Medical device having an imaging guidewire - Patent application

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a medical device having an imaging guidewire and being capable of suppressing adhesion of a foreign matter to an electrical contact member of the imaging guidewire when a connector is disconnected from the rear end of the imaging guidewire. [Solution] The present invention provides a medical device 10 having an imaging guidewire 100, the medical device 10 including a cap 200 and a connector 300 in addition to the imaging guidewire. The imaging guidewire includes: a wire section 110; an imaging sensor 120 that is provided in the wire section and that obtains an image of a luminal organ; and an electrical contact member 140 that is exposed and provided at the rear end 130 of the proximal side of the wire section and that is electrically connected to the imaging sensor. In this medical device, the connector is attached to the rear end of the imaging guidewire when an image of a luminal organ is obtained. The cap is attached to the rear end of the imaging guidewire in place of the connector when the connector is disconnected from the rear end of the imaging guidewire.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical device having an imaging guidewire. [Background technology]

[0002] In the treatment of stenosis or occlusion occurring in hollow organs such as blood vessels and vasculature, images of the hollow organs are obtained using inspection waves such as ultrasound or light in order to observe their properties or to observe their condition after treatment. In order to make it possible to obtain images of hollow organs at a relatively low cost, a medical device has been proposed that has an image guidewire equipped with an image sensor (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] The image guidewire has a wire portion, an image sensor disposed on the wire portion for acquiring images of the hollow organ, and an electrical contact portion disposed exposed at the proximal rear end of the wire portion and electrically connected to the image sensor. A connector connected to a control device is removably connected to the rear end of the image guidewire. Signals are exchanged between the image sensor and the control device by electrically connecting the electrical contact portion and the connector. A treatment catheter has a lumen through which the image guidewire is inserted, and is inserted along the image guidewire to a predetermined position in the biological lumen of the hollow organ. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4878823 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the process of replacing the catheter, the connector must be removed from the rear end of the imaging guidewire. When the connector is removed, the electrical contact is exposed, and foreign matter such as blood may adhere to the electrical contact when replacing the catheter. In such a case, when the connector is reconnected to the imaging guidewire to obtain an image of the hollow organ, noise may be generated due to the foreign matter adhering to the electrical contact, which may prevent accurate acquisition of an image of the hollow organ.

[0006] The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 does not disclose any solution to the above-mentioned problem that may occur when the connector is removed from the rear end portion of the imaging guidewire.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a medical device having an image guidewire that can suppress the adhesion of foreign matter to the electrical contact portion of the image guidewire when the connector is removed from the rear end of the image guidewire. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The medical device having an image guidewire according to the present invention, which achieves the above object, includes an image guidewire, a cap, and a connector. The image guidewire includes a wire portion, an image sensor disposed on the wire portion for acquiring an image of a luminal organ, and an electrical contact portion disposed on the proximal rear end of the wire portion and exposed and electrically connected to the image sensor. The cap is disposed on the rear end of the image guidewire. Take The connector is removably attached to the rear end of the imaging guidewire and electrically connected to the electrical contact portion. In this medical device, the connector is attached to the rear end of the imaging guidewire when an image of the luminal organ is acquired. The cap has a through hole for receiving the rear end of the imaging guidewire and a sealing mechanism for preventing foreign matter from reaching the electrical contact when the cap is attached to the imaging guidewire. The sealing mechanism includes a valve body disposed on the proximal side of a portion covering the electrical contact, and the valve body exerts a resilient force in a direction to constantly close an opening of the valve body. The connector is connected to the rear end of the imaging guidewire through the opening of the valve body. . Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the medical device having the imaging guidewire of the present invention, when the connector is removed from the rear end of the imaging guidewire, Is, Attached to the rear end of the image guidewire Taki Since the electrical contact portion of the imaging guidewire is covered by the cap, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the electrical contact portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a medical device having an imaging guidewire. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the use of a medical device having an imaging guidewire. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the use of a medical device having an imaging guidewire, the image guidewire being inserted into a lumen of a catheter. FIG. [Figure 4] Figure 4(A) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when the cap is removed from the rear end of the image guidewire, and Figure 4(B) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when the cap is inserted and attached to the rear end of the image guidewire. [Diagram 5] Figure 5(A) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when the connector is removed from the rear end of the image guidewire, and Figure 5(B) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when the connector is inserted and attached to the rear end of the image guidewire. [Figure 6] Figure 6(A) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when a modified cap is removed from the rear end of the image guidewire, and Figure 6(B) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when a modified cap is inserted and attached to the rear end of the image guidewire. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the technical scope of the present invention should be determined based on the description of the claims and is not limited to the following embodiments. In the following description, the proximal side of the image guidewire (right side in FIG. 1) is referred to as the "base end" and the side inserted into the body cavity (left side in FIG. 1) is referred to as the "distal end." In addition, for ease of understanding, the image guidewire is illustrated in a schematic manner with the length shortened and the thickness of the image guidewire exaggerated, and the ratio of the length and thickness differs from the actual ratio.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a medical device 10 having an imaging guidewire 100, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the medical device 10 having the imaging guidewire 100 is used.

