JPH0663045A - Ultrasonic endoscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an ultrasonic endoscope capable of executing an ultrasonic examination while running freely in an examinee even if the inside of a tubular examinee is not filled with liquid. CONSTITUTION:An ultrasonic transferring part 20 for transferring an ultrasonic wave is provided in the inside of a front balloon 4 or a rear balloon 5, so that the ultrasonic wave is transferred through the liquid guided into these balloons 4, 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic endoscope used for inspecting a tubular object (for example, industrial piping or a living organ such as the small intestine).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ultrasonic endoscope as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-133224 is known as a means for inspecting a tubular object by ultrasonic waves. This ultrasonic endoscope includes an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit, a first balloon provided at a rear end of the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit, and a first balloon connected to the first balloon via a bellows-shaped elastic member. 2 balloons, and the first and second balloons are alternately expanded and contracted in the tube wall direction of the subject by fluid pressure, and at the same time the bellows-shaped elastic member is expanded and contracted in the axial direction by fluid pressure to move the inside of the subject. It is a self-propelled caterpillar.

[0003]

The conventional ultrasonic endoscope constructed as described above has an advantage that it is possible to perform an ultrasonic examination while self-propelled in a tubular subject. It was necessary to fill the inside of the subject with a liquid when performing the ultrasonic examination.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to perform ultrasonic examination while self-propelled in the subject even if the subject having a tubular shape is not filled with the liquid. An object is to provide an ultrasonic endoscope that can be used.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, the axial expansion / contraction portion which expands / contracts in the axial direction expands in the tube wall direction of a subject which is tubular due to fluid pressure. In an ultrasonic endoscope having a pair of deflating balloons, an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit is provided in at least one of the balloons, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted / received through a liquid introduced into the balloon. Is characterized by.

[0006]

According to the present invention having such a configuration, the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit is provided in the balloon, so that the ultrasonic inspection can be performed through the liquid introduced into the balloon.

[0007]

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

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the schematic arrangement of an ultrasonic endoscope according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The main body 1 has a tubular shape and a flexible tube 2 led out from the rear end of the main body 1. The main body 1 has an axial expansion / contraction portion 3. The axial stretchable portion 3 includes a bellows tube 6 and a body front portion 7 and a body rear portion 8 that are airtightly fitted to both ends of the bellows tube 6, and the body front portion 7 and the body rear portion 8 are provided.
A front balloon 4 and a rear balloon 5 are attached to the peripheral surface of so as to cover the outer peripheries of the main body front portion 7 and the main body rear portion 8.

Fluid introduction holes 9 and 10 are provided on the peripheral surfaces of the front portion 7 and the rear portion 8 of the main body. These fluid introduction holes 9 and 10 are for introducing and discharging a fluid such as water into the front balloon 4 and the rear balloon 5, and the microvalve 13 in the bellows tube 6 via the pressurizing tubes 11 and 12, respectively. Connected to. The microvalve 13 has a nozzle 14 for supplying a fluid into the bellows tube 6. In addition, this micro valve 13
Is connected to a fluid supply source (not shown) through a pressurizing tube 15 which is inserted through the flexible tube 2,
The supply of fluid to the pressure tubes 11 and 12 and the nozzle 14 can be selectively controlled by opening and closing the valve.

The rear portion 8 of the main body is internally provided with the branch channel 1
6 and the channel hole 16 of this branch channel 16
A treatment tool such as forceps can be inserted into the subject through a and 16b. A mechanical switch actuating portion 17 for controlling the direction of the treatment instrument inserted into the rear portion 8 of the main body via the flexible tube 2 is provided at the branch portion of the branch channel 16. The rear portion 8 of the main body has a micro pressure sensor 18 on the surface thereof, and the micro pressure sensor 18 can detect the inflated state of the rear balloon 5.

