Endoscope irrigation system

Abstract

This specification provides an endoscope flushing system in several embodiments, characterized in that it includes: an endoscope, a microfluidic mixer, and a processing device; the endoscope includes a lens assembly and a flow channel, the flow channel being split into an outlet channel and a flushing channel at a distal end near the endoscope, the flushing channel including a first large-diameter section, a small-diameter section, and a second large-diameter section arranged sequentially along the fluid flow direction; the microfluidic mixer is configured to: mix air into the flushing fluid to form a gas-liquid mixture, and deliver the gas-liquid mixture to the flushing channel; and the processing device is configured to: execute a flushing command in response to image information acquired by the lens assembly satisfying a preset blur condition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This manual relates to the field of medical device cleaning, and in particular to an endoscope flushing system. Background Technology

[0002] An endoscope is a slender, tubular medical device consisting of a light source, image sensor, and optical lens. It can be inserted into the body through natural cavities or minimally invasive incisions for observation, diagnosis, biopsy, or surgical assistance in areas such as the digestive tract, respiratory tract, and abdominal cavity. The sheath is a tubular instrument used in endoscopic surgery to guide the endoscope into the body cavity and integrates channels for irrigation and aspiration. During endoscopic surgery, the lens slide at the distal end of the sheath is easily contaminated by tissue fluid, blood, or viscous hematoma, leading to blurred vision. Currently, although some endoscopes have water injection channels, their flushing power is insufficient for stubborn contaminants. Surgeons often need to withdraw the endoscope, wipe it clean, and then reinsert it into the patient, not only interrupting the surgical procedure but also increasing the risk of tissue damage.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop an endoscope flushing system that can efficiently flush the lens in situ without removing the endoscope or increasing its outer diameter. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This specification provides one or more embodiments of an endoscope flushing system, including: an endoscope, a microfluidic mixer, and a processing device; the endoscope includes a lens assembly and a flow channel, the flow channel being split into an outlet channel and a flushing channel at a distal end near the endoscope, the flushing channel including a first large-diameter section, a small-diameter section, and a second large-diameter section arranged sequentially along the fluid flow direction; the microfluidic mixer is configured to: mix air into the flushing fluid to form a gas-liquid mixture, and deliver the gas-liquid mixture to the flushing channel; and the processing device is configured to: execute a flushing command in response to image information acquired by the lens assembly satisfying a preset blur condition.

[0005] In some embodiments, the cross-section of the second large-diameter section is crescent-shaped, and the second large-diameter section is disposed near the peripheral side of the lens assembly; the inner wall of the second large-diameter section is provided with a guide groove, the guide groove being configured such that the angle between the ejection direction of the gas-liquid mixture and the axis of the lens assembly is within the range of 120° to 180°.

[0006] In some embodiments, the endoscope further includes a suction channel, the endoscope flushing system further includes a negative pressure pump, and the processing device is further configured to: in response to the image information satisfying the preset blur condition, trigger the flushing channel to spray the gas-liquid mixture, and start the negative pressure pump to perform a suction action through the suction channel; wherein the ratio of the instantaneous suction flow rate of the suction channel to the instantaneous injection flow rate of the flushing channel is in the range of 1.15 to 1.3, so as to form a closed vortex trapping field in the distal region of the lens assembly.

[0007] In some embodiments, the processing device is further configured to: send a start signal to the negative pressure pump;

[0008] After a first time interval following the issuance of the start signal, a jet start signal is sent to the microfluidic mixer; after a second time interval following the issuance of the jet start signal, a jet stop signal is sent to the microfluidic mixer; and after a third time interval following the issuance of the jet stop signal, a shutdown signal is sent to the negative pressure pump.

[0009] In some embodiments, the processing device is further configured to: determine the gas-liquid mixing ratio of the gas-liquid mixture based on the structural parameters of the flushing channel and the operating parameters of the microfluidic mixer; and adjust the ratio of the instantaneous suction flow rate to the instantaneous injection flow rate based on the gas-liquid mixing ratio.

[0010] In some embodiments, the distal end of the lens assembly is provided with a return groove communicating with the suction channel.

[0011] In some embodiments, a polarization sensing element is disposed at the distal end of the lens assembly; the processing device is configured to: acquire polarization information collected by the polarization sensing element; extract polarization feature quantities based on the polarization information; identify a target object based on the polarization feature quantities; determine whether the lens is contaminated according to the geometric features of the target object; and execute the rinsing command in response to the contamination of the lens.

[0012] In some embodiments, the processing device is further configured to: extract polarization phase features of the target object based on the polarization information; determine morphological parameters of the target object based on the polarization phase features; and adjust the execution parameters of the endoscopic irrigation system based on the morphological parameters.

[0013] In some embodiments, the execution parameters include at least a gas-liquid mixing ratio, an instantaneous suction flow rate, and a third time interval, and the processing device is configured to: increase the gas-liquid mixing ratio in response to the morphological parameter indicating a first contamination condition; adjust the instantaneous suction flow rate in response to the morphological parameter indicating a second contamination condition; and adjust the third time interval in response to the morphological parameter indicating a third contamination condition.

[0014] In some embodiments, the processing device is configured to: extract phase singularities from the polarization phase features; determine the distribution density of the phase singularities within the target object; determine that the target object is in a first contamination state and maintain the gas-liquid mixing ratio in response to the distribution density being less than or equal to a preset density threshold; and determine that the target object is in a second contamination state and adjust the gas-liquid mixing ratio in response to the distribution density being greater than the preset density threshold. Attached Figure Description

[0015] This specification will be further described by way of exemplary embodiments, which will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not limiting; in these embodiments, the same reference numerals denote the same structures, wherein: Figure 1 These are exemplary block diagrams of an endoscopic irrigation system according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of an endoscope according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the distal end of an endoscope according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the second major diameter segment according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a polarization photosensitive element according to some embodiments of this specification.

[0016] Reference numerals: 1. Endoscope flushing system; 10. Endoscope; 11. Lens assembly; 11-1. Mounting base; 111. Polarizing photosensitive element; 12. Flow channel; 121. Diverter plate; 13. Outflow channel; 14. Flushing channel; 141. First large diameter section; 142. Small diameter section; 143. Second large diameter section; 15. Guide groove; 16. Suction channel; 17. Return groove; 171. Through hole; 20. Microfluidic mixer; 30. Processing equipment; 40. Negative pressure pump. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments in this specification, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some examples or embodiments of this specification. For those skilled in the art, these drawings can be applied to other similar scenarios without creative effort. Unless obvious from the context or otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same structures or operations.