[0013] 1 and 2, a medical device 10 having an image guidewire 100 according to an embodiment will be generally described. The medical device 10 has an image guidewire 100, a cap 200, and a connector 300. The image guidewire 100 has a wire portion 110, an image sensor 120 disposed on the wire portion 110 for acquiring an image of a luminal organ, and an electrical contact portion 140 disposed exposed at a rear end portion 130 on the proximal side of the wire portion 110 and electrically connected to the image sensor 120. The cap 200 is removably attached to the rear end portion 130 of the image guidewire 100 and covers the electrical contact portion 140. The connector 300 is removably attached to the rear end portion 130 of the image guidewire 100 and electrically connected to the electrical contact portion 140. In the medical device 10, the connector 300 is attached to the rear end portion 130 of the image guidewire 100 when acquiring an image of a luminal organ. When the connector 300 is removed from the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100, the cap 200 is attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100 in place of the connector 300. The medical device 10 also has a control device 400 to which the imaging guidewire 100 is connected. The medical device 10 also has an extension wire 500 used when changing the length of the wire portion 110 of the imaging guidewire 100. The configuration of the medical device 10 will be described in detail below.

[0014] (Imaging Guidewire 100) The image guide wire 100 has a wire portion 110, an image sensor 120 that is disposed on the wire portion 110 and acquires images of a luminal organ, and an electrical contact portion 140 that is exposed and disposed at the rear end 130 on the proximal side of the wire portion 110 and is electrically connected to the image sensor 120.

[0015] The wire portion 110 includes a tip member 111 disposed on the tip side and a main body member 112 disposed on the base end side of the tip member 111. The total length of the wire portion 110 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, about 200 to 5000 mm. The tip member 111 has a core material constituted by a flexible or elastic core wire, and a flexible resin material fixed around the core material. The tip member 111 has a cylindrical shape with a constant outer diameter along the longitudinal direction, and the tip is formed to be rounded. A filler made of a material having contrast properties (such as an X-ray opaque material) is dispersed in the resin material of the tip member 111, thereby forming a contrast portion. The main body member 112 is constituted by a core wire having flexibility or elasticity. The core material of the tip member 111 and the core material of the main body member 112 are joined by, for example, welding. The constituent material of the core member is not particularly limited as long as it has flexibility, and various metal materials such as stainless steel, piano wire, cobalt-based alloy, and superelastic alloy can be used. The outer diameter of the tip member 111 is smaller than the outer diameter of the main body member 112. In the wire portion 110, the tip member 111 on the tip side is highly flexible, and the main body member 112 on the base end side is relatively rigid. This allows the wire portion 110 to have both flexibility at the tip and excellent operability (pushability, torque transmission, etc.).

[0016] The image sensor 120 is disposed at the tip of the main body member 112 of the wire portion 110. The image sensor 120 is configured of a phased array in which a plurality of sensor elements are arranged in a ring shape. By using such a phased array type image sensor 120, it is possible to obtain an image of a tubular organ over a wide circumferential range at once without rotating the image sensor 120. The sensor element is not particularly limited, but may be an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) sensor element or an optical coherence tomography (OCT) sensor element. A window portion (not shown) is formed in the main body member 112 at a position facing the sensor element, and an inspection wave from the sensor element is irradiated to the tubular organ through the window portion, and the reflected inspection wave is received through the window portion.

[0017] A rear end 130 of the wire portion 110 is formed to protrude toward the base end side of the main body member 112. The rear end 130 has a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the rear end 130 is smaller than the outer diameter of the main body member 112. The rear end 130 is formed from an electrically insulating resin material, and is fixed to a core material of the main body member 112.