On the other hand, the front portion 7 of the main body has a hollow portion 19 inside.
The cavity 19 is filled with a liquid (not shown) such as liquid paraffin, and an ultrasonic wave transmitter / receiver 20 is provided. This ultrasonic wave transmitter / receiver 20
The ultrasonic oscillator 21 includes a motor 22 that rotates the ultrasonic oscillator 21 around the axis of the bellows tube 6, and an encoder 23 that reads a rotation angle of the motor 22.
By rotating the ultrasonic transducer 21 with the motor 22, it is possible to ultrasonically scan the entire circumference of the tube wall of the subject.

A channel tube communicating with the branch channel 16, a signal cable 24 connected to the motor 22 and the encoder 23, the pressurizing tube 15 and the like are inserted in the flexible tube 2.

When performing an ultrasonic examination of the intestinal tract such as the small intestine with the ultrasonic endoscope thus constructed, the state shown in FIG. 2A, that is, the front balloon 4 and the rear balloon 5 is shown.
From the state where the bellows tube 6 is inflated, the rear balloon 5 is deflated as shown in FIG. 2B, and then the bellows tube 6 is deflated. Next, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), the rear balloon 5 is inflated to grip the tube wall of the intestinal tract 25 with the rear balloon 5, and then the front balloon 4 is contracted, and as shown in FIG. 2 (d). By axially extending the bellows tube 6, the main body 1 moves inside the intestinal tract 25 like a potato. At this time, a fluid (liquid) is generated by the pressure tube 15 that is inserted through the flexible tube 2.
Is sent to the microvalve 13, and this microvalve 1
Fluid is sent from 3 to the front balloon 4 via the pressure tube 11, to the bellows tube 6 via the nozzle 14, or to the rear balloon 5 via the pressure tube 12.

At this time, the ultrasonic transducer 21 is rotated around the axis by the motor 22, and the amount of rotation is detected by the encoder 23. Then, ultrasonic observation while the main body 1 is stopped is performed with the front balloon 4 in contact with the intestinal tract 25. In ultrasonic observation during self-propelling, since an ultrasonic image cannot be obtained when the front balloon 4 is not gripping the intestinal tract 25, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received in synchronization with the expansion of the front balloon 4. At this time, an image of the front balloon 4 before being deflated is displayed on a monitor screen (not shown).

Further, when performing a biopsy treatment on a certain observed tissue while observing ultrasonic waves, the treatment instrument 26 is made to protrude from the channel hole 16a or 16b of the branch channel 16 as shown in FIG. Inspection procedures can be performed. In this case, the treatment tool 26 is controlled by the mechanical switch actuating portion 17 provided at the branch portion of the branch channel 16 so as to exit from the channel hole 16a or 16b.

The treatment tool 26, as shown in FIG.
The ultrafine articulated arm 27 may be used. In this case, for example, an opening / closing actuator 29 of the cup 28 is provided at the tip, and an indirect portion 31 containing a bending actuator is provided between each arm member 30.

Further, the micro pressure sensor 18 attached to the surface of the rear portion 8 of the main body inflates the rear balloon 5,
The pressure when the rear balloon 5 is brought into contact with the intestinal tract 25 is detected, so that the peristaltic movement of the intestine can be grasped. Further, the micro pressure sensor 18 is also attached to the front part 7 of the main body, and while the micro pressure sensor 18 detects the degree of grip of the balloons 4 and 5 with respect to the intestinal tract 25, the amount of inflation of the balloons 4 and 5 is controlled so that the living body is protected. You may ensure safety. In ultrasonic observation, electronic scanning may be performed using a cylindrical ultrasonic element to observe the entire circumference.

As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, since the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving section 20 including the front portion 7 of the main body is provided in the front balloon 4, ultrasonic waves are transmitted / received through the liquid introduced into the front balloon 4. Can wave. Therefore, even in a place where the inside of the subject is not filled with the liquid (for example, the small intestine), the ultrasonic examination can be performed while self-propelled in the subject.

In the first embodiment described above, the front balloon 4 and the rear balloon 5 are provided at both ends of the axial expansion / contraction part 3 which is operated by fluid pressure. Front balloon 4 and rear balloon 5 at both ends
May be provided.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same parts as those shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of those parts will be omitted. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 32 denotes a second hollow portion formed in the rear portion 8 of the main body. The hollow portion 32 is filled with a liquid (not shown) such as liquid paraffin, and the ultrasonic transducer 34
A second ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit 33 including a motor 35 for rotating the ultrasonic vibrator 34 around the axis of the bellows tube 6 and an encoder 36 for reading the rotation angle of the motor 35 is provided. .