[0018] As indicated in this specification and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular and may also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of expressly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0019] This specification provides an endoscopic irrigation system for in-situ cleaning of distal surgical components (such as lens assemblies) during endoscopic surgery. In some embodiments of this specification, the terms "distal" and "proximal" can be used with reference to a patient using a visual aspiration device; the end facing the patient is called the "proximal," and the end away from the patient is called the "distal." "Distal" and "proximal" can refer to the endpoint, end face, end portion, or a portion of a medical device or component that is near the end and has a certain length. For example, the end of the endoscope 10 that extends into the human body is the distal end of the endoscope 10; the other end of the endoscope 10 opposite the distal end is the proximal end of the endoscope 10.

[0020] Figure 1 These are exemplary block diagrams of an endoscopic irrigation system according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of an endoscope according to some embodiments of this specification. The cross-section refers to a section obtained by cutting along the length of the endoscope 10.

[0021] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the endoscope flushing system 1 includes: an endoscope 10, a microfluidic mixer 20, and a processing device 30; the endoscope 10 includes a lens assembly 11 and a flow channel 12, the flow channel 12 splits into an outlet channel 13 and a flushing channel 14 near the distal end of the endoscope 10, the flushing channel 14 includes a first large-diameter section 141, a small-diameter section 142, and a second large-diameter section 143 arranged sequentially along the fluid flow direction; the microfluidic mixer 20 is configured to: mix air into the flushing fluid to form a gas-liquid mixture, and deliver the gas-liquid mixture to the flushing channel 14; and the processing device 30 is configured to: execute a flushing command in response to the image information acquired by the lens assembly 11 satisfying a preset blur condition.

[0022] Endoscope 10 is used to observe the inside of a patient's body cavity. In some embodiments, endoscope 10 may include a handle and a sheath. The handle is located proximally for the operator to hold and manipulate. The sheath is located distally to the handle and can be inserted into the patient's body cavity. A lens assembly 11 and a flow channel 12 are integrated inside the sheath.

[0023] Lens assembly 11 is used to collect and focus light reflected from an object to form image information. The image information refers to an image reflecting the state of the surgical area inside the patient's body cavity.

[0024] In some embodiments, the lens assembly 11 includes an optical protective window and a photosensitive unit disposed near the proximal end of the optical protective window. In some embodiments, the lens assembly 11 is disposed within a cavity at the distal end of the sheath.

[0025] The flow channel 12 refers to the channel inside the endoscope 10 used for conveying fluid. In some embodiments, the proximal end of the flow channel 12 is in communication with a fluid container (not shown). The fluid container is used to contain flushing fluid or a gas-liquid mixture.

[0026] Irrigation fluid refers to medical irrigation fluids used in surgery (such as physiological saline, sterile water, or irrigation fluids containing drugs). Gas-liquid mixtures refer to heterogeneous fluids formed by mixing gases (such as air, carbon dioxide, etc.) and irrigation fluids.

[0027] The liquid outlet channel 13 is used to introduce the gas-liquid mixture into the body cavity. The flushing channel 14 is used to introduce the gas-liquid mixture into the surface of the lens assembly 11.

[0028] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, a flow divider 121 is provided at a predetermined distance (e.g., 5mm-10mm) from the distal end of the sheath in the flow channel 12 to form an outlet channel 13 and a flushing channel 14 at the distal end of the flow channel 12. In some embodiments, both the outlet channel 13 and the flushing channel 14 are provided with solenoid valves (not shown in the figure) for controlling the opening and closing of the channels, and the solenoid valves are communicatively connected to the processing device 30.

[0029] In some embodiments, the endoscope 10 may include at least a surgical mode and a flushing mode. The surgical mode refers to the operating mode in which the operator uses the endoscope 10 to perform surgery, and the flushing mode refers to the operating mode for flushing the lens assembly 11. In the surgical mode, a gas-liquid mixture is discharged from the sheath through the discharge channel 13 to fill the body cavity. In the flushing mode, the gas-liquid mixture is guided through the flushing channel 14 to the surface of the lens assembly 11 to clean contaminants (such as blood clots, tissue fluid, etc.) from the surface of the lens assembly 11.

[0030] In some embodiments, the surgical mode and the irrigation mode can be switched in multiple ways. For example, the operator can manually switch between the surgical mode and the irrigation mode using a handle. Alternatively, in response to image information meeting a preset blur condition, the processing device 30 can automatically switch from the surgical mode to the irrigation mode and switch back to the surgical mode after irrigation is complete.

[0031] Fluid flow direction refers to the direction in which the gas-liquid mixture travels within the channel. For example, ... Figure 2 As indicated by the arrows, the fluid flow direction can be the direction in which the gas-liquid mixture flows along the flow channel 12 to the rinsing channel 14 and is sprayed onto the surface of the lens assembly 11.

[0032] The first large-diameter section 141 refers to the portion of the flushing channel 14 with the largest flow area, which gradually decreases along the fluid flow direction. The second large-diameter section 143 refers to the portion of the flushing channel 14 with the flow area gradually increasing along the fluid flow direction. The small-diameter section 142 refers to the portion of the flushing channel 14 with the smallest flow area, which gradually decreases along the fluid flow direction. The flow area refers to the cross-sectional area of ​​the channel perpendicular to the fluid flow direction.

[0033] In some embodiments, the first large-diameter section 141, the small-diameter section 142, and the second large-diameter section 143 may be formed by the structural wall inside the sheath and the diverter plate 121.

[0034] In some embodiments, the minimum flow area of ​​the first large diameter section 141 is 60% to 80% of the maximum flow area of ​​the first large diameter section 141, and the rate of change of the flow area of ​​the first large diameter section 141 is greater than the rate of change of the flow area of ​​the second large diameter section 143. According to the Venturi effect, as the flow area of ​​the first large diameter section 141 rapidly contracts along the liquid flow direction, the static pressure energy of the gas-liquid mixture is converted into kinetic energy, and the flow velocity is significantly increased; when flowing through the outlet of the small diameter section 142, the flow area contracts to the minimum, and the gas-liquid mixture reaches the maximum flow velocity; as the flow area of ​​the second large diameter section 143 gradually expands along the liquid flow direction, the flow velocity of the gas-liquid mixture decreases slowly but still maintains high kinetic energy, and the static pressure energy slowly recovers. During this process, the tiny gas nuclei dissolved in the gas-liquid mixture undergo phase change, forming a large number of cavitation bubbles. The gas-liquid mixture forms a cavitation jet. When the cavitation jet is sprayed onto the lens assembly 11, the shock wave generated by the collapse of the bubbles can effectively loosen the contaminants attached to the surface of the lens assembly 11. The flow area change rate refers to the absolute value of the change in flow area per unit length along the direction of fluid flow.

