JPH03215239A - optical probe - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to optical probes used for medical purposes.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of optical probe was generally used by being inserted into an endoscope or a rigid scope, and the power of the laser beam was transmitted through an optical fiber inside the optical probe, and the output end of the optical probe carried out evaporation and hemostasis. It is configured to allow for treatments such as incisions.

FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the output end of a conventional optical probe. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1 denotes an optical fin {, which emits laser light incident from one end from the other output end 1a. 2
is a protective tube surrounding the outside of the optical fiber 1,
It is made of Teflon or the like. Usually optical fiber 1
An assist gas 3 is passed between the optical fiber 1 and the protective tube 2 to cool the output end 1a of the optical fiber 1 and to prevent impurities from adhering to the output end 1a during treatment.

FIG. 8 shows another example of the output end of a conventional optical probe. This is equipped with an output end chip 4 at the output end of the protective tube 2, which has a spout that narrows down the assist gas 3 and blows it out in a jet form, thereby cooling the output end 1a of the optical fiber 1 and preventing the adhesion of impurities. It is designed to be more effective.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Incidentally, although the conventional optical probe is flexible as a whole, the output end of the optical probe does not have an active bending structure. In use, the irradiation direction of the laser beam must be set using the movable mechanism of the endoscope. Therefore, in order to direct the output end of the optical probe to the target laser irradiation area,
Is it necessary to move the entire tip of the endoscope? For this reason,
There is a problem in that the field of view of the endoscope for the affected area changes constantly, making it difficult to visually recognize the affected area when irradiating the affected area with laser light without scanning a wide area.

Further, when such an optical probe is used by being inserted into a rigid scope, similar operations become even more difficult.

The present invention solves these conventional problems by providing an excellent optical probe that can irradiate laser light to the necessary part of the affected area without changing the field of view of the endoscope or rigid scope. The purpose is to provide.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses a magnetic tube as the protective tube, and provides a magnetic deflection coil around the laser emitting end of the protective tube, so that the laser beam emitting end of the optical probe is provided with a magnetic deflection coil. It has an active bending structure using magnetic deflection.

Further, this bent structure can be constructed by using a permanent magnet as the magnetic deflection coil and providing a magnetic deflection plate made of a magnetic material between the protective tube and the permanent magnet so as to be movable back and forth.

Furthermore, it can be constructed by providing an output end chip made of a cylindrical magnetic material at the end of the laser beam output side of the protective tube, and providing a magnetic deflection coil around the output end chip.

Furthermore, the magnetic deflection coil may be a permanent magnet, and a magnetic deflection plate made of a magnetic material may be provided between the output end chip and the permanent magnet so as to be movable forward and backward.

Effects The present invention has the following effects due to the above-described configuration. In other words, by equipping the laser beam emitting end of the optical probe with an active bending structure using magnetic deflection, when the optical probe is inserted into an endoscope or rigid scope, the endoscope or rigid scope can easily bend the affected area. The laser beam emitting end of the optical probe can be freely directed to the required irradiation area without changing the overall field of view. Therefore, it is possible to easily irradiate the affected area with laser light without scanning a wide range with an endoscope or rigid scope.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the structure of an embodiment according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes an optical fiber, and the laser beam that enters from one end is emitted from the other output end 11a.

A protective tube 12 surrounds the outside of the optical fiber 11, and is made of magnetic silicon, which is a magnetic material. Note that this protective tube 12 can be formed using other magnetic metals or magnetic resins. Reference numeral 13 denotes an assist gas flowing within the protective tube l2, which is used to cool the output end 11a of the optical fiber 11 and to cool the output end 11a during treatment.
Prevent the adhesion of impurities that fly to a. 14 are magnetic deflection coils, which are located at the output end side end 1 of the protective tube 12.
They are provided around 2a in vertical positions facing each other. These magnetic deflection coils 14 are excited by external electric signal control.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. In this embodiment, when the magnetic deflection coils 14 are alternately excited, the output end 12a of the protective tube 12 is alternately attracted in the vertical direction. That is, the output end of the optical probe is actively bent and driven in the vertical direction.

As described above, according to the embodiment, the protective tube 12 is formed of a magnetic material, and the laser beam emitting end 12a of the protective tube 12 is made of a magnetic material.
By providing magnetic deflection coils 14 above and below the circumference of the optical probe, an active bending structure due to magnetic deflection is formed at the laser beam emitting end of the optical probe, and this optical probe can be used by inserting it into an endoscope or rigid endoscope. In this case, the laser beam emitting end of the optical probe can be freely directed in the necessary irradiation direction without changing the overall field of view of the affected area with the endoscope or rigid scope. Therefore, there is an advantage that the laser beam can be easily irradiated to a necessary part of the affected area without having to scan a wide range with an endoscope or a rigid scope.

