IN-VIVO INFORMATION ACQUIRING APPARATUS, IN-VIVO INFORMATION ACQUIRING SYSTEM, AND IN-VIVO INFORMATION ACQUIRING METHOD

• US 20090076325A1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Uchiyama, Akio, Takizawa, Hironobu, Fujita, Manabu, Yokoi, Takeshi, Tanaka, Shinsuke, Hirakawa, Katsumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,491,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00147 Holding or positioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2736 Gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/162 Capsule shaped sensor housings, e.g. for swallowing or implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means

Abstract

To stably and properly monitor an inside of a body by using an easily operable placement technique, a capsule endoscope 101 to be swallowed from an oral cavity 200 to acquire in-vivo information of a subject 201 and to wirelessly output for a transmission of the in-vivo information to an outside of a body, a string member 103 that is connected to the capsule endoscope 101 for positioning the capsule endoscope 101 at a gastric cardia 202, and a fixing portion 104 that is a portion of the string member 103, is provided on a position with which a length from the capsule endoscope 101 corresponds to a length from the gastric cardia 202 to the inside of an esophageal region 203 for fixing the string member 103 that has located the capsule endoscope 101 at the gastric cardia 202 to the inside of the esophageal region 203 by an endoscopic fixture are included. As a result, the capsule endoscope 101 is placed at a position of the gastric cardia 202 where an entire inside of the stomach is easily inspected, and the capsule endoscope 101 itself can easily be placed inside the esophageal region by using the fixing portion 104.

Claims

1. An in-vivo information acquiring apparatus comprising:

an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body that is swallowed from an oral cavity of a subject to acquire in-vivo information of the subject and to wirelessly output the in-vivo information for a transmission to an outside of a body;

a string member that is connected to the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body to locate the swallowed in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body at a gastric cardia of the subject; and

a fixing portion that is provided on a portion of the sting member to fix the string member to an esophageal region by an endoscopic fixture, the string member having located the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body at the gastric cardia.

4. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion is located at a position where a length from the connected in-vivo information acquiring main-body corresponds to a length from the gastric cardia to the inside of the esophageal region of the subject.

5. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body detects at least an existence of a bleeding inside the stomach of the subject as in-vivo information to be acquired.

6. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is a capsule endoscope.

7. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is a hemoglobin sensor that detects the existence of the bleeding inside the stomach based on an adhesion of blood.

8. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is a red detection sensor.

9. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is configured to be thicker than a thickness of the string member.

10. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the string member is connected to an end portion of the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, and

the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body has a reduced diameter shape with which a diameter of the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body becomes smaller toward an end portion thereof to which the string member is connected.

11. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a retaining member that engages and retains the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, wherein

the string member is connected to the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body via the retaining member.

12. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the string member is made of a material to be digested by gastric fluid.

13. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion is located at a position to be fixed to the esophageal region at an upper portion from a lower esophageal sphincter.

14. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion is located at a position to be fixed to the esophageal region between a lower esophageal sphincter and an upper esophageal sphincter.

15. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion is in a latch shape for latching the endoscopic fixture.

16. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion is provided at a plurality of portions of the string member.

17. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body includes a reel portion that reels out and reels off the string member.

2. An in-vivo information acquiring apparatus comprising:

an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body that acquires in-vivo information; and

a string member extended from the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, wherein the string member includes

an extracorporeal gripper that is provided to be located on an extracorporeal side from an oral cavity of a subject, in such an intragastric insertion state where the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is orally inserted into the subject and located inside a stomach,

a marked portion that is located inside an esophageal region and indicates a fixing position of the sting member in the intragastric insertion state,

a fixing portion that fixes the string member to an inner wall of the esophageal region, and

a cutting portion that is provided at a position on the string member between the fixing portion or the marked portion and the extracorporeal gripper, and enables to cut the string member at the position.

22. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fixing portion is located at a position where a length from the connected in-vivo information acquiring main-body corresponds to a length from the gastric cardia to the inside of the esophageal region of the subject.

24. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body detects at least an existence of a bleeding inside the stomach of the subject as in-vivo information to be acquired.

26. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is a capsule endoscope.

28. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is a hemoglobin sensor that detects the existence of the bleeding inside the stomach based on an adhesion of blood.

30. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is a red detection sensor.

32. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is configured to be thicker than a thickness of the string member.

34. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the string member is connected to an end portion of the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, and

the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body has a reduced diameter shape with which a diameter of the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body becomes smaller toward an end portion thereof to which the string member is connected.

36. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a retaining member that engages and retains the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, wherein

the string member is connected to the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body via the retaining member.

38. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the string member is made of a material to be digested by gastric fluid.

40. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fixing portion is located at a position to be fixed to the esophageal region at an upper portion from a lower esophageal sphincter.

42. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fixing portion is located at a position to be fixed to the esophageal region between a lower esophageal sphincter and an upper esophageal sphincter.

44. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fixing portion is in a latch shape for latching the endoscopic fixture.

46. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fixing portion is provided at a plurality of portions of the string member.

48. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body includes a reel portion that reels out and reels off the string member.

3. An in-vivo information acquiring apparatus comprising:

an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body that is swallowable by a subject; and

a string member that includes a string member main-body extended from the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, an extracorporeal gripper that is provided on an extended end portion of the string member main-body, a fixing portion that is provided on a side of an extended rear anchor from the extracorporeal gripper on the string member main-body to enable to fix the string member main-body, a marked portion that enables to visually distinguish the fixing portion from the string member main-body, and a cutting portion that is provided at a position on the side of an extended end portion from the fixing portion on the string member main-body and enables to cut the string member main-body at the position.

23. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fixing portion is located at a position where a length from the connected in-vivo information acquiring main-body corresponds to a length from the gastric cardia to the inside of the esophageal region of the subject.

25. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body detects at least an existence of a bleeding inside the stomach of the subject as in-vivo information to be acquired.

27. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is a capsule endoscope.

29. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is a hemoglobin sensor that detects the existence of the bleeding inside the stomach based on an adhesion of blood.

31. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is a red detection sensor.

33. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is configured to be thicker than a thickness of the string member.

35. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the string member is connected to an end portion of the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, and

the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body has a reduced diameter shape with which a diameter of the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body becomes smaller toward an end portion thereof to which the string member is connected.

37. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a retaining member that engages and retains the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, wherein

the string member is connected to the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body via the retaining member.

39. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the string member is made of a material to be digested by gastric fluid.

41. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fixing portion is located at a position to be fixed to the esophageal region at an upper portion from a lower esophageal sphincter.

43. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fixing portion is located at a position to be fixed to the esophageal region between a lower esophageal sphincter and an upper esophageal sphincter.

45. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fixing portion is in a latch shape for latching the endoscopic fixture.

47. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fixing portion is provided at a plurality of portions of the string member.

49. The in-vivo information acquiring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body includes a reel portion that reels out and reels off the string member.

18. An in-vivo information acquiring system comprising:

an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus that includes an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body that is swallowed from an oral cavity of a subject to acquire in-vivo information of the subject and to wirelessly output the in-vivo information for a transmission to an outside of a body, a string member that is connected to the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body to locate the swallowed in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body at a gastric cardia of the subject, and a fixing portion that is provided on a portion of the sting member to fix the string member to an esophageal region by an endoscopic fixture, the string member having located the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body at the gastric cardia;

a receiving device that receives in-vivo information wirelessly output and transmitted from an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body; and

a display device that displays the in-vivo information received by the receiving device.

19. An in-vivo information acquiring method comprising:

swallowing an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body to make a state where the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body travels through an esophageal region and a gastric cardia and is hung down inside a stomach, the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body being connected to a string member to acquire in-vivo information of a subject and to output the in-vivo information for a transmission to an outside;

locating the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body at the gastric cardia by pulling and loosening the string member to shift the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body up and down, the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body being hung down inside the stomach;

fixing the string member to the esophageal region by an endoscopic fixture;

transmitting in-vivo information acquired from the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body to an outside of a body wirelessly; and

cutting a lower stomach side of the string member fixed at the fixing step.

20. The in-vivo information acquiring method according to claim 19, further comprising:

cutting an upper oral-cavity side of the string member fixed at the fixing to remove the cut upper oral-cavity side of the string member to an outside of a body.

21. The in-vivo information acquiring method according to claim 19, further comprising:

retrieving the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body that is cut at the cutting and placed inside the stomach, to an outside of a body by a scooping.

50. An in-vivo information acquiring system comprising:

an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus that includes an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body that acquires in-vivo information, and a string member extended from the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, wherein the string member contains an extracorporeal gripper that is provided to be located on an extracorporeal side from an oral cavity of a subject, in such an intragastric insertion state where the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body is orally inserted into the subject and located inside a stomach, a marked portion that is located inside an esophageal region and indicates a fixing position of the sting member in the intragastric insertion state, a fixing portion that fixes the string member to an inner wall of the esophageal region, and a cutting portion that is provided at a position on the string member between the fixing portion or the marked portion and the extracorporeal gripper, and enables to cut the string member at the position;

a receiving device that receives in-vivo information wirelessly output and transmitted from an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body; and

a display device that displays the in-vivo information received by the receiving device.

51. An in-vivo information acquiring system comprising:

an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus that includes an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body that is swallowable by a subject, and a string member, wherein the string member contains a string member main-body extended from the in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body, an extracorporeal gripper that is provided on an extended end portion of the string member main-body, a fixing portion that is provided on a side of an extended rear anchor from the extracorporeal gripper on the string member main-body to enable to fix the string member main-body, a marked portion that enables to visually distinguish the fixing portion from the string member main-body, and a cutting portion that is provided at a position on the side of an extended end portion from the fixing portion on the string member main-body and enables to cut the string member main-body at the position;

a receiving device that receives in-vivo information wirelessly output and transmitted from an in-vivo information acquiring apparatus main-body; and

a display device that displays the in-vivo information received by the receiving device.