[0035] A microfluidic mixer 20 is a device for mixing gas and liquid to produce a gas-liquid two-phase flow. In some embodiments, the microfluidic mixer 20 may be disposed at any feasible location within the endoscope 10. For example, it may be disposed in the handle.

[0036] In some embodiments, the microfluidic mixer 20 employs a T-shaped microchannel, comprising interconnected liquid, gas, and delivery channels. The delivery channel connects to the flow channel 12. The liquid and gas channels converge at a 90-degree angle. A liquid pump and a gas pump are respectively installed in the liquid and gas channels. The processing device 30 can adjust the pressure values ​​of the gas pump and the liquid pump according to a preset pressure ratio, causing the gas to be discretely distributed in the flushing liquid in the form of micron-sized gas nuclei, forming a slug-like gas-liquid mixture, and then delivering the gas-liquid mixture to the flow channel 12. The preset pressure ratio refers to the ratio of the pressure values ​​of the gas pump and the liquid pump, such as a preset pressure ratio of 1.1:1.

[0037] The processing device 30 refers to an electronic device with data processing and logic control functions, used to receive information, process data, and control multiple components in a medical device to perform corresponding operations. For example, the processing device 30 may include one or more combinations of field-programmable gate arrays, digital signal processors, CPUs, GPUs, etc. In some embodiments, the processing device 30 may be disposed at any feasible location within the endoscope 10. For example, it may be disposed in the handle. In some embodiments, the processing device 30 may be communicatively connected to multiple components in the endoscope 10, such as the liquid pump and air pump of the microfluidic mixer 20, the lens assembly 11, etc.

[0038] Preset blur conditions refer to the criteria used to generate washing instructions. For example, preset blur conditions can be at least one of the following: decreased image contrast, loss of feature edges, or decreased light transmittance.

[0039] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can acquire multiple frames of image information continuously captured by the lens assembly 11, and perform graphic recognition on the image information to determine whether a preset blur condition is met.

[0040] For example, the processing device 30 can perform a Laplacian transform on each frame of image information, calculate the gradient magnitude of each pixel, and take the average of the gradient magnitudes of multiple pixels as the average gradient magnitude of the image information of that frame; in response to the average gradient magnitude of multiple consecutive frames (e.g., 5 frames) of image information being less than a blur threshold, it is determined that the feature edge is lost (i.e., the image information meets the preset blur condition). The blur threshold is based on an empirical preset.

[0041] For example, the processing device 30 can calculate the standard deviation of the gray values ​​of multiple pixels in each frame of image information (i.e., the contrast value of that frame of image information). When the contrast value of multiple consecutive frames of image information is lower than the contrast threshold, it is determined that the contrast has decreased (i.e., the image information meets the preset blur condition). The contrast threshold is based on an empirical preset.

[0042] For example, the processing device 30 can also calculate the average grayscale value of multiple pixels in each frame of image information (i.e., the transmittance value of that frame of image information). When the transmittance value of multiple consecutive frames of image information is lower than the transmittance threshold, it is determined that the transmittance has decreased (i.e., the image information meets the preset blur condition). The transmittance threshold is based on empirical preset.

[0043] The flushing command is a control signal used to trigger relevant components (such as the microfluidic mixer 20) to perform a cleaning operation.

[0044] In some embodiments, in response to the fulfillment of a preset fuzzy condition, the processing device 30 may trigger and control the relevant components to execute a rinsing command.

[0045] In some embodiments, the endoscope 10 is also equipped with a gyroscope (not shown in the figure). The processing device 30 can acquire the angular velocity detected by the gyroscope. When the angular velocity within a preset time period is lower than the angular velocity threshold, it is determined that the patient is in a surgical state; otherwise, it is determined that the patient is not in a surgical state. When it is determined that the patient is not in a surgical state and the image information meets the preset blur level, the relevant components are triggered and controlled to execute a flushing command. The angular velocity threshold is based on an empirical preset.

[0046] In some embodiments of this specification, a flue channel and microfluidic mixer with a variable diameter structure of "large-small-large" are integrated within the sheath. This utilizes the Venturi effect for physical acceleration and the bubble cavitation microjets to enhance the fluid's ability to peel away viscous substances without increasing the sheath's outer diameter, enabling in-situ flushing without increasing trauma. The flow channel is divided into an outlet channel and a flushing channel. In surgical mode, fluid fills the body cavity through the outlet channel; in flushing mode, the flow switches to the flushing channel to clean the lens. The two channels do not interfere with each other, ensuring surgical continuity and a clear field of vision. The flushing command is automatically executed when preset ambiguity conditions are met, enabling in-situ cleaning without removing the lens assembly, thus reducing the number of times the lens needs to be withdrawn during surgery and ensuring surgical continuity.

[0047] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the distal end of an endoscope according to some embodiments of this specification; Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the second major diameter segment according to some embodiments of this specification.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the cross-section of the second large diameter section 143 is crescent-shaped, and the second large diameter section 143 is disposed near the peripheral side of the lens assembly 11; the inner wall of the second large diameter section 143 is provided with a guide groove 15, which is configured to make the angle between the ejection direction of the gas-liquid mixture and the axis L of the lens assembly 11 within the range of 30° to 45°.

[0049] A cross-section refers to the section obtained by cutting along a direction perpendicular to the length of the structure. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the cross-section of the second large diameter section 143 is crescent-shaped. The crescent shape can refer to an asymmetrical structure formed by an outer arc and an inner arc. The outer arc is circular with the outer diameter of the sheath, and the inner arc is adapted to the cross-section of the lens assembly 11.

[0050] The peripheral surface refers to the surface of the structure parallel to the length direction of the sheath. In some embodiments, the second large diameter section 143 has a crescent-shaped outlet with rounded edges, and the crescent-shaped outlet can be formed by ultra-micro injection molding.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the maximum included angle α formed by the line connecting the end of the crescent-shaped water outlet and the centroid of the cross-section of the lens assembly 11 is in the range of 120° to 180°, so as to ensure that the gas-liquid mixture forms a fan-shaped envelope that can cover at least 50% of the surface area of ​​the lens assembly 11 during rinsing.

[0052] The guide groove 15 refers to the flow path used to guide the gas-liquid mixture. In some embodiments, the guide groove 15 is disposed at any position on the inner wall of the second large diameter section 143 (such as the distal end, proximal end, or any position between the distal and proximal ends), and the length of the guide groove 15 along the fluid flow direction of the second large diameter section 143 is in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm. The inner wall refers to the wall surface of the structure near its cavity.

[0053] The ejection direction refers to the velocity vector direction of the gas-liquid mixture as it exits the arc-shaped outlet of the second large-diameter section 143. The axis L refers to the geometric center line extending along the length of the lens assembly 11.