A treatment unit 37 is provided in the middle of the flexible tube 2 connected to the rear end of the rear portion 8 of the main body, and a branch channel having two channel holes 38a and 38b is provided in the treatment unit 37. 39 and a mechanical switch actuating portion 40 for controlling the orientation of the treatment instrument.

The self-propelled principle of the second embodiment thus constructed is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment described above. Further, when performing biopsy treatment on the affected tissue, the treatment tool 26 is directed toward the outer peripheral direction of the rear balloon 5 through the channel hole 38a or 38b of the treatment unit 37. Further, the ultrasonic inspection is performed by the ultrasonic transducer 21 when the front balloon 4 is inflated and by the ultrasonic transducer 34 when the rear balloon 5 is inflated. Therefore, a portion that cannot be observed by the ultrasonic transducer 21 can be observed by the ultrasonic transducer 34 provided in the rear portion 8 of the main body, and the ultrasonic observation is more leaked than that of the first embodiment. Can be reduced.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The ultrasonic endoscope of the third embodiment is different from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that a plurality of tactile sensors 40 are provided on the surface of the front balloon 5, and is otherwise similar to the first embodiment. It is a composition.

Therefore, in the third embodiment, the contact pressure between the front balloon 4 and the intestinal tract 25 can be detected by the plurality of tactile sensors 40 provided on the surface of the front balloon 4. When the front balloon 4 does not grip the intestinal tract 25, the front balloon 4 is not completely contracted, but the front balloon 4 is slightly contacted with the surface of the intestinal tract 25. By contracting, the ultrasonic inspection by the ultrasonic transducer 21 in the front balloon 4 can be performed even during self-propelling.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
Indicates. The ultrasonic endoscope of the fourth embodiment has the ultrasonic transducer 3 in the rear balloon 5, as in the second embodiment described above.
4, a motor 35, and an encoder 36 are provided. An ultrasonic transducer is not provided in the front balloon 4, but an optical endoscope tip portion 41 is provided.
A CCD (not shown) and a C
An observation window 42 for displaying an image on the photoelectric conversion surface of the CD, a high-intensity illumination window 43, and a channel hole 44 that is an entrance / exit of the treatment instrument 26 are provided. The illumination from the high-intensity illumination window 43 may be guided by an optical fiber, or a small high-intensity light emitting member may be provided in the endoscope tip portion 31.

Further, between the front balloon 4 and the rear balloon 5, instead of the bellows tube 6, an axial expansion / contraction tube 45 is provided.
Is provided. The axial expansion / contraction tube 45 is provided with a large number of restriction cords having a cross section perpendicular to the axis around the soft tube in order to restrict expansion in the circumferential direction by pressurization of fluid. The restriction string may be embedded in the tube 45.

The axial expansion tube 45 has a multi-lumen structure as shown in the cross section of FIG. The round lumen in the center is for tube cords and three flat lumens around it.
a, 46b, 46c are provided. These three lumens 46a, 46b, and 46c can independently pressurize and depressurize the fluid, and are controlled by the microvalve 13. The configuration behind the rear balloon 4 is the same as in the second embodiment.

In the fourth embodiment of the present invention thus constructed, the intestinal tract 2 is provided through the high-brightness illumination window 43 of the endoscope distal end portion 41.
The inside of the intestinal tract 25 can be optically observed by illuminating the inside of the body 5 and taking a subject image through the observation window 42.

Also, in the endoscopic treatment, the range observed through the observation window 42 is such that the treatment tool 26 (a snare treatment tool is shown in the drawing, but other treatment tools may be used) is taken out from the channel hole 44. For the portion that has been performed and ultrasonically observed, the channel hole 38a or 38b of the treatment unit 37
It is performed by the treatment tool 26 (a biopsy screw is shown in the drawing, but other treatment tools may be used).

