Medical apparatus, medical apparatus guide system, capsule type medical apparatus, and capsule type medical apparatus guide apparatus

• US 20070260105A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Kawano, Hironao, Uchiyama, Akio, Ishiyama, Kazushi, Sendoh, Masahiko, Yokoi, Takeshi, Arai, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00147 Holding or positioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters

Abstract

In a capsule 3 as a medical apparatus inserted into a body cavity, the lengthwise direction of the capsule 3 is used as an insert axis, a manipulation/input device 8, which is magnetized in a direction orthogonal to the insert axis, is disposed at the center position of the insert axis. A magnetic field generation device 4, which is disposed outside of a body, is caused to generate a vibration magnetic field in a direction parallel with the insert axis of the capsule 3 by turning on a vibration (ON/OFF) switch 8f of a manipulation/input device 8 so that couples having lines of action, which are in parallel with the insert axis, are exerted on the capsule 3, thereby the capsule 3 executes a swiveling motion about the insert axis and smoothly travels along a cavity organ.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus for executing a medical action such as an examination, a treatment, or the like in a cavity organ of a body to be examined comprising:

a main body composed of a rotation symmetrical member having a symmetrical axis in a traveling direction;

a diameter-reduced portion arranged to at least one of the front portion or the rear portion in a traveling direction of the main body, the diameter-reduced portion having a diameter reduced toward the end and an approximately hemispherical end shape;

an electromagnetic field response portion disposed in the main body and acted by the rotation of an electromagnetic field applied from the outside of the body to be examined;

a spiral structure disposed on the outside surface of the main body and converting the rotating motion generated by the electromagnetic field response portion into a thrust,

wherein an end of the spiral structure is disposed to reach the vicinity of an end of the main body.

3. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pitch of the spiral structure is constant regardless of a shape of the main body.

4. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medical apparatus includes therein at least one image pickup element, a lens system for condensing the light captured from the outside to the image pickup element, and a light transmitting member formed to at least an end of the main body as the diameter-reduced portion for capturing the light to the lens system, wherein the spiral structure is disposed on the light transmitting member outside the imaging area of the image pickup element.

5. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic field response portion comprises a magnetic substance or a magnet.

6. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic field response portion comprises a dielectric substance.

10. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spiral structure of the medical apparatus comprises a plurality of spirals.

12. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diameter-reduced portion is formed in a taper shape.

14. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spiral structure has a hollow portion.

16. The medical apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the medical apparatus includes therein a storage portion for storing at least a medicine, the medicine stored in the storage portion, and a discharge portion for discharging the medicine, and the medicine discharged by the discharge portion passing through the spiral structure having a hollow structure is discharged from an end of the spiral structure.

18. The medical apparatus according to claim 14, wherein at least a substance-in-body suctioning portion and a storage portion for storing a suctioned substance are disposed in the medical apparatus, and an end of the spiral structure having the hollow portion is used as a suctioning port for a substance-in-body.

20. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medical apparatus includes therein at least one image pickup element, a lens system for condensing the light captured from the outside to the image pickup element, and a light transmitting member formed to at least an end of the main body as the diameter-reduced portion for capturing the light to the lens system, wherein the spiral structure is also disposed on the light transmitting member inside the imaging area of the image pickup element.

24. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medical apparatus is a swallowable capsule type medical apparatus.

26. The medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medical apparatus is a medical apparatus comprising a capsule type medical apparatus to which a flexible tube is attached.

2. A medical apparatus for executing a medical action such as an examination, a treatment, or the like in a cavity organ of a body to be examined comprising:

a main body composed of an approximately cylindrical portion and diameter-reduced portions disposed on both the ends of the approximately cylindrical portion, each diameter-reduced portion having a diameter reduced toward an end and an approximately hemispherical end shape;

a magnet disposed in the main body and magnetically acted by a rotation magnetic field applied from the outside of the body to be examined;

a spiral structure disposed on the outside surface of the main body and converting the rotating motion generated by the magnet into a thrust,

wherein the spiral structure is disposed to both the cylindrical portion and the diameter-reduced portions of the main body.

7. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pitch of the spiral structure is constant regardless of a shape of the main body.

8. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the medical apparatus includes therein at least one image pickup element, a lens system for condensing the light captured from the outside to the image pickup element, and a light transmitting member formed to at least an end of the main body as the diameter-reduced portion for capturing the light to the lens system, wherein the spiral structure is disposed on the light transmitting member outside the imaging area of the image pickup element.

9. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the spiral structure is smoothly connected in a connecting portion between the approximately cylindrical portion and the diameter-reduced portion of the medical apparatus.

11. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the spiral structure of the medical apparatus comprises a plurality of spirals.

13. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the diameter-reduced portion is formed in a taper shape.

15. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the spiral structure has a hollow portion.

17. The medical apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the medical apparatus includes therein a storage portion for storing at least a medicine, the medicine stored in the storage portion, and a discharge portion for discharging the medicine, and the medicine discharged by the discharge portion passing through the spiral structure having a hollow structure is discharged from an end of the spiral structure.

19. The medical apparatus according to claim 15, wherein at least a substance-in-body suctioning portion and a storage portion for storing a suctioned substance are disposed in the medical apparatus, and an end of the spiral structure having the hollow portion is used as a suctioning port for a substance-in-body.

21. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one image pickup element, a lens system for condensing the light captured from the outside to the image pickup element, and a light transmitting member as a thin-diameter portion formed to at least an end of the main body for capturing the light to the lens system, wherein the spiral structure is disposed on the light transmitting member within the imaging area of the image pickup element.

25. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the medical apparatus is a swallowable capsule type medical apparatus.

27. The medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the medical apparatus comprises a capsule type medical apparatus to which a flexible tube is attached.

22. A medical apparatus guide system comprising:

a medical apparatus comprising a main body constituting a rotation symmetrical member having a symmetrical axis in a traveling direction, a diameter-reduced portion arranged to at least one of the front portion or the rear portion of the main body in a traveling direction and having an approximately hemispherical end shape whose diameter is reduced toward an end, an electromagnetic field response portion disposed in the main body and acted by the rotation of an electromagnetic field applied from the outside of the body to be examined, a spiral structure disposed on the outside surface of the main body and converting a rotating motion generated by the electromagnetic field response portion into a thrust, wherein an end of the spiral structure is disposed to reach the vicinity of an end of the main body;

electromagnetic field generation means for generating an electromagnetic field acting on the electromagnetic field response portion disposed to the medical apparatus;

electromagnetic field control means for controlling the direction of the electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic field generation means,

wherein the electromagnetic field generation means generates the electromagnetic field in three-axis directions and rotates the medical apparatus in a cavity organ.

23. A medical apparatus guide system comprising:

a medical apparatus comprising a main body composed of an approximately cylindrical portion and diameter-reduced portions disposed on both the ends of the approximately cylindrical portion, each diameter-reduced portion having a diameter reduced toward an end and an approximately hemispherical end shape, a magnet disposed in the main body and magnetically acted by a rotation magnetic field applied from the outside of a body to be examined, a spiral structure disposed on the outside surface of the main body and converting the rotating motion generated by the magnet into a thrust, wherein the spiral structure is disposed to both the cylindrical portion and the diameter-reduced portions of the main body;

electromagnetic field generation means for generating an electromagnetic field acting on the electromagnetic field response portion disposed to the medical apparatus;

electromagnetic field control means for controlling the direction of the electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic field generation means,

wherein the electromagnetic field generation means generates the electromagnetic field in three-axis directions and rotates the medical apparatus in a cavity organ.