[0054] In some embodiments, the guide groove 15 can be a threaded groove. The tangent at any point on the helix of the threaded groove (i.e., the spatial curve formed by the extension of the threaded groove) forms a preset angle with the fluid flow direction. When the gas-liquid mixed fluid flows through the guide groove 15, it is forcibly guided by the guide groove 15, changing from linear motion to helical motion with angular velocity, so that the angle between the ejection direction of the gas-liquid mixed fluid and the axis L of the lens assembly 11 is within the range of 30° to 45°. The preset angle is set based on experience.

[0055] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the mounting base 11-1 of the lens assembly 11 protrudes from the distal surface of the lens assembly 11 and the surface where the outlet of the second large-diameter section 143 is located, or the lens assembly 11 itself (such as the light-transmitting plate at the distal end of the lens assembly 11) protrudes from the surface where the outlet of the second large-diameter section 143 is located. When the microfluidic mixer 20 receives the rinsing command, the microfluidic mixer 20 can mix the gas and the rinsing liquid into a gas-liquid mixture, which flows sequentially through the flow channel 12, the first large-diameter section 141, the small-diameter section 142, and the second large-diameter section 143. When it is ejected from the outlet of the second large-diameter section 143, according to the Coanda effect, the high-speed ejected gas-liquid mixture spontaneously changes its flow direction after contacting the peripheral side of the mounting base of the lens assembly 11, flowing along the peripheral side of the mounting base and adhering to the distal surface of the lens assembly 11. During the flow process along the wall, the gas-liquid mixture generates shear force on the wall surface (i.e., the peripheral side of the mounting base and the distal surface of the lens assembly 11), thereby peeling off contaminants adhering to the wall surface. The mounting base 11-1 is used to install and fix the lens assembly 11.

[0056] In some embodiments of this specification, the second large-diameter section is designed as an arc-shaped semi-encircling structure, making full use of the gap between the lens assembly and the sheath housing to achieve the rinsing function without increasing the outer diameter of the sheath. The threaded grooves on the inner wall of the second large-diameter section cause the fluid to spiral, forming a rotating scouring effect that enhances the shearing and stripping ability against contaminants. By controlling the spray angle, it is ensured that the gas-liquid mixture has sufficient impact force to strip contaminants while avoiding insufficient coverage due to the fluid rushing directly into deep areas, and simultaneously preventing lens shake caused by reaction forces.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the endoscope 10 also includes a suction channel 16, the endoscope flushing system 1 also includes a negative pressure pump 40, and the processing device 30 is further configured to: in response to the image information meeting a preset blur condition, trigger the flushing channel 14 to spray a gas-liquid mixture, and start the negative pressure pump 40 to perform a suction action through the suction channel 16; wherein, the ratio of the instantaneous suction flow rate of the suction channel 16 to the instantaneous injection flow rate of the flushing channel 14 is in the range of 1.15 to 1.3, so as to form a closed vortex trapping field in the distal region of the lens assembly 11.

[0058] The suction channel 16 refers to the fluid path used for recovering waste liquid and waste gas. In some embodiments, the suction channel 16 is disposed inside the sheath. In some embodiments, the outlet of the suction channel 16 is close to the peripheral side of the lens assembly 11.

[0059] The negative pressure pump 40 refers to a device used to generate negative pressure to remove waste liquid and waste gas. In some embodiments, the negative pressure pump 40 may be located near the medical device and is connected to the suction channel 16 and an external waste liquid collection bag.

[0060] The suction action refers to the process of starting the negative pressure pump 40 to use negative pressure to suck the waste liquid and waste gas into the waste liquid collection bag through the suction channel 16.

[0061] In some embodiments, in response to the image information satisfying a preset blur condition, the processing device 30 can simultaneously send electrical signals to the microfluidic mixer 20 (such as the air pump and liquid pump of the microfluidic mixer 20) and the negative pressure pump 40. The microfluidic mixer 20 and the negative pressure pump 40 respectively implement the cleaning operation (i.e., the jetting of gas-liquid mixed fluid) and the suction action based on the electrical signals.

[0062] Instantaneous injection flow rate refers to the volume of gas-liquid mixture ejected from flushing channel 14 per unit time. Instantaneous suction flow rate refers to the volume of fluid entering suction channel 16 per unit time (e.g., per second or per minute). The distal region refers to the distal surface of lens assembly 11 and the space formed by extending a predetermined distance (e.g., 3mm~5mm) from the distal surface along the axis of lens assembly 11 away from the proximal end. The closed vortex trapping field refers to the localized micro-negative pressure vortex region formed in the distal region, used to intercept and entrain escaping bubbles.

[0063] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 reads the pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycle of the liquid pump of the microfluidic mixer 20, queries the injection flow rate mapping table, and determines the instantaneous injection flow rate; based on the instantaneous injection flow rate and the ratio of the instantaneous suction flow rate to the instantaneous injection flow rate (i.e., the initial proportional coefficient), it determines the instantaneous suction flow rate; based on the instantaneous suction flow rate, it queries the suction flow rate mapping table and determines the rotational speed of the negative pressure pump 40; through a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithm, it adjusts the rotational speed of the negative pressure pump 40 in a closed loop, thereby ensuring that the ratio of the instantaneous suction flow rate to the instantaneous injection flow rate is within the range of 1.15 to 1.3. Since the instantaneous suction flow rate is greater than the instantaneous injection flow rate, the negative pressure of the suction channel 16 is stronger than the positive pressure of the flushing channel 14, and a closed vortex trapping field is formed in the distal region of the lens assembly 11, so that the flushing action and the suction action are performed simultaneously (i.e., achieving the technical effect of "spraying and suctioning simultaneously").

[0064] The injection flow rate mapping table and the suction flow rate mapping table are pre-built and stored in the processing device 30 by technicians. The injection flow rate mapping table includes the mapping relationship between the PWM duty cycle of the liquid pump of the microfluidic mixer 20 and the instantaneous injection flow rate. The suction flow rate mapping table includes the mapping relationship between the rotational speed of the negative pressure pump 40 and the instantaneous suction flow rate. The initial proportional coefficient can be any value in the range of 1.15 to 1.3.

[0065] In some embodiments of this specification, by setting a negative pressure pump and a suction channel in the sheath and controlling the ratio of instantaneous suction flow rate to instantaneous injection flow rate within the range of 1.15 to 1.3, a local microcirculation system can be constructed at the distal end of the lens assembly. This system utilizes the pressure difference to form a closed vortex trapping field to intercept air bubbles, thereby reducing the risk of body cavity pressure overload and air embolism and improving the safety of endoscopic surgery.