FIG. 2 shows the main part of another embodiment of the present invention,
In this embodiment, magnetic deflection coils 23 are provided at 90 degree intervals around the output end side end 22a of the magnetic protection tube 22 surrounding the optical fiber 21. Therefore, this embodiment has the effect that the output end of the optical probe can be driven and controlled in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the flexibility of the bending direction of the output end can be increased.

In addition, in these embodiments, the magnetic deflection coils 14, 23
Although this is illustrated as being provided right above and around the protective tube output end side ends 12a and 22a, this position may be provided to some extent on the proximal side, that is, on the incident end side. Furthermore, the same effect can be obtained by attaching a magnetic material to a part of the outer peripheral surface of the protective tube 12, 22 instead of forming the entire protective tube 12, 22 from a magnetic material. Further, by automatically controlling the magnetic deflection coils 14, 23, automatic laser beam irradiation within a certain range is also possible. The same applies to other embodiments shown below.

FIG. 3 further shows the configuration of another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, permanent magnets 33 are provided above and below the periphery of the output end side end 32a of a magnetic protection tube 32 that surrounds the optical fiber 31, and a magnetic deflection plate 34 is provided between these permanent magnets 33 and the protection tube 32. It is designed to be able to move forward and backward.

This magnetic deflection plate 34 is formed from a magnetic metal material or a magnetic resin material. Therefore, by alternately moving the magnetic deflection plate 34 forward and backward between the protective tube 32 and the permanent magnet 33, the attractive force of the permanent magnet 33 at the output end side end 32a of the protective tube 32 is controlled, and the output end side End 3
2a is actively bent and driven in the vertical direction. Even in this case, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,
By incorporating the magnetic deflection plate 41 into the notch 43 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the output end side end 422 of the magnetic protection tube 42, it becomes an integral structure, and by rotating the protection tube 42, the output end side end 42a It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which attraction by a permanent magnet (not shown) is controlled.

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of yet another embodiment. In this embodiment, a circular output tip made of a magnetic material is provided at the output end side end 62a of the protective tube 62 surrounding the optical fiber 61. 63 and a magnetic deflection coil 6 around it.
4 are provided so as to face each other. Therefore, by alternately exciting the magnetic deflection coils 64 and attracting the output end chip 63, the output end side end 62a of the protection tube 62 can be bent. In this embodiment, the protective tube 62 can be made of either non-magnetic or magnetic material. Even in this case, the same effects as in each of the embodiments described above can be obtained.

In addition, in this embodiment 1z, similarly to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the magnetic deflection coil may be a permanent magnet, and a magnetic deflection plate may be provided movably back and forth between the output end chip and the permanent magnet. can.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, the present invention has an active bending structure using magnetic deflection at the output end of the protective tube, and this optical probe can be inserted into an endoscope or a rigid scope. When in use, the laser beam emitting end of the optical probe can be freely set in the required irradiation direction without changing the overall field of view of the affected area with an endoscope or rigid scope.
This method has the advantage that the laser beam can be easily irradiated to the required area without scanning the affected area over a wide area with an endoscope or rigid scope.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially omitted front sectional view of an optical probe in one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of an optical probe in another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a further embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partially omitted front sectional view of an optical probe in still another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a side view of the same optical probe, and FIG. A partially omitted front cross-sectional view of an optical probe according to another embodiment of the invention, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are respectively partially omitted front cross-sectional views of a conventional optical probe. 11,21.31.61...Optical fiber, 12,22
．． 32,42.62...Protection tube, 12a, 22
a, 32a. 42a. 62a... Output end side end, 14
, 23.64... Magnetic deflection coil, 33... Permanent magnet, 34.41... Magnetic deflection plate, 63... Output end chip.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) An optical fiber that emits a laser beam incident from one end from the other output end, and a protective tube that surrounds this optical fiber, the protective tube being a magnetic tube, and surrounding the laser beam output end side. An optical probe characterized by being equipped with a magnetic deflection coil. (2) The optical probe according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic deflection coil is a permanent magnet, and a magnetic deflection plate made of a magnetic material is provided between the protective tube and the permanent magnet so that it can move forward and backward. (3) An optical fiber that emits laser light incident from one end from the other output end, and a protective tube that surrounds this optical fiber, and a cylindrical magnetic material is provided at the end of the protective tube on the side of the laser beam output end. What is claimed is: 1. An optical probe characterized in that an output end tip is provided, and a magnetic deflection coil is provided around the output end tip. (4) The optical probe according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic deflection coil is a permanent magnet, and a magnetic deflection plate made of a magnetic material is provided between the output end tip and the permanent magnet so as to be movable forward and backward.