Medical tube for insertion into digestive tract

Abstract

Disclosed is a medical tube for insertion into a digestive tract. A medical tube for insertion into a digestive tract according to an aspect of the present invention comprises: a tubular body inserted into the target digestive tract via oral or nasal cavity of a patient; and an end part connected to the front end of the body to allow for the connection angle with the front end part of the body to be varied based on external force.

Description

A medical tube inserted into the digestive tract

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical tube inserted into the digestive tract.

[0002] The digestive tract includes the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. In the medical field, a medical tube (hereinafter referred to as a medical tube) inserted into the digestive tract is a thin, long, flexible medical device that is widely used for sleeve gastrectomy, treatment of esophageal obstruction, removal of foreign bodies in the esophagus, examination, procedure, cleaning, and nutrition supply.

[0003] Representative examples of medical tubes include bougie and nasogastric tube.

[0004] A bougie is typically used in sleeve gastrectomy. Sleeve gastrectomy is a laparoscopic surgery that uses a bougie, a viewing camera, a stapler, and special tools such as a retractor to cut the stomach, leaving only a thin, uniform-diameter stomach with a volume of 100-150 mL.

[0005] Other uses of bougies include treating esophageal obstructions and removing foreign bodies from the esophagus. Esophageal obstruction treatment involves inserting a thin, long bougie tube or inflating a balloon attached to it to widen the affected area, creating a proper path for food to pass through to the digestive tract.

[0006] In children, foreign bodies can become lodged in the esophagus due to incorrect swallowing, and a device can be inserted to widen the esophagus in the same way to remove them.

[0007] A nasogastric tube is inserted through the nose, down the esophagus, and into the stomach. The tube is then inserted by a medical professional, who then guides the tube in while the patient swallows it. The inserted tube is used to relieve pressure from stomach contents or gas, to wash away blood or secretions, to analyze and examine gastric juices, or to administer medication or treat vasoconstriction.

[0008] They are also used to provide nutrition to patients who cannot consume food orally. Furthermore, flexible tube-type medical devices for insertion into the digestive tract are widely used for various treatments and tests within the digestive tract.

[0009] Figure 1 is a drawing explaining the process of a conventional bougie for sleeve gastrectomy being inserted through a patient's mouth and advanced into the esophagus, and Figure 2 is a drawing explaining the process of a conventional bougie for sleeve gastrectomy being advanced into a patient's stomach.

[0010] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional device (10) is inserted through the patient's oral cavity (1), the pharynx, the esophagus (2), and into the stomach (3).

[0011] In general, the digestive tract, such as the pharynx, esophagus (2), and stomach (3), has a tortuous shape. In particular, the axis connecting the oral cavity (1) and the lumen of the pharynx and the axis connecting the larynx and esophagus (2) have an angle close to 90 degrees. The inside of the oral cavity (1) and the pharynx are obscured by the tongue, and the esophageal entrance is located at a 90-degree downward angle behind the tongue, so the esophageal entrance is never visible to the practitioner from the outside.

[0012] The practitioner inserting the bougie (10) has no choice but to push the bougie (10) blindly and insert it into the esophagus (2) and stomach (3) without being able to properly see the inside of the oral cavity (1).

[0013] Although the bougie (10) possesses a certain degree of flexibility, when inserted into the winding digestive tract, the bougie (10) cannot follow the curvature of the digestive tract, causing unnecessary irritation to the inner wall of the digestive tract, resulting in nausea or vomiting. In this case, the patient experiences severe distress and pain.

[0014] Furthermore, during the process of inserting the bougie (10) into the digestive tract, the bougie (10) may become blocked by the inner wall of the pharynx or esophagus (2) as shown in Fig. 1, or by the inner wall of the stomach (3) as shown in Fig. 2, and may not proceed any further. In this case, there is a problem that the surgical time becomes longer.

[0015] Furthermore, in the process of inserting the boogie (10) into the digestive tract, the boogie (10) may damage the esophagus by piercing the inner wall of the pharynx or esophagus (2) as shown in Fig. 1, or may damage the stomach by piercing the inner wall of the stomach (3) as shown in Fig. 2. In this case, there is a problem of delaying the patient's recovery period.

[0016] The problems with the site for conventional sleeve gastrectomy mentioned above are the same problems that occur with medical tubes inserted into the general digestive tract.

