JPH0451778Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a probe balloon attachment device for attaching a balloon to an ultrasonic probe (probe) of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[Prior Art] In an ultrasonic diagnostic device, in order to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves from a position closer to the examined part of a living body, an intrabody cavity insertion device is inserted into a body cavity of a living body and transmits and receives ultrasound beams from inside the body. probes are known.
In order to increase the adhesion to the living body and to prevent the transmission of bacteria between patients, such an ultrasound probe that can be inserted into a body cavity is equipped with a balloon, which covers the probe. Ultrasound diagnosis is performed by inserting it into a body cavity. By replacing the balloon each time the patient or patient inserts the balloon into a body cavity, the transmission of bacteria through the probe is prevented.

The work of attaching the balloon to the probe is performed manually by inserting the probe through the probe receiving opening of the balloon and inserting the probe all the way to the tip of the balloon.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] As mentioned above, the balloon is attached to the probe manually, but when the balloon is attached to the probe, it is necessary to minimize the gap between the balloon and the probe. It is desirable that the probe has no inner diameter, and therefore cannot be formed with an inner diameter that is too large relative to the outer diameter of the probe. Therefore, the task of attaching the balloon to the probe may not be carried out smoothly. In addition, it is also easy to wind the balloon by turning the probe receiving opening of the balloon toward the tip of the balloon and winding it outward, since the balloon has a relatively small diameter and its length is about 20 cm to 25 cm. Unable to perform loading work. Therefore, the probe is attached by inserting the probe through the probe receiving port with the balloon extended and gradually pushing it toward the distal end, and the user must use both hands to perform this attachment process. There was a problem in that quick replacement work was difficult and inconvenient.

Furthermore, in order to smoothly attach the balloon, powder is attached to the inner surface of the balloon to improve its slippage, but this powder also causes a problem in that it causes deterioration of ultrasound diagnostic images.

Purpose of the invention The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a balloon attachment device for a probe that has a simple structure and can easily attach a balloon to a probe. It's about doing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the probe balloon mounting device according to the present invention has an open end that can be attached to the probe balloon with the probe receiving opening of the probe balloon expanded, and a balloon holding tube, which is a cylinder whose other end is a closed end, has an air suction port in the vicinity of the closed end, and has a length capable of storing the probe balloon in an expanded state; The device is characterized in that it includes a negative pressure pump that is connected to the air suction port of the holding cylinder and sucks air inside the balloon holding cylinder.

[Function] According to the above configuration, one end of the balloon holding tube is an open end that can be attached with the probe receiving port of the balloon stretched and expanded.
A probe receiving port is attached to this open end, and the air inside the balloon holding cylinder can be sucked by a negative pressure pump from the air suction port near the closed end of the balloon holding cylinder.

By suctioning this air, the balloon housed in the holding tube can be stretched toward the closed end of the balloon holding tube and placed in an expanded state. That is, the space between the outer surface of the balloon and the inner surface of the balloon holding tube becomes a negative pressure state due to air being sucked in, and the balloon is pulled to the closed end of the balloon holding tube. The balloon will be held in an expanded state in the balloon holding tube.

Here, after inserting the probe tip into the balloon through the probe receiving port of the balloon attached to the open end of the balloon holding tube and inserting it to a predetermined position, the negative pressure state in the space between the balloon and the inner surface of the holding tube is confirmed. By releasing the balloon, the balloon is deflated and attached to the probe.

In this way, the balloon can be easily attached simply by inserting the probe into the balloon held in the expanded state by the balloon holding tube.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of this embodiment, which is composed of a balloon holding cylinder 10, a negative pressure pump 12, and a connecting pipe 14.

One end 10a of the balloon holding cylinder 10 is formed as an open end, and the other end 10b is formed with a bottom to be a closed end. FIG. 2 shows an example of a probe balloon 16 held in the balloon holding cylinder 10, which is generally made of synthetic rubber or the like and is thinly formed so as to be freely expandable and contractable and easily come into close contact with the probe. The length from the probe receiving port 16a to the tip end 16b is set such that it can sufficiently cover the insertion portion of the probe inserted into the body cavity.
It is said to be approximately 20cm to 25cm long, and its diameter is slightly larger than the probe to which it is attached. The diameter of the probe balloon 16 is desirably slightly smaller than the diameter of the probe in order to make it adhere closely to the probe, but it is set to have a diameter slightly larger than the probe in order to ensure ease of removing the balloon after use. ing.

The open end 10a of the balloon holding tube 10 has a slightly larger outer diameter than the probe receiving port 16a of the balloon 16, and when the probe receiving port 16a of the balloon 16 is stretched and expanded, It is formed so that it can be attached.

