JP2009165623A - Screening endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a screening endoscope capable of performing a large number of endoscopic examinations in a short cycle while reliably cleaning and disinfecting an endoscope after use without incurring an expensive apparatus cost.
A guiding unit 30 having a configuration in which a rigid holding portion 33 for holding by an operator by hand is connected to a proximal end of a flexible insertion tube portion 32 and no observation function is provided. The imaging unit 16 for capturing an endoscopic observation image and the observation unit 10 in which the emission end portion of the illumination light guide 22 is provided at the distal end portion 13 are provided as separate bodies, respectively. The guide unit 30 includes an observation unit guide path 31 disposed in the flexible insertion tube portion 32 so that a region near the tip of the flexible cable portion 12 of the observation unit 10 can be inserted and removed from the holding portion 33 side. A transparent window 37 is provided at the distal end of the flexible insertion tube portion 32 for watertightly closing the most distal end portion of the observation unit guiding path 31.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an examination endoscope.

  In general, an endoscope is provided with an imaging element for capturing an endoscopic observation image and an emission end of a light guide for illumination provided at the distal end of a flexible insertion tube, and is held by an operator by hand. The rigid holding portion is connected to the proximal end of the flexible insertion tube portion.

  However, such endoscopes need to be cleaned and disinfected after each use, so if you are going to conduct a mass screening that requires a large number of subjects to be examined one after another It takes time to disinfect and does not go well, and it is necessary to prepare a large number of expensive endoscopes for the next and subsequent endoscopy.

Therefore, conventionally, a transparent sheath is detachably covered on the flexible tube of the insertion section, and the sheath is disposable for each endoscopic examination, so that the trouble of cleaning and disinfection can be saved. Various endoscopes have been devised (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-126012 A

  However, in the case of an endoscope with a sheath as described above, the sheath covering the insertion tube flexible tube of the endoscope is discarded for each use, so a large number of subjects are examined. In screening, a large amount of sheath is generated as waste, which is not preferable for the global environment.

  In addition, a sheath formed of ultra-thin silicon rubber or the like may generate pinholes or break during use, which may contaminate the endoscope and cause inter-patient infection.

  The present invention provides an examination endoscope that can efficiently perform a large number of endoscopic examinations in a short cycle while reliably cleaning and disinfecting an endoscope after use without incurring an expensive apparatus cost. For the purpose.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the examination endoscope of the present invention has a configuration in which a rigid holding portion for holding by an operator by hand is connected to a proximal end of a flexible insertion tube portion. The observation unit in which the observation function is not provided, and the observation unit in which the imaging element for capturing the endoscope observation image and the emission end of the light guide for illumination are provided at the distal end are separated. Each observation unit is provided independently, and the observation unit receives a signal connector for sending an image pickup signal output from the image pickup device to the video processor and an illumination light output from the video processor, and enters the incident end of the light guide. And a light guide connector for connecting the image sensor and the signal connector are electrically connected to and detached from the video processor. A flexible cable part inserted through the length is provided by connecting the tip part and the connector part, and the guide unit is inserted into and removed from the holding part side near the tip of the flexible cable part of the observation unit. An observation unit guide path disposed in the flexible insertion tube section and a transparent window that watertightly seals the most distal end of the observation unit guide path at the distal end of the flexible insertion tube section. is there.

  The guiding unit is provided with a bending mechanism capable of bending a bendable bending portion formed near the distal end of the flexible insertion tube portion by remote operation from the holding portion, and the observation unit has a bending mechanism. May be not provided, and a resilient fixing means capable of elastically fixing and releasing the distal end of the observation unit may be provided in the distal end of the observation unit guiding path of the guidance unit.

  The guiding unit may be provided with a piping device that can perform at least one of air supply, water supply, and suction from the distal end of the flexible insertion tube portion by an operation at the holding portion.

  According to the present invention, the guidance unit and the observation unit are provided separately as separate bodies, and after the endoscopy, only the guidance unit needs to be cleaned and disinfected, and the observation unit is repeated without cleaning and disinfecting. Therefore, a large number of endoscopic examinations can be performed efficiently in a short cycle while reliably cleaning and disinfecting the used endoscope (guidance unit) without incurring expensive equipment costs. .