[0017] The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medical tube configured to enable smooth insertion during the process of inserting the tube into the digestive tract for its intended purpose.

[0018] The tasks of the present invention are not limited to the tasks mentioned above, and other tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the description below.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, a medical tube to be inserted into a digestive tract may be provided, comprising: a body portion having a tube shape and inserted into a target digestive tract through a patient's oral cavity or nasal cavity; and a distal portion connected to a distal end of the body portion such that a connection angle with the distal end of the body portion is variable by an external force.

[0020] At this time, the terminal portion can be arranged in a line with the body portion when there is no external force.

[0021] Meanwhile, the terminal portion can be formed so that the connection angle with the body portion is greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees when the external force is applied.

[0022] Meanwhile, a connection portion is formed between the body portion and the terminal portion, and the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the connection portion may be smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the body portion and the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the terminal portion.

[0023] Meanwhile, the connecting portion may be formed of a material having greater flexibility than the body portion and the terminal portion.

[0024] Meanwhile, a fluid receiving space is formed on the inside of the distal end, and the fluid receiving space can be filled with a liquid or gas.

[0025] Meanwhile, a guide protrusion extending spirally in the extension direction of the terminal portion may be formed on the outer surface of the terminal portion.

[0026] According to the above configuration, a medical tube inserted into a digestive tract according to one aspect of the present invention is connected to a distal end of the body portion so that the angle of connection between the distal end and the distal end of the body portion can be changed by an external force, thereby allowing the tube to be safely, quickly, and smoothly inserted into the stomach without damaging the inner wall of the digestive tract or being blocked by the inner wall of the digestive tract.

[0027] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the detailed description of the present invention or the composition of the invention described in the claims.

[0028] Figure 1 is a drawing illustrating the process of inserting a bougie for conventional sleeve gastrectomy through a patient's mouth and advancing it into the esophagus.

[0029] Figure 2 is a drawing illustrating the process of advancing a site for conventional sleeve gastrectomy into a patient's stomach.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a portion of a medical tube inserted into a digestive tract according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 4 is a drawing for explaining the operation of the body portion when an external force is applied to the body portion illustrated in Figure 3.

[0032] Fig. 5 is a drawing showing a modified example of the connection part illustrated in Fig. 3.

[0033] Figure 6 is a drawing showing a connection part according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing a medical tube inserted into a digestive tract according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing a medical tube inserted into a digestive tract according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] The present invention was derived as part of the performance of the following national project.

[0037] [Project ID] 1711196477

[0038] [Assignment Number] 00252244

[0039] [Buddha Name] Many Buddhas

[0040] [Name of Project Management (Specialist) Institution] (Foundation) Inter-Ministry Full-cycle Medical Device Research and Development Project Group

[0041] [Research Project Name] Inter-Ministry Full-cycle Medical Device Research and Development (Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Health and Welfare)

[0042] [Research Project Name] Intelligent Sleeve Gastrectomy (Bariatric Surgery) Using a Pressure-Sensitive Balloon Catheter

[0043] Development of a brother guide system

[0044] [Name of the project performing organization] Cha University Industry-Academic Cooperation Group

[0045] Research Period: April 1, 2023 - December 31, 2025

[0046] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention. The present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. To clearly explain the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in the drawings, and the same reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the specification.

[0047] The words and terms used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a way that is consistent with the technical idea of ​​the present invention, in accordance with the principles by which the inventor can define terms and concepts in order to best explain his or her invention.

[0048] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings correspond to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, so there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace the configuration at the time of filing of the present invention.

[0049] In this specification, terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to describe the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood not to exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0050] When a component is said to be "in front of," "behind," "above," or "below" another component, this includes not only being placed "in front of," "behind," "above," or "below" the other component in direct contact with it, but also if there is another component intervening therebetween. Furthermore, when a component is said to be "connected" to another component, this includes not only being directly connected to one another, but also being indirectly connected to one another, unless there are special circumstances.

[0051] Hereinafter, a medical tube inserted into the digestive tract according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that a sleeve gastrectomy will be performed using the medical tube inserted into the digestive tract according to one embodiment of the present invention. For convenience of explanation, the terms "medical tube inserted into the digestive tract" and "medical tube" will be used interchangeably.