[0066] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 is further configured to: send a start signal to the negative pressure pump 40; after a first time interval following the issuance of the start signal, send a jet start signal to the microfluidic mixer 20; after a second time interval following the issuance of the jet start signal, send a jet stop signal to the microfluidic mixer 20; and after a third time interval following the issuance of the jet stop signal, send a shutdown signal to the negative pressure pump 40.

[0067] A start signal is a control command used to trigger the negative pressure pump 40 to start and perform a suction operation. In some embodiments, in response to image information meeting a preset blur condition, the processing device 30 sends a start signal to the negative pressure pump 40, and the negative pressure pump 40 performs a suction operation.

[0068] The first time interval refers to the time difference between the start-up of the negative pressure pump 40 and the microfluidic mixer 20. In some embodiments, the first time interval can be a system default value, an empirical value, a manually preset value, or any combination thereof. For example, the first time interval can be 50ms to 100ms. The jet start signal refers to the control command used to trigger the liquid pump and air pump of the microfluidic mixer 20 to start and perform the flushing operation.

[0069] In some embodiments, the endoscope flushing system 1 further includes a timer (not shown in the figure), which starts when the negative pressure pump 40 is turned on and continues to count. After a first time interval, the processing device 30 sends a jet start signal to the liquid pump and air pump of the microfluidic mixer 20, and the liquid pump and air pump of the microfluidic mixer 20 are turned on to form a gas-liquid mixture to flush the lens assembly 11.

[0070] The second time interval refers to the time difference between the opening and closing of the microfluidic mixer 20 (i.e., the duration of the rinsing operation). In some embodiments, the second time interval is related to the rinsing intensity of the lens assembly 11, and the second time interval can be a system default value, an empirical value, a manually preset value, or any combination thereof. For example, the second time interval can be 1s, 5s, 10s, etc. The jet stop signal refers to the control command used to trigger the liquid pump and air pump of the microfluidic mixer 20 to shut down to stop the rinsing operation.

[0071] In some embodiments, the timer runs continuously. After a second time interval following the emission start signal, the processing device 30 sends an emission stop signal to the liquid pump and air pump of the microfluidic mixer 20, and the liquid pump and air pump of the microfluidic mixer 20 are turned off to stop rinsing the lens assembly 11.

[0072] The third time interval refers to the time difference between the shutdown of the microfluidic mixer 20 and the negative pressure pump 40. In some embodiments, the third time interval can be a system default value, an empirical value, a manually preset value, or any combination thereof. For example, the third time interval can be 100ms to 200ms. The shutdown signal refers to the control command used to trigger the negative pressure pump 40 to stop operating.

[0073] In some embodiments, the timer runs continuously, and after a third time interval following the issuance of the injection stop signal, the processing device 30 sends a shutdown signal to the negative pressure pump 40, causing the negative pressure pump 40 to stop operating.

[0074] In some embodiments of this specification, the first time interval ensures that a stable converging streamline has formed around the lens assembly before the gas-liquid mixture is ejected, preventing the ejected fluid from escaping. The second time interval ensures that the suspended microbubbles around the lens assembly can be completely entrained into the suction channel. By controlling the timing compensation mechanism of the first and second time intervals through the processing equipment, a negative pressure field can be pre-established to solve the problems of initial ejection escaping and final bubble residue caused by fluid inertia, effectively improving the cleaning and recovery efficiency, reducing the risk of air embolism, and enhancing the safety of endoscopic surgery.

[0075] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 is further configured to: determine the gas-liquid mixing ratio of the gas-liquid mixture based on the structural parameters of the flushing channel 14 and the operating parameters of the microfluidic mixer 20; and adjust the ratio of the instantaneous suction flow rate to the instantaneous injection flow rate based on the gas-liquid mixing ratio.

[0076] Structural parameters refer to data that characterize the physical shape and geometric dimensions of the flushing channel 14. For example, structural parameters include the cross-sectional area and length of the first large-diameter section 141, the small-diameter section 142, and the second large-diameter section 143. In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can obtain the structural parameters of the flushing channel 14 by reading the factory report of the endoscope 10.

[0077] Operating parameters refer to the power output indicators of the microfluidic mixer 20 during operation. For example, operating parameters include the air pump pressure and liquid pump pressure of the microfluidic mixer 20. In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can directly read the readings of the pressure sensors installed in the air pump and liquid pump of the microfluidic mixer 20 to obtain the air pump pressure and liquid pump pressure.

[0078] The gas-liquid mixing ratio refers to the volume ratio or mass ratio between the gas used to form the gas-liquid mixture and the flushing liquid. In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can input the structural parameters of the flushing channel 14 and the operating parameters of the microfluidic mixer 20 into a preset physical model, which outputs the gas-liquid mixing ratio of the gas-liquid mixture. The preset physical model can be a function describing the relationship between the gas-liquid mixing ratio, the structural parameters of the flushing channel 14, and the operating parameters of the microfluidic mixer 20, and can be preset by a technician and uploaded to the processing device 30.

[0079] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can calculate the difference between the gas-liquid mixing ratio and the reference gas-liquid mixing ratio, and use the ratio of the difference to the reference gas-liquid mixing ratio as the ratio increment; based on the ratio increment, it queries a preset ratio table to determine the ratio of the instantaneous suction flow rate to the instantaneous injection flow rate (hereinafter referred to as the adjusted ratio coefficient).

[0080] The preset proportion table contains a mapping relationship between the proportion increment and the proportion coefficient, and the proportion increment and the proportion coefficient are positively correlated. The preset proportion table can be pre-constructed by technicians and uploaded to the processing device 30. The reference gas-liquid mixing ratio refers to the highest gas-liquid mixing ratio that can completely absorb bubbles (i.e., bubbles do not escape) under the initial proportion coefficient. The reference gas-liquid mixing ratio can be determined experimentally by technicians.

[0081] As an example only, if the initial proportional coefficient is 1.15 and the proportional increment is 10%, the processing device 30 can query the preset proportional table to determine that the adjusted proportional coefficient is 1.25, so as to provide a stronger negative pressure interception force.

[0082] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can keep either the instantaneous suction flow rate or the instantaneous injection flow rate constant, and adjust the other one based on the adjusted proportional coefficient.

[0083] In some embodiments of this specification, the gas-liquid mixing ratio is determined based on structural and operational parameters, and the ratio of suction flow rate to injection flow rate is dynamically adjusted. This enables adaptive adjustment of the suction-fluid balance, thereby ensuring a stable closed vortex trapping field is maintained under different gas-liquid mixing ratios, preventing bubble escape, and effectively improving the safety of endoscopic surgery under complex conditions.

[0084] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the distal end of the lens assembly 11 is provided with a return groove 17 that communicates with the suction channel 16.

[0085] The return channel 17 refers to a structure used to guide fluid backflow or into the suction path.

