Stopper mechanism for endoscopically inserting ultrasound probe

摘要

A stopper mechanism for an endoscopically insertable ultrasound probe which is designed to be introduced into a body cavity through a biopsy channel provided internally of an insertion instrument of an endoscope and which is of the type having a bulky ultrasound scanner head at the distal end of an elongated thin flexible cord and being placed in the endoscopic biopsy channel except the bulky scanner head when in use. A stopper protuberance is projected radially outward from a connecting neck portion of the ultrasound probe immediately on the proximal side of the scanner head where the flexible cord of the ultrasound probe is connected to a connecting member axially extended from the ultrasound scanner head. The stopper protuberance is abutted against marginal edges of a front opening of the endoscopic biopsy channel at a distal end of the endoscopic insertion instrument prior to the scanner head when the flexible cord is pulled thereinto, thereby keeping the scanner head from loads which would be imposed thereon upon direct abutment against a distal end portion of the endoscopic insertion instrument. The stopper protuberance can be realized in various forms, including an annular protuberance formed on the circumference of an outer tube of the flexible cord or of the connecting member in the connecting neck portion, and a wedge ring fitted on a fore end portion of the outer tube.