JPWO2007034712A1 - Capsule endoscope cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

In the prior art, it has been difficult to cleanly clean the capsule endoscope locked to the collecting means. Therefore, not only is this cleaning operation complicated for the subject who collects the capsule endoscope, but also there is a problem that water must be flowed many times, and water is wasted. In the present invention, the capsule endoscope collected on the net part of the collecting means is washed by the washing means connected to the drying surface of the toilet bowl. The cleaning means supplies the cleaning liquid from a cleaning liquid tank (not shown) inside the toilet bowl, guides the cleaning liquid through the flow path, and discharges the cleaning liquid from the discharge hole toward the psel endoscope on the mesh unit.

Description

  The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a capsule endoscope excreted outside the body.

  A known endoscope apparatus has a tubular insertion portion having an image pickup device or the like at the tip, an operation portion connected to the insertion portion by a flexible tube, an image processing device, a display device, and the like. Is inserted into the body of the subject, and the desired site in the body is displayed on the display device, whereby the desired site can be observed and inspected. However, such an endoscope apparatus has a problem that the flexible tube connected to the insertion portion passes through the throat of the subject while observing the inside of the body, causing pain to the subject. Also, due to the thickness, length, and complicated shape of the insertion portion, only a skilled doctor or medical technician can operate the apparatus, observe or inspect.

  In view of such circumstances, there is a so-called capsule endoscope in which a solid-state imaging device having a photographing optical system is housed in a capsule-shaped main body not provided with a flexible tube. (See Patent Document 1). The capsule endoscope includes wireless communication means for transmitting image data captured in the body from the body, and transmits the captured image data to a display device isolated from the capsule endoscope to display the organ. Can be observed and inspected. This capsule endoscope keeps taking images of the subject's body until it is inserted from the subject's throat and excreted from the anus, so observation and inspection of the small intestine and other parts that were difficult with conventional endoscope devices It can be done easily and is highly expected.

  By the way, in recent years, if the capsule endoscope excreted outside the body after being examined is discharged into the sewer as it is, there is a risk of leaking image data in the body of the imaged subject or a risk of polluting the natural world. Therefore, there is an increasing need to collect the excreted capsule endoscope. In addition, when using a capsule endoscope that has a function of collecting a lesion in the body and storing the lesion inside, it is necessary to remove the lesion from the excreted capsule endoscope. Must.

Therefore, in order to collect the excreted capsule endoscope, a grid-like collecting means is installed in the toilet puddle so as to close the drain, and the excreted capsule endoscope is locked by this collecting means. Then, a method of collecting is proposed (see Patent Document 2). Since the stool adheres to the capsule endoscope locked by the collecting means, water is poured into the toilet bowl, and the stool adhering to the water is washed and then collected.
JP 7-289504 A JP 2004-267350 A

  However, in the above-described prior art, in order to cleanly wash the stool adhering to the capsule endoscope, it is not sufficient that the toilet is once flushed with water. In the single cleaning, the capsule endoscope itself is not cleaned cleanly by cleaning the inside of the puddle. Therefore, at least two cleanings are necessary. In particular, in the recently used cleaning methods using the siphon principle such as the siphon type and the siphon set type, the emphasis is on sucking the stool into the drainage channel and washing it away. It was difficult to clean the endoscope cleanly. Therefore, not only is this cleaning operation complicated for the subject who collects the capsule endoscope, but also there is a problem that water must be flowed many times, and water is wasted.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described points, and an object of the present invention is to reliably wash the capsule endoscope collected by the collecting means and save water. It is to provide a capsule endoscope cleaning device that can be used.