Further, the axial expansion / contraction tube 45 expands / contracts in the axial direction by simultaneously pressurizing / depressurizing the flat lumens 46a, 46b, 46c, and thus the flat lumens 46a, 46c.
When any one or two of b and 46c is pressurized and the rest is depressurized, it bends to the depressurized lumen side as shown in FIG. 9, so that the inside of the intestinal tract 25 can be closely observed or accurate treatment can be performed. It becomes possible to do.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. This fifth embodiment is similar to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 9, but the same ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving section 20 as that of the first embodiment is provided in the front balloon 5, and the rear balloon 5 has the same structure. Is provided with the endoscope end portion 41 of the optical system. The endoscope distal end portion 41 has an observation window 42, a high-intensity illumination window 43,
A large channel hole 47 is provided in addition to the channel hole 44, and a part of the bellows tube 6 is provided inside the large channel hole 47. The rest of the configuration is the same as in the first and fourth embodiments.

In the fifth embodiment of the present invention constructed as described above, when the front balloon 4 is deflated and the bellows tube 6 is further deflated as shown in FIG. The inside of 25 can be observed over almost the entire area. Thus, for example, if tumor 49 is found,
As shown in 1 (b), the bellows tube 6 is extended below the tumor 49 while observing through the observation window 42, the front balloon 4 is inflated to grip the intestinal tract 25 (the portion of the tumor 49),
The vicinity of the tumor 49 can be ultrasonically observed by the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit 20. Therefore, according to the fifth embodiment, both the optical observation by the CCD and the observation by the ultrasonic wave can be performed on the same portion. Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 12 shows a self-propelled endoscope, 60 in the figure.
Is a capsule body for inserting the deep intestine or the large intestine by utilizing the peristaltic movement of the small intestine. A balloon 61 that is inflated by hydrogen released when the hydrogen storage alloy 62 in the capsule body 60 is heated by the heater 63 is provided on the outer periphery of the tip of the capsule body 60. Also,
An infrared CCD camera 64 is provided on the tip surface of the capsule body 60.
Further, an LED 65 is provided so that the inside of the body cavity can be observed. Further, a channel hole 66 is provided on the tip surface of the capsule body 60, and intestinal fluid or the like can be collected by a micro pump 67 in the capsule body 60. The collected intestinal fluid or the like is stored in a tank 68 in the capsule body 60. Can be stored in. On the other hand, the cable 69 extends from the rear end of the capsule body 60 to the outside of the body, and the CCD 69
The video signal from the camera 64 can be transmitted outside the body.

The circuit 7 for controlling the heating of the heater 62
As shown in FIG. 13, 0 is a difference circuit 72 for calculating a difference signal between the latest video data from the CCD camera 64 and the signal one frame before stored temporarily in the memory 71.
And a comparator 73 and a drive circuit 74, so that the heater 63 can be appropriately heated.
According to the sixth embodiment of the present invention configured as above, when the capsule body 60 is inserted through the mouth of the patient, the capsule body 60
Is advanced from the stomach to the duodenum with the aid of an endoscope (not shown) or body temperature conversion, and is further inserted to the entrance of the small intestine.
Then, in the capsule body 60 inserted into the small intestine, when the hydrogen storage alloy 62 is heated by the heater 63, hydrogen contained in the hydrogen storage alloy 62 is released as a gas,
The balloon 61 is inflated. Then, when the balloon 61 is inflated, the balloon 61 is gradually drawn into the back of the small intestine due to the peristaltic motion of the small intestine.

Normally, when a liquid substance enters the intestinal tract 75,
Movement with a uniform cycle occurs. This is a peristaltic movement, but when the content is semi-solid, intestinal tract 75 causes a split muscle movement that mixes the content for a long period of time. When this muscle movement occurs, the capsule body 60 cannot move forward. Therefore, the movement of the small intestine is detected from the image signal from the infrared CCD camera 64, and when the peristaltic movement of the small intestine is stopped, the balloon 61 is deflated and the peristaltic movement is restarted.

