Endoscopic treatment device, endoscopic treatment system, and endoscopic treatment method

Abstract

A treatment device includes a pipeline having electrical insulation, the pipeline having an internal space through which inert gas passes; a distal-end tip attached to a distal end of the pipeline, the distal-end tip having an opening formed to communicate with the internal space such that the inert gas is disposable from the opening; and an electrode provided in the distal-end tip and configured to be energizable with a high-frequency current. The pipeline includes a proximal-end bending portion with a bending habit, and a distal-end flexible portion without a bending habit that is disposed distal to the proximal-end bending portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An endoscopic treatment device comprising:
 a pipeline having electrical insulation, the pipeline having an internal space through which inert gas can be passed;   a distal-end tip attached to a distal end of the pipeline, the distal-end tip having an opening formed to communicate with the internal space such that the inert gas is disposable from the opening; and   an electrode provided in the distal-end tip and configured to be energizable with a high-frequency current;   wherein the pipeline includes:
 a proximal-end bending portion with a bending habit, and 
 a distal-end flexible portion without a bending habit that is disposed distal to the proximal-end bending portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The endoscopic treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the proximal-end bending portion is bent along a virtual plane, and   the opening is positioned on the virtual plane.   
     
     
         3 . The endoscopic treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pipeline further includes a distal-end bending portion with a bending habit that is disposed distal to the distal-end flexible portion so that the distal-end flexible portion is disposed between the proximal-end bending portion and the distal-end bending portion. 
     
     
         4 . The endoscopic treatment device according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the proximal-end bending portion is bent along a virtual plane, and   the distal-end bending portion is bent in a direction intersecting with the virtual plane.   
     
     
         5 . The endoscopic treatment device according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the proximal-end bending portion and the distal-end bending portion are bent along a virtual plane, and   the opening is positioned on the virtual plane.   
     
     
         6 . The endoscopic treatment device according to  claim 3 , wherein a length of the proximal-end bending portion in an axial direction of the proximal-end bending portion is larger than a length of the distal-end flexible portion in an axial direction of the distal-end flexible portion. 
     
     
         7 . The endoscopic treatment device according to  claim 1 , wherein a length of the proximal-end bending portion in an axial direction of the proximal-end bending portion is larger than a length of the distal-end bending portion in the axial direction. 
     
     
         8 . The endoscopic treatment device according to  claim 3 , wherein a curvature of the distal-end bending portion is larger than a curvature of the proximal-end bending portion. 
     
     
         9 . The endoscopic treatment device according to  claim 3 , wherein a curvature radius of the distal-end bending portion is equal to or less than a length of the distal-end flexible portion in an axial direction of the distal-end flexible portion. 
     
     
         10 . An endoscopic treatment method using an endoscope in combination with a treatment device, the treatment device comprising:
 a pipeline having electrical insulation, the pipeline having an internal space through which inert gas can be passed;   a distal-end tip attached to a distal end of the pipeline, the distal-end tip having an opening formed to communicate with the internal space such that the inert gas is disposable from the opening; and   an electrode provided in the distal-end tip and configured to be energizable with a high-frequency current,   the endoscopic treatment method comprising:   inserting the treatment device through a channel of the endoscope;   protruding a distal-end portion of the pipeline from a distal end of the channel and moving an opening of the distal-end tip from a protruding direction of the distal-end portion of the pipeline toward a direction different from the protruding direction; and   in a state in which the opening of the distal-end tip is directed to the direction different from the protruding direction of the distal-end portion of the pipeline, injecting the inert gas into the internal space of the distal-end tip while energizing the electrode with the high-frequency current to cauterize a luminal wall of a hollow organ.   
     
     
         11 . The endoscopic treatment method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the hollow organ is the upper gastrointestinal tract,   the endoscopic treatment method further comprises:
 inserting the endoscope into the stomach; 
 approaching the luminal wall in the vicinity of the cardia by bending a bending portion of the endoscope in the stomach; and 
 directing the opening of the distal-end tip in a direction different from the protruding direction of the distal-end tip in a state in which the treatment device approaches the luminal wall in the vicinity of the cardia, and 
   cauterizing the luminal wall of the hollow organ includes cauterizing the luminal wall in the vicinity of the cardia.   
     
     
         12 . The endoscopic treatment method according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the pipeline includes a proximal-end bending portion with a bending habit configured to restore the proximal-end bending portion to a predetermined bending shape,   when the proximal-end bending portion passes through the channel that is bent by the bending portion, the proximal-end bending portion passively rotates around a central axis of the pipeline until the bending shape of the proximal-end bending portion follows a bending shape of the channel, and   when the proximal-end bending portion passively rotates around the central axis of the pipeline, the opening of the distal-end tip moves with respect to a distal-end portion of the endoscope.