JP2003210391A - Guide sheath for endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a guide sheath for an endoscope which makes the easy and simple insertion of an insertion portion into the living body without exerting a burden on the living body. <P>SOLUTION: The guide sheath for the endoscope in which the pressing force of the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 is imparted to the base end side portion of a sheath section 6 by the insertion action of the insertion portion 3 into the examinee, and the sheath section 6 permits the movement of the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 to a distal end direction toward a bulging portion 7 of the sheath section 6 while maintaining the state of covering the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 is provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a guide sheath for an endoscope which is fitted into an insertion portion of an endoscope and guides the insertion of the insertion portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An insertion portion of an endoscope is covered with a guide sheath,
Proposals have already been made for endoscope guide sheaths that are designed to improve the insertability of the endoscope insertion portion. As an example thereof, there is an endoscope insertion assisting tool described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-81701. This is to prevent the distal end portion of the guide sheath from being inserted into the body cavity in advance, and to prevent the insertion portion itself from bending outside the body due to the pressing force when inserting the insertion portion of the endoscope.

[0003]

However, since the above-mentioned conventional guide sheath is a method of inserting the portion of the guide sheath into the body cavity, it is troublesome for the operator to insert the tip portion of the guide sheath into the body cavity. Not only that, but also a thing thicker than the insertion part of the endoscope is to be inserted into the body cavity, which imposes a heavy burden on the patient and may significantly increase the patient's pain.

Therefore, in some cases, this type of guide sheath cannot be used. For example, when using a flexible endoscope for the bladder, there is a limit to the size of the urethra that can be radially extended without causing pain, and the distal end portion of the guide sheath cannot be inserted into the urethra.

Therefore, this type of guide sheath cannot be used, and the operator must carefully and slowly insert the endoscope while inserting it so as not to bend as shown in FIG. However, it required a work requiring a high degree of skill.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an endoscope for an endoscope which can easily and easily insert the insertion portion into the living body without imposing a burden on the living body. To provide a guide sheath.

[0007]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A tubular sheath portion that covers the endoscope insertion portion including a flexible portion that is inserted into the subject and is configured to be more rigid than the flexibility, and the distal end of the sheath portion. In the proximal portion of the sheath portion, the enlarging portion formed to have an outer diameter larger than that of the sheath portion and the pressing force accompanying the insertion operation of the endoscope insertion portion into the subject are By being imparted, the sheath portion is allowed to move toward the distal end side toward the enlarged portion of the sheath portion while maintaining the state of covering the endoscope insertion portion. A guide sheath for an endoscope, comprising: a movement permitting means for the endoscope insertion portion.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the movement permitting means is provided in the sheath portion along the longitudinal direction of the sheath portion and has a wall thickness thinner than other portions of the sheath portion. A thin-walled portion is provided, and the thin-walled portion is broken by a protrusion provided at a base end portion of the endoscope insertion portion in response to movement of the endoscope insertion portion. The guide sheath for an endoscope according to 1.

In the invention according to claim 3, the sheath portion is
A flexible member that can be contracted and a rigidity imparting unit that is incorporated in the flexible member are provided, and the movement allowing unit contracts when the flexible member contracts due to a pressing force that accompanies the insertion of the endoscope insertion section. A means for allowing the proximal end portion of the rigidity imparting means to automatically separate from the flexible member on the proximal end side of the endoscope insertion portion and allowing the proximal end portion of the rigidity imparting means to escape from the endoscope It is a guide sheath for an endoscope characterized by the above.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION <First Embodiment> A guide sheath for an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

(Structure) FIG. 1 shows a state in which a guide sheath 2 is attached to an endoscope 1 for a bladder as an example. The endoscope 1 includes an elongated insertion portion 3 that is inserted into a body cavity and an operation portion 4 that an operator holds. The operation unit 4 is connected to the base end of the insertion unit 3. The operation section 4 is provided with an eyepiece section 5a and a bending operation handle 5b for the operator to observe the endoscope visual field. In addition, the insertion portion 3 includes a tip portion 3a arranged at the leading edge, and a bending portion 3b provided subsequent to the tip portion 3a,
Flexible tube part (soft part) 3c on the proximal side is sequentially connected,
The flexible tube portion 3c has a uniform predetermined flexibility suitable for observation in a living body. The bending portion 3b is bent by operating the bending operation handle 5b of the operation portion 4.

On the other hand, the guide sheath 2 has a sheath portion 6 whose inner diameter is slightly larger than the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 from the tip to the end, and the tip of the sheath portion 6 has a flange shape. An enormous section 7 of is provided. The sheath portion 6 is made of, for example, a flexible resin material having good slipperiness such as fluororesin. The sheath portion 6 is provided with a pair of upper and lower thin-walled portions 8 which are located in the upper and lower portions thereof and are formed along the longitudinal direction. Each thin portion 8 is a tearable portion.

At the base end portion of the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1, there are provided a pair of pins 9 as projecting portions which are respectively provided at upper and lower positions opposite to the position where the pair of thin portions 8 are arranged. It is provided.

(Operation) Bladder endoscope 1 and guide sheath 2
An example of using will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 is covered with the guide sheath 2. Further, the pair of thin portions 8 of the sheath portion 6 are respectively positioned on the pins 9 on the side of the endoscope 1 to which they correspond. At this time, the base end side portion of the thin portion 8 is slightly torn, and the pin 9 of the endoscope 1 is fitted into this fissure.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the enlarged portion 7 at the tip of the guide sheath 2 is applied to the external urethral meatus 10 of the patient, and the tip of the insertion portion 3 is slightly pushed into the urethra 11. If the insertion part 3 of the endoscope 1 is pushed into the urethra 11 with the enlarged part 7 of the guide sheath 2 in contact with the distal end of the penis 12 in this way, the insertion part 3 that cannot withstand the compressive force in the longitudinal direction. Tries to bend in the middle, but since the sheath portion 6 restrains the insertion portion 3, the insertion portion 3 does not bend.