[0052] However, it goes without saying that the medical tube according to one embodiment of the present invention can be used for surgery or examination of not only the stomach but also the small intestine, large intestine, etc. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the medical tube according to one embodiment of the present invention can be used for treatment of esophageal obstruction, removal of foreign substances in the esophagus, gastric decompression, gastric lavage, gastric fluid examination, medication, and nutrition supply.

[0053] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a portion of a medical tube inserted into a digestive tract according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, a medical tube (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a body portion (110), a distal portion (130), and a connecting portion (150).

[0054] The body portion (110) is a portion that occupies the majority of the entire medical tube (100). The body portion (110) is formed to extend to a predetermined length. For reference, only a portion of the body portion (110) is illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0055] The body (110) is inserted into the intended digestive tract through the patient's oral cavity or nasal cavity. In one embodiment of the present invention, the intended digestive tract is the stomach. More specifically, the body (110) can be inserted into the intended digestive tract, i.e., the stomach, through the esophagus via the patient's oral cavity or nasal cavity during a sleeve gastrectomy.

[0056] The body part (110) is positioned inside the stomach to distinguish the area of ​​the stomach where resection is performed and the area of ​​the stomach where resection is not performed, and can guide the gastric resection path.

[0057] The body (110) is made of a flexible material such as silicone or synthetic resin, and thus its shape can be varied. Accordingly, the body (110) can be inserted more smoothly into the stomach, and by bending or flexing in response to the curvature and shape of the stomach, the shape of the remaining stomach after gastric sleeve resection surgery can be roughly determined.

[0058] The body part (110) has a tube shape. At this time, the body part (110) may have a tube shape with a filled interior or a tube shape with an empty interior.

[0059] The distal end (130) can be connected to the tip end (111) of the body part (110). The distal end (130) can be connected to the body part (110) and the connection angle with the tip end (111) of the body part (110) can be changed by an external force.

[0060] In the process of inserting the body part (110) into the stomach through the patient's oral cavity or nasal cavity, the flexibility of the body part (110) itself may not allow it to smoothly pass through a winding passage, such as the digestive tract, such as the esophagus or stomach, and there is a possibility that it may impact and damage the inner wall of the passage.

[0061] At this time, when the distal end (130) connected to the tip end (111) of the body part (110) comes into contact with the inner wall of the winding passageway during the process of inserting the body part (110) upward, the connection angle with the tip end (111) of the body part (110) can be easily changed by an external force due to the contact.

[0062] In this case, the distal end (130) moving upward can change its direction of movement before it gives a large impact to the inner wall of the winding digestive tract or before it is blocked by the inner wall of the digestive tract, thereby preventing damage to the inner wall of the digestive tract or stopping the movement of the medical tube (100) due to blockage by the inner wall of the digestive tract.

[0063] When the end portion (130) changes direction with respect to the inner wall of the passage in contact, the body portion (110) connected to the end portion (130) can also change direction.

[0064] Therefore, the medical tube (100) including the distal end (130) and the body (110) as described above can be safely, quickly, and smoothly inserted upward without damaging the inner wall of the passage or being blocked by the inner wall of the passage.

[0065] The distal end (130) may be made of a flexible material such as silicone or synthetic resin, like the body part (110). Alternatively, the distal end (130) may be made of a different material from the body part (110).

[0066] The tip of the distal end (130) may have a curved or dome shape. In this case, the inner wall of the digestive tract can be prevented from being damaged by the tip of the distal end (130) during the process of the medical tube (100) advancing upward and being inserted.

[0067] For example, the distal end (130) may be arranged in line with the tip end (111) of the body part (110) when there is no external force, as shown in FIG. 3. At this time, the connecting angle (a0) between the distal end (130) and the body part (110) may be 180 degrees. In other words, the angle between the longitudinal center line (L1) of the distal end (130) and the longitudinal center line (L2) of the tip end (111) of the body part (110) is 180 degrees.

[0068] As another example, the body part (110) can move forward in the direction of the solid arrow as shown in Fig. 4. For reference, Fig. 4 is a drawing for explaining the operation of the body part when an external force is applied to the body part as shown in Fig. 3.

[0069] In this case, the distal end (130) connected to the tip of the body (110) can advance in the direction of the dotted arrow as shown in FIG. 4, and in this process, can come into contact with the inner wall (W) of the digestive tract.