[0086] In some embodiments, the reflux groove 17 is disposed at the distal end of the sheath. In some embodiments, one or more reflux grooves 17 may be provided.

[0087] In some embodiments, the shape and position of the return channel 17 can be set based on actual needs. For example, as Figure 3 As shown, the return channel 17 can be an annular channel provided around the mounting base 11-1 of the lens assembly 11. For example, the return channel 17 can also be a semi-annular channel or other shaped channel provided around the mounting base 11-1 of the lens assembly 11 near the rinsing channel 14 and the suction channel 16.

[0088] In some embodiments, the depth of the return channel 17 along the axis L of the lens assembly 11 is a preset depth. The preset depth is set based on actual needs. For example, the preset depth can be 0.5 mm.

[0089] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the near-end wall of the reflux trough 17 is provided with multiple through holes 171, and each through hole 171 is connected to the suction channel 16.

[0090] In some embodiments, after the gas-liquid mixture impacts the lens assembly 11, the rebounding fluid is pushed outward by the jet pressure and overflows. At this time, the return channel 17 can be physically limited and guided by gravity to allow the fluid to accumulate in the return channel 17. Multiple through holes 171 are connected to the suction channel 16, which can transmit part of the negative pressure in the suction channel 16. The fluid can enter the suction channel 16 from the through holes 171 based on the negative pressure, thereby avoiding overflow and loss from the opening edge of the return channel 17, which would prevent some fluid from being recovered.

[0091] In some embodiments of this specification, by setting a return channel connected to the suction channel, the fluid that rebounds and overflows after impact is physically limited and guided by gravity. Combined with negative pressure to force it into the recovery path, the waste fluid recovery rate is effectively improved, the risk of fluid residue in the patient's body is reduced, and the safety of endoscopic surgery is enhanced.

[0092] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a polarization photosensitive element according to some embodiments of this specification.

[0093] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, a polarization sensing element 111 is disposed at the distal end of the lens assembly 11; the processing device 30 is configured to: acquire polarization information collected by the polarization sensing element 111; extract polarization feature quantities based on the polarization information; identify target objects based on the polarization feature quantities; determine whether the lens is contaminated according to the geometric features of the target object; and execute a rinsing command in response to lens contamination.

[0094] The polarization sensing element 111 refers to an optoelectronic device used to collect polarization information. In some embodiments, the polarization sensing element 111 may be disposed at the distal end of the objective lens of the lens assembly 11.

[0095] Polarization information reflects the grayscale value (i.e., light intensity) of a pixel at different polarization angles. The polarization angle refers to the angle between the transmission axis of the polarization photosensitive element 111 and the pixel row direction of the image sensor disposed within the lens assembly 11. In some embodiments, the polarization photosensitive element integrated at the distal end of the lens assembly 11 adopts a Division of Focal Plane (DoFP) imaging architecture. Its core structure is a micro-polarizer array integrated above the pixel array of the image sensor chip (CMOS / CCD). This array consists of units with a specific spatial period, each unit containing four adjacent physical sub-pixels, each covered with nanoscale metal wire grids with transmission directions of 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135°, respectively.

[0096] Because light waves have vector characteristics, when reflected light carrying information about the body cavity tissue shines on the photosensitive element, the grating on each physical sub-pixel only allows the light field component aligned with its transmission direction to pass through. According to Malus's Law, the grating with different transmission directions attenuates the energy of the incident light to varying degrees. Therefore, although four adjacent sub-pixels receive incident light from the same beam that is spatially very close, the spatial modulation effect of the micro-polarizer causes differences in the light intensity electrical signals sensed by each sub-pixel, resulting in heterogeneous grayscale values ​​at different polarization angles in the image data.

[0097] In some embodiments, the polarization information may include at least the grayscale value of the pixel at a first polarization angle (i.e., 0 degrees), a second polarization angle (i.e., 45 degrees), a third polarization angle (i.e., 90 degrees), and a fourth polarization angle (i.e., 135 degrees).

[0098] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 is communicatively connected to the polarization photosensitive element 111, thereby acquiring the polarization information collected by the photosensitive element 111.

[0099] Polarization characteristics are parameters used to describe or characterize the polarization state and polarization properties of light waves. In some embodiments, polarization characteristics include linear polarization degree, etc.

[0100] As an example only, for each pixel in the image information, the processing device 30 can calculate the degree of linear polarization based on the following formula (1).

[0101] (1), in, Indicates the degree of linear polarization; The gray value representing the first polarization angle; The gray value represents the second polarization angle; The gray value representing the third polarization angle; This represents the grayscale value at the fourth polarization angle.

[0102] The target object refers to the area in the image information identified as potentially containing contaminants attached to the distal surface of the lens assembly 11. In some embodiments, the processing device 30 may designate pixels with a linear polarization degree greater than a linear polarization degree threshold as target pixels; based on a connected component labeling algorithm, multiple adjacent target pixels (such as 4-connected or 8-connected neighborhoods) are clustered into a connected component; in response to a connected component having a pixel count greater than a quantity threshold, the connected component is designated as the target object. The quantity threshold is set empirically.

[0103] Geometric features refer to data on the spatial position and geometric shape of a target object. For example, geometric features include the shape factor and center distance of the target object. In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can use the roundness of the target object as its shape factor. In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can identify the contour of the target object based on a contour tracking algorithm and use the closest distance between the contour of the target object and the center of the lens as its center distance.

[0104] In some embodiments, in response to a target object having a shape coefficient greater than a coefficient threshold, a center distance less than a distance threshold, and a standard deviation of the linear polarization degree of multiple pixels contained in the target object less than a standard deviation threshold, the processing device 30 determines that the lens is contaminated; otherwise, the lens is not contaminated.

[0105] In some embodiments, in response to lens contamination, the processing device 30 triggers and controls the relevant components to execute a rinsing command. In response to no contamination of the lens assembly 11, the processing device 30 does not trigger and control the relevant components to execute a rinsing command.

[0106] In some embodiments of this specification, when contaminants such as hematomas adhere to the surface of the lens assembly, they can obstruct the field of view and affect surgical safety. Because hematomas and normal tissues have similar colors in RGB images, it is difficult to directly distinguish contaminants from the background. However, the surface microstructures of hematomas and normal tissues differ, resulting in differences in the polarization characteristics of their reflected light. By setting a polarization-sensing element to collect polarization information and calculate the degree of linear polarization (DoLP), this difference in polarization characteristics can be used to effectively identify contaminants, solving the technical problem of difficulty in separating the background in traditional RGB images, thereby significantly improving the accuracy of contaminant identification and reducing accidental rinsing. Furthermore, automatically executing the rinsing command when the target object is confirmed to be in the central area of ​​the lens can reduce the number of surgical interruptions and ensure the continuity of endoscopic surgery.

