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

• US 7,697,970 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): KISH, JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US11/823,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 600/424, 600/431, 600433-435, 600/101, 600/109, 600/114, 600/128, 600/137, 600/160
• US Class Current: 600/407
• 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 capsule endoscope for executing a medical action in a cavity organ of a body to be examined, the capsule endoscope comprising:

an untethered main body further comprising;

a rotation symmetrical member having a symmetrical axis in a traveling direction, the symmetrical axis further defining a front end and a rear end of the rotation symmetrical member; and

a front diameter-reduced portion arranged to the front end of the rotation symmetrical member and a rear diameter-reduced portion arranged to the rear end of the rotation symmetrical member, the front and rear diameter-reduced portions each having a diameter which reduces toward the symmetrical axis of the rotation symmetrical member;

an electromagnetic field response portion disposed in the untethered 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 at least a portion of an external surface of the rotation symmetrical member of the untethered main body and at least a portion of an external surface of the front diameter-reduced portion of the untethered main body, for converting the rotating motion generated by the electromagnetic field response portion into a thrust; and

an image pickup system, provided inside the front diameter-reduced portion of the untethered main body, for picking up an image, wherein

an end of the spiral structure is disposed on an external surface of the front diameter-reduced portion of the untethered main body so as to reach the vicinity of a boundary of an imaging area of the image pickup system.

2. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the pitch of the spiral structure is constant regardless of a shape of the main body.

3. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic field response portion comprises a magnetic substance or a magnet.

4. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic field response portion comprises a dielectric substance.

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

6. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the diameter-reduced portion is formed in a taper shape.

7. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the spiral structure has a hollow portion.

8. The capsule endoscope according to claim 7, further comprising 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.

9. The capsule endoscope according to claim 7, wherein at least a substance-in-body suctioning portion and a storage portion for storing a suctioned substance are disposed in the main body, and an end of the spiral structure having the hollow portion is used as a suctioning port for a substance-in-body.

10. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising at least one image pickup system including an image pickup element, and a lens system for condensing the light captured from the outside to the image pickup element, wherein

at least one of the diameter-reduced portions is formed by a light transmitting member for capturing the light to the lens system, and

wherein the end of the spiral structure is disposed on an external surface of the light transmitting member so as to reach the vicinity of a boundary of an imaging area of the image pickup element.

11. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible tube attached to the main body.

12. A capsule endoscope for executing a medical action in a cavity organ of a body to be examined, the capsule endoscope comprising:

an untethered main body further comprising;

an approximately cylindrical portion having a first end and a second end, and

a first diameter-reduced portion disposed on the first end of the approximately cylindrical portion and a second diameter-reduced portion disposed on the second end of the approximately cylindrical portion, the first diameter-reduced portion and the second diameter-reduced portion each having a diameter which reduces towards a symmetrical axis of the approximately cylindrical portion;

a magnet disposed in the untethered 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 at least a portion of an external surface of the approximately cylindrical portion of the untethered main body and at least a portion of an external surface of the first diameter-reduced portion for converting the rotating motion generated by the magnet into a thrust; and

an image pickup system provided inside the first diameter-reduced portion of the untethered main body, for picking up an image of a subject,

wherein one end of the spiral structure is disposed on an external surface of the first diameter-reduced portion so as to reach the vicinity of a boundary of an imaging area of the image pickup system.

13. The capsule endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the pitch of the spiral structure is constant regardless of a shape of the main body.

14. The capsule endoscope according to claim 12, 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.

15. The capsule endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the spiral structure of the medical apparatus comprises a plurality of spirals.

16. The capsule endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the diameter-reduced portion is formed in a taper shape.

17. The capsule endoscope according to claim 12, wherein the spiral structure has a hollow portion.

18. The capsule endoscope according to claim 17, further comprising 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 capsule endoscope according to claim 17, wherein at least a substance-in-body suctioning portion and a storage portion for storing a suctioned substance are disposed in the main body, and an end of the spiral structure having the hollow portion is used as a suctioning port for a substance-in-body.

20. The capsule endoscope according to claim 12, further comprising at least one image pickup system including an image pickup element, and a lens system for condensing the light captured from the outside to the image pickup element, wherein

at least one of the diameter-reduced portions is formed by a light transmitting member for capturing the light to the lens system, and

wherein the end of the spiral structure is disposed on an external surface of the light transmitting member so as to reach the vicinity of a boundary of an imaging area of the image pickup element.

21. The capsule endoscope according to claim 12, further comprises a flexible tube attached to the main body.

22. A capsule endoscope guide system comprising:

a capsule endoscope comprising;

an untethered main body comprising;

a rotation symmetrical member having a symmetrical axis in a traveling direction, the symmetrical axis further defining a front end and a rear end of the rotation symmetrical member, and

a front diameter-reduced portion arranged to the front end of the rotation symmetrical member and a rear diameter-reduced portion arranged to the rear end of the rotation symmetrical member, the front and rear diameter-reduced portions each having a diameter which reduces toward the symmetrical axis of the rotation symmetrical member,

an electromagnetic field response portion disposed in the untethered 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 at least a portion of an external surface of the rotation symmetrical member of the untethered main body and at least a portion of an external surface of the front diameter-reduced portion of the untethered main body, for converting a rotating motion generated by the electromagnetic field response portion into a thrust, and

an image pickup system, provided inside the front diameter-reduced portion of the untethered main body, for picking up an image,

wherein an end of the spiral structure is disposed on an external surface of the front diameter-reduced portion of the untethered main body so as to reach the vicinity of a boundary of an imaging area of the image pickup system;

electromagnetic field generation means for generating the electromagnetic field acting on the electromagnetic field response portion disposed in the untethered main body; and

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 capsule endoscope guide system comprising:

a capsule endoscope comprising;

an untethered main body further comprising;

an approximately cylindrical portion having a first end and a second end, and

a first diameter-reduced portion disposed on the first end of the approximately cylindrical portion and a second diameter-reduced portion disposed on the second end of the approximately cylindrical portion, the first diameter-reduced portion and the second diameter-reduced portion each having a diameter which reduces towards a symmetrical axis of the approximately cylindrical portion,

a magnet disposed in the untethered 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 at least a portion of an external surface of the approximately cylindrical portion of the untethered main body and at least a portion of an external surface of the first diameter-reduced portion for converting the rotating motion generated by the magnet into a thrust, and

an image pickup system provided inside the first diameter-reduced portion of the untethered main body, for picking up an image of a subject,

wherein one end of the spiral structure is disposed on an external surface of the first diameter-reduced portion so as to reach the vicinity of a boundary of an imgaing area of the image pickup system;

electromagnetic field generation means for generating the rotation electromagnetic field acting on the magnet disposed in the untethered main body of the capsule endoscope; and

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.