JP3579631B2 - Ultrasound endoscope - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic probe and an objective optical system for optical observation are provided at the tip of an insertion section.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In an ultrasonic endoscope, it is necessary to insert and arrange a signal transmission member for transmitting a signal input / output to / from the ultrasonic probe in the insertion portion, and in general, a signal obtained by binding a large number of signal lines into one. Cables are used as signal transmission members.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the signal cable occupies a large cross section in the insertion portion, it restricts the arrangement of other built-in components. Therefore, the diameter of the portion becomes large, the insertability into the body cavity is deteriorated, and the pain given to the patient to which the ultrasonic endoscope is inserted is greater than that of a normal endoscope.
[0004]
Therefore, the present invention provides an ultrasonic wave that can insert and arrange a signal transmission member by effectively utilizing an internal space near the distal end of an insertion portion, and can improve insertability by reducing the outer diameter of that portion. It is intended to provide an endoscope.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the ultrasonic endoscope of the present invention is configured such that a bending portion that is bent by remote control is connected to a distal end of a flexible tube portion that forms an insertion portion, and that transmits and receives an ultrasonic signal. In an ultrasonic endoscope in which an ultrasonic probe and an objective optical system for performing optical observation are disposed on the distal end side from a curved portion, a signal cable inserted through a flexible tube portion and an ultrasonic probe are disposed. Are connected by a plurality of flexible boards arranged in parallel so as to pass through the inside of the curved portion, and at a connection portion between the flexible board and the signal cable, the signal lines extending from the signal cable are connected to the same flexible board. A plurality of signal lines are bundled together.
[0006]
Note that the binding of the signal lines may be performed by covering the flexible tubes, respectively, or the binding of the signal lines may be performed by shifting the positions in the axial direction.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows an ultrasonic endoscope, in which a distal end of a flexible tube portion 1 inserted into a body cavity is connected to a bending portion 2 that bends by remote operation, and is connected to a distal end of the bending portion 2. The ultrasonic probe 4 is attached to the distal end body 3. Reference numeral 100 denotes an inflatable balloon which is detachably provided so as to surround the ultrasonic probe 4.
[0008]
A bending section operation knob 6 for bending the bending section 2 and the like are arranged on the operation section 5 connected to the base end of the flexible tube section 1. Reference numeral 7 denotes a treatment tool insertion port for inserting a treatment tool into the treatment tool insertion channel 15 inserted and arranged in the flexible tube portion 1.
[0009]
At the end of the first connection flexible tube 8 connected to the operation unit 5, a video signal connector unit 81 and a light guide connector unit 82 connected to a video processor (not shown) are provided side by side. An ultrasonic signal connector unit 91 connected to an ultrasonic signal processing device (not shown) is provided at the distal end of the connection flexible tube 9.
[0010]
FIG. 1 shows a distal end portion of the insertion portion. As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic probe 4 has an ultrasonic transducer array portion 41 formed in a substantially annular shape and made of plastic. It is configured to be held and integrated by the receiving member 42.
[0011]
Then, as shown in FIG. 4 illustrating the IV-IV cross section, the ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a range of, for example, 270 ° around the axis from the ultrasonic transducer array portion 41 in which a number of ultrasonic transducers are arranged around the axis. Signals are sequentially transmitted and received (electronic scanning), and radial scanning is performed in a direction perpendicular to the axis.
[0012]
The inner space of the ultrasonic vibrator array 41 is formed in a cylindrical hole centered on the axis, and the rear end of the ultrasonic vibrator array 41 (upper in FIG. 3) has an ultrasonic vibrator array. A flexible substrate 43 provided with wiring for transmitting signals input / output to / from the unit 41 is connected and extends rearward.
[0013]
The flexible board 43 is provided with a plurality of (for example, eight) flexible boards 43 arranged in an arc around the axis of the ultrasonic probe 4 as shown in FIG.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 5, the flexible substrate 43 is arranged in an arc shape, for example, in a range of about 270 °, and the flexible substrate 43 which is an extension of the arc in which the flexible substrate 43 is arranged is arranged. A groove 44 for fitting a rotation stopping member 13 to be described later is formed in a portion that does not exist.
[0015]
Returning to FIG. 3, at the rear end portion of the receiving member 42, a centering fitting portion 46 that fits with a centering fitting portion 32 of the tip end body 3, which will be described later, has an outer peripheral surface (tip portion) with high dimensional accuracy. It is formed concentrically with a boundary portion outer peripheral surface 45 adjacent to the outer surface of the main body 3. A circumferential groove 11 for banding the distal end portion of the inflatable balloon 100 is formed at the distal end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member 42.
