Endoscope and method for sterilizing endoscope

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique which allows a state of an endoscope to be confirmed while an endoscope body is housed in a simple sterilization bag. SOLUTION: To the intermediate part of a universal cable 40 between the endoscope body 20 (insertion tube 25 and hand control section 30) and an LG (Light Guide) connector 45, an intermediate bush 60 having a diameter larger than the LG connector 45 and an electric connector 55 is airtightly attached. When housing the endoscope body 20 in the sterilization bag 70, the LG connector 45 and the electric connector 55 are taken out from the inside of the sterilization bag 70 to the outside through the opening of an opening part bush 73, and the intermediate bush 60 is airtightly inserted in and attached to the opening part bush 73. Thus, various kinds of checks of the endoscope body 20 housed in the sterilization bag 70 are performed through the LG connector 45 and the electric connector 55 arranged on the outside. COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT

Description

Technical field [0001] The present invention relates to an endoscope that can be housed in a sterilization bag (sterilization bag) and a method for sterilizing the endoscope, and more particularly to a device that can confirm the state of the endoscope (endoscope main body) housed in the sterilization bag technology. Background technique [0002] In the medical field, diagnosis and treatment using an endoscope are widely performed. For example, treatments such as imaging diagnosis of a desired part in a body cavity and resection of an affected part by a treatment tool are performed. Since the endoscope used for such diagnosis and treatment has body fluids, pathogens, etc. attached to the patient, the endoscope after use needs to be cleaned and sterilized (disinfected). [0003] Various methods have been proposed for cleaning and sterilizing endoscopes. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method: using a simple cleaning system with a plurality of simple cleaning tanks compos...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the inside of the endoscope cannot be sufficiently ventilated until the endoscope is taken out of the sterilization bag for use, and it is difficult to quickly remove the moisture (moisture) inside the endoscope.

[0016] In addition, the autoclave sterilizer disclosed in Patent Document 4 is relatively large, and it is disadvantageous in terms of cost and storage space to prepare such a sterilizer for each endoscope.

In addition, Patent Document 4 does not disclose or suggest at all a method for confirming the state of an endoscope after autoclave sterilization or a method for removing moisture inside the endoscope.

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