Now, description will be given below of a preferred embodiment according to the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present embodiment, description will be given of a high frequency operation device which is used to dissect and separate a lesion mucous membrane. By the way, it goes without saying that the high frequency operation device of the invention can also be used to carry out other kinds of operations.
In
On the leading end portion of the flexible sheath 2, as shown in
Into the inner surface of the leading end portion of the flexible sheath 2, there is inserted a stopper ring 13 made of a pipe-shaped member which is formed of heat-resistant hard electrical insulation material such as ceramic, while the stopper ring 13 is fixed to the above-mentioned inner surface by bonding or the like. The inside diameter of the stopper ring 13 is set slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the second electrode member 12 and, therefore, the second electrode member 12 is slidably inserted into the stopper ring 13. And, the most base-side end portion of the second electrode member 12 is formed as an enlarged diameter portion 12c; and, the enlarged diameter portion 12c has a dimension larger than the inside diameter of the stopper ring 13.
According to the above structure, while no operation is being carried out, the high frequency knife 10, as shown in
The first electrode member 11, as shown in
In this manner, the high frequency knife 10, which is composed of the first and second electrode members 11 and 12, is structured such that it can be projected in the two stages. And, in order to operate the high frequency knife 10 so as to project in the two stages, the operation section 3 is structured as shown in
Within the slit 23, there are further disposed a first sliding piece 26 connected to the first drive part 20 and a second sliding piece 27 connected to the second drive part 21. To the second sliding piece 27, there is connected the coil 25, while the wire 24 is guided out from the end portion of the coil 25 and the end portion of the wire 24 is connected to the first sliding piece 26. And, the terminal part 8, in the slider 5, is mounted on the second drive part 21 thereof, while the terminal part 8 is electrically connected to the coil 25. Therefore, the coil 25 is made of a coil-shaped metal wire rod which can conduct electricity. Also, at least the second sliding piece 27 is also made of a conductive member. And, to the terminal part 8, there are electrically connected not only the second electrode member 12 through the coil 25 but also the first electrode member 11 which is contacted with the second electrode member 12 in such a manner it is slidable with respect to the second electrode member 12.
Here, the first drive part 20 is connected to the second drive part 21 through the linking member 22 and, to serve this purpose, the connecting member 22 is made of a long plate-shaped member having an elongated bore 22a, while the leading end portion of the connecting member 22 is connected continuously with the second drive part 21. And, into the elongated bore 22a, there is inserted a connecting screw 28, while the connecting screw 28 is threadedly inserted into the first drive part 20. Therefore, when the connecting screw 28 is tightened, the first and second drive parts 20 and 21 are connected together; and, when the connecting screw 28 is loosened, the first drive part 20 can be slided alone along the main body shaft 4. Here, the linking member 22 having the elongated bore 22a is disposed on each side across the main body shaft 4. Specifically, the connecting screw 28 is mounted on one side linking member 22; and, into the elongated bore 22a of the other side linking member 22, there is engaged a projection 20a which is provided on the first drive part 20. Further, into the second drive part 21, there is threadedly inserted a set screw 29. Therefore, when the set screw 29 is tightened, the leading end portion thereof is pressed against the main body shaft 4, with the result that the second drive part 21 can be fixedly held on the main body shaft 4.
The high frequency operation device 1 having the above structure, as shown in
Firstly, to dissect the mucous membrane, the operation section 3 of the high frequency operation device 1 is operated, that is, the first and second drive parts 20 and 21 of the slider 5 are turned by the linking member 22 into such a state that they can be operated in linking with each other, and they are moved from the retreat position up to the dissection operation position. In other words, not only the first and second drive parts 20 and 21 are connected together through the linking member 22 by operating the connecting screw 28, but also the set screw 29 is loosened. As a result of this, the whole of the slider 5 can be slided along the main body shaft 4.