The present invention is achieved by the following means.
(1) A collecting means for locking and collecting the capsule endoscope excreted outside the body, and a supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid for washing the capsule endoscope collected by the collecting means; And a cleaning device that discharges the cleaning liquid supplied by the supply device.
(2) The capsule endoscope cleaning apparatus according to (1), wherein the cleaning unit discharges the cleaning liquid in a rotated state.
(3) The capsule endoscope cleaning apparatus according to (1) or (2), wherein the collection means has a bowl shape.
(4) The capsule endoscope cleaning apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the cleaning liquid contains a carbonate compound.
(5) The capsule endoscope according to any one of (1) to (4), further comprising a reflector that reflects the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning unit below the collecting unit. Mirror cleaning device.

  According to the present invention, since the cleaning liquid is discharged by the cleaning means to the capsule endoscope locked by the collecting means, the capsule endoscope can be reliably cleaned. Further, since it is not necessary to flow water through the toilet bowl in order to clean the capsule endoscope, it is possible to save water to be used.

1 is a configuration diagram of a capsule endoscope apparatus and the like as an example of the present invention. FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of a capsule endoscope. It is a top view of the toilet bowl which has arrange | positioned the collection means. It is sectional drawing of the toilet bowl shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing for the front-end | tip of a washing | cleaning means. It is sectional drawing of the washing | cleaning means which formed the spiral groove | channel in the flow path. It is the schematic of the collection means which collect | recovers a capsule endoscope.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Capsule endoscope 4 Antenna unit 5 External unit 6 Display system 7 Personal computer 31 Objective lens 32 Observation optical system 33 Illumination optical system 35 Capacitor 36 Receiver 37 Transmitter 38 Transmission / reception antenna 45 Collecting means 46 Net part 47 Handle 50 Cleaning means 51 Flow path 52 Discharge hole 60 Collection means

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the terms used in the description of the embodiments for carrying out the present invention or the assertive description.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a capsule endoscope apparatus and the like as an example of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration of the capsule endoscope shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a capsule endoscope apparatus 1 that performs endoscopy according to the present invention optically measures the inner wall surface of a body cavity when it passes through the body cavity duct by being swallowed from the mouth of a subject 2. A capsule endoscope 3 that wirelessly transmits a captured image signal, and an antenna unit 4 provided outside the body of the subject 2 to receive the signal transmitted by the capsule endoscope 3 and store the image. , And an extracorporeal unit 5 (arranged outside the subject 2).

  The extracorporeal unit 5 incorporates a small memory card such as a compact flash (registered trademark) having a capacity of, for example, 1 GB in order to store image data.

  The image data stored in the extracorporeal unit 5 can be connected to the display system 6 during the examination or after the examination is completed, and an image can be displayed.

  In other words, the extracorporeal unit 5 is detachably connected to a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as a personal computer) 7 constituting the display system 6 through a communication cable such as a USB cable 8.

  Then, the image stored in the external unit 5 is captured by the personal computer 7 and stored in the internal hard disk or displayed, and the stored image can be displayed on the display unit 9. For example, a keyboard 10 is connected to the personal computer 7 as an operation panel for performing a data input operation.

  The USB cable 8 may be any communication standard of USB 1.0, USB 1.1, and USB 2.0. In addition, serial data communication complying with RS-232C and IEEE 1394 standards may be performed, and the present invention is not limited to performing serial data communication, and parallel data communication may be performed.

  An antenna unit 4 to which a plurality of antennas 12 are attached is mounted inside a shield shirt 11 having a shield function worn by the subject 2. When performing endoscopy, image data captured by the capsule endoscope 3 is transmitted to the antenna unit 4 from the transmission / reception antenna built in the capsule endoscope 3 and connected to the antenna unit 4. It is stored in the extracorporeal unit 5. The extracorporeal unit 5 is attached to the belt of the subject 2 by a detachable hook, for example.

  The extracorporeal unit 5 has, for example, a box shape, and is provided with, for example, a liquid crystal monitor 13 as a display device for displaying an image and an operation button 14 for performing a control operation on the front surface. The extracorporeal unit 5 includes a transmission / reception circuit (communication circuit), a control circuit, an image data display circuit, and a power source.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the outer shape of the capsule endoscope 3 is such that the egg shape is made smaller so that it can be moved quickly in the upper digestive organ and the lower digestive organ. However, it may be a spherical shape or a rugby ball type.

