JPS6021046Y2 - Laser conductor cutting detection device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a cutting detection device for a laser conductor used in a laser scalpel or the like.

Recently, laser scalpels have been used for surgery inside body cavities. Lasers are guided to the desired location using a conductor made of glass fiber or other material covered with a covering material. If it is cut in the middle, the laser light will leak from that point, loosen the covering material, and radiate outward, creating a dangerous situation.

Particularly when using a guide tube for guiding a laser conductor into a body cavity or when the guide tube is also used as a forceps introduction tube for an endoscope, if the laser conductor inserted into the guide tube or forceps introduction tube is cut, the guide tube or This is extremely dangerous as the forceps introduction tube may be unraveled and the laser may irradiate the body cavity wall at that point, and even if such an accident occurs inside the body cavity, the operator will not be aware of it. It is.

In order to eliminate the above-mentioned dangerous situation, this invention wires a conductor along the guide tube and forceps introduction tube, and uses electricity to eliminate the melting of the conductor and resistance changes that occur when the laser conductor is cut and the laser is irradiated. The purpose of this is to detect the cutting of a laser conductor by detecting the cutting of the laser conductor.

Figure 1 shows a laser conductor guide tube 2 into which the laser conductor 1 of a laser scalpel is inserted, and along the outside (or inside) of the guide tube 2, a conductor made of a material that is relatively easy to melt and can be cut, such as a fuse, is shown. One or more conductive wires 3 are arranged, and the rear ends of the conductive wires 3 are connected to the detector 4 as shown in FIG.

The detector 4 may be connected to a laser light source 5 to turn off the laser light source 5 when an abnormality is detected, or may be connected to an alarm device (not shown).

According to the above configuration, when the laser conductor 1 is cut in the middle and the laser light leaks, the conductor 3 is fused, and the detector 4 detects the fusion and determines whether to turn off the laser light source 5 or activate the alarm device as described above. This is to notify the user that the conductor has been cut.

In addition to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, the fusing conductor may be wound spirally around the guide tube 2 as shown in FIG. 3.

Alternatively, it may be embedded within the wall thickness of the guide tube, or may be wrapped around the guide tube and further covered with a tube.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, one or more conductive wires 3 are arranged around the guide tube, and the conductive wires 3 are connected to a detector 4.

According to this embodiment, a change in the temperature resistance of the conducting wire 3 caused by the laser light leaked by the cutting of the wire 1 is detected, and the light source is turned off or an alarm device is activated in the same manner as in the above embodiment.

In this embodiment, as in the above-mentioned embodiment, the conductor may be wired in any manner, for example, it may be spirally wound around the guide tube 2 as shown in FIG. It may be embedded within the guide tube or wrapped around the guide tube with a tube.

In yet another embodiment, a plurality of conductive wires 3 are wired around the guide tube 2 as shown in FIG. 6, and a change in resistance between the conductive wires 3 due to melting of the guide tube 2 caused by laser light leakage is detected. In this embodiment, as in the above-mentioned embodiments, the wiring of the conductive wire may be arbitrary, and the guide tube may be coated with a conductive agent.

Although each of the above embodiments has been explained using the guide tube for the laser conductor, when the forceps introduction tube of the endoscope is also used as the guide tube for the laser conductor, a conductor can be attached to the forceps introduction tube in the same manner as in the above embodiments. All you have to do is wire it.

According to the present invention, the cutting force value of the laser conductor can be immediately detected by providing a conductive wire along the guide tube and forceps introduction tube, and the laser light leakage at invisible points in the body cavity can be detected. Because it detects light immediately, it is possible to prevent accidents caused by light leakage.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an overall explanatory diagram including a laser light source and a detector, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing other wiring of the conductor, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the conducting wire in another embodiment of the invention, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing another wiring of the conducting wire, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the invention. 1... Laser conductor, 2... Guide tube,
3... Conductor.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A laser conductor cutting detection device characterized in that a conductive wire is wired over the entire length of a guide tube or forceps introduction tube built into an endoscope for guiding a laser conductor, and the conductive wire is connected to a detector.