Patent Application
20230284966
The present invention relates to a capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori, and more particularly, to a capsule for diagnosis of presence or absence of Helicobacter pylori by entering a human stomach.
In general, Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that infects an inner wall of a person's stomach and is a spiral bacteria having several flagella and is characterized by a slow growth rate and fast movement. The Helicobacter pylori has urease and decomposes urea into ammonia while staying in the gastrointestinal mucosa. As the Helicobacter pylori decomposes the urea into ammonia, gastric acid is partially neutralized to increase a pH value around the Helicobacter pylori existing in the stomach, and thus, the Helicobacter pylori has high viability in the stomach even at a low pH value of gastric acid.
There is a Campylobacter-Like Organism (CLO) test as a method for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori. The CLO test uses urea, phenol red, a buffer, and a bacteriostatic agent to observe that the phenol red changes from yellow to red as urea is decomposed into ammonia by the Helicobacter pylori, and thereby, it is possible to diagnose presence or absence of the Helicobacter pylori.
In this case, according to the known method for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori, there is a problem that causes inconvenience to a patient because a biopsy has to be directly performed through an endoscopic procedure.
The present invention is developed to solve the above problems and aims to provide a capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori which can easily diagnose whether there is Helicobacter pylori in a patient's stomach by simply swallowing the diagnostic capsule by designing a diagnostic device as a capsule type.
The present invention provides a capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori including a body section into which a gastrointestinal fluid including the Helicobacter pylori is selectively introduced; a decomposition section that is accommodated in the body section and contains urea; a sensor unit for measuring information on a result of decomposing the urea by Helicobacter pylori in the decomposition section; and a control unit for transmitting the information measured by the sensor unit to the outside.
The capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the present invention may further include a power supply unit that is accommodated in the body section and supplies power to the control unit.
The capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the present invention may further include a power supply unit that is installed outside the body section and drives the control unit through a radio frequency identification (RFID) technique.
The body section may have an upper portion formed in a partially open shape, the decomposition section may be formed in an inner space of the body section, and the sensor unit and the control unit may be formed in the inner space of the body section and arranged in order below the decomposition section.
The decomposition section may be arranged to be separated from an inlet of the body section.
The decomposition section may further include a buffer and a bacteriostatic agent that inhibits growth and proliferation of Helicobacter pylori.
The sensor unit may measure a pH value of the gastrointestinal fluid that is changed by ammonia generated as the urea is decomposed, and the control unit may transmit the measured pH value to the outside.
The capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the present invention may further include a magnetic drive unit that is accommodated in the body section and controlled by a magnetic field formed outside.
The capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the present invention may further include a light source unit that is accommodated in an interior of the body section and illuminates the decomposition section, wherein the decomposition section may further include an acid-base indicator, and the sensor unit may measure image information of the decomposition section illuminated by the light source unit.
The light source unit may be installed on an inner wall of the body section, the decomposition section and the sensor unit may be arranged in an inner space of the body section, and the control unit may transmit the image information formed by the sensor unit to the outside as the light source unit illuminates the decomposition section.
The image information may be one of an actual image of the decomposition section and an RGB value of the decomposition section.
The capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the present invention may further include a cover section that is installed at an inlet of the body section and removed as the cover section comes into contact with the gastrointestinal fluid.
The cover section may seal the inlet from the outside of the body section.
The cover section may be formed of a pH-sensitive polymer material.
The decomposition section may further include a swelling gel material as the gastrointestinal fluid is absorbed, and the capsule may further include a sealing lid section that is safely placed on the decomposition section and seals an inlet of the body section as the decomposition section expands.
The body section may have an upper portion in which the inlet is formed, the decomposition section may be separated from a lower side of the inlet and is formed in an inner space of the body section, and the sealing lid section may be safely placed on an upper portion of the decomposition section.
The body section may have a plurality of first accommodation spaces formed in the body section and a second accommodation space communicating with the plurality of first accommodation spaces formed in the body section, the decomposition section and the sensor units may respectively include a plurality of decomposition sections and a plurality of sensor units, which are accommodated in the plurality of first accommodation spaces, and the control unit may be accommodated in the second accommodation space, receives information from each of the plurality of sensor units, and transmits the information to the outside.
The body section may have an upper portion in which a plurality of inlets respectively communicating with the plurality of first accommodation spaces are formed and have partition walls that are formed in the body portion and respectively separate the plurality of first accommodation spaces.
Each of the plurality of decomposition sections may further include a gel material that swells as the gel material comes into contact with a gastrointestinal fluid, and the capsule may further include a plurality of sealing lid sections that are respectively accommodated in the plurality of first accommodation spaces, safely placed on the plurality of decomposition sections, and respectively seal the plurality of inlets of the body section as the plurality of decomposition sections each expand.
The capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the present invention may further include a plurality of cover sections that are respectively installed at the plurality of inlets of the body section and removed as the cover sections come into contact with the gastrointestinal fluid, and a magnetic drive unit that is accommodated in the second accommodation space and controlled by a magnetic field formed outside, wherein the control unit may remove any one of the plurality of cover sections in a state in which the capsule is moved to any one position in a body by the magnetic drive unit, and then remove another one of the plurality of cover sections in a state in which the capsule is moved to another position.
According to a capsule for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori of the present invention, by providing a capsule-type device for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori, it is possible to simply diagnose whether there is Helicobacter pylori in the patient's stomach only by swallowing a capsule for diagnosis, and a distribution of intestinal bacteria can be checked in various positions in the patient's intestine.
Although the present invention is described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which is merely examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.
Referring to
The body section 110 has an inlet 111 formed in an upper portion thereof, and Helicobacter pylori (not illustrated) existing in the stomach of a patient is introduced into the interior of the body section 110 through the inlet 111.
The decomposition section 120 is accommodated in the body section 110 and includes urea, a buffer, and a bacteriostatic agent. When Helicobacter pylori is introduced into the body section 110 and comes into contact with the decomposition section 120 to be absorbed therein, urea is decomposed into ammonia. In this case, the buffer allows the Helicobacter pylori absorbed in the decomposition section 120 to survive, and the bacteriostatic agent inhibits growth and proliferation of the Helicobacter pylori.
The sensor unit 130 measures information on a result of decomposition of urea due to Helicobacter pylori in the decomposition section 120. Urea is decomposed into ammonia by Helicobacter pylori, and the sensor unit 130 measures various types of information that can be measured through ammonia which is a product of the decomposition.
The control unit 140 transmits information measured by the sensor unit 130 to the outside, and receives an external control signal to control the decomposition section 120 and the sensor unit 130.
The power supply unit 150 supplies drive power to the control unit 140. The power supply unit 150 can also be installed inside the body section 110 as illustrated in
The body section 110 has an upper portion formed in an open shape, and the inlet 111 is formed in the upper portion. The decomposition section 120 is formed in an inner space of the body section 110. In addition, the sensor unit 130 and the control unit 140 are arranged in order below the decomposition section 120 and are formed in the inner space of the body section 110. When the power supply unit 150 is installed inside the body section 110 as illustrated in
Referring to
In the first embodiment of the present invention, an operation sequence of the capsule 100 for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori will be described as follows.
First, the capsule 100 is delivered to the stomach as a patient swallows the capsule 100. Next, the gastrointestinal fluid enters the capsule 100 to be absorbed by the decomposition section 120. When there is Helicobacter pylori in the gastrointestinal fluid, the Helicobacter pylori decomposes urea in the decomposition section 120 to generate ammonia, whereby a pH value of an inside of the capsule 100 increases, and the sensor unit 130 measures the pH value increased in this way. In addition, the control unit 140 transmits the corresponding pH value to the outside, and a medical staff can determine whether there is Helicobacter pylori in a patient's stomach by looking at the received pH value.
According to the capsule 100 for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori of the present invention described above, by providing a capsule-type device for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori, it is possible to simply diagnose whether there is Helicobacter pylori in the patient's stomach only by swallowing a capsule for diagnosis, and in a similar way, a distribution of intestinal bacteria can be checked in various positions in the patient's intestine.
Hereinafter, second to sixth embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to
Referring to
In the second embodiment of the present invention, after a patient swallows the capsule 200, a medical staff controls an operation of the magnetic drive unit 160 by adjusting an external magnetic field, adjusts a position of the capsule 200 for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori in the patient's body through this, and then, analyzes a gastrointestinal fluid flowing into the capsule 200 to diagnose presence or absence of Helicobacter pylori. Therefore, according to the capsule 200 for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to measure presence, distribution, and so on of bacteria at a specific desired position in the body.
Referring to
The sensor unit 130 measures image information of the decomposition section 120 illuminated by the light source unit 170. The control unit 140 transmits image information formed in the sensor unit 130 to the outside as the light source unit 170 illuminates a lower side of the decomposition section 120. Since the light source unit 170 illuminates the lower side, the image information of the decomposition section 120 is formed in the sensor unit 130 arranged below the decomposition section 120, and the image information formed in the sensor unit 130 is transmitted to the control unit 140 arranged below the sensor unit 130.
The image information can be an actual image of the decomposition section 120 illuminated with light. That is, the image information can indicate an actual appearance of the decomposition section 120 as if a picture of the decomposition section 120 is taken by using a camera. Alternatively, the image information can be an RGB value of the decomposition section 120. That is, the sensor unit 130 can measure a color emitted from the decomposition section 120, convert the color into RGB value, and transmit the RGB value to the control unit 140 as the image information.
