JPH0595895A - Endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To improve the insertability by changing the flexibility of the guiding tube during surgery. A spiral tube 4a coaxially disposed along the guiding tube 2 and fixed at one end at a selected position of the guiding tube 2, and the other end of the spiral tube 4a can be screwed and fixed, and The spiral pitch variable mechanism is configured such that the screwing pitch of the fitting and fixing portion is set to a size that allows the spiral pitch of the spiral tube 4a to be variable while keeping the spiral winding diameter constant.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an endoscope for observing the inside of a body cavity of a living body, for example, the large intestine, and more particularly to an endoscope having a guiding tube whose flexibility can be changed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, when inserting a guiding tube of an endoscope into the large intestine, it is desired to change the flexibility of the guiding tube depending on the passage site. Until the tip of the guiding tube passes through the sigmoid colon, it bends to fit the intestine of the large intestine,
After passing through the sigmoid colon, only the proximal end side of the guiding tube is hardened so that the force for inserting the guiding tube is transmitted to the distal end so that the guiding tube does not bend. desirable.

However, since the flexibility of the guiding tube could not be changed during operation, a rigid tubular sliding tube was used. First, before operation, slide the sliding tube through the guiding tube, insert the guiding tube into the large intestine, and confirm that the tip of the guiding tube has passed through the sigmoid colon.
Insert the sliding tube into the large intestine. By thus linearizing the sigmoid colon, the guiding tube can be inserted further into the back.

[0004]

However, when the sliding tube is used, it is necessary to confirm that the leading end of the guiding tube has passed through the sigmoid colon in addition to the need for a guiding tube longer than necessary. Inserting the sliding tube without it may cause a hole in the large intestine. In order to confirm that the laser beam has passed, fluoroscopy must be performed, and the operation becomes complicated and the amount of X-ray exposure also increases. As described above, there are many problems in using the sliding tube.

Therefore, as means for changing the flexibility of the guiding tube during operation without using a sliding tube, for example, (1) by changing the diameter of the spiral tube disposed in the guiding tube, The flexibility of the guiding hollow tube is changed by changing the frictional force inside the tube. (2) The heating means is provided inside the guiding hollow tube, and the flexibility change due to the heat of the outer resin of the guiding hollow tube is used. (3) A coil spring is inserted inside the guiding tube, and the flexibility is changed by changing the pushing amount of the coil spring. (4) A section for containing a pressurized fluid is provided inside the guiding tube. , Which changes the flexibility of the guiding tube by changing the pressure of the pressurized fluid supplied,
Is proposed.

However, in any of the examples, a guide tube whose purpose is only to change flexibility must be provided in the guiding tube. Therefore, there is a problem that the filling rate in the guiding tube becomes high, the structure becomes complicated, and the durability as a system deteriorates.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. The object of the present invention is to change the flexibility of the guiding tube during the operation and to improve the insertability. To provide an endoscope.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, one end is fixed coaxially along the guiding hollow tube and is fixed at a selected position of the guiding hollow tube. The spiral tube and the other end of the spiral tube can be screwed and fixed, and the screwing pitch of the screwing fixed portion is set to a size that allows the spiral pitch to be variable while keeping the spiral winding diameter of the spiral tube constant. And a variable spiral pitch mechanism.

[0009]

In the endoscope of the present invention having the above structure,
The turn short angle of the spiral tube can be changed by changing the spiral pitch while keeping the spiral winding diameter of the spiral tube disposed in the guiding tube constant. When the spiral pitch is large, the turn short angle also becomes large and the guiding tube becomes soft. When the spiral pitch is small, the turn short angle also becomes small and the guiding tube becomes hard. That is, by changing the spiral pitch, it is possible to change the flexibility of the guiding tube on the operating portion side.

