Capsule-type medical device and medical system

• US 6,951,536 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Moriyama, Hiroki, Takizawa, Hironobu, Mizuno, Hitoshi, Segawa, Hidetake, Yokoi, Takeshi, Adachi, Hideyuki, Yabe, Hisao
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US10/205,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 600/101, 600/160, 600/139, 600/143, 600/151, 600/476, 600128-130, 348/65, 382/128
• US Class Current: 600/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00032 internally powered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing angles A61B1/00193 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

The capsule-type medical device in accordance with the present invention is advanced the inside of the somatic cavities and lumens of humans being or animals for conducting examination, therapy, or treatment. The capsule-type medical device comprises a plurality of hard units and a soft linking unit which links the plurality of hard units and has a diameter less than that of any of the hard units, wherein one of the plurality of hard units is different in size from other hard units.

Claims

1. A capsule-type medical device which is advanced through the digestive tract of a human being or an animal for conducting examination, therapy, or treatment, the capsule-type medical device comprising:

a plurality of nonexpandable hard units, wherein each of the plurality of hard units are capable of being swallowed and entirely advanced through the digestive tract of the human being or animal; and

a soft linking unit which links said plurality of hard units and has a diameter less than any diameter of said hard units,

wherein one of said plurality of hard units is different in size from other of said plurality of hard units.

2. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein the number of said hard units is no less than three and the outer diameters or lengths of the two end hard units among said units are less than that of the hard unit other than the two end units.

3. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, which further comprises a power supply, a wireless transmission unit, and a control unit, and at least one of those power supply, wireless transmission unit, and control unit is used commonly for a plurality of illumination devices and observation devices.

4. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 3, wherein a sensor of said observation devices is a threshold modulation-type image sensor.

5. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 3, wherein the amount of illumination light of said plurality of illumination devices can be varied by operation signals from the outside.

6. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 3, wherein the operation period of said plurality of illumination devices and observation devices can be varied by operation signals from the outside.

7. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 3, wherein the transmission frequency of said wireless transmission unit can be set variably.

8. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein a light-shielding lens frame is provided around an observation device and the front end surface of said light-shielding lens frame is protruded beyond the distal end surface of an illumination device.

9. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 8, wherein a dome-like observation window enclosing said illumination device and said observation device is provided in front of said illumination device and said observation device, and the outer diameter and height of said light-shielding lens frame and the distance between said illumination device and said observation device are set so as to substantially prevent unnecessary light, such as light reflected from said illumination device on the inner surface of said dome-like observation window, from being incident upon said observation device.

10. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 9, wherein said illumination device and said observation device have a structure such that they maintain water tightness with respect to hard units in a state where said dome-like observation window is not attached.

11. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein the length of said soft linking unit is almost equal to or larger than the length of the smallest of all said hard units.

12. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein a magnet or a magnetic substance is provided in at least one of said hard units.

13. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein the diameters or lengths of said hard units on both ends are almost the same.

14. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein a power supply and a power supply compartment are provided in one of said hard units, the power supply compartment has a splittable structure, and a sealing member is provided for waterproofing.

15. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 14, wherein said power supply is housed in said splittable power supply compartment and the power supply is turned on by assembling the split power supply compartment.

16. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein an electric connection member which electrically connects said hard units to each other is provided inside said soft linking unit.

17. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein a wire that mechanically connects said hard units to each other is provided inside said soft linking unit.

18. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 17, wherein said wire is a metal wire and also serves as an electric connection member.

19. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 1, wherein the periphery of the surfaces where said hard units are connected to said soft linking unit are chamfered to obtain a spherical or oblique shape.

20. A capsule-type medical device which is advanced through the digestive tract of a human being or an animal for conducting examination, therapy, or treatment, comprising:

a plurality of nonexpandable hard units each provided with an illumination device and observation device with mutually different observation directions, wherein each of the plurality of hard units are capable of being swallowed and entirely advanced through the digestive tract of the human being or animal, and

a soft linking unit which links said plurality of hard units and has a diameter less than that of any of said hard units.

21. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 20, wherein the observation directions of said hard units are forward and backward with respect to the longitudinal axis of said capsule-type medical device.

22. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 20, wherein said observation devices of said hard units comprise objective optical systems with mutually different angles of view.

23. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 20, wherein said observation devices of said hard units comprise objective optical systems inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of said capsule-type medical device.

24. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 20, additionally comprising a power supply, a wireless transmission unit, a control unit, and a setting unit, wherein the setting unit can arbitrarily set from the outside the settings for at least one of said illumination device, said observation device, said wireless transmission unit, and control unit for realization of functions thereof.

25. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 24, wherein said setting unit conducts said settings using remote communication.

26. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 20, additionally comprising a power supply, a wireless communication unit, a control unit, and a charge accumulation unit, wherein said charge accumulation unit temporarily accumulates electric power from at least said power supply and is instantaneously discharged in response to a control signal from said control unit.

27. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 20, wherein a joining member is provided which joins no less than two hard units in prescribed positions.

28. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 27, wherein said joining member is a magnetic device provided inside the hard unit.

29. The capsule-type medical device according to claim 27, wherein said joining member is a shape memory material provided inside said soft linking unit.

30. A medical system comprising:

a capsule-type medical device which is capable of being swallowed and entirely advanced through the digestive tract of a human being or an animal for conducting examination, therapy, or treatment and comprises a plurality of nonexpandable hard units each provided with an illumination device and an observation device with mutually different observation directions, a soft linking unit which links said plurality of hard units and has a diameter less than that of any of said hard units, and a wireless transmission unit;

a receiving device for receiving signals from said wireless transmission unit;

a recording unit for recording observed images obtained via said receiving device;

a disease image database storing data of past endoscopic disease images;

a retrieving unit for comparing and retrieving said observed images and said past disease images; and

a recording and display unit for recording or displaying the analogous disease images of the observed images extracted by said retrieving unit.

31. A method for examination, therapy, or treatment of the digestive tract by using a capsule-type medical device comprising a soft linking unit which links a plurality of nonexpandable hard units and has a diameter less than that of any of said hard units, the method comprising:

swallowing the capsule-type medical device to insert the capsule-type medical device into the digestive tract of a human being or an animal;

advancing all of the capsule-type medical device entirely through the digestive tract of the human being or animal; and

directing the direction of the capsule-type medical device into a desired direction.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the movement direction of the capsule-type medical device advanced through the digestive tract of a human being or animal can be set to the desired direction by making one of said plurality of hard units different in size from other hard units.