  A guide unit having a configuration in which a rigid holding part for holding by an operator to the proximal end of the flexible insertion tube part is connected and an observation function is not provided, and an endoscope observation image An imaging unit for imaging and an observation unit in which the exit end of the light guide for illumination is provided at the tip are provided separately as separate bodies, and the observation unit outputs from the imaging device The video processor has a connector part that is provided with a signal connector for sending an imaging signal to the video processor and a light guide connector for receiving the illumination light output from the video processor and making it incident on the incident end of the light guide. A flexible cable part that is provided detachably and has a signal cable and a light guide that are electrically connected to the image sensor and the signal connector are inserted over the entire length. An observation unit that is provided in connection with the connector part, and is arranged in the flexible insertion tube part so that the guide unit can be inserted into and removed from the holding part side near the tip of the flexible cable part of the observation unit. A guide path and a transparent window for watertightly closing the most distal portion of the observation unit guide path at the tip of the flexible insertion tube portion are provided.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of the medical examination endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The observation unit 10 has an observation and illumination function, and the guidance unit 30 does not have an observation / illumination function. Are provided independently as separate bodies.

  Among them, the guidance unit 30 is provided with an observation unit guiding path 31 for guiding the observation unit 10 to be inserted, and a connector portion 11 connected to the video processor 1 also serving as a light source device is provided at the base end of the observation unit 10. Is provided. Reference numeral 2 denotes a monitor television that displays an endoscopic observation image by a video signal output from the video processor 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the observation unit 10 is provided with an observation window 14 and an illumination window 15 arranged side by side at the distal end portion 13 of the flexible cable portion 12 that is flexible and elongated as a whole. The solid-state imaging device 16 for capturing an endoscopic observation image taken in from the inside and the exit end portion of the illumination light guide 22 for transmitting the illumination light emitted from the illumination window 15 are within the distal end portion 13. Is arranged.

  A connector 11 connected to the base end of the flexible cable portion 12 is a signal connector for performing transmission / reception of an electrical signal such as transmission of an imaging signal output from the solid-state imaging device 16 with the video processor 1. 17 and a light guide connector 19 for receiving the illumination light output from the light source lamp built in the video processor 1 and causing the illumination light to enter the incident end of the light guide 22. It can be connected to and detached from (ie, connected to and detached from).

  In the flexible cable portion 12, there are a signal cable 21 that electrically connects the solid-state image sensor 16 (strictly, a drive circuit for the solid-state image sensor 16) and the signal connector 17, and the light guide 22 described above. It is inserted through the entire length, and piping tubes and operation wires are not inserted. Moreover, between the front-end | tip part 13 and the connector part 11, the curved part etc. which are bent by the kind of an operation part or a holding | maintenance part, or remote operation are not provided.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the guide unit 30 has a rigid holding portion 33 that is held by a surgeon by hand at the proximal end of a flexible flexible insertion tube portion 32 that is inserted into the body of a subject. And a bending mechanism capable of bending the bendable bending portion 34 formed near the distal end of the flexible insertion tube portion 32 by remote operation from the holding portion 33 is provided. ing. Reference numeral 35 denotes a bending operation knob for performing such a bending operation. Since the specific configuration of the bending mechanism is a known one, its detailed description is omitted.

  The observation unit guiding path 31 has an opening formed in the holding portion 33 so that an area near the tip of the flexible cable portion 12 of the observation unit 10 (for example, a half near the tip) can be inserted and removed. 33, through the flexible insertion tube portion 32 and into the distal end body 36 connected to the most distal end portion of the flexible insertion tube portion 32, most of which is formed of a flexible tube. Yes. As shown in the cross section of FIG. 5, the most distal end portion of the observation unit guiding path 31 is water-tightly closed with a transparent window 37 on the distal end surface of the distal end portion main body 36.

  Further, in the distal end portion of the observation unit guiding path 31 located inside the transparent window 37, a rubber O-ring which is a resilient fixing means capable of elastically fixing and releasing the distal end portion 13 of the observation unit 10 is provided. 38 is arranged in a state in which only the inner diameter portion is exposed in the observation unit guiding path 31 from the mounting groove.

  FIG. 6 shows the examination endoscope set in a use state, and a region near the tip of the flexible cable portion 12 of the observation unit 10 is inserted into the observation unit guide path 31 of the guide unit 30. The distal end portion 13 of the flexible cable portion 12 of the observation unit 10 reaches the distal end of the guiding unit 30 as shown in FIG. 7 and is elastically fixed to the distal end portion main body 36 of the guiding unit 30 by the O-ring 38. Has been.

  In this state, the observation window 14 and the illumination window 15 of the observation unit 10 are in contact with the inner surface of the transparent window 37 of the guidance unit 30. Accordingly, while observing the inside of the body illuminated by the illumination light radiated from the illumination window 15 with an image captured from the observation window 14, the curved portion 34 of the guidance unit 30 is appropriately controlled by remote operation from the holding portion 33 side. The distal end body 36 is guided to a desired site by bending, and the observation unit 10 can perform endoscopic observation without touching the subject or mucus in the body at all.