Therefore, when the guiding central tube of the present invention is inserted into the large intestine, until the distal end portion of the guiding central tube passes through the sigmoid colon,
The spiral pitch is increased to make the guiding tube soft, and the guiding tube bends according to the intestinal tract. After the tip of the guiding tube has passed through the sigmoid colon, the sigmoid colon is linearized and the helical pitch is reduced to make the operating portion side of the guiding tube rigid, so the guiding tube does not bend. The force for inserting the guiding tube is always transmitted to the tip. As described above, since it becomes possible to change the flexibility of the guiding tube during the operation, the insertability is remarkably improved.

[0011]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a side view showing an operating portion side of the endoscope of the present invention, and FIG. 2 (b) is a sectional view. is there. The endoscope 1 is configured by connecting a guiding tube 2 introduced into a body cavity to an operating section 3 for operating. A spiral tube 4 is arranged inside the guiding tube 2, and a spiral tube 4a is arranged on the operating portion side of the guiding tube 2 to form a spiral pitch varying section 5. One end of the spiral tube 4a is the guiding tube 2
Is fixed at the selected position, and the other end is screwed and fixed to the operating portion 3 and connected to the lever 6 of the operating portion 3. The lever 6 can be slid along a guide 7 having a curvature that is set so that the spiral winding diameter of the spiral tube 4a is constant, and by operating the lever 6, only the spiral pitch of the spiral tube 4a is changed. It is a changing structure.

In the endoscope to which the present invention is applied, the spiral tube 4a is turned by changing only the spiral pitch without changing the spiral winding diameter of the spiral tube 4a arranged in the guiding tube 2. The short angle can be changed. As shown in FIG. 3A, when the spiral pitch is large, the turn short angle also becomes large and the guiding hollow tube 2 becomes soft. As shown in FIG. 3B, when the spiral pitch is small, the turn short angle is small and the guiding hollow tube 2 is hard. That is, by changing the spiral pitch, it is possible to change the flexibility of the guiding tube 2 on the operating portion side.

When inserting the guiding tube 2 of the endoscope 1 into the large intestine, the spiral pitch of the spiral tube 4a is increased until the tip of the guiding tube 2 passes through the sigmoid colon. The tube 2 is softened so that the guiding tube 2 bends to fit the intestinal tract. After the distal end portion of the guiding hollow tube 2 passes through the sigmoid colon, the sigmoid colon is linearized and the helical pitch is reduced to make the operating portion side of the guiding hollow tube 2 hard, so that the guiding hollow tube 2 bends. The force for inserting the guiding hollow tube 2 is always transmitted to the distal end portion without any effort. As described above, since the flexibility of the guiding tube 2 can be changed during the operation, the insertability is remarkably improved.

Therefore, in a large intestine examination, the insertability of the guiding tube can be remarkably improved without using a device such as a sliding tube, and the time to reach the cecum can be shortened. Further, even if the flexibility of the guiding tube is changed, the filling rate of the guiding tube does not change, so that the durability of the endoscope does not deteriorate.

[0016]

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION The endoscope of the present invention has the above-mentioned structure and action, and in colon examination and the like, the insertability of the guiding center tube is remarkably improved without using a device such as a sliding tube and the cecum. It is possible to shorten the time to reach it. Further, even if the flexibility of the guiding tube is changed, the filling rate of the guiding tube does not change, so that the durability of the endoscope does not deteriorate.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a side view showing a side of an operating portion of an endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a spiral tube in an embodiment of the endoscope of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Endoscope 2 Guided middle tube 3 Operation part 4 Spiral tube 4a Spiral tube 5 Spiral pitch variable part 6 Lever 7 Guide

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A spiral tube coaxially arranged along the guiding hollow tube and having one end fixed at a selected position of the guiding hollow tube, and the other end of the spiral tube can be screwed and fixed, and An endoscope, comprising: a spiral pitch varying mechanism in which a screwing pitch of a screw-fastened portion is set to a size that allows the spiral pitch of the spiral tube to be variable while keeping the spiral winding diameter of the spiral tube constant.