  The capsule endoscope 3 has a transparent front wall portion 21 having a substantially hemispherical front end side, a rear wall portion 23 having a substantially hemispherical rear end side, and a front wall portion and a rear wall portion. The outer shape is formed by a fitting member 22 that forms a water-tight capsule in the inside of the lever.

  In the capsule endoscope 3, an objective lens 31, an observation optical system 32, an illumination optical system 33, a storage chamber 34, a capacitor 35, a receiver 36, a transmitter 37, and a wireless transmission / reception antenna 38 are housed. . These components are integrally attached by a base (not shown).

  The image sensor that constitutes the observation optical system 32 is a device that converts a captured in-vivo image into an electrical signal, and an individual image sensor such as a fine CCD or CMOS in which one pixel is arranged at intervals of 0.1 μm to 3 μm is used.

  The objective lens 31 is a lens for forming an observation image on the image sensor of the observation optical system 32, and is constituted by, for example, a single or a plurality of spherical lenses or aspherical lenses. The objective lens 31 is preferably an aspherical lens rather than a spherical lens. In the case of an aspheric lens, the number of objective lenses can be reduced, so that the total length of the capsule endoscope 3 can be shortened and swallowability and excretion can be improved.

  As the illumination elements constituting the illumination optical system 33, white, green and red light emitting diodes (hereinafter also referred to as LEDs) are commonly used.

  The illumination light emitted from the illumination element is emitted into the photographing field through the transparent front wall portion 21 of the capsule endoscope 3 to illuminate the inside of the photographing field. The imaging element photographs the illuminated field of view through the objective lens 31. A signal photographed by the imaging element is converted into an image signal by a signal processing circuit (not shown), and then transmitted to the external extracorporeal unit 5 by the transmitter 37 and the transmission / reception antenna 38. The image data stored in the extracorporeal unit 5 is connected to the display system 6 in FIG. 1 during or after the examination and an image is displayed. This makes it possible to observe and examine the organ of the subject.

  The capacitor 35 functions as a power source for each element and circuit, and may be driven by a hospital power source or a household power source, a solar cell, a fuel cell, etc. A transformer that converts an electric field into a power source may be used.

  The storage chamber 34 is a storage chamber for the chemical solution to be sent to the affected area, and is a sample chamber for storing the collected living specimen sample of the affected area.

  The imaging device of the observation optical system 32, the illumination device of the illumination optical system 33, the transmitter 37, and the like may be provided with a program whose settings can be changed. By providing such a program, it is possible to arbitrarily set and change the image capturing speed by the image sensor, the illumination intensity by the illumination element, and the image transmission speed by the transmitter 37. This setting change can be performed by operating an external operation device via the receiver 36 and the transmission / reception antenna 38 of the capsule endoscope.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the diameter is the short axis length b of the capsule endoscope and the length of the cylinder is the long axis length a of the capsule endoscope, the a / b ratio is defined as the aspect ratio. An aspect ratio of 1 or more and 2.3 or less is preferable because the capsule endoscope 3 can be easily swallowed and excreted. A particularly preferred range is 1 or more and 2 or less. Moreover, it is preferable to apply or surface-treat a hydrophilic medium, which is a lubricating material, on the outer surface of the capsule endoscope 3. As a result, when the capsule endoscope 3 is swallowed, the secretions in the digestive tract and the hydrophilic medium are compatible with each other, improving the lubricity between the capsule endoscope 3 and the digestive tract cavity. It can be moved quickly without damaging it.

  FIG. 3 is a top view of the toilet 40 in which the collecting means 45 used in the present invention is arranged, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the toilet 40 in which the collecting means 45 is installed. The collecting means 45 for collecting the capsule endoscope 3 excreted outside the body will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 4.