[0018] The electrical contact portion 140 has a plurality of terminal portions 141. Each of the terminal portions 141 has a rectangular shape, and is arranged exposed on the peripheral surface of the rear end portion 130. Adjacent terminal portions 141 are electrically insulated from each other. The sensor elements of the image sensor 120 and the terminal portions 141 are arranged in pairs. The sensor elements and the terminal portions 141 that form pairs are electrically connected to each other via signal lines 142.

[0019] (Cap 200) The cap 200 is attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100 so as to be inserted from the base end side. The cap 200 has a generally cylindrical shape with a recess 210 formed therein, and the base end side is rounded. The outer diameter of the tip side of the cap 200 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the base end side of the main body member 112. The outer diameter of the tip side of the cap 200 may be smaller than the outer diameter of the base end side of the main body member 112. The largest part of the outer diameter of the cap 200 is equal to or smaller than the largest part of the outer diameter of the wire portion 110 of the imaging guidewire 100. If the maximum outer diameter of the cap 200 is equal to or smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the wire portion 110 (for example, the maximum outer diameter of the main body member 112), the usability of the imaging guidewire 100 and the catheter is not impaired even when the clearance between the lumen of the catheter and the imaging guidewire 100 is minute. Furthermore, the length of the cap 200 is not particularly limited, and the cap 200 may be long or short depending on the catheter to be replaced. When the cap 200 is attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100, the rear end 130 fits into the recess 210 of the cap 200, and the electrical contact portion 140 is covered.

[0020] The detailed configuration of the cap 200 will be further described with reference to FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B).

[0021] Figure 4(A) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when cap 200 is removed from rear end 130 of image guidewire 100, and Figure 4(B) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when cap 200 is inserted and attached to rear end 130 of image guidewire 100.

[0022] The cap 200 has a seal mechanism 220 that prevents foreign matter from reaching the electrical contact portion 140 when attached to the imaging guidewire 100. The seal mechanism 220 is composed of a seal surface 221 of the cap 200 and an O-ring 222 held on the rear end portion 130 of the imaging guidewire 100. When the cap 200 is attached to the imaging guidewire 100 (FIG. 4(B)), the O-ring 222 is elastically compressed between the rear end portion 130 of the imaging guidewire 100 and the seal surface 221 of the cap 200. This prevents foreign matter from reaching the electrical contact portion 140 through a minute gap between the imaging guidewire 100 and the cap 200.

[0023] The cap 200 further has a removal layer 230 capable of removing foreign matter attached to the electrical contact portion 140. The removal layer 230 is disposed in a portion of the recess 210 of the cap 200 that contacts the electrical contact portion 140. By inserting and removing the cap 200, the removal layer 230 wipes off or adsorbs foreign matter attached to the electrical contact portion 140. This removes the foreign matter attached to the electrical contact portion 140. The material constituting the removal layer 230 is not limited as long as it exhibits the function of wiping off or adsorbing foreign matter, but examples of the material include a porous plate or nonwoven fabric formed from a resin material. Since there is a risk that a part of the material of the removal layer 230 may remain on the electrical contact portion 140 when the cap 200 is inserted and removed, it is preferable that the material of the removal layer 230 is electrically insulating.

[0024] The recess 210 of the cap 200 is formed with an annular recess 211 that fits into the annular protrusion 131 formed on the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100. When the cap 200 is inserted into and attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100, the annular recess 211 fits into the annular protrusion 131. This ensures that the cap 200 is attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100.

[0025] In the drawing, reference numeral 132 denotes a ring member 132 that prevents the O-ring 222 from coming off, and reference numeral 133 denotes an electrically insulating holding member 133 that holds a terminal portion 141 of the electrical contact portion 140.

[0026] (Connector 300) As shown in Fig. 2, the connector 300 is attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100 so as to be inserted from the base end side. The connector 300 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a recess 310 formed therein. A conductive portion 320 (not shown in Fig. 2), which will be described later and is electrically connected to each terminal portion 141 of the electrical contact portion 140, is disposed on the inner surface of the recess 310. The outer diameter of the distal end side of the connector 300 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the main body member 112. When the connector 300 is attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100, the rear end 130 fits into the recess 310 of the connector 300 and is electrically connected to the electrical contact portion 140.

[0027] The detailed configuration of the connector 300 will be further described with reference to FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B).