[0107] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 is further configured to: extract polarization phase features of the target object based on polarization information; determine morphological parameters of the target object based on the polarization phase features; and adjust the execution parameters of the endoscope irrigation system 1 based on the morphological parameters.

[0108] Polarization phase characteristics refer to the distribution characteristics of the polarized light phase of a target object. For example, polarization phase characteristics include the spatial distribution of polarization angles (i.e., the spatial distribution of polarization angles of each pixel) and the gradient field of polarization angles (i.e., the rate of change of polarization angles in space).

[0109] In some embodiments, for each pixel in the image information, the processing device 30 can calculate the polarization angle using the following formula (2) and construct a polarization angle image using the polarization angle of each pixel.

[0110] (2) in, Indicates the polarization angle.

[0111] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can extract the spatial distribution of polarization angles and gradient fields based on polarization angle images.

[0112] Morphological parameters are parameters used to describe the physical shape of a target object. For example, morphological parameters include the calculated thickness and area of ​​the target object.

[0113] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 extracts the gradient field of the polarization angle of the target object based on the polarization angle pattern, and calculates the radius of curvature of the contaminant through a first physical relationship between the surface tension of the contaminant liquid film and the rate of change of the polarization angle; for each pixel of the target object, a sub-thickness calculation value for each pixel is determined based on a second physical relationship between the degree of linear polarization and the thickness and radius of curvature of the contaminant, and the average of multiple sub-thickness calculation values ​​is used as the thickness calculation value of the target object; the number of pixels included in the target object is used as the area of ​​the target object; and the morphological parameters of the target object are determined based on the thickness calculation value and area of ​​the target object.

[0114] The first physical relationship and the second physical relationship (such as Fresnel formula) can be uploaded to the processing device 30 by technicians.

[0115] Execution parameters refer to adjustable physical quantities or operating variables used to control the flushing operation in the endoscope flushing system 1. For example, execution parameters include the pressure of the air pump and the pump speed of the liquid pump in the microfluidic mixer 20.

[0116] In some embodiments, if the calculated thickness of the target object is greater than the thickness threshold and / or the area is greater than the area threshold, the processing device 30 determines that the lens surface is severely contaminated, thereby increasing the pressure of the air pump of the microfluidic mixer 20 and / or decreasing the pump speed of the liquid pump, etc., to increase the gas-liquid mixing ratio, thereby increasing the microjet and interfacial shear force generated by bubble rupture, and effectively removing contaminants.

[0117] The thickness and area thresholds are set based on experience. The increased gas-liquid mixing ratio is less than the ratio threshold to prevent excessive atomization of the gas-liquid mixture during cleaning, which could lead to a sudden drop in impact force. The ratio threshold can be obtained by technicians through experiments and uploaded to the processing equipment 30.

[0118] In some embodiments of this specification, by extracting polarization phase features based on polarization information to determine morphological parameters, and then adjusting the execution parameters of the endoscopic irrigation system, quantitative assessment of contaminants can be achieved, enabling the irrigation intensity to be precisely allocated according to the severity of contamination, avoiding excessive injection, and thus ensuring the safety of endoscopic surgery.

[0119] In some embodiments, the execution parameters include at least the gas-liquid mixing ratio, the instantaneous suction flow rate, and the third time interval. The processing device 30 is configured to: increase the gas-liquid mixing ratio in response to a morphological parameter indicating a first contamination condition; adjust the instantaneous suction flow rate in response to a morphological parameter indicating a second contamination condition; and adjust the third time interval in response to a morphological parameter indicating a third contamination condition.

[0120] For information on the gas-liquid mixing ratio, instantaneous suction flow rate, and third time interval, please refer to the description above.

[0121] The first contamination condition refers to a contamination situation where the contaminant has highly adhesive properties (such as thick hematoma adhesion). In some embodiments, the processing device 30 can calculate the standard deviation of the polarization angle and the average value of the linear polarization degree of multiple pixels of the target object. In response to a standard deviation greater than a first threshold and an average value greater than a second threshold, the contamination situation is determined to be the first contamination condition. Contaminants with highly adhesive properties are difficult to remove; therefore, it is necessary to appropriately increase the gas-liquid mixing ratio to utilize the increased microjets generated by more bubble collapse for rinsing and cleaning. The first and second thresholds are based on empirical presets.

[0122] The second contamination situation refers to contamination with a large area of ​​contaminants. In some embodiments, the processing device 30 determines the contamination situation as the second contamination situation in response to the ratio of the area of ​​the target object to the distal surface of the lens assembly 11 (i.e., the field of view of the lens) being greater than a third threshold. Large-area contaminants may cause flow field turbulence or block the suction channel 16, therefore it is necessary to increase the instantaneous suction flow rate to increase the negative pressure and prevent waste liquid and bubbles from overflowing. The third threshold is based on an empirical preset.

[0123] The third contamination situation refers to a contamination situation where pollutants are diffusely distributed. In some embodiments, when the number of target objects in the image information is greater than a fourth threshold and the area of ​​each target object is less than a fifth threshold, the processing device 30 determines the contamination situation to be the third contamination situation. Since diffusely distributed pollutants will generate multiple dispersed bubble sources after rinsing, and the bubble escape path is longer and more complex, it is necessary to extend the third time interval to fully recover the waste liquid and bubbles at each point. The fourth and fifth thresholds are based on empirical presets.

[0124] In some embodiments of this specification, by classifying and identifying different contamination conditions and precisely adjusting the gas-liquid mixing ratio, instantaneous suction flow rate, and third time interval, cleaning efficiency, recovery safety, and energy utilization can be effectively balanced, thereby constructing a refined closed-loop flushing defense system and improving the intelligence level and safety of endoscopic surgery.

[0125] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 is configured to: extract phase singularities from polarization phase features; determine the distribution density of phase singularities within the target object; determine that the target object is in a first contamination state and maintain the gas-liquid mixing ratio in response to the distribution density being less than or equal to a preset density threshold; and determine that the target object is in a second contamination state and adjust the gas-liquid mixing ratio in response to the distribution density being greater than the preset density threshold.

[0126] A phase singularity is a pixel whose reflected light polarization direction is disordered or undergoes discontinuous changes. In some embodiments, the phase jump of a phase singularity exceeds a preset abrupt change threshold. The phase jump degree measures the drastic change in the polarization angle between adjacent pixels. The preset abrupt change threshold can be a system default value, an empirical value, a manually preset value, or any combination thereof.