  The capsule endoscope 3 that images the inside of the body reaches the anus of the subject 2 after a predetermined time has elapsed. When the subject 2 holds the stool at the time when the capsule endoscope 3 reaches the anus, as shown in FIG. 3, the subject 2 excretes the stool with the toilet having the collecting means 45 disposed therein. The capsule endoscope 3 is excreted together with the excretion of the stool and is locked by the collecting means 45. The locked capsule endoscope 3 is recovered after being cleaned by a cleaning means 50 described later.

  The collecting means 45 includes a mesh part 46 that locks the excreted capsule endoscope 3 and a band-shaped handle part 47 that is connected to the mesh part 46 at one end. The mesh part 46 is disposed so as to block the drainage groove 43 of the toilet bowl 40, and a handle part 47 having one end connected to the mesh part 46 extends upward along the inner surface of the toilet bowl 40 and is bent outward at the upper edge. For example, the collecting means 45 can be bent so as to be easily installed in the toilet bowl 40.

  The collecting means 45 is installed above the puddle 42 so that the locked capsule endoscope 3 is not immersed in the puddle 42 of the toilet bowl 40. By installing in this way, the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning means 50 is not obstructed by the water in the puddle 42.

  The net part 46 is formed in a checkered pattern so that water, endocrine secretions and excretion discharged from the body can be separated. The mesh interval of the mesh portion 46 is preferably 20% to 97% of the dimension of the short axis length b of the capsule endoscope 3. If it is 97% or less, the capsule endoscope 3 can be reliably collected, and if it is 20% or more, the space portion of the mesh portion 45 becomes an appropriate size and drops excreted feces into the puddle 42. Can do. More preferably, it is 50% to 90%. The mesh of the net 46 may be a vertical stripe instead of a lattice.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable to make the shape of the net part 46 into a bowl-like shape with a recessed central part. By having such a shape, since the capsule endoscope 3 excreted outside the body is locked at the center portion recessed by gravity, the capsule endoscope 3 can be easily cleaned by the cleaning means 50 described later. .

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tip portion of the cleaning means 50 used in the present invention. The cleaning means 50 will be described with reference to this figure.

  The capsule endoscope 3 locked on the mesh part 46 is cleaned by the cleaning means 50 connected to the drying surface 41 of the toilet 40 (see FIG. 4). The cleaning means 50 supplies the cleaning liquid from a cleaning liquid tank (not shown) inside the toilet 40, guides the cleaning liquid through the flow path 51, and discharges the cleaning liquid from the discharge hole 52 toward the capsule endoscope 3 on the mesh part 46. To do.

  The shower-like cleaning liquid can be discharged by reducing the area of the discharge holes 52 and providing a plurality of the discharge holes 52. Further, by changing the position and angle at which the discharge hole 52 is provided, for example, a shower-like cleaning liquid can be discharged so as to be concentrated at one point, or can be discharged so as to spread over the entire surface of the collecting means 45.

  As shown in FIG. 6, it is preferable to form a spiral groove in the channel 51. By forming this groove, the cleaning liquid spirally discharges from the discharge hole 52, so that the capsule endoscope 3 locked to the collecting means 45 is rotated by the flow of the cleaning liquid, and the capsule endoscope The entire mirror 3 can be cleaned.

  The cleaning means 50 only needs to be made of a material that does not react with the cleaning liquid. For example, polyethylene resin, nylon resin, polypropylene resin, polyimide resin, polyethylene terephthalate resin, liquid crystal polymer, aromatic polyamide resin, polyethylene naphthalate resin, polysulfone In addition to synthetic resins such as resins, metal materials such as stainless steel can also be used.