When the insertion portion 3 is pushed into the urethra 11, the sheath portion 6 is received by the enlarged portion 7 and is pushed toward the operation portion 4 side by the pushing force. Due to this pushing force, the thin-walled portion 8 of the sheath portion 6 starts to tear from the base end side portion by the pin 9, and the sheath portion 6 is divided into two parts from the base end side to the left and right portions, as shown in FIG. That is, the pressing force of the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 into the subject is
The endoscope is provided to the proximal end portion of the sheath portion 6, and the sheath portion 6 is directed toward the enlarged portion 7 of the sheath portion 6 while maintaining the state of covering the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1. The insertion portion 3 of No. 1 is allowed to move in the distal direction. In this embodiment, this constitutes a movement permitting means of the endoscope insertion portion.

Although the enlarged portion 7 of the sheath 6 abuts on the tip of the penis 12 in FIG. 2, it goes without saying that the same effect can be obtained even if the operator holds the enlarged portion 7. Yes.

<Second Embodiment> An endoscope guide sheath according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

(Structure) In the present embodiment, in the guide sheath 2 of the first embodiment described above, a sheath member 15 is composed of a long splint member 13 made of resin and a spring member 14 instead of the sheath portion 6. The spring member 14 is composed of a coil spring, and as shown in FIG. 4, has a shape that draws a spiral so as to surround the splint member 13 and the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 inserted therein in a slightly larger shape. Has become.

The tips of the splint member 13 and the spring member 14 are fixed to the enlarged portion 7. The splint member 13 is formed so as to exhibit a habit of drawing an arc protruding downward in the figure in a natural state, and is inserted and arranged in the spring member 14 in a state in which the habit is suppressed. A stopper member 16 is fixed to the terminal end of the spring member 13 on the proximal end side. The spring member 13 is interposed between the enlarged portion 7 fixed to the tip of the splint member 13 and the stopper member 16. Also,
The stopper member 16 is formed with a hole (not shown) through which the base end side portion of the splint member 13 penetrates and penetrates.

(Operation) As in the first embodiment, when the insertion portion 3 is inserted into the living body, the tip end portion of the operation portion 4 contacts the stopper member 16, and the spring member 14 receives the compressive force, so that the lengthwise direction thereof changes. Begins to shrink at. At this time, the splint member 13
The base end side portion of the sliding member 1 slides in the spring member 14, is extended from the stopper member 16 to the outside, and is attached to the outside of the splint member 1.
When the portion 3 is released from the others, it draws an arc in a natural state and retreats from the surface of the member of the operating portion 4 and does not interfere with the operating portion 4.

That is, in the movement permitting means in this embodiment, the spring member 14 which is the flexible member is contracted by the pressing force accompanying the insertion of the insertion portion 3 of the endoscope 1 and the splint member which is the rigidity giving means. A base end side portion of 13 is automatically separated from the spring member 14 on the base end side of the insertion portion 3 and means for allowing it to escape from the endoscope 1 portion is provided.

(Effect) The sheath portion 6 in the first embodiment cannot be repeatedly used because the end of the sheath portion is torn along with the insertion, but in this embodiment, irreversible destruction is not involved, and therefore, disinfection / It can be sterilized and reused.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be applied to other forms.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the rigidity of the insertion portion outside the body can be imparted without inserting the tip of the guide sheath into the living body, the insertion portion can be easily inserted without burdening the living body. This frees the operator from a complicated insertion procedure and shortens the operation time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a guide sheath for an endoscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to an endoscope.

FIG. 2 is also an explanatory diagram of a usage state of the endoscope guide sheath according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the endoscope guide sheath according to the second embodiment of the present invention is attached to the endoscope.

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a guide sheath for an endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a use state.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional endoscope in use.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Endoscope, 2 ... Guide sheath, 3 ... Insertion part, 6 ... Sheath part, 7 ... Enlarged part, 8 ... Thin part, 9 ... Pin, 10 ... External urethral opening, 11 ... Urethra 12 ... Penis, 13 ... Splint member, 14 ... Spring member, 15
... sheath member 16 ... stopper member.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A tubular sheath portion configured to cover an endoscope insertion portion including a flexible portion to be inserted into a subject and have rigidity higher than the flexibility, An enlarged portion formed at the distal end of the sheath portion with an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the sheath portion, and the pressing force that accompanies the insertion operation of the endoscope insertion portion into the subject are The endoscope insertion portion is directed toward the enlarged portion of the sheath portion while maintaining the state in which the sheath portion covers the endoscope insertion portion by being applied at the proximal end portion, A guide sheath for an endoscope, comprising: a movement permitting means of the endoscope insertion portion that allows movement. 2. The movement permitting means is provided on the sheath portion along a longitudinal direction of the sheath portion, and has a thin portion having a wall thickness smaller than that of other portions of the sheath portion, The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the thin-walled portion is broken by a protrusion provided at a base end portion of the endoscope insertion portion in accordance with movement of the endoscope insertion portion. Guide sheath for mirrors. 3. The sheath portion includes a contractible flexible member and a rigidity imparting means incorporated in the flexible member, and the movement permitting means is provided with a pressing force accompanying insertion of an endoscope insertion portion. When the flexible member contracts, the proximal end portion of the rigidity imparting means is automatically separated from the flexible member at the proximal end side of the endoscope insertion portion, and the proximal end side of the rigidity imparting means A guide sheath for an endoscope, which is provided with means for letting a part escape from the endoscope.