Catheter probe
The multi-transducer design and spring-hinged wedge structure solve the problems of trauma and image quality caused by the rotation of the ICE catheter in narrow blood vessels, and achieve efficient and clear ultrasound imaging.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422655839.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-01
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-16
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-01
AI Technical Summary
When existing ICE catheters rotate or move in narrow, tortuous or calcified blood vessels, they can easily cause vascular trauma and poor ultrasound image quality.
The multi-transducer design is adopted, and the angle of the transducer is adjusted through the spring hinge and wedge block structure to avoid frequent rotation or movement of the catheter. The traction line system is used to adjust the transducer arrangement angle.
It reduces the risk of catheter trauma in blood vessels, improves the clarity and real-time performance of ultrasound images, enhances imaging efficiency and image stitching accuracy, and provides the flexibility to adapt to different imaging needs.
Smart Images
Figure CN223336133U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to a catheter probe, belonging to the technical field of medical equipment. Background Art
[0002] ICE (Intracardiac Echocardiography) is an advanced imaging technology used to observe the internal structure and function of the heart in real time. It works by integrating an ultrasound probe onto a catheter, which enters the heart through blood vessels. This allows for direct imaging from within, helping doctors more clearly assess cardiac anatomy and function. Traditional ICE catheters primarily use two-dimensional imaging technology, using ultrasound waves to generate cross-sectional images of the heart's interior. This technology is already mature. 3DICE technology builds on traditional two-dimensional ultrasound and generates three-dimensional images by integrating image data from multiple planes. This technology allows doctors to observe the heart's anatomy from multiple angles, improving their ability to identify complex structures and lesions. 4D ICE technology is an extension of 3DICE technology, with the fourth dimension being time. In other words, 4D ICE technology can generate real-time, dynamic three-dimensional cardiac images, showing the heart's movement over time.
[0003] Typically, there is only one transducer in the ICE catheter, which is mechanically moved or rotated in different planes to perform ultrasound scanning on multiple sections. After obtaining 2D slice images from different angles, the system will stitch and align these images and form three-dimensional volume data using a specific algorithm. However, the rotation or displacement of the catheter and probe, especially in narrow, tortuous, or calcified blood vessels, can cause trauma and damage to the blood vessels. In addition, the movement or rotation can result in poor quality and continuity of the ultrasound image. Utility Model Content
[0004] Based on the shortcomings of a single transducer in a traditional probe, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a catheter probe with multiple transducers, which can achieve changes in the arrangement angle of the transducers through a mechanical mechanism, so that each transducer can simultaneously transmit and receive ultrasound data from different directions.
[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the utility model provides a catheter probe, including a support tube and a transducer unit arranged in the support tube, the transducer unit including two base plates hinged to each other by a spring hinge, a transducer, a wedge block and a traction line respectively arranged on the two base plates; two support seats are arranged in the support tube, and the two ends of the rotating shaft of the spring hinge are installed on the support seats; a channel is formed between the two base plates to cooperate with the wedge block, the wedge block is fixed on the traction line, and the traction line can pull the wedge block to move back and forth in the channel to adjust the opening angle of the two base plates.
[0006] The rotating shaft is located on the axis of the supporting tube.
[0007] Two through holes for the traction line to pass through are respectively provided on each support seat.
[0008] The support seat is a vertical plate arranged on the cross-sectional diameter of the support tube.
[0009] A support platform is also provided in the support tube. The support platform is located on a side of the wedge block away from the bottom plate and is used to support the wedge block.
[0010] The base plate includes a mounting surface, and the transducer is fixed on the mounting surface; when the opening angle of the mounting surfaces of the two base plates is 180° so that the two mounting surfaces are located in the same plane, the two transducers are located on the upper side of the plane, and the rotating shaft and the channel are located on the lower side of the plane.
[0011] There is a gap between the two transducers and located on the upper side of the plane, which is used for the traction wire to pass through.
[0012] The rotating shaft and the pulling line are located on the central axis plane, and the two transducers are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central axis plane.
[0013] The wedge-shaped block is in the shape of an elongated strip, one end of which is a wide head end and the other end of which is a narrow head end; the wedge-shaped block is inserted into the channel along its length.
