquid discharge port 24 is formed, and is located on the tip side of the tube 2 therefrom. Further, a fluid guide slope 25 a is provided on the base end side of the distal end sealing body 25. The fluid guide slope 25 a is located inside the lumen 23 and near the liquid discharge port 24. In FIG. 1A, the fluid guide slope 25a is located almost directly below the liquid discharge port 24.

In this embodiment, the tip sealing body 25 is formed by using a thermosetting resin material such as an epoxy resin in the following procedure. First, a predetermined portion of the tube 2 is filled with an uncured resin. After that, the resin is cured by heating to form a front end sealing body 25. By the way, when the resin is filled, the end face naturally sags due to the fluidity of the resin, and a smooth slope is formed there. Therefore, the slope on the base end side among the slopes thus formed may be used as the fluid guide slope 25a. The reason why the epoxy resin is selected in the present embodiment is that it is a thermosetting material, is a biocompatible material, and is inexpensive. In addition, a smooth fluid guide slope 25a
This is because, when the liquid is formed, the resistance when the liquid flows is reduced.

Now, the characteristic effects of this embodiment will be enumerated below. (A) In this catheter 1, the above-described fluid guide slope 25a is provided inside the liquid distribution lumen 23 and near the liquid discharge port 24. Therefore, the liquid reaching the base end side of the distal end sealing body 25 hits the fluid guide slope 25a from an oblique direction and flows along the slope of the fluid guide slope 25a. As a result, the direction of the liquid flow is changed by about 90 °. Therefore, unlike the conventional structure in which the liquid collides perpendicularly with the tip sealing body, turbulence is less likely to occur near the liquid discharge port 24. Therefore,
The resistance when the liquid flows in the tube 2 is also reduced, and the liquid can be smoothly supplied to the outer peripheral surface side of the tube 2.

(B) In this catheter 1, a fluid guide surface 25a is provided on the proximal end side of the distal end sealing body 25. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a separate member for providing the fluid guiding slope 25a. Therefore, unlike the case of adopting such a configuration, the number of parts can be reduced,
As a result, cost reduction can be achieved.

(C) In this catheter 1, a tip sealing body 25 made of a thermosetting resin is used. Therefore, even when the diameter of the catheter tube 2 is reduced, the distal end sealing body 25 having a desired shape can be formed through a relatively simple process of filling and thermosetting. Accordingly, the manufacture of the small-diameter catheter 1 is facilitated, and at that time, cost reduction is also achieved. Particularly, the epoxy resin used in the present embodiment has an advantage that it has suitable thermosetting properties and is inexpensive.

(D) In this catheter 1, a tip sealing body 25 made of a biocompatible material is used. Therefore, even when the tip sealing body 25 comes into contact with a biological substance such as blood, a reaction with the biological substance does not occur. Therefore, there is no possibility that a thrombus or the like is generated, and the catheter 1 suitable for use in a living body can be realized.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be modified to the following forms, for example. O It is good also as composition like catheter 31 of another example shown in Drawing 2. The catheter tube 32 of the catheter 31 has three lumens 22 and 23 formed therein. And two of them are allocated to the lumen 23 for liquid distribution. In the two lumens 23, distal end sealing bodies 33 each having a fluid guide slope 33a on the proximal end side are provided. However, unlike in the embodiment, the fluid guide slope 33a is
2 are rounded fluid guiding slopes 33a that are concave on the tip side. Therefore, in this catheter 31, when the liquid flows along the R-shaped fluid guiding slope 33a, the direction of the flow is gradually changed instead of abruptly. Therefore, turbulence is less likely to occur, and the resistance when the liquid flows is further reduced. As a result, the liquid was transferred to tube 3
2 can be more smoothly supplied to the outer peripheral surface side.

The configuration may be similar to that of another example of the catheter 36 shown in FIG. In this catheter 36, the liquid flow port 37 is perforated so as to be inclined toward the distal end side of the tube 2. The inclination angle is equal to the inclination angle of the fluid guide slope 25a. for that reason,
With this configuration, the resistance when the liquid flows is much smaller than in the configuration of the embodiment. As a result, the liquid can be more smoothly discharged from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube 2.