[0028] Figure 5(A) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when the connector 300 is removed from the rear end 130 of the image guidewire 100, and Figure 5(B) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when the connector 300 is inserted and attached to the rear end 130 of the image guidewire 100.

[0029] In the connector 300, the conductive portion 320 electrically connected to each terminal portion 141 of the electrical contact portion 140 is insert-molded on the inner surface of the recess 310. The signal line 321 connected to each conductive portion 320 is also insert-molded. The terminal portion 141 of the electrical contact portion 140 and the conductive portion 320 are arranged in pairs. When the connector 300 is attached to the image guidewire 100 (FIG. 5(B)), the paired terminal portion 141 and the conductive portion 320 come into contact with each other and are electrically connected. In order to bring the paired terminal portion 141 and the conductive portion 320 into contact with each other, a restricting portion (not shown) is arranged to restrict the relative position of the rear end portion 130 of the image guidewire 100 and the connector 300. The restricting portion can be formed, for example, by forming a concave-convex fitting portion extending along the insertion / removal direction of the connector 300 in the image guidewire 100 and the connector 300.

[0030] Like the cap 200, the connector 300 has a sealing mechanism 330 that prevents foreign matter from reaching the electrical contact portion 140 when the connector 300 is attached to the imaging guidewire 100. The sealing mechanism 330 is composed of a sealing surface 331 of the connector 300 and an O-ring 222 held on the rear end portion 130 of the imaging guidewire 100.

[0031] Like the recess 210 of the cap 200, the recess 310 of the connector 300 is formed with an annular recess 311 that fits into the annular protrusion 131 formed on the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100. When the connector 300 is inserted into and attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100, the annular recess 311 fits into the annular protrusion 131. This ensures that the connector 300 is attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100.

[0032] (Control device 400) As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 400 is connected to the image guidewire 100 via a cable 410. The cable 410 has a connector 300 attached to one end thereof for connecting to the image guidewire 100, and another connector 420 attached to the other end thereof for connecting to the control device 400. The cable 410 (including the connectors 300 and 420) is a disposable part. The control device 400 has a main body 430 and a monitor 440. The main body 430 is mainly composed of a CPU, a memory, and an input / output unit, and controls the entire medical device 10. For example, the main body 430 outputs a control signal for causing the image sensor 120 to emit an inspection wave, inputs a detection signal from the image sensor 120, and acquires image data based on the detection signal. The main body 430 also displays information based on the acquired image data on the monitor 440.

[0033] (Extension wire 500) 1, the extension wire 500 is used when changing the length of the wire portion 110 of the imaging guidewire 100. The extension wire 500 is attached to the rear end portion 130 of the imaging guidewire 100 so as to be inserted from the base end side. The base end side of the extension wire 500 is configured similarly to the rear end portion 130 of the wire portion 110. The tip side of the extension wire 500 is configured similarly to the connector 300, and is provided with conductive portions 510 that are electrically connected to the respective terminal portions 141 of the electrical contact portion 140.

[0034] (Example of Use of Medical Device 10 with Imaging Guidewire 100) FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the imaging guidewire 100 is inserted into a lumen 610 of a catheter 600 in an example of use of a medical device 10 having the imaging guidewire 100. As shown in FIG.

[0035] In the state shown in Fig. 3, an extension wire 500 is used, and the length of the wire portion 110 of the imaging guidewire 100 is changed to be longer. When the imaging guidewire 100 is inserted into a biological lumen, first, the cap 200 is attached to the rear end portion 130 of the imaging guidewire 100 by inserting it from the base end side (Fig. 4(B)). This causes the rear end portion 130 to fit into the recess 210 of the cap 200, and the electrical contact portion 140 is covered. This makes it possible to reduce adhesion of foreign matter to the electrical contact portion 140 during the operation of inserting the imaging guidewire 100. In addition, the seal mechanism 220 further prevents foreign matter from reaching the electrical contact portion 140.

[0036] Once imaging guidewire 100 has been inserted to a predetermined position in the biological lumen, catheter 600 is inserted along imaging guidewire 100 to a predetermined position in the biological lumen, as indicated by the left-pointing arrow in FIG.

[0037] The cap 200 remains attached to the imaging guidewire 100 until the connector 300 is attached to the imaging guidewire 100. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the electrical contact portion 140 during operations performed before the connector 300 is attached to the imaging guidewire 100 (such as when inserting the imaging guidewire 100, when inserting the catheter 600, and when changing the length of the imaging guidewire 100).

