Catheter with adjustable curvature

Abstract

To provide a catheter capable of adjusting a curved mode afterward.SOLUTION: The endoscope includes at least a tube 20 through which a wire 10 arranged inside is inserted, and an adjustment part 30 capable of adjusting a bending mode accompanying the tension of the wire 10 by an operation by a user. The adjustment unit 30 can employ a mechanism (a slide mechanism, a rotation mechanism, or the like) that moves the distal end position C of the tube 20 in the longitudinal direction of the wire 10 by an operation of the user. When the distal end position C of the tube 20 in the longitudinal direction of the wire 10 is moved, the flexibility of the insertion portion B around the distal end position C changes, and thus the bending mode is also affected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a catheter, and more particularly to a catheter in which the curvature of the distal end side of the catheter is adjustable. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, minimally invasive treatments using catheters have become popular for intravascular, cardiac, and urethral procedures. The catheter is designed with a curved tip that allows it to (1) be easily inserted to the target site and (2) be easily attached to the target site. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a catheter that can smoothly curve the tip end of the catheter. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a catheter whose tip can be deformed three-dimensionally. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-200445 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-33621 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, conventional catheters have a curved shape that is predetermined by design and cannot be adjusted afterward by the user. Therefore, when the shape of the target area differs from what was initially expected, this can cause difficulties in operability.

[0005] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a catheter whose bending mode can be adjusted afterwards. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, is a catheter whose tip can be bent by pulling a wire placed inside, and is characterized by comprising at least a tube through which the wire is inserted, and an adjustment unit that can be operated by the user to adjust the bending state associated with pulling the wire. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a catheter whose bending state can be adjusted afterwards. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram (1) showing the internal structure of the adjustment section of the catheter according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Schematic diagram (2) showing the internal structure of the adjustment section of the catheter according to the present invention. [Figure 3] Schematic diagram (3) showing the internal structure of the adjustment section of the catheter according to the present invention. [Figure 4] Schematic diagram (4) showing the internal structure of the adjustment section of the catheter according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Example]

[0010] <1> Overall configuration (Fig. 1) The catheter according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The catheter according to the present invention includes any type of catheter that is used by bending the distal end side of the catheter by pulling the wire 10 provided inside the catheter. There are also no particular limitations on the lumen structure inside the catheter. The catheter shown in FIG. 1 is an electrode catheter with a single lumen structure, and includes at least a handle portion A that is gripped by the user to operate the catheter, and an insertion portion B that is inserted into the human body. Each part will be described in detail below.

[0011] <2> Handle The handle portion A is a portion that is gripped by the user. The handle portion A is a member having various internal structures depending on the intended use of the catheter, and is not particularly limited in the present invention. In the catheter shown in FIG. 1, the handle portion A is provided with an operation portion A1 for pulling the wire 10, which will be described later, and an adjustment portion 30 for adjusting the bending state of the bending portion B1, which will be described later.

[0012] <3> Insertion section The insertion part B is a part that is inserted into the human body when in use. The insertion section B is a flexible, long member, and has various outer diameters and internal structures depending on the intended use of the catheter. The catheter shown in Figure 1 is intended to be an electrode catheter, with an electrode provided at the tip of the insertion section B, one end of a wire 10 connected to this electrode, and the other end of the wire 10 connected to an operating section A1 provided on the handle section A, so that the user can pull the wire 10 by operating the operating section A1. In the present invention, any part of the insertion section B that is bent by the pulling action of the wire 10 is defined as a bending section B1. The length of the curved portion B1 may be changed by an adjustment unit 30, which will be described later.

[0013] <4> Wire (Figure 1(a)) The wire 10 is a member for bending the tip of the catheter. The wire 10 is located inside the handle portion A and the insertion portion B that make up the catheter, and by fixing one end to a predetermined position in the insertion portion B and the other end to the operating portion A1 of the handle portion A, the wire 10 can be pushed or pulled (hereinafter also referred to as "pushing and pulling") by operating the operating portion A1. In this embodiment, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 1, one end of the wire 10 is fixed to an electrode 40 provided at the tip of the insertion section B.

[0014] <5> tube The tube 20 is a member through which at least a portion of the wire 10 is inserted. In the present invention, the cross-sectional shape and material of the tube 20 are not particularly limited, and various flexible materials can be used. In the present invention, the tube 20 may also function as a member for protecting the wire 10 from various members inside the insertion portion B (not shown in FIG. 1).

[0015] <5.1> Initial position of the tube (Fig. 1(b)) In the present invention, there is no particular limitation on the length of insertion of the wire 10 into the tube 20 in the insertion portion B. That is, the entire length of the wire 10 in the insertion portion B may be inserted into the tube 20. In the catheter of this embodiment, as shown in part (b) of Figure 1, in the initial state of the catheter, the tip of the tube 20 is positioned midway through the insertion section B, and a predetermined length of the tip side of the wire 10 is exposed from the tube 20.

