Ultrasonic detector insertable into body cavity

• US 6,224,555 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ouchi, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imam, Ali M.
• Application Number:
  US09/327,463
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 600/459, 600/437, 600/439, 600/461, 600/471, 604/197, 604/198, 606/185
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array

Abstract

An ultrasonic detector insertable into a body cavity includes an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity with its tip forming part being shaped generally straight without being bent. An ultrasonic probe for lateral ultrasonic scan is provided in the front half of the tip forming part and a treatment tool projecting port is provided in the rear half of the tip forming part, directed obliquely forwardly for allowing the tip of a treatment tool (such as a puncturing needle) to project in a direction within the ultrasonic scan range. In the detector, the front half of the tip forming part is adapted to be bendable in a direction away from the ultrasonic scan range by remote handling.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic detector insertable into a body cavity, the detector comprising:

an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity, a tip forming part of said insertion portion being generally straight;

an ultrasonic probe for lateral ultrasonic scan provided in a front portion of said tip forming part;

a treatment tool projecting port provided in a rear portion of said tip forming part and that extends parallel to a rear longitudinal axis of a rear portion of said tip forming part toward a front portion of said tip forming part and is angled with respect to said longitudinal axis before a front portion of said tip forming part, directing a treatment tool inserted in said port to be angled with respect to said rear portion of said tip forming part, allowing the tip of the treatment tool to project in a direction within the range of said lateral ultrasonic scan, wherein the front portion of said tip forming part is inclinable relative to the rear portion of said tip forming part and away from the treatment tool inserted in said port by remote handling.

2. The ultrasonic detector according to claim 1, further comprising:

an urging mechanism that biases said front half and said rear half of said tip forming part toward a generally straight position.

3. The ultrasonic detector according to claim 2, wherein the front half of said tip forming part is bent by a manipulating wire that is pulled from the side of the insertion portion closer to the operator and, when a pulling force of said maneuvering wire is removed, reverts to an initial state by an urging force of said urging mechanism.

4. The detector according to claim 1, said treatment tool projecting port being oriented in a projecting direction, wherein an angle between said second longitudinal axis and the projecting direction is variable.

5. The detector according to claim 1, wherein said second tip forming part is pivotably coupled to said first tip forming part via a coupling shaft.

6. The detector according to claim 1, wherein said first and second tip forming part are biased relative to one another by a spring.

7. The detector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a stopper provided on the first tip forming part, said stopper being in contact with a mating surface provided on said second tip forming part when said second longitudinal axis is aligned with said first longitudinal axis.

8. The detector according to claim 1, wherein a manipulating wire is connected to said second tip forming part to move said second tip forming part relative to said first tip forming part.

9. An ultrasonic detector having a flexible tube insertable into a body cavity, said detector comprising:

a first tip forming part connected to said flexible tube, said first tip forming part having a first longitudinal axis and a treatment tool projecting port oriented at a fixed angle with respect to said first longitudinal axis; and

a second tip forming part location on an opposite side of said first tip forming part with respect to said flexible tube, and movably coupled to said first tip forming part, said second tip forming part having a second longitudinal axis inclinable relative to the first tip forming part and away from a treatment tool inserted in said port and an ultrasonic probe.

10. The detector according to claim 9, wherein said second tip forming part is movable relative to said first tip forming part to make said second longitudinal axis in align with said first longitudinal axis.