[0038] Next, the cap 200 is removed from the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100 (FIG. 4(A)), and the connector 300 is attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100 by inserting it from the proximal end side (FIG. 5(B)). This brings the terminal portion 141 of the paired electrical contact portion 140 into contact with the conductive portion 320 of the connector 300, and they are electrically connected. The other connector 420 of the cable 410 is connected to the control device 400 (FIG. 2).

[0039] The main body 430 of the control device 400 outputs a control signal to the image sensor 120 to emit an inspection wave, inputs a detection signal from the image sensor 120, and acquires image data based on the detection signal. The main body 430 also displays information based on the acquired image data on a monitor 440.

[0040] After acquiring an image of the hollow organ by a signal from the image sensor 120, the catheter 600 may be replaced and an image of the hollow organ may be acquired again. When performing this operation, the connector 300 is first removed from the rear end 130 of the image guidewire 100 (FIG. 5(A)), and the cap 200 is attached to the rear end 130 of the image guidewire 100 by inserting it from the base end side (FIG. 4(B)). As a result, the rear end 130 fits into the recess 210 of the cap 200, and the electrical contact portion 140 is covered. Furthermore, when the cap 200 is attached, the removal layer 230 of the cap 200 wipes off or adsorbs foreign matter adhering to the electrical contact portion 140. As a result, the foreign matter adhering to the electrical contact portion 140 is removed.

[0041] As shown by the right-pointing arrow in Figure 3, the catheter 600 is removed from the biological lumen along the imaging guidewire 100. If it is necessary to change the length of the wire portion 110 of the imaging guidewire 100, an additional extension wire 500 is used or the extension wire 500 that was used is removed.

[0042] Thereafter, a new catheter 600 is inserted along the imaging guidewire 100 to a predetermined position in the biological lumen. The cap 200 remains attached to the imaging guidewire 100 until the connector 300 is attached to the imaging guidewire 100. Therefore, when replacing the catheter 600, foreign matter can be prevented from adhering to the electrical contact portion 140.

[0043] As described above, the medical device 10 of this embodiment has an image guidewire 100, a cap 200, and a connector 300, and the cap 200 is attached to the rear end 130 of the image guidewire 100 in place of the connector 300 when the connector 300 is removed from the rear end 130 of the image guidewire 100.

[0044] With this configuration, the electrical contact portion 140 is covered by the cap 200, so that adhesion of foreign matter to the electrical contact portion 140 of the imaging guidewire 100 can be suppressed when the connector 300 is removed from the rear end portion 130 of the imaging guidewire 100. Therefore, when the connector 300 is reconnected to the imaging guidewire 100 to obtain an image of the hollow organ, noise caused by foreign matter adhering to the electrical contact portion 140 can be suppressed, and an image of the hollow organ can be obtained accurately.

[0045] The cap 200 is maintained in a state attached to the imaging guidewire 100 until the connector 300 is attached to the imaging guidewire 100. With this configuration, adhesion of foreign matter to the electrical contact portion 140 can be reduced during operations performed before the connector 300 is attached to the imaging guidewire 100 (such as when inserting the imaging guidewire 100, inserting the catheter 600, replacing the catheter 600, or changing the length of the imaging guidewire 100).

[0046] The cap 200 has a sealing mechanism 220 that prevents foreign matter from reaching the electrical contact portion 140 when the cap 200 is attached to the image guidewire 100. With this configuration, the sealing mechanism 220 can further prevent foreign matter from reaching the electrical contact portion 140.

[0047] The cap 200 has a removal layer 230 capable of removing foreign matter adhering to the electrical contact portion 140. With this configuration, the removal layer 230 of the cap 200 wipes off or adsorbs foreign matter adhering to the electrical contact portion 140. This removes foreign matter adhering to the electrical contact portion 140, and a stable electrical connection state can be maintained. As a result, images of the hollow organ can be acquired more accurately and stably.

[0048] The image sensor 120 is configured as a phased array in which multiple sensor elements are arranged in a ring shape. With this configuration, it is possible to acquire images of the hollow organ over a wide range in the circumferential direction at once without rotating the image sensor 120.