[0014] The channel is formed between two inclined surfaces respectively located on the two bottom plates, and the two inclined surfaces are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central axis surface; the cross section of the wedge block is an isosceles trapezoid.
[0015] When the wedge block moves within its travel range, the two side edges of the top surface of the wedge block are always in contact with the inclined surfaces of the two bottom plates respectively.
[0016] The opening angle range of the two mounting surfaces is 90° to 180°.
[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the catheter probe of the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:
[0018] 1. Because the transducer can achieve multi-directional ultrasound scanning by adjusting the angle without excessive rotation or movement of the catheter, it can reduce the risk of trauma and damage to the blood vessels when the catheter moves in narrow, tortuous or calcified blood vessels.
[0019] 2. The multi-transducer design can acquire ultrasound data at multiple angles simultaneously, no longer relying on the movement or rotation of a single transducer, avoiding image discontinuity or quality degradation, thereby improving image clarity and real-time performance.
[0020] 3. Multiple transducers work simultaneously, which speeds up data acquisition, reduces operation time, and improves imaging efficiency, especially in real-time observation of complex structures such as the heart.
[0021] 4. Through the spring hinge and wedge block structure, the transducer angle can be precisely adjusted to meet different imaging requirements and expand the flexibility of application.
[0022] 5. There is no need for complex mechanical rotation devices. The arrangement angle of the transducer can be adjusted through the traction line system, which is easy to operate and avoids the operational difficulty caused by frequent adjustment of the angle of the ultrasound probe.
[0023] 6. Since multiple transducers work simultaneously, the acquired multi-plane images can be better stitched and aligned, which helps to form more accurate three-dimensional volume data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the catheter probe of the present invention.
[0025] Figure 2 It is a partial cross-sectional view of the catheter probe of the present invention.
[0026] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the bottom plate of the catheter probe of the present invention in a flipped state.
[0027] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the wedge block and the traction line.
[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom plate flipping state after the wedge block is sent into the channel.
[0029] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the state where the wide head end of the wedge block supports the base plate.
[0030] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the bottom plate flattened when the wedge-shaped block moves outward in the channel.
[0031] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the state where the narrow head end of the wedge block supports the base plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] The present invention will be further described in detail below through the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.
[0033] like Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides a catheter probe 7 for an intracardiac ultrasound catheter device. The catheter probe 7 is located at the end of a catheter 6, which is connected to a handle 1. The handle 1 is provided with a first direction adjustment ring 4 and a second direction adjustment ring 5 for adjusting the bending direction of the catheter. It is also provided with a locking ring 3 and a transducer angle adjustment ring 2. The first and second direction adjustment rings 4 and 5 enable adjustment of the bending direction of the catheter 6. The locking ring 3 is used to compress and lock the first and second direction adjustment rings 4 and 5. The transducer angle adjustment ring 2 is used to adjust the angle between the two transducers within the catheter probe 7.
[0034] Specifically, if Figure 2-8 As shown, the catheter probe 7 includes a catheter bulb 8, a support tube 9, and a transducer unit disposed within the support tube 9. The transducer unit comprises two base plates 11 hingedly connected to each other by a spring hinge 17, a transducer 10, a wedge block 13, and a pull line 14, each disposed on the two base plates 11. Two support seats 16 are disposed within the support tube 9. In this embodiment, the support seats 16 are vertical plates disposed along the cross-sectional diameter of the support tube 9. The rotating shaft 12 of the spring hinge 17 is located on the axis of the support tube 9, and its two ends are mounted on the support seats 16.
[0035] A channel cooperating with the wedge block 13 is formed between the two bottom plates 11 . The wedge block 13 is fixed on a traction line 14 . The traction line 14 can pull the wedge block 13 to move back and forth in the channel to adjust the opening angle of the two bottom plates 11 .
[0036] Two through holes 15 for the traction wire 14 to pass through are respectively provided on each support seat 16. Figure 4 As shown, the traction line 14 and the wedge block 13 form a U-shape, and both ends of the traction line 14 extend along the catheter to the proximal end. The traction of the wedge block 13 is achieved by tensioning both ends of the traction line 14 respectively.
[0037] A support platform 19 is further provided in the support tube 9 . The support platform 19 is located on a side of the wedge block 13 away from the bottom plate 11 and is used to support the wedge block 13 .