[0070] In this case, a reaction force due to the inner wall (W) acts on the distal end (130). This reaction force acts as an external force on the distal end (130), and the distal end (130) can be bent at a predetermined angle with respect to the front end of the body part (110). At this time, the distal end (130) can change direction in the direction of the solid arrow along the inner wall (W) of the digestive tract.

[0071] When an external force is applied to the distal end (130) as shown in Fig. 4, the connection angle (a1) between the distal end (130) and the body part (110) may be greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees. In other words, the angle between the longitudinal center line of the distal end (130) and the longitudinal center line of the front end of the body part (110) may be greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

[0072] At this time, depending on the size of the external force, the connection angle (a1) between the body part (110) and the distal part (130), or in other words, the degree to which the distal part (130) bends with respect to the body part (110), may vary.

[0073] And, depending on the direction of the external force, the direction in which the distal portion (130) bends with respect to the body portion (110) may vary. In the present embodiment, the distal portion (130) may bend in all directions with respect to the body portion (110).

[0074] Referring to FIG. 3, a connecting portion (150) can be formed between the distal portion (130) and the body portion (110). The connecting portion (150) connects the distal portion (130) and the body portion (110).

[0075] In one embodiment of the present invention, the connecting portion (150) may have a structure that allows the terminal portion (130) to be easily bent in all directions relative to the body portion (110), as shown in FIG. 3.

[0076] For example, the connecting portion (150) can be formed to have a minimum cross-sectional area smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the body portion (110) and the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the end portion (130), as shown in FIG. 3.

[0077] Here, the cross-section of the body portion (110) means a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the body portion (110), the cross-section of the distal portion (130) means a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the distal portion (130), and the cross-section of the connecting portion (150) means a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the connecting portion (150). In addition, the minimum cross-sectional area means the smallest area among a plurality of cross-sectional areas formed along the longitudinal direction of the corresponding configuration.

[0078] For example, the connecting portion (150) can be formed to have a minimum cross-sectional area in the central region.

[0079] At this time, the rear end (131) of the distal end (130) and the front end (111) of the body (110) may have a structure in which the cross-sectional area decreases toward the connecting portion (150), as shown in FIG. 3.

[0080] At this time, the rear end (131) of the distal end (130) and the front end (111) of the body part (110) may have an inclined surface inclined toward the connecting part (150) as shown in FIG. 3.

[0081] In this case, the outer surfaces of the body portion (110), the end portion (130), and the connection portion (150) can be continuously connected without steps.

[0082] As another example, referring to FIG. 5, a step may be formed between the rear end of the distal end (130') and the front end of the connecting portion (150') and between the front end of the body portion (110') and the rear end of the connecting portion (150'). For reference, FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a variation of the connecting portion illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0083] At this time, the connecting portion (150') may have the same cross-sectional area overall in the extension direction as shown in FIG. 5.

[0084] In this case, the outer surfaces of the body portion (110'), the end portion (130'), and the connection portion (150') can be discontinuously connected by a step.

[0085] The above connecting portion (150, 150') can easily bend the distal portion (130, 130') relative to the body portion (110, 110') due to its structural characteristics.

[0086] In another embodiment of the present invention, the terminal portion (130") may be made of a material that is easily bent relative to the body portion (110"), as shown in FIG. 6. For reference, FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a connecting portion according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] At this time, the connecting portion (150") can be made of a flexible material that is larger than the body portion (110") and the end portion (130"). In this case, the connecting portion (150") can easily bend the end portion (130") relative to the body portion (110") due to the material characteristics.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 3, a connecting portion (150) according to one embodiment of the present invention can be formed between the distal portion (130) and the body portion (110) in various ways.

[0089] For example, the connecting portion (150) can be manufactured separately from the terminal portion (130) and the body portion (110), and then connected to the connecting portion (150) and the terminal portion (130), respectively.

[0090] At this time, the front and rear ends of the connecting portion (150) may be joined by melting the contact area with heat or by using an adhesive while in contact with the rear end of the terminal portion (130) and the front end of the body portion (110), respectively.

[0091] As another example, the connecting portion (150) may be formed by cutting a portion of an initial medical tube (not shown) in which the distal portion (130) and the body portion (110) are integrally manufactured. In this case, the initial medical tube may be manufactured by a known method such as injection molding.