  Although not shown, the drying surface 41 of the toilet bowl 40 is provided with a groove for storing the cleaning means 50, and by operating the communication means from the outside or the operation means connected to the cleaning means 50. The cleaning means 50 can be activated and stored. By comprising in this way, a test subject can excrete feces without minding the washing | cleaning means 50. FIG. Further, the cleaning means 50 is moved like a swing motion by the communication means or the operation means, and the discharge direction of the cleaning liquid can be arbitrarily changed. Although it is not known in which position of the collecting means 45 the capsule endoscope 3 is locked, the capsule endoscope 3 can be reliably cleaned by changing the discharge direction of the cleaning liquid. .

  It is also possible to improve the cleaning power by providing a known ultrasonic generator at the tip of the cleaning means 50 and applying ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid to be discharged.

  Further, it is preferable to provide a reflector that reflects the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning means 50 between the collection means 45 and the puddle of the toilet bowl 40. Since the cleaning liquid is reflected by this reflector, the side of the collected capsule endoscope 3 that is in close contact with the collecting means 45 can be washed. The reflecting plate only needs to be made of a material that does not react with the cleaning liquid, and the same material as the cleaning unit 50 described above can be used.

The cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning means 50 is preferably made of a material that has a detergency and does not adversely affect the environment. Therefore, at least one of carbonate compounds such as sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium percarbonate, etc. Make up the cleaning solution. The total amount of carbonate is preferably in the range of 1 × 10 ⁻² mol / L to 1 mol / L.

  Further, it is preferable to add a surfactant in order to improve detergency. The type of the surfactant is a nonionic or anionic surfactant, and those that are easily decomposed in the natural environment are preferable. Specific examples include the following, but are not limited thereto.

  Nonionic surfactants include sorbitan fatty acid ester, glycerin fatty acid ester, decagrin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, propylene glycol / pentaerythritol fatty acid ester, polyoxysorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbit fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene glycerin. Fatty acid ester, polyethylene glycol fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene / polyoxypropylene block polymer, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether, acetylene glycol, polyoxyethylene castor oil / cured Castor oil, polyoxyethylene lanolin / lanolin alcohol, Polyoxyethylene alkyl amine fatty acid amides, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl formaldehyde condensates, there is a fluorine-based surface active agents such as polyoxyethylene perfluoroalkyl.

  Anionic surfactants include alkyl sulfates, polyoxyethylene alkyl sulfates, N-acyl amino acids and their salts, N-acyl methyl taurates, dialkyl sulfosuccinates, disodium sulfosuccinate monoesters, N-alkyl sulfosuccinates. Examples include acid monoamides, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether acetates, alkyl sulfocarboxylates, α-olefin sulfonates, alkyl phosphates, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether phosphates, and the like.

  Among the surfactants, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene / polyoxypropylene / block polymer, etc., which are generally called nonionic polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers, are preferable in terms of effects. . The content of the surfactant in the cleaning liquid is preferably in the range of 0.01 to 10% by mass, particularly preferably in the range of 0.05 to 5.0% by mass. By setting it as this range, since the viscosity of a cleaning agent is made low and the fluidity | liquidity in the washing | cleaning means 50 improves, a favorable cleaning effect is expressed.

  In addition, a sterilizing agent can be added to the cleaning solution. As the sterilizing agent, alcohols such as ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, quaternary ammonium salts such as benzalkonium chloride, cresol, sodium hypochlorite and the like can be used. The amount used, concentration, etc. can be referred to the formulation introduced in the handbook. The content of the sterilizing agent in the cleaning liquid is preferably in the range of 0.01 to 10% by mass, and particularly preferably in the range of 0.05 to 5.0% by mass.

  Next, the capsule endoscope 3 that has been locked by the collecting means 45 and then cleaned by the cleaning means 50 can be stored and stored by the sampling means 60 shown in FIG. The collecting means 60 includes a lid 61 that can be opened and closed, a magnetic field generating member 62 for storing with magnetic force, and a holding portion 63. The magnetic field generating member 62 can be arbitrarily selected from a ferrite magnet, a neodymium bond magnet, a samarium cobalt magnet, and the like. The strength of the magnetic field is preferably 1 mT (T is Tesla) to 1000 mT. By setting the intensity of the magnetic field within this range, the capsule endoscope 3 can be collected and taken out after storage.