When the capsule body 60 reaches the target site in the deep part of the small intestine by the peristaltic motion of the small intestine, the micropump 67 is driven to collect the intestinal fluid from the channel hole 66. The intestinal fluid collected from the channel hole 66 is stored in the tank 68 in the capsule body 60.

As described above, in the sixth embodiment of the present invention, when the peristaltic motion of the small intestine is stopped, the peristaltic motion can be resumed by deflating the balloon 61.
The capsule body 60 can be moved to the target site by the peristaltic motion of the small intestine, and the peristaltic motion of the small intestine can be promoted to shorten the time to reach the target site.

As shown in FIG. 15, the control circuit 70 for controlling the heating of the heater 63 is composed of a battery 90, a timer circuit 91 for generating a pulse for heating the heater 63 at regular intervals, and a drive circuit 92. You may. With such a configuration, the balloon 61 can be inflated for a certain period of time to perform a peristaltic motion, and then the balloon 61 can be deflated, and the minute muscle motion can be prevented as much as possible, so that the insertion speed can be improved.

Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
In the figure, 80 is a self-propelled capsule body, and this capsule body 80 is provided with a front balloon 82 and a rear balloon 83 at both ends of a bellows tube 81 that expands and contracts in the axial direction. A hydrogen storage alloy 84 and a heater 85 are provided in the bellows tube 81 and the balloons 82 and 83, respectively, and each heater 85 is heated by a signal from a control circuit 86.

An infrared CCD camera 87 is provided at the tip of the front balloon 82. Also, the balloons 82 and 83
A plurality of pressure sensors 88 are provided on the surface of, and the outputs of these pressure sensors 88 are input to the control circuit 86.

A cable 89 is provided at the rear end of the capsule body 80.
Is connected, and video signals and pressure signals can be transmitted outside the body. In addition, a drive signal can be forcibly input from the outside, so that it is possible to cope with an abnormality.

In such a structure, when the small intestine is performing a peristaltic motion, the heater 85 inside the balloons 82 and 83 is heated in order to expand the balloons 82 and 83. On the other hand, when the minute muscle movement occurs, the balloons 82, 8
The output of the pressure sensor 88 attached to the surface of No. 3 settles to a constant value. Accordingly, the minute muscle movement is detected, and when the minute muscle movement is detected, heating and cooling of the three hydrogen storage alloys 84 are repeated by the control circuit 86 to repeat the capsule body 80.
Is self-propelled like a caterpillar.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when the small intestine is in the peristaltic motion, the balloons 82 and 83 are inflated to proceed, and in the sphincter motion, the capsule body is self-propelled. The moving speed of 80 can be improved.

16 and 17 show an eighth embodiment of the present invention. In this eighth embodiment, a front balloon 96 which is inflated in the circumferential direction by pressurization of fluid is attached to the distal end portion of the endoscope 95. There is. This front balloon 96 is a pressure tube 97
The pressure is increased and decreased by.

A bellows tube 98 is provided on the rear side of the front balloon 96. The bellows tube 98 naturally extends in the axial direction and contracts in the axial direction when the fluid is depressurized. One end of the bellows tube 98 is fixed to the endoscope 95, and the other end is connected to the front end of the movable circular tube 99.

Around the movable circular tube 99, a rear balloon 100 which is expanded in the circumferential direction by pressurization of a fluid is attached, and a thin tube 101 is attached to one end of the movable circular tube 99. The other end of the thin tube 101 is fixed to a part of the endoscope 95, whereby the airtight (or watertight) inside the bellows tube 98 is maintained. In addition,
The bellows tube 98 is pressurized by the pressure tube 102, and the rear balloon 101 is pressurized by the pressure tube 103, respectively. In addition, the endoscope 9
The tip end surface of 5 has a spherical shape, and is slippery even if it hits the intestinal wall during self-propelling.

In the eighth embodiment of the present invention constructed as described above, when the bellows tube 96 is decompressed and contracted, the thin tube 101 is folded back as shown in FIG.
When the contracted bellows tube 98 expands again, it expands due to the elastic force of the bellows tube 98 rather than the pressing force, so the inside of the thin tube 101 is pressurized and returns to the state of FIG. 16 without expanding. be able to.

