LOAD DETECTION DEVICE AND LOAD DETECTION METHOD

• US 20100292566A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Nagano, Yoshitaka, Ozaki, Takayoshi, Nishio, Yukihiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12 for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord specially adapted for vas deferens or fallopian tubes A61F6/20; materials for ligaturing blood vessels A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12113 within an aneurysm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1214 Coils or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/102 Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2061 using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

According to this load detection method, load (Fi) in insertion of a linear body having flexibility in an inlet of a hollow tube inserted in a bending vessel in a body is detected, an image of the hollow tube or the linear body is taken, a degree of bending of the hollow tube or the linear body is detected based on the image, and load (Fo) at a tip end of the linear body is calculated based on the detected insertion load (Fi) and the degree of bending. Therefore, the load (Fo) at the tip end of the thin linear body can readily be detected.

Claims

1. A load detection device for detecting load applied to a tip end of a linear body having flexibility when said linear body is inserted in a hollow tube inserted in a bending vessel, comprising:

first detection unit for detecting a degree of bending of said vessel, said hollow tube or said linear body;

second detection unit for detecting load in insertion of said linear body in an inlet of said hollow tube; and

calculation unit for finding load applied to the tip end of said linear body based on a result of detection by said first and second detection unit.

2. The load detection device according to claim 1, wherein

said first detection unit detects the degree of bending of said vessel, said hollow tube or said linear body based on an image of said vessel, said hollow tube or said linear body.

3. The load detection device according to claim 1, wherein

said calculation unit finds the load applied to the tip end of said linear body further based on a coefficient of friction between said linear body and said hollow tube.

4. The load detection device according to claim 3, wherein

said calculation unit corrects said coefficient of friction based on variation in flexural rigidity depending on a position in said linear body when the flexural rigidity of said linear body varies depending on the position in said linear body.

5. The load detection device according to claim 3, wherein

said coefficient of friction is measured in advance.

6. The load detection device according to claim 1, wherein

said vessel is a blood vessel,

said hollow tube is a catheter, and

said linear body is a treatment wire to be inserted in said catheter.

7. The load detection device according to claim 6, wherein

said treatment wire includes a delivery wire and an embolization coil provided at a tip end portion of the delivery wire, for filling a cerebral aneurysm.

8. The load detection device according to claim 7, wherein

said first detection unit detects a degree of bending of said treatment wire when a tip end of said embolization coil enters the cerebral aneurysm, and

said calculation unit finds load applied to said cerebral aneurysm by said embolization coil.

9. The load detection device according to claim 6, wherein

said first detection unit detects a degree of bending of said blood vessel based on a three-dimensional image of said blood vessel.

10. The load detection device according to claim 6, wherein

said first detection unit detects a degree of bending of said treatment wire based on a two-dimensional image of said treatment wire taken by using X-rays during a surgical operation and a three-dimensional image of the blood vessel taken in advance, as superimposed on each other.

11. The load detection device according to claim 1, comprising drive unit for inserting said linear body in the inlet of said hollow tube, wherein

said second detection unit detects the load in insertion of said linear body based on drive force of said drive unit.

12. The load detection device according to claim 1, comprising:

a drive roller for inserting said linear body in the inlet of said hollow tube;

a pressing roller rotatably supported and pressed by said drive roller with said linear body being interposed; and

a motor for rotatably driving said drive roller, wherein

said second detection unit detects strain of a rotation shaft of said motor and detects the load in insertion of said linear body based on a result of that detection.

13. The load detection device according to claim 1, wherein

said second detection unit includes

a main body portion having a through hole through which said linear body passes and an internal space provided at an intermediate point of said through hole and formed such that said linear body can curve in a prescribed direction when compressive force is applied to said linear body, and

a curve sensor for detecting a degree of curve of said linear body in said internal space, and

said second detection unit detects the load in insertion of said linear body based on said degree of curve detected by said curve sensor.

14. The load detection device according to claim 1, wherein

said second detection unit includes

a main body portion having a through hole through which said linear body passes and formed in a bent manner such that said linear body applies a pressure in a prescribed direction when compressive force is applied to said linear body, and

a pressure sensor provided at an intermediate point of said through hole, for detecting a pressure applied by said linear body in said prescribed direction, and

said second detection unit detects the load in insertion of said linear body based on a result of detection by said pressure sensor.

15. The load detection device according to claim 1, further comprising display unit for visually displaying at least one load of the load in insertion of said linear body detected by said second detection unit and the load applied to the tip end of said linear body found by said calculation unit.

16. The load detection device according to claim 1, further comprising sound generation unit for generating sound indicating at least one load of the load in insertion of said linear body detected by said second detection unit and the load applied to the tip end of said linear body found by said calculation unit.

17. The load detection device according to claim 1, further comprising recording unit for recording in a video image recording medium together with a fluoroscopic image of a tip end portion of said linear body, at least one load of the load in insertion of said linear body detected by said second detection unit and the load applied to the tip end of said linear body found by said calculation unit.

18. The load detection device according to any of claims 1 to 17, incorporated in a medical training apparatus.

19. In a load detection device for detecting load applied to a tip end of a linear body having flexibility when said linear body is inserted in a hollow tube inserted in a bending vessel, a method comprising the steps of:

detecting a degree of bending of said vessel, said hollow tube or said linear body and load in insertion of said linear body in an inlet of said hollow tube; and

finding load applied to the tip end of said linear body based on a result of that detection.