According to the capsule 300 for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the third embodiment of the present invention, after urea is decomposed into ammonia by Helicobacter pylori introduced into the body section 110, the sensor unit 130 does not directly measure a pH value inside the capsule 300 but measures image information indicating the pH value of the decomposition section 120 and transmits the image information to the control unit 140, and the control unit 140 transmits the image information of the decomposition section 120 to the outside. In addition, a medical staff diagnoses presence or absence of Helicobacter pylori in a patient's body based on the image information of the decomposition section 120 described above.
Referring to
In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, when a patient swallows the capsule 400, the cover section 180 is not removed until the capsule 400 reaches the gastrointestinal fluid, and thus, an undesired material (for example, amylase) can be prevented from being introduced into the capsule 400. In addition, when the capsule 400 swallowed by a patient reaches the stomach, the cover section 180 is removed by the gastrointestinal fluid of high acidity, and then the gastrointestinal fluid can be introduced into the body section 110 through the inlet 111, and thus, a medical staff can more accurately and precisely measure presence or absence of Helicobacter pylori in the gastrointestinal fluid.
The capsule 500 for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention can further include a sealing lid section 190. The decomposition section 120 can further include a swelling gel material that expands as the gel material absorbs a gastrointestinal fluid. Here, the swelling gel can contain at least one of gelatin, hyaluronic acid, and collagen. The sealing lid section 190 is safely placed on an upper portion of the decomposition section 120 and seals the inlet 111 of the body section 110 as the decomposition section 120 absorbs the gastrointestinal fluid to expand. That is, the sealing lid section 190 can come into contact with an upper inner wall of the body section 110 to seal the inlet 111.
The decomposition section 120 is formed in an inner space of the body section 110, and since an upper surface thereof maintains a state separated from a lower side than the inlet 111, even when the decomposition section 120 absorbs the gastrointestinal fluid to expand, the decomposition section 120 does not interfere with an inner wall of the body section 110.
According to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, when the gastrointestinal fluid flows into the capsule 500 after the capsule 500 reaches a patient's stomach, the decomposition section 120 expands, and the sealing lid section 190 seals the inlet 111 of the body section 110. Accordingly, after the gastrointestinal fluid flows into the capsule 500, an undesirable material (for example, food) can be prevented from flowing into the capsule 500.
Referring to
In the sixth embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of decomposition sections 120 and a plurality of sensor units 130 are provided therein and are respectively accommodated in the plurality of first accommodation spaces 112. The control unit 140 is accommodated in the second accommodation space 113. In addition, the control unit 140 receives information from each of the plurality of sensor units 130 and transmits the information to the outside.
The plurality of decomposition sections 120 can each further include a gel material that expands as the gel material comes into contact with a gastrointestinal fluid. In addition, the capsule 600 for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention can further include a plurality of sealing lid sections 190. The plurality of sealing lid sections 190 are respectively accommodated in the plurality of first accommodation spaces 112 and are respectively safely placed on the plurality of decomposition sections 120. In addition, the plurality of sealing lid sections 190 respectively seal the plurality of inlets 111 as the plurality of decomposition sections 120 respectively expand.
The capsule 600 for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention can further include a plurality of cover sections 180 and the magnetic drive unit 160. The plurality of cover sections 180 are respectively installed at the plurality of inlets 111 of the body section 110 and are removed as the cover sections 180 come into contact with a gastrointestinal fluid. The magnetic drive unit 160 is accommodated in the second accommodation space 113 and exhibits magnetism and is controlled by a magnetic field formed outside. In a state in which the capsule 600 is moved to any one position inside a body by the magnetic drive unit 160, the control unit 140 removes any one of the plurality of cover sections 180. Thereafter, while the capsule 600 is moved to another position inside the body by the magnetic drive unit 160, the control unit 140 removes another one of the plurality of cover sections 180. In this case, the cover sections 180 are each formed of a wax material, and a heating wire (not illustrated) can be additionally provided to each of the cover sections 180. The control unit 140 can selectively remove the cover sections 180 by controlling the heating wire.
An operation of the sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail as follows. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience of description, one is designated as A and the other is designated as B.
After a patient swallows the capsule 600 to deliver the capsule 600 to the stomach, the magnetic drive unit 160 moves the capsule 600 to an “A position” due to a change in the external magnetic field. In addition, the control unit 140 removes an “A cover section 180” (for example, the cover section 180 on the left side with reference to
Next, the magnetic drive unit 160 moves the capsule 600 to a “B position” due to a change in the external magnetic field. In addition, the control unit 140 removes a “B cover section 180” (for example, the cover unit 180 on the right side with reference to
In this way, the magnetic drive unit 160 moves the capsule 600 by the number of the first accommodation spaces 112 to another position inside a patient's body to measure bacteria information for each position and transmit the bacteria information to the outside, and a medical staff can check a distribution of intestinal bacteria in various positions in the patient's intestine with the bacteria information.
Meanwhile, the first to sixth embodiments of the present invention described above are not independently implemented, and it will be understood that any one embodiment can be implemented in combination with another embodiment.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2020-0086064 | Jul 2020 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2021/004790 | 4/16/2021 | WO |