Therefore, in the eighth embodiment of the present invention, the movable circular tube 99 is smoothly moved back and forth while maintaining the airtightness in the bellows tube 98 by the combination of the folding operation of the bellows tube 98 which contracts due to the reduced pressure and the thin tube 101. It can be moved.

Next, a ninth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, reference numeral 104 denotes a bending portion of the endoscope 95, the rear balloon 100 is attached to the outer circumference of the front portion of the bending portion 104, and the pressure tube 103 is provided.
It is adapted to expand in the radial direction of the endoscope 95 by the fluid pressure supplied from the. A bellows tube 98 that expands and contracts in the axial direction by the fluid pressure supplied from the pressure tube 102 is provided in front of the balloon 100. The rear end of the bellows tube 98 is airtightly attached to the outer periphery of the tip portion 105 of the endoscope 95.

A movable circular tube 99 is provided on the outer periphery of the tip portion 105 of the endoscope 95 so as to be movable in the axial direction. Around the movable circular tube 99, a front balloon 96 that is radially expanded by the fluid pressure supplied from the pressure tube 97 is provided.

A part of the movable circular tube 99 and the tip portion 105 of the endoscope.
Is connected to a part (near the tip end surface in the figure) of the bellows by a thin tube 101, which allows the bellows tube 98 to be connected.
The inside is kept airtight.

In the ninth embodiment of the present invention described above, when the bellows tube 98 is contracted, the movable circular tube 99 and the front balloon 96 are on the distal end portion 105 of the endoscope 95 and are not in the observation visual field. However, when the bellows tube 98 is extended, the movable circular tube 99 and the front balloon 96 come out in front of the distal end portion 105 of the endoscope 95 as shown in FIG.
Grip 5a. Further, since the bellows tube 98 does not cover the bending section 104 of the endoscope, the device can guide the scope in the direction in which the distal end of the scope is facing even when the endoscope 95 is bent.

The pressure tubes 97, 102, 103
May be built in the endoscope 95. Also,
The rear balloon 100 and the bellows tube 98 may be attached to the endoscope 95 in the middle of the bending portion 104. Further, as shown in FIG. 20, the front balloon 96 may be provided on a part of the bellows tube 98 instead of the movable circular tube 99. Further, the rear balloon 100 may be provided behind the curved portion 104 or on the bellows tube 98.

Next, a tenth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 110 denotes an endoscope insertion portion, and a plurality of balloons 111 are provided around the endoscope insertion portion 110.
a, 111b, 111c, 111d are provided at intervals in the axial direction of the insertion section 110. These balloons 111a, 111b, 111c, 111d are inserted into the insertion portion 11
It is adapted to expand in the radial direction of the insertion part 110 by the fluid pressure of water or the like supplied from the pressurizing path 112 formed inside the 0. A pneumatic bending mechanism 11 that bends the insertion portion 110 by air pressure is provided in the tip portion of the insertion portion 110.
Two are provided.

In the tenth embodiment of the present invention described above, the endoscope insertion portion 110 is inserted into the body cavity of the patient while the balloons 111a, 111b, 111c and 111d are deflated. When the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion 110 reaches the duodenum, the balloons 111a, 111b, 111c,
Inflate 111d. Then, the small intestine performs a peristaltic movement, and the peristaltic movement can advance the insertion portion 110 to the target site. In addition, in the tenth embodiment, one pressureless path 1 provided in the insertion portion 110 is used.
12, the balloons 111a, 111b, 111c,
It is possible to shrink and shrink 111d.

Next, an eleventh embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The eleventh embodiment is a combination of the fourth embodiment and the eighth embodiment described above, and has an endoscope insertion portion 110.
At the tip of the, a caterpillar type self-propelled portion 116 is provided in which a front balloon 114 and a rear balloon 115 are provided at both ends of a bellows tube 113.

In this eleventh embodiment, the caterpillar type self-propelled unit 1 is used.
When 16 pulls the endoscope insertion part 110, the balloons 111b, 111c, and 111d are deflated. And
When receiving peristaltic movement of the small intestine, the balloon 111b,
111c and 111d are expanded and self-propelled in the intestinal tract.