[0016]
Returning to FIG. 1 again, as shown in FIG. 6, the tip half body 3 formed of a plastic material or the like has a front half 33 having an ultrasonic transducer array portion of the ultrasonic probe 4. 41 is formed to be thin to fit into the inner peripheral surface 41a. The boundary outer peripheral surface 31 adjacent to the outer peripheral surface of the ultrasonic probe 4 is formed to have the same size as the boundary outer peripheral surface 45 of the ultrasonic probe 4.
[0017]
At the leading end of the boundary outer peripheral surface 31 of the distal end body 3, a centering fitting portion 32 that fits with the centering fitting portion 46 of the ultrasonic probe 4 is the same as the boundary outer peripheral surface 31 with high dimensional accuracy. It is formed on the core. At the rear end of the outer peripheral surface, a circumferential groove 12 for banding the rear end portion of the balloon 100 is formed.
[0018]
An object arrangement hole 34a, an illumination light guide arrangement hole 34b, and a treatment instrument passage hole 35 are formed in a portion of the distal end portion main body 3 near the front half portion 33, in a direction parallel to the axis, and a portion behind the hole. A through hole 36 having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the front half portion 33 is formed up to the rear end.
[0019]
In the rear half of the tip body 3, as shown in FIG. 7 showing a VII-VII cross section, a flexible substrate 43 is passed almost over the extension of the outer peripheral surface of the front half 33. The flexible substrate passage hole 37 is formed in an arc around the axis in accordance with the arrangement position of the flexible substrate 43.
[0020]
However, in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the distal end portion main body 3, as shown in FIG. 8 showing a cross section taken along the line VIII-VIII, at least one connecting portion 37a for dividing the flexible board passage hole 37 in the middle is provided with the flexible board passage hole 37. To secure the strength that the distal end body 3 is not crushed by an external force.
[0021]
Returning to FIGS. 6 and 7, the flexible substrate passage hole 37 is formed in a circular arc shape in the range of about 280 °, and the portion where the flexible substrate passage hole 37 is not formed is provided with respect to the balloon 100. A liquid flow path 38 for injecting and draining deaerated water is formed in a direction parallel to the axis, and communicates with a balloon communication opening 38 a opened in the balloon 100.
[0022]
The two liquid channels 38 are formed in parallel, one of which is for exhaust. Although the liquid flow path 38 does not originally appear in FIG. 6 (and FIG. 1), it is also illustrated in FIG. 6 (and FIG. 1) for easy explanation. Reference numeral 39 denotes a groove into which the rotation stopping member 13 is fitted.
[0023]
Returning to FIG. 1, the ultrasonic probe 4 fitted on the front half portion 33 of the distal end main body 3 is engaged with a nut member 10 which is screwed into a male screw formed on the outer periphery of the distal end portion of the distal end main body 3. , And is pressed and fixed to the intermediate step surface of the distal end body 3.
[0024]
Then, as shown in FIG. 9 illustrating the IX-IX cross section, the rectangular parallelepiped rotation stopper 13 is fitted over the groove 44 of the ultrasonic probe 4 and the groove 39 of the distal end body 3, and The positioning of the unit body 3 and the ultrasonic probe 4 in the rotation direction is regulated. Thereby, the relationship between the ultrasonic scanning direction and the direction of the observation visual field is set correctly. 17 is a light guide fiber for illumination.
[0025]
Returning to FIG. 1 again, in the state where the ultrasonic probe 4 is fixed to the distal end main body 3, the front half portion 33 of the distal end main body 3 and the inner peripheral surface 41 a of the ultrasonic transducer array section 41 are fitted. Then, the centering fitting portion 32 of the distal end body 3 and the centering fitting portion 46 of the ultrasonic probe 4 are fitted, but the gap of the former fitting portion is formed larger than the gap of the latter fitting portion. Have been.
[0026]
As a result, there is almost no step at the joint between the distal end body 3 and the ultrasonic probe 4, which is exposed on the surface, of the joint between the distal end body 3 and the ultrasonic probe 4. A tip portion that is easy to insert into a patient is formed.
[0027]
In the objective arrangement hole 34, the objective optical system 14a is arranged on the front side, the solid-state imaging device 14b is arranged behind the objective optical system 14a, and a signal cable 14c for transmitting an imaging signal or the like is provided in the built-in object passage hole 36. And extends into the rear curved portion 2. The treatment tool insertion channel 15 is connected to the treatment tool passage hole 35 via a stainless steel pipe.