[0127] In some embodiments, the processing device 30 may, based on the polarization angle image, calculate the angular displacement difference (i.e., the phase jump degree) between a pixel and its neighboring pixels, taking into account the cyclic winding characteristics of the polarization angle in the range of 0 to π; in response to a pixel having a phase jump degree greater than a preset abrupt change threshold, the pixel is marked as a phase singularity point; multiple phase singularities are determined in the above manner to generate a singularity point feature map.

[0128] Distribution density refers to the density of phase singularities distributed within a target object. In some embodiments, for each processing device 30, the ratio of the total number of phase singularities contained within the target object to the area of ​​the target object can be calculated based on the singularity feature map, and this ratio can be used as the distribution density of the phase singularities.

[0129] The first contamination state refers to a contamination state in which the pollutant is a common liquid film or has low adhesion characteristics. In some embodiments, in response to the distribution density of the target object being less than or equal to a preset density threshold, the treatment device 30 determines that the target object is in the first contamination state and maintains the gas-liquid mixing ratio unchanged. The preset density threshold can be a system default value, an empirical value, a manually preset value, or any combination thereof.

[0130] The second contamination state refers to a contamination state in which pollutants exhibit high adhesion characteristics. In some embodiments, in response to the distribution density of the target object exceeding a preset density threshold, the processing device 30 determines that the target area is in the second contamination state and sends a pressure regulation command to the microfluidic mixer 20 to increase the pumping pressure of the air pump, thereby increasing the gas-liquid mixing ratio and utilizing the increased microjet flow generated by more bubble collapse for rinsing and cleaning. The increase in the pumping pressure is directly proportional to the absolute value of the difference between the distribution density of the target object and the preset density threshold.

[0131] In some embodiments of this specification, by extracting the phase singularities of the polarization phase and their distribution density, the contamination state can be determined and the gas-liquid mixing ratio can be dynamically adjusted. This enables non-contact quantitative evaluation of the viscosity of contaminants, facilitating the precise output of appropriate gas-liquid mixtures for viscous hematomas, thereby improving the thoroughness of in-situ descaling within the sheath and ensuring sheath patency.

[0132] In some embodiments, one or more of the components such as guide groove 15, suction channel 16, negative pressure pump 40, and polarization photosensitive element 111 can be integrated into the same endoscope flushing system 1 based on actual needs.

[0133] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the detailed disclosure above is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this specification. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and corrections to this specification. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this specification and therefore remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0134] Furthermore, this specification uses specific terms to describe embodiments thereof. For example, "some embodiments" refers to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of this specification. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "some embodiments" mentioned twice or more in different locations in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of this specification can be appropriately combined.

[0135] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments in this specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the embodiments described herein. Other variations may also fall within the scope of this specification. Therefore, alternative configurations of the embodiments in this specification are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, and should be considered consistent with the teachings of this specification. Accordingly, the embodiments in this specification are not limited to those explicitly described and illustrated herein.

Claims

1. An endoscope irrigation system, characterized in that, include: Endoscopes, microfluidic mixers, and processing equipment; The endoscope includes a lens assembly and a flow channel. The flow channel splits into a liquid outlet channel and a flushing channel at the distal end near the endoscope. The flushing channel includes a first large-diameter section, a small-diameter section, and a second large-diameter section arranged sequentially along the fluid flow direction. The microfluidic mixer is configured to: mix air into the rinsing fluid to form a gas-liquid mixture, and deliver the gas-liquid mixture to the rinsing channel; and The processing device is configured to execute a washing command in response to the image information acquired by the lens assembly satisfying a preset blur condition.

2. The endoscopic irrigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second large diameter section has a crescent-shaped cross-section and is located near the peripheral side of the lens assembly; the inner wall of the second large diameter section is provided with a guide groove, which is configured to make the angle between the ejection direction of the gas-liquid mixture and the axis of the lens assembly within the range of 120° to 180°.

3. The endoscopic irrigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The endoscope further includes a suction channel, the endoscope flushing system further includes a negative pressure pump, and the processing device is further configured to: When the image information meets the preset blur condition, the flushing channel is triggered to spray the gas-liquid mixture, and the negative pressure pump is started to perform a suction action through the suction channel; The ratio of the instantaneous suction flow rate of the suction channel to the instantaneous injection flow rate of the flushing channel is in the range of 1.15 to 1.3, so as to form a closed vortex trapping field in the distal region of the lens assembly.

4. The endoscopic irrigation system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The processing device is further configured to: Send a start signal to the negative pressure pump; After the activation signal is issued, a jet activation signal is sent to the microfluidic mixer after a first time interval. After a second time interval following the issuance of the injection start signal, an injection stop signal is sent to the microfluidic mixer; and After the injection stop signal is issued, a shutdown signal is sent to the negative pressure pump after a third time interval.

5. The endoscopic irrigation system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The processing device is further configured to: Based on the structural parameters of the flushing channel and the operating parameters of the microfluidic mixer, the gas-liquid mixing ratio of the gas-liquid mixture is determined; Based on the gas-liquid mixing ratio, the ratio of the instantaneous suction flow rate to the instantaneous injection flow rate is adjusted.

6. The endoscopic irrigation system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The distal end of the lens assembly is provided with a return groove that communicates with the suction channel.

7. The endoscopic irrigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A polarizing photosensitive element is disposed at the distal end of the lens assembly; the processing device is configured to: Acquire the polarization information collected by the polarization photosensitive element; Based on the polarization information, polarization feature quantities are extracted; Based on the polarization feature quantity, the target object is identified; Based on the geometric characteristics of the target object, determine whether the lens is contaminated; as well as In response to the lens becoming contaminated, the rinsing command is executed.

8. The endoscopic irrigation system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The processing device is further configured to: Based on the polarization information, the polarization phase features of the target object are extracted; Based on the polarization phase characteristics, the morphological parameters of the target object are determined; and Based on the morphological parameters, the execution parameters of the endoscope irrigation system are adjusted.

9. The endoscopic irrigation system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The execution parameters include at least the gas-liquid mixing ratio, instantaneous suction flow rate, and a third time interval, and the processing equipment is configured as follows: In response to the morphological parameter indicating a first contamination condition, the gas-liquid mixing ratio is increased; In response to the morphological parameter indicating a second contamination condition, the instantaneous suction flow rate is adjusted; and In response to the morphological parameter indicating a third contamination condition, the third time interval is adjusted.

10. The endoscopic irrigation system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The processing equipment is configured as follows: Extract the phase singularities from the polarization phase features; Determine the distribution density of the phase singularities within the target object; In response to the distribution density being less than or equal to a preset density threshold, the target object is determined to be in a first pollution state, and the gas-liquid mixing ratio is maintained; and In response to the distribution density being greater than a preset density threshold, the target object is determined to be in a second pollution state, and the gas-liquid mixing ratio is adjusted.

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