[0092] As another example, the connecting portion (150) may be formed by compressing a portion of an initial medical tube in which the distal portion (130) and the body portion (110) are integrally manufactured.

[0093] In this case, the part compressed above a predetermined value may become a connecting part (150), and the part compressed below a predetermined value or not compressed at all may become a terminal part (130) and a body part (110).

[0094] As another example, as shown in Fig. 3, the distal end (130) may be formed so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the rear end (131) decreases as it goes rearward, and the body part (110) may be formed so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the front end (111) decreases as it goes forward. The distal end (130) and the body part (110) are manufactured separately.

[0095] At this time, the front end of the distal end (130) and the rear end of the body part (110) can be melted with heat and joined together or joined together with an adhesive. In this process, the connecting part (150) can be formed naturally.

[0096] FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating a medical tube inserted into a digestive tract according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, a medical tube (100-1) according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a body portion (110), a distal portion (130-1), and a connecting portion (150).

[0097] A medical tube (100-1) according to another embodiment of the present invention is different from the medical tube (100) according to the previous embodiment in that the distal end (130-1) has a fluid receiving space (130a).

[0098] In another embodiment of the present invention, a fluid receiving space (130a) may be formed on the inside of the distal end (130-1). At this time, the fluid receiving space (130a) may be formed in a shape surrounding a core (133) located at the center of the distal end (130-1).

[0099] The fluid receiving space (130a) may be formed in a form that completely surrounds the core (133) or in a form that partially surrounds it.

[0100] The fluid receiving space (130a) can accommodate air or water. If water is contained in the fluid receiving space (130a), the contained water may be saline water. This is much more hygienic than simply containing water in the fluid receiving space (130a).

[0101] The fluid contained in the fluid receiving space (130a) can play a role in cushioning impact when the distal end (130) comes into contact with the passage. In this case, the inner wall of the digestive tract in contact with the distal end (130-1) can be effectively prevented from being damaged by impact.

[0102] FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating a medical tube inserted into a digestive tract according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8, a medical tube (100-2) according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a body portion (110), a distal portion (130-2), and a connecting portion (150).

[0103] A medical tube (100-2) according to another embodiment of the present invention is different from the medical tube (100, 100-1) according to the previous embodiment in that a guide protrusion extending in a spiral shape is formed on the outer surface of the distal end (130-2).

[0104] In another embodiment of the present invention, a guide protrusion (135) extending spirally in the extension direction of the terminal portion (130-2) may be formed on the outer surface of the terminal portion (130-2).

[0105] When the distal end (130-2) reaches a section of the digestive tract where advancement is difficult during the insertion of the medical tube (100-2), the operator can rotate the distal end (130-2) by rotating the body (110).

[0106] In this case, the guide protrusion (135) formed on the outer surface of the distal end (130-2) can guide the advancement of the distal end (130) by coming into contact with the inner wall of the digestive tract, so that the medical tube (100-2) including the distal end (130-2) can easily pass through the digestive tract.

[0107] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented in this specification, and those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention will be able to easily propose other embodiments by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components within the scope of the same spirit, but this will also be considered to fall within the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A body part having a tube shape and inserted into the target digestive tract through the patient's oral cavity or nasal cavity: and A medical tube inserted into a digestive tract, comprising a terminal portion connected to the tip of the body portion so that the angle of connection with the tip of the body portion can be changed by an external force.

2. In paragraph 1, A medical tube inserted into the digestive tract, wherein the distal end is arranged in a line with the body when there is no external force.

3. In paragraph 1, A medical tube inserted into a digestive tract, wherein the distal end is formed so that the angle of connection with the body is greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees when the external force is applied.

4. In paragraph 1, A connection is formed between the body and the terminal portion, A medical tube inserted into the digestive tract, wherein the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the above connecting portion is smaller than the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the above body portion and the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the above distal portion.

5. In paragraph 1, A medical tube inserted into a digestive tract, wherein the connecting portion is formed of a material having greater flexibility than the body portion and the distal portion.

6. In paragraph 1, A fluid receiving space is formed on the inner side of the above terminal portion, A medical tube inserted into the digestive tract, wherein the fluid receiving space is filled with liquid or gas.

7. In paragraph 1, A medical tube inserted into the digestive tract, wherein a guide protrusion extending spirally in the extension direction of the distal end is formed on the outer surface of the distal end.

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