[0038] The base plate 11 includes a mounting surface 110, and the transducer 10 is fixed on the mounting surface 110. When the angle between the mounting surfaces 110 of the two base plates 11 is 180 degrees so that the two mounting surfaces 110 are located in the same plane, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 As shown, the two transducers 10 are located on the upper side of the plane, and the rotation shaft 12 and the channel are located on the lower side of the plane.
[0039] In this embodiment, there is a gap 111 between the two transducers 10 and on the upper side of the plane, and the gap 111 is used for the traction line 14 to pass through. The rotating shaft 12 and the traction line 14 are located on the central axis plane C, and the two transducers 10 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central axis plane C. The wedge block 13 is long and has a wide head end 131 at one end and a narrow head end 132 at the other end; the wedge block 13 is inserted into the channel along its long direction. The channel is formed between two inclined surfaces 112 respectively located on the two bottom plates 11, and the two inclined surfaces 112 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central axis plane C; the cross-section of the wedge block 13 is an isosceles trapezoid. When the wedge block 13 moves within its travel range, the two side edges B of the top surface of the wedge block 13 are always in contact with the edges A of the inclined surfaces 112 of the two bottom plates 11. As a preferred embodiment, the angular range of the two mounting surfaces 110 is 90° to 180°. As Figure 5 、 6 As shown, when the wedge block 13 is fed in the direction of the channel, the wedge block 13 lifts the two bottom plates 11 to rotate them, thereby reducing the angle between the two transducers 10. Figure 7 、 8 As shown, when the wedge block 13 is withdrawn from the channel, the two bottom plates 11 gradually flatten under the action of the spring return force in the spring hinge 17. Since the wedge block 13 always exerts a supporting force on the bottom plates 11 during the above process, when the wedge block 13 stops, the support force and the spring return force can keep the two bottom plates 11 at the corresponding angular position.
[0040] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely examples for clarity of explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation methods. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other variations or modifications based on the above descriptions are possible. It is not necessary and impossible to enumerate all implementation methods here. Obvious variations or modifications arising therefrom remain within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A catheter probe, characterized in that: It includes a support tube and a transducer unit arranged in the support tube, the transducer unit includes two base plates hinged to each other by a spring hinge, a transducer, a wedge block and a traction line respectively arranged on the two base plates; two support seats are arranged in the support tube, and the two ends of the rotating shaft of the spring hinge are installed on the support seats; a channel is formed between the two base plates to match the wedge block, the wedge block is fixed on the traction line, and the traction line can pull the wedge block to move back and forth in the channel to adjust the opening angle of the two base plates.
2. The catheter probe according to claim 1, wherein: The rotating shaft is located on the axis of the supporting tube.
3. The catheter probe according to claim 1, wherein: A support platform is also provided in the support tube. The support platform is located on a side of the wedge block away from the bottom plate and is used to support the wedge block.
4. The catheter probe according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The base plate includes a mounting surface, and the transducer is fixed on the mounting surface; when the opening angle of the mounting surfaces of the two base plates is 180° so that the two mounting surfaces are located in the same plane, the two transducers are located on the upper side of the plane, and the rotating shaft and the channel are located on the lower side of the plane.
5. The catheter probe according to claim 4, wherein: There is a gap between the two transducers and located on the upper side of the plane, which is used for the traction wire to pass through.
6. The catheter probe according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The rotating shaft and the pulling line are located on the central axis plane, and the two transducers are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central axis plane.
7. The catheter probe according to claim 6, wherein: The wedge-shaped block is in the shape of an elongated strip, one end of which is a wide head end and the other end of which is a narrow head end; the wedge-shaped block is inserted into the channel along its length.
8. The catheter probe according to claim 7, wherein: The channel is formed between two inclined surfaces respectively located on the two bottom plates, and the two inclined surfaces are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central axis surface; the cross section of the wedge block is an isosceles trapezoid.
9. The catheter probe according to claim 7, wherein: When the wedge block moves within its travel range, the two side edges of the top surface of the wedge block are always in contact with the inclined surfaces of the two bottom plates respectively.
10. The catheter probe according to claim 4, wherein: The opening angle range of the two mounting surfaces is 90° to 180°.