[0028]
Flexible pipe tubes 16 are connected to the two liquid flow paths 38, respectively. The balloon 100, whose both ends are fixed to the circumferential grooves 11, 12, is inserted into the balloon 100 from the operation unit 5 via the pipe tubes 16. The degassed water can be taken in and out, and the balloon 100 can be inflated and deflated.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible board 43 that transmits signals input to and output from the ultrasonic transducer array section 41 passes through the flexible board passage hole 37 formed in the distal end portion main body 3, and forms the rear curved section 2. Is passed through.
[0030]
In the latter half of the flexible substrate passage hole 37, as shown in FIG. 10, in order to avoid interference with the connecting portion 37a, the adjacent flexible substrates 43 are arranged with a little overlap, and the rear curved portion 2 is formed. Is passed through.
[0031]
In the bending section 2, all signals input to and output from the ultrasonic transducer array section 41 are transmitted by wiring formed on the thin flexible substrate 43. Therefore, it is not necessary to insert and arrange signal cables and the like in the bending portion 2.
[0032]
The flexible substrate 43 is arranged in an arc shape surrounding various built-in components such as the signal cable 14c of the solid-state imaging device 14b, the treatment tool insertion channel 15, and the light guide fiber 17. Therefore, various built-in objects are inserted and arranged in the curved portion 2 so as not to waste the internal space, and the curved portion 2 can be formed thin.
[0033]
As shown in FIG. 11, the flexible boards 43 are formed to have different lengths, but the shortest flexible board 43 is also set to have a length that passes through the inside of the curved portion 2, and The signal cable 47 is connected to the distal end of the signal line 47a of the signal cable 47 disposed inside the flexible tube 1 while being shifted in the longitudinal direction.
[0034]
Although the diameter of the connection between the signal line 47a of the signal cable 47 and the flexible board 43 becomes large due to soldering or the like, since the positions are sequentially shifted, it is possible to avoid a locally thickening as a whole. The flexible tube portion 1 and the curved portion 2 can be formed thin.
[0035]
FIG. 12 illustrates the connection portion arranged in the flexible tube portion 1, and the distal end portion of the signal cable 47 in which a large number of signal lines 47 a are integrated into one is connected in the flexible tube portion 1. The flexible heat-shrinkable tubes 48 are shrunk and bundled together by shrinking the flexible heat-shrinkable tubes 48 for each of the plurality of signal lines 47a that are loosely separated in units of one signal line 47a and connected to one flexible substrate 43. ing. Such a configuration is effective in preventing disconnection of each signal line 47a.
[0036]
The ends of the heat-shrinkable tubes 48 are sequentially shifted in position. As a result, the flexibility of the flexible tube portion 1 does not suddenly change, and it is possible to prevent the change in the overall diameter from becoming smooth and increasing the diameter. Then, the flexible thick heat-shrinkable tube 49 is shrink-coated so as to bind all the parts together.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the signal cable inserted into the flexible tube and the ultrasonic probe are connected by a plurality of flexible substrates arranged in parallel so as to pass through the inside of the curved portion, and the flexible substrate and the signal are connected. At the connection part with the cable, multiple signal lines connected to the same flexible board among the signal lines extending from the signal cable are united together to effectively use the internal space near the tip of the insertion part As a result, the flexible board can be connected to the signal cable, and the insertion performance can be improved by reducing the outer diameter of the insertion portion.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a distal end portion of an insertion portion of an ultrasonic endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the ultrasonic probe according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3 of the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 3 of the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the distal end body according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6 of the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 6 of the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX in FIG. 1 of the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a passing state of the flexible substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state of a rear end portion of the flexible board according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a side view of a connection portion between the flexible board and the signal cable according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flexible tube part 2 Bending part 3 Tip part main body 4 Ultrasonic probe 43 Flexible board 47 Signal cable 47a Signal line 48 Heat-shrinkable tube (flexible tube)
49 Thick heat shrink tube

Claims (3)

A bending portion which is bent by remote operation is connected to the distal end of the flexible tube portion forming the insertion portion, and the ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal and the objective optical system for performing optical observation are the bending portion. In an ultrasonic endoscope arranged more distally,
The signal cable inserted into the flexible tube portion and the ultrasonic probe are connected by a plurality of flexible substrates arranged in parallel so as to pass through the bending portion, and the flexible substrate and the signal cable are connected. A plurality of signal lines connected to the same flexible board among the signal lines extending from the signal cable are united together at a connection portion with the ultrasonic endoscope. The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the binding of the signal lines is performed by covering each of the flexible tubes. 3. The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the binding of the signal lines is performed by shifting the position in the axial direction.

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