[0049] The largest outer diameter of the cap 200 is equal to or smaller than the largest outer diameter of the wire portion 110 of the imaging guidewire 100. With this configuration, even if the clearance between the lumen 610 of the catheter 600 and the imaging guidewire 100 is minute, the usability of the imaging guidewire 100 and the catheter 600 is not impaired.

[0050] (Modification of the cap) Figure 6(A) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when a modified cap 201 is removed from the rear end 130 of the image guidewire 100, and Figure 6(B) is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts showing the state when a modified cap 201 is inserted and attached to the rear end 130 of the image guidewire 100.

[0051] The cap 201 of the modified example differs from the cap 200 of the embodiment in that the shape and the configuration of the sealing mechanism 250 are modified.

[0052] The cap 201 of the modified example has a cylindrical shape with a through hole 240 formed therein that penetrates from the tip to the base end. The outer diameter of the tip side of the cap 201 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the main body member 112. When the cap 201 is attached to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100, the rear end 130 is housed in the through hole 240 of the cap 200, and the electrical contact portion 140 is covered.

[0053] The sealing mechanism 250 of the cap 201 can be modified as appropriate as long as it exhibits the function of preventing foreign matter from reaching the electrical contact portion 140 when the cap 201 is attached to the image guidewire 100. In the modified example, the sealing mechanism 250 is composed of a valve body 260 arranged on the base end side of the portion covering the electrical contact portion 140. The valve body 260 has an opening 261, and a resilient force is applied in a direction to always close the opening 261. On the tip side of the portion covering the electrical contact portion 140, the annular convex portion 131 formed on the rear end portion 130 of the image guidewire 100 and the annular concave portion 241 of the cap 201 fit together to maintain sealing. Even with this configuration, foreign matter is prevented from reaching the electrical contact portion 140 through a small gap between the image guidewire 100 and the cap 201.

[0054] The modified cap 201 can connect a connector to the rear end 130 of the imaging guidewire 100 through the opening 261 of the valve body 260. The modified cap 201 may be configured not to be detachable from the imaging guidewire 100.

[0055] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-060745 filed on March 30, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 10 Medical devices, 100 Imaging guidewire, 110 Wire part, 111 Tip member, 112 Body member, 120 image sensor, 130 rear end, 140 Electrical contact portion, 141 Terminal section, 142 signal line, 200, 201 Cap, 210 recess, 220 Sealing mechanism, 221 sealing surface, 222 O-ring, 230 removal layer, 240 through holes, 250 sealing mechanism, 260 Valve body, 261 openings, 300 connectors, 310 recess, 320 Conductive part, 321 signal line, 330 Sealing mechanism, 331 sealing surface, 400 control device, 410 cable, 420 other connectors, 430 Main body, 440 monitors, 500 extension wire, 510 Conductive part, 600 catheters, 610 Lumen.

Claims

1. an image guidewire including a wire portion, an image sensor disposed on the wire portion for acquiring an image of a hollow organ, and an electrical contact portion disposed on a proximal rear end of the wire portion and exposed therefrom, and electrically connected to the image sensor; a cap attached to the rear end of the imaging guidewire and covering the electrical contacts; and a connector that is removably attached to the rear end of the image guide wire and electrically connected to the electrical contact portion; the connector is attached to the rear end of the imaging guidewire when acquiring an image of the luminal organ; the cap has a through hole for receiving the rear end of the imaging guidewire, and a sealing mechanism for preventing foreign matter from reaching the electrical contact portion when the cap is attached to the imaging guidewire; the sealing mechanism includes a valve body disposed on a base end side relative to a portion covering the electrical contact portion, The valve body is biased with a resilient force in a direction to constantly close the opening of the valve body, The medical device includes an imaging guidewire, the connector being connected to the rear end of the imaging guidewire through the opening in the valve body.

2. The medical device with imaging guidewire of claim 1 , wherein the cap remains attached to the imaging guidewire until a time when the connector is attached to the imaging guidewire.

3. A medical device having an imaging guide wire as described in claim 1, wherein the cap has a configuration that makes it impossible to remove from the imaging guide wire.

4. The medical device having an imaging guidewire according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cap has a removal layer capable of removing foreign matter adhering to the electrical contact portion.

5. 5. The medical device having an image guide wire according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor is composed of a phased array in which a plurality of sensor elements are arranged in a ring shape.

6. A medical device having an imaging guide wire described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the largest outer diameter portion of the cap is equal to or smaller than the largest outer diameter portion of the wire portion.

Images