  Then, after the endoscopic observation is finished, when the guidance unit 30 is pulled out of the body of the subject together with the observation unit 10, the observation unit 10 is removed from the observation unit guide path 31 of the guidance unit 30 as shown in FIG. The next endoscopy can be immediately performed by extracting and replacing only the guidance unit 30 with a new guidance unit 30 'and inserting the observation unit 10 into the observation unit guidance path 31 of the new guidance unit 30'. it can.

  The used guidance unit 30 can be cleaned and disinfected during the next inspection, and the guidance unit 30 includes the solid-state imaging device 16 and the light guide 22 that are weak against heat, moisture, and the like. Therefore, cleaning and disinfection can be performed effectively in a short time.

  FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, and an air supply, water supply or suction path 39 having an outlet opening outside the tip end body 36 is provided in the guide unit 30. As shown in FIG. 9, the holding unit 33 of the guide unit 30 is provided with a connection base 41 for connecting the air supply, water supply, or suction tube 3 to perform the air supply, water supply, or suction operation. A known operation valve 42 is arranged. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to perform endoscopy continuously and speedily by repeatedly using only the observation unit 10 as in the first embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the schematic which shows the whole structure of the state immediately after the endoscopy by the endoscope for a screening of 1st Example of this invention is complete | finished. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic diagram which shows the whole structure of the state before the endoscopy of the endoscope for a medical examination of 1st Example of this invention. It is a whole block diagram of the observation unit of the 1st Example of this invention. It is a whole lineblock diagram of the guidance unit of the 1st example of the present invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the front-end | tip part of the guidance | induction unit of 1st Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram showing the whole composition of the state where the endoscope for examination of the 1st example of the present invention was set to the use state. It is side surface sectional drawing of the front-end | tip part of the endoscope inspection state of the endoscope for a medical examination of 1st Example of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the front-end | tip part of the endoscope inspection state of the endoscope for a screening of 2nd Example of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view of the holding | maintenance part of the guidance | induction unit of 2nd Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Video processor 10 Observation unit 11 Connector part 12 Flexible cable part 13 Tip part 14 Observation window 15 Illumination window 16 Solid-state image sensor 17 Signal connector 19 Light guide connector 21 Signal cable 22 Light guide 30 Guide unit 31 Observation unit guide path 32 Flexible insertion tube part 33 Holding part 34 Bending part 35 Bending operation knob (bending mechanism)
36 Tip body 37 Transparent window 38 O-ring (Resilient fixing means)
39 Air supply, water supply or suction path (piping equipment)
41 Connection cap (Piping equipment)
42 Operation valve (Piping system)

Claims (4)

A guide unit having a configuration in which a rigid holding portion for holding by an operator by hand is connected to a proximal end of a flexible insertion tube portion and an observation function is not provided, and an endoscope observation image An imaging unit for imaging and an observation unit in which an emission end portion of a light guide for illumination is provided at a tip portion are provided separately as separate bodies,
In the observation unit,
A signal connector for sending an imaging signal output from the imaging device to a video processor and a light guide connector for receiving illumination light output from the video processor and entering the incident end of the light guide are also provided. The connector portion is provided so as to be attachable to and detachable from the video processor,
A flexible cable part in which a signal cable electrically connecting the image pickup device and the signal connector and the light guide are inserted and disposed over the entire length is provided to connect the tip part and the connector part,
In the induction unit,
An observation unit guide path disposed in the flexible insertion tube so that a region near the tip of the flexible cable portion of the observation unit can be inserted and removed from the holding unit side;
A medical examination endoscope, characterized in that a transparent window for watertightly closing a distal end portion of the observation unit guiding path is provided at a distal end of the flexible insertion tube portion.   The guide unit is provided with a bending mechanism capable of bending a bendable bending portion formed in the vicinity of the distal end of the flexible insertion tube portion by remote control from the holding portion. The medical examination endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a bending mechanism is not provided.   The examination endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a resilient fixing means capable of elastically fixing and releasing the distal end portion of the observation unit is provided in the distal end of the observation unit guiding path of the guiding unit.   A piping device capable of performing at least one of air supply, water supply, and suction from the tip of the flexible insertion tube portion by an operation at the holding portion is provided in the guide unit. Or the endoscope for medical examinations of 3 description.

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