Next, a twelfth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In the twelfth embodiment, the balloons 111a and 111 are
Micro pressure sensors 117 are provided on the inner surfaces of b and 111c, and the peristaltic motion of the small intestine is detected by these micro pressure sensors 117. Other than that, the eighth or ninth embodiment described above is used. It has the same configuration.

Next, a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. FIG. 24 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a small intestine scope sonde, and a balloon 122 is attached to the distal end of a flexible tube 121 inserted in the intestinal tract 120. The balloon 122 is adapted to expand in the radial direction of the flexible tube 121 by the fluid pressure supplied from the air supply lumen 123 formed in the flexible tube 121.

A coil 124 is provided inside the balloon 122. This coil 124 is the air supply lumen 12
Stimulation power source 1 via lead wire 125 arranged in 3
10 to 20H from this power supply 126.
A rectangular wave of about z is applied. Also,
Inside the flexible tube 121, the light guide 12 is attached to the tip.
7 and the scope probe 129 having the front end surface of the image guide 128 are inserted.

In the thirteenth embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, when the rectangular wave of about 10 to 20 Hz is applied to the coil 124 several times, the Averbach nerve work 130 is stimulated and several cm from the stimulator to the duodenal side. Promotes peristaltic movements of the intestinal wall. As a result, the balloon 122 is pushed toward the anus by the peristaltic movement, and the peristaltic movement can be actively promoted to shorten the insertion time.

Next, a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In the fourteenth embodiment, the front balloon 114 provided at the tip of the endoscope 110 is pushed to the anus side by the peristaltic motion promoted by the magnetic stimulation. At this time, the pressure sensor 131 attached to the inner surface of the balloon 114 detects the peristaltic motion, and if the peristaltic motion is detected, the air supply device 1
Degassing is performed at 32 to contract the bellows 113 in the axial direction. Then, since the stroke that advances by the caterpillar movement is added to the movement amount of the peristaltic movement, the insertion speed becomes faster.

Next, FIG. 26 shows a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention. This fifteenth embodiment is different from the above-described fourteenth embodiment in that a pump 133 sprays an accelerating liquid (gastrin, cerulein, motilin, etc.) to the rear of the balloon 122 to promote rear peristaltic motion. 1
22 is moved to the anus side, and has the same configuration as that of the 14th embodiment described above except for the above points.

[0064]

As described above, according to the present invention, the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit is provided inside either the front balloon or the rear balloon, so that the inside of the tubular object is filled with the liquid. It is possible to provide an ultrasonic endoscope capable of performing an ultrasonic examination while self-propelled in the subject even if it is not.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory view of the ultrasonic endoscope shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the operation of the ultrasonic endoscope shown in FIG.

4 is a configuration diagram of the treatment tool shown in FIG. 3. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic endoscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic endoscope according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic endoscope according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a cross-sectional view of the axially stretchable tube shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the operation of the ultrasonic endoscope shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic endoscope according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory view of the ultrasonic endoscope according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

13 is a block diagram of the control circuit shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

15 is a diagram showing a modification of the control circuit shown in FIG.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

17 is a sectional view showing a state in which the bellows tube shown in FIG. 16 is extended in the axial direction.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a view showing a state where the endoscope shown in FIG. 18 is inserted into the intestinal tract.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a modification of the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a tenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a twelfth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ... Axial expansion / contraction part, 4 ... Front balloon, 5 ... Rear balloon,
6 ... Bellows tube, 7 ... Main body front part, 8 ... Main body rear part, 18
... Micro pressure sensor, 19 ... Cavity part, 20 ... Ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving part, 21 ... Ultrasonic vibrator, 22 ... Motor, 23 ... Encoder.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic endoscope having a pair of balloons that expand and contract in the tube wall direction of a subject, which is tubular due to fluid pressure, at both axial ends of an axially expanding and contracting portion that expands and contracts in the axial direction. An ultrasonic endoscope, wherein an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit is provided in at least one of the balloons, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted / received through a liquid introduced into the balloon.