As in another catheter 41 shown in FIG. 4, a fluid guide slope 43a is provided on a part of a member 43 separate from the distal end sealing member 42, and the fluid guide slope 43a is provided.
3 may be arranged. In this case, the member 43 is fixed with an adhesive or the like.

◎ It may be configured as a catheter 46 of another example shown in FIG. In the catheter 46, a tongue piece 44 is formed at a part of the liquid discharge port 43 of the tube 2. The tongue piece 44 hangs in the lumen 23 in an inclined state. One side surface of such a tongue piece 47 may function as the fluid guiding slope 47a.

The fluid guide slope may be formed on the pressure barrier 16, the separation wall 21 of the tube 2, or the like. Further, it may be formed on the tube members 4 and 5 of the sensor assembly 3.

◎ The openings are liquid discharge ports 24, 37, 4
It is not limited to three, but may be a liquid inlet for collecting blood or other body fluids. The tip sealing body 25 having the shape as in the embodiment can be formed by a method other than the method of filling and thermosetting a thermosetting resin. For example, the fluid guide slope 25a
Alternatively, a method may be adopted in which the distal end sealing body 25 provided with the above is manufactured in advance by die molding or the like, and is inserted into the lumen 23.

Here, in addition to the technical ideas described in the claims, the technical ideas grasped by the above-described embodiments are listed below together with their effects. (1) The catheter according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the distal end sealing body is made of an epoxy resin. With this configuration, it is possible to further reduce the cost because an inexpensive material is used.

(2) The catheter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the opening is perforated so as to be inclined toward the distal end of the tube.
With this configuration, a fluid such as a chemical solution can be more smoothly discharged or sucked from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube as compared with a case where the opening is not perforated so as to be inclined.

(3) The catheter according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein a proximal end surface of the distal end sealing body is smooth. With this configuration, a fluid such as a chemical solution can be more smoothly discharged or sucked from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube.

The technical terms used in the present specification are defined as follows. "Biocompatible material: a material having low reactivity with blood, body fluid, lymph, and other biological substances, such as resins such as silicone resin, epoxy resin, polyvinyl chloride, metals such as stainless steel and gold, alumina, There are ceramics such as zirconia. "

[0045]

As described above in detail, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a catheter capable of smoothly discharging or inhaling a fluid such as a drug solution from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a catheter capable of smoothly discharging or inhaling a fluid such as a drug solution from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube.
In addition, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the resistance when the fluid flows is further reduced, so that the fluid can be more smoothly discharged or sucked from the outer peripheral surface side of the tube.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily manufacture a small-diameter catheter and to achieve cost reduction. According to the invention described in claim 5, a catheter suitable for use in a living body can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a distal end portion of a catheter according to a first embodiment, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
(C) is a sectional view taken along line BB in (a).

2A is a partial cross-sectional view of a distal end portion of another example of a catheter, FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 2A, and FIG.
2 is a sectional view taken along line DD in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a distal end portion of another example of a catheter.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a distal end portion of another example of a catheter.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a distal end portion of another example of a catheter.

FIG. 6 (a) is a partial cross-sectional view of a tip portion of a conventional catheter, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in (a), (c).
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line FF in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 31, 36, 41, 46: catheter with sensor mechanism, 2, 32: catheter tube, 22: lumen for signal line, 23: lumen for liquid flow, 24, 37, 43
... fluid discharge ports as openings, 25, 33, 43 ... tip sealing bodies, 25a, 33a, 43a, 44a ... fluid guide slopes, 33a ... round fluid guide slopes.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A catheter in which an opening for communicating the inside and the outside of the lumen is formed on an outer peripheral surface of a catheter tube having a plurality of lumens, a fluid guide slope is provided inside the lumen and near the opening. And catheter. 2. An outer peripheral surface of a catheter tube having a plurality of lumens, an opening for communicating the inside and the outside of the lumen is formed, and a distal end sealing body is provided on the tube distal end side from a position where the opening is formed. A catheter in which some of the lumens are sealed, wherein a fluid guide slope is provided on a proximal end side of the distal end sealing body. 3. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the fluid guide slope is an R-shaped fluid guide slope which is concave toward the distal end of the tube. 4. The catheter according to claim 2, wherein the distal end sealing body is made of a thermosetting resin. 5. The catheter according to claim 2, wherein the distal end sealing body is made of a biocompatible material.