By operating the slider 5, as shown in
On the leading end portion of the flexible sheath 2, there is mounted the stopper ring 13, while the stopper ring 13 is disposed at the same position as the leading end face of the flexible sheath 2. Therefore, the contact area of the leading end of the flexible sheath 2 with the mucous membrane layer LU is large and, when the leading end face of the flexible sheath 2 is pressed lightly against the mucous membrane layer LU, the leading end face can be kept from pushing the mucous membrane layer LU. Also, the first stage regulation portion for regulating the projecting length of the high frequency knife 10 at the dissection operation position is interposed between the enlarged diameter portion 12c of the second electrode member 12 and the end face of the stopper ring 13, that is, it is disposed in the leading end portion of the flexible sheath 2. Therefore, the projecting length from the leading end of the flexible sheath 2 can be adjusted very accurately. By operating the high frequency knife 10 in this manner, not only the mucous membrane layer LU can be dissected positively but also the high frequency knife 10 can be prevented from reaching a position where it could possibly touch a muscular layer LB existing below of the mucous membrane lower layer LM, and thus the high frequency knife 10 can be prevented from injuring the muscular layer LB. And, when the mucous membrane lower layer LM is swollen by previously injecting a hyaluronic acid solution, a normal saline solution or the like into the mucous membrane lower layer LM locally, a safer operation can be realized.
The dissection operation is performed over the whole periphery of the lesion portion and, as a result of this, the mucous membrane layer LU existing in the periphery of the outer peripheral portion of the lesion mucous membrane is cut open and thus the mucous membrane lower layer LM is exposed. However, simply by cutting open the whole periphery of a lesion mucous membrane area D, the mucous membrane LU cannot be removed. That is, since the mucous membrane layer LU and muscular layer LB are connected together by the mucous membrane lower layer LM formed of fibers, it is necessary to cut the fibers and separate the mucous membrane layer LU from the muscular layer LB.
In this separation operation, while applying a high frequency current to the high frequency knife 10 from the high frequency power supply 6, the flexible sheath 2 is moved horizontally or is swung around to burn the mucous membrane lower layer LM due to the action of the high frequency current, thereby cutting the fibers. That is, the high frequency knife 10 is extended in a direction substantially parallel to the mucous membrane layer LU and muscular layer LB. Therefore, even when the high frequency knife 10 is projected fairly greatly from the leading end of the flexible sheath 2, there is no fear that the high frequency knife 10 can invade and injure the muscular layer LB; or rather, in order to perform the mucous membrane separation operation with efficiency, it is necessary to make longer the projecting length of the high frequency knife 10 from the flexible sheath 2.
As can be seen from the above description, in a state where the second drive part 21 constituting the slider 5 is set at the dissection operation position, by tightening the set screw 29, the second drive part 21 is fixed to the main body shaft 4. Also, by loosening the connecting screw 28, the linkage between the first and second drive parts 20 and 21 through the linking member 22 is removed. In this state, when the first drive part 20 is slided along the main body shaft 4, not only the second electrode member 12 is kept in a state where it is projected from the leading end of the flexible sheath 2, but also the first electrode member 11 is projected from the second electrode member 12 which shows a cylindrical shape. This provides a separation operation position in which the high frequency knife 10 is held in its extended state and is contacted with the second stage regulation portion composed of the step provided by the large thickness portion 12b of the second electrode member 12 and the step of the large diameter portion 11a of the first electrode member 11.
In this state, by swinging the high frequency knife 10, the mucous membrane lower layer LM can be separated. Here, since the second and first electrode members 12 and 11 are projected greatly from the leading end of the flexible sheath 2 and the high frequency current is applied to these two electrode members 12 and 11, the high frequency knife 10 can perform the mucous membrane separation operation with efficiency. And, the operation to swing the high frequency knife 10 can be carried out easily, for example, by curving the leading end portion of the endoscope insertion portion S. Thanks to this, the mucous membrane can be separated quickly and efficiently.
According to the invention, while the high frequency operation device is left inserted into the operation device insertion channel of the endoscope, two kinds of operations, that is, an operation to dissect a mucous membrane and an operation to separate thus dissected mucous membrane can be carried out safely and efficiently.
The entire disclosure of each and every foreign patent application from which the benefit of foreign priority has been claimed in the present application is incorporated herein by reference, as if fully set forth.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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P2006-173269 | Jun 2006 | JP | national |