Further, an air suction port 18 is formed near the closed end 10b, and a connecting pipe 14 is connected to this air suction port 18. The other end of the connecting pipe 14 is connected to the suction port 20 of the negative pressure pump 12.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

Figure 3 shows the probe balloon 1 to the probe.
6 is a diagram showing the attachment operation of the balloon 1. First, FIG. 3A shows the balloon 1 attached to the open end 10a of the balloon holding cylinder
The state in which the probe receiving opening 16a of No. 6 is spread out against the contraction force is shown. At this time, the tip end 16b of the balloon 16 is hanging down inside the balloon holding tube 10.

Next, FIG. 3B shows a state in which air is sucked and discharged from the space 10c between the balloon holding tube 10 and the probe balloon 16 through the air suction port 18 by a negative pressure pump. At this time, the probe balloon 16 is attached to the closed end 10 of the balloon holding tube 10.
It is pulled toward the b side, and as the air is discharged, it expands in the direction of contacting the inner wall of the balloon holding cylinder 10.

Note that the length of this balloon holding tube 10 is such that the tip end 1 of the balloon 16 when the balloon 16 is inflated.
6b is formed in such a length that it does not contact the bottom portion 10b.

FIG. 3C shows the probe receiving port 1 inside the probe balloon 16 expanded by suctioning and discharging air.
6a, the probe 22 is inserted to a position where the tip 22a of the probe 22 is almost close to the tip 16b of the balloon 16.

Further, FIG. 3D shows a state in which deaerated water is discharged from the deaerated water outlet 22b provided in the probe 22 in the state shown in FIG. 3C, and a predetermined amount is stored in the balloon 16. This pouring of deaerated water is performed to prevent air from accumulating between the probe balloon 16 and the probe 22 when the probe balloon 16 is attached to the probe 22. That is, the diameter of the balloon 16 is equal to the diameter of the probe 22.
If air is trapped in the gap between the two because it is slightly larger than the actual size, the ultrasound propagation characteristics between living tissue and air will be significantly different, making it impossible to receive reflected waves well. bring about a situation. Therefore, when the balloon 16 is attached, deaerated water is injected between the probe 22 and the balloon 16, and the injection of deaerated water prevents air from accumulating between the probe 22 and the balloon 16. be.

The pre-installation process is completed by the operations shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D. Then, from the state shown in FIG. 3D, the air suction state by the negative pressure pump 12 is released, and
When the air pressure in the space 10c between the balloon holding tube 10 and the balloon 16 is returned to normal pressure, the balloon 16 is drawn toward the probe 22 while retaining water at the bottom, as shown in FIG. 3E. .

Then, drain unnecessary water accumulated at the bottom of the balloon 16, remove the probe receiving port 16a of the balloon 16 from the balloon holding tube 10, and remove the balloon 16 from the balloon holding tube 10.
The installation operation of step 6 is completed. The state at the end of this attachment operation is shown in FIG. 3F.

In this way, according to this embodiment, preparation for mounting the balloon 16 is made only by attaching the balloon 16 to the balloon holding tube 10 and activating the negative pressure pump 12 to suction and discharge the air inside the balloon holding tube 10. It can be carried out. By performing this attachment preparation operation in advance, the user can insert the probe 22 into the balloon 16 that has been prepared for attachment, release the suction operation by the negative pressure pump 12, and release the inside of the balloon holding cylinder 10. The balloon 16 can be easily attached by returning the air pressure to the normal state. That is, the balloon holding cylinder 1 of the probe 22
The balloon 16 can be attached only by inserting it into the balloon 0 and driving the release switch of the negative pressure pump 12. Therefore, the installation time can be shortened, and the task of replacing the balloon 16 during diagnosis can be facilitated.

Note that the negative pressure pump 12 is not limited to an electric type, and a foot-operated type can also be used.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, according to the probe balloon mounting device according to the present invention, the probe balloon can be placed in the balloon holding cylinder by expanding the probe receiving opening,
Moreover, it can be held in a stretched state as a whole. Therefore, the probe balloon can be easily and reliably attached to the probe only by inserting the probe through the probe receiving port of the balloon and returning the air pressure in the balloon holding cylinder to normal pressure.

As a result, there is no need to carry out the labor-intensive balloon mounting work as in the past, and the balloon can be quickly mounted during diagnosis or treatment.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the embodiment, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a general probe balloon, and Figs.
F is an explanatory diagram showing the balloon attachment operation according to the embodiment. 10... Balloon holding cylinder, 10a... Probe receiving port, 12... Negative pressure pump, 18... Air suction port.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A cylindrical body with one end being an open end to which the probe receiving opening of a probe balloon can be attached in an expanded state, and the other end being a closed end, and the other end is a closed end. a balloon holding cylinder having an air suction port and having a length capable of storing the probe balloon in an expanded state; and a negative pressure pump connected to the air suction port of the balloon holding cylinder and sucking air in the balloon holding cylinder. and a probe balloon attachment device.