[0016] <6> Adjustment part The adjustment section 30 is a member for adjusting the bending state of the bending section B1 located on the distal end side of the insertion section B in response to the pulling of the wire 10 by the operation section A1. In the present invention, "adjusting the bending mode" includes changing the bending start position (starting end) associated with pulling the wire 10, differences in the bending shape when bending, changes in the radius of curvature, and the like.

[0017] <6.1> Examples of adjustment mechanisms (Figs. 1 to 4) In the present invention, the "bending mode adjustment mechanism" by the adjustment unit 30 is not particularly limited, but for example, the following mechanism can be adopted.

[0018] (1) Variable tube tip position mechanism (Figure 1) This mechanism affects the bending pattern by changing the tip position (hereinafter simply referred to as "tip position C") of the tube 20 through which the wire 10 is inserted in the insertion portion B, thereby changing the flexibility of the insertion portion B around this tip position C.

[0019] (2) Individual adjustment mechanism for the tip position of each tube (Figure 2) The catheter shown in FIG. 2 has a configuration in which, at the insertion section B, a separate tube holder 32 and lever 33 are provided for each of the tubes 20 through which the wire 10 is inserted. According to this mechanism, the tip position C of each tube 20 can be changed independently using each lever 33, so that the left and right bending patterns in the bending portion B1 can be adjusted differently. In addition, the tip positions C of each tube 20 can be set to any combination, so that the flexibility of the insertion portion B around the tip position C can be changed more flexibly.

[0020] (3) Multi-tube mechanism (Figure 3) The catheter shown in FIG. 3 has a configuration in which a separate immovable tube (protective tube 21) is provided inside tube 20. According to this mechanism, the flexibility of the insertion section B around the tip position C can be changed by combining the length of the double section of tube 20 and protective tube 21 and the length of the single section of protective tube 21 alone, without changing the protective area of ​​wire 10 with the protective tube 21 covering wire 10.

[0021] (4) Elastic member addition mechanism (Figure 4) The catheter shown in Figure 4 has a configuration in which a separate elastic member 22 (such as a spring-like member) is attached to the tip of a tube 20, whose tip position C can be changed by operating a lever 33, and one end of the elastic member 22 is fixed to the tip of the tube while the other end is fixed in a fixed position. According to this mechanism, by pulling the lever 33 back and forth to transition the elastic member 22 between a compressed state and a tensile state, the flexibility of the elastic member 22 can be changed to change the flexibility of the insertion section B around the tip position C.

[0022] <6.2> Examples of operating mechanisms In the present invention, the operating mechanism for adjusting the bending mode is not particularly limited, but for example, the following mechanism can be adopted.

[0023] (1) Slide mechanism (Fig. 1(c)) This mechanism moves the distal end position C of the tube 20 relative to the wire 10 by pushing or pulling the tube 20 in conjunction with the sliding movement of a lever 33 provided on the handle portion A of the catheter. The catheter adjustment device of this embodiment employs a slide mechanism, and as shown in part (c) of Figure 1, the adjustment section 30 is made up of a coil retainer 31 that joins the ends of the coil 40 through which the tube 20 and wire 10 are inserted, while allowing the tube 20 and wire 10 to be inserted; a tube retainer 32 that joins the end of the tube 20 and the wire 10 that have passed through the coil retainer 31, while allowing the wire 10 to be inserted; and a lever 33 that is joined to the tube retainer 32 and extended so as to be exposed to the outside of the handle section A. By sliding this lever 33 on the handle portion A to push or pull the tube 20 connected to the tube holder 32, the tip position C of the tube 20 shown in part (b) of Figure 1 can be changed.

[0024] (2) Rotation mechanism (not shown) This mechanism moves the distal end position C of the tube 20 by pushing and pulling the tube 20 relative to the wire 10 in conjunction with the rotation of a rotary knob provided on the handle portion A of the catheter.

[0025] <6.2> Presence or absence of a reset mechanism In the present invention, there is no particular limitation as to whether or not to provide a mechanism for biasing operating tools such as lever 33 and rotary knobs with an elastic member or the like so that they return to their initial positions, and such a mechanism may be designed as appropriate depending on the intended use of the catheter and the needs of the user. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] A: Handle A1:Operation unit B: Insertion section B1: Curved section C: Tip position 10: Wire 20: Tube 21: Protective tube 22: Elastic member 30: Adjustment section 31: Coil fastening 32: Tube holder 33: Lever 40: Coil

Claims

1. A catheter whose distal end can be bent by pulling a wire disposed inside, a tube through which the wire is inserted; an adjustment unit that can adjust the bending state caused by pulling the wire by operation by a user; characterized by comprising at least catheter.

2. The adjustment unit The distal end position of the tube in the longitudinal direction of the wire can be moved by a user. The catheter of claim 1.

3. The adjustment unit includes a lever that can move the tube by sliding. The catheter of claim 2.

4. The adjustment unit includes a rotary knob that can move the tube by a rotary action. The catheter of claim 2.

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