  In order to make the magnet respond, it is necessary to provide a magnetic metal in the capsule endoscope 3. Although magnetic metal can be used for the condenser 35 and the circuit member of the capsule endoscope 3, since a magnetic material having a small but powerful magnetic force has been developed by nanotechnology in recent years, such a magnetic material is encapsulated. You may install in the arbitrary positions inside the endoscope 3. FIG. It is important to install the magnetic field so that it does not interfere with the communication means inside the capsule endoscope or outside the human body.

  In order to arrange such a magnetic body inside the capsule endoscope 3, it is necessary to prevent the magnetic field from obstructing the operation of the observation optical system 32, the receiver 36, the transmitter 37, the wireless transmission / reception antenna 38, and the like. is necessary. Arranging in the vicinity of the antenna is not preferable, and it is preferable to dispose the antenna farther than the position of the antenna. In addition, it is preferable to perform magnetic shielding so as not to impair the function of calculating and processing imaging communication.

  Here, an inspection process for inspecting a lesion in the upper and lower digestive organs using the capsule endoscope 3 described above will be described.

  The subject 2 swallows the capsule endoscope 3 with a small amount of water. The swallowed capsule endoscope 3 moves from the upper part of the digestive organ to the lower part according to the peristaltic movement of the subject 2. In the meantime, the inside of the subject 2 is imaged at regular intervals, and the captured image is transmitted to the external unit 5. In some cases, the capsule endoscope 3 collects the lesioned part of the subject 2. When the capsule endoscope 3 reaches the anus (about 8 to 10 hours after swallowing), the subject excretes stool in the toilet 40 in which the collecting means 45 and the cleaning means 50 are installed. The capsule endoscope 3 excreted together with the stool is locked to the net 46 by the collecting means 45. The cleaning liquid from the cleaning means 50 is jetted onto the capsule endoscope 3 that has been locked.

  The doctor causes the display system 6 to display an image of the inside of the subject 2 stored in the extracorporeal unit 5 and takes out the pathological part collected from the collected capsule endoscope 3 for observation and inspection.

Example 1
Prepare liquids containing 3% sodium carbonate, 3% sodium hydrogencarbonate, and 3% sodium percarbonate as cleaning liquids, respectively, and discharge the cleaning liquid from the cleaning means so that the capsule endoscope on the net of the collecting means Washed. When the capsule endoscope subjected to the cleaning treatment was visually confirmed, it was confirmed that the capsule endoscope was cleaned.
Example 2
As a sterilizing solution, a solution containing 3% benzalkonium in 50% ethyl alcohol solution was prepared, and the capsule endoscope washed in Example 1 was sterilized. When E. coli was examined on the sterilized capsule endoscope, it was confirmed that E. coli was dead (negative). In addition, for the large intestine examination, a culture test was conducted using a commercially available raw CT sorbit McConkey agar medium (abbreviated as CTSMC) (manufactured by Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd.), and the presence or absence of E. coli on the agar medium was evaluated.

Claims (5)

A collecting means for locking and collecting the capsule endoscope excreted outside the body;
Supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid for cleaning the capsule endoscope collected by the collecting means;
Cleaning means for discharging the cleaning liquid supplied by the supply means;
An apparatus for cleaning a capsule endoscope, comprising: 2. The capsule endoscope cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning means discharges the cleaning liquid in a rotated state. 3. The capsule endoscope cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collecting means has a bowl shape. The capsule endoscope cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaning liquid contains a carbonate compound. The capsule endoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a reflector that reflects the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning unit below the collecting unit. Mirror cleaning device.