JPH0482539A - Keratin layer remover/detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve a surety of measurement of a blood sugar value with a detection and measurement of the propriety of the removal of a keratin layer by arranging a pair of electrodes in a suction cell for extraction of body liquors to display the results of the measurement of a resistance value between both the electrodes with the pair of the electrodes contacting a human body. CONSTITUTION:A suction cell 1 for extraction of body liquors is placed at a position of a part to be tested of skin which will be subjected to a keratin removing treatment to measure an electric resistance value on the skin before the removal of a keratin layer by a measuring means 3. The results are stored into an RAM 10. Thereafter, the keratin layer is removed and the resistance value is measured with the suction cell 1 for extraction of body liquors on the part to be tested again. The measured value is compared with an initial value stored, for example, to compute a logarithmic difference between the initial value and the measured value and with a drive circuit 7, a degree of removing the keratin layer, for example, the propriety of the removal is shown outside according to a change in the resistance value by the number of emissions of a plurality of LEDs by a display means 8. Then, the removal of the keratin layer is conducted again or the detection of the removal of the keratin layer ends to measure a blood sugar value with the suction cell 1 for extraction of body liquors. This enables measurement of the degree of the removal of the keratin layer accurately without depending on a sense-visual inspection of a measuring person or the like.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to the removal of the stratum corneum, which is performed prior to setting a suction cell for body fluid extraction in a human body in a medical device, such as a blood glucose level measuring device. It relates to a stratum corneum removal detection device that detects the condition.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a stratum corneum removal detection device, in which at least a pair of electrodes is disposed in a body fluid extraction suction cell, and a measuring means for measuring a resistance value between both electrodes while the pair of electrodes is in contact with a human body. By providing a display means for displaying the measurement results, the degree of removal of the stratum corneum can be easily detected based on the change in the resistance value between both electrodes, thereby improving workability.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, blood sugar levels have been measured by collecting blood directly from the human body and testing it.

As a simple blood glucose meter, for example, a method is used in which a person's fingertip is pricked with a needle, a small amount of blood adhering to the needle tip is transferred to a test paper, and the blood sugar level is measured from the blood adhering to the test paper. It is taken.

This simple blood glucose meter can measure subtle changes in blood sugar levels compared to urine sugar tests, and is used daily by patients who require insulin injections.
Collecting blood by inserting a needle in this manner is a so-called invasive procedure that causes pain to the subject. In addition, when the test is performed regularly after every meal or every 30 minutes, there is a problem in that the skin of the test site, for example, the fingertips, becomes hardened or rough, causing considerable pain to the test subject.

In contrast, a method has been proposed in which the blood wM value is measured by collecting body fluid and measuring the glucose value without collecting blood. Since the glucose value of this body fluid has a correspondence relationship with the blood sugar level of blood, it becomes possible to easily measure the blood sugar level by collecting a small amount of body fluid.

When using this method, for example, a part of the stratum corneum of the subject's skin is removed to expose the dermis, and when a funnel-shaped suction cell is placed against the dermis and suction is performed, body fluids ooze out.
The blood sugar level is measured by collecting this body fluid and measuring the glucose level of the enzyme contained therein.

The degree of removal of the stratum corneum has conventionally been judged and determined by the senses of the person performing the measurement visually. For this reason, if the stratum corneum is not sufficiently removed, it is difficult to obtain body fluid, and extraction of body fluid may require a long time or a large suction force, which may cause pain to the subject. In addition, if the dermis is also removed when removing the stratum corneum, the stromal layer will be damaged during suction with the suction cell, damaging capillaries and allowing blood to mix with body fluids, causing poor measurements. There was also the problem that it caused pain to the test subjects.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention detects and measures whether the stratum corneum has been removed to ensure reliable measurement of blood sugar levels and the like.

[Means to solve the problem]

The stratum corneum removal detection device according to the present invention is shown in the block diagram of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention provides a stratum corneum removal detection device (
20), the suction cell for body fluid extraction (]) has a small amount (
A measuring means (3) for measuring the resistance value between the picture electrodes (2) with the pair electrodes (2) arranged and the pair electrodes (2) in contact with the human body, and displaying the measurement results. It is equipped with a display means (8) for displaying.

[Function] The above-mentioned stratum corneum removal detection device (2o) according to the present invention has the following features:
The electrode (2) of the body fluid extraction suction cell (1) is brought into contact with the human body, and the resistance value of the test subject's skin is measured by the resistance value between the electrodes (2) using the measuring means (3).

In other words, in general, the electrical resistance value of the skin is about 1 to 5 MΩ on the stratum corneum, and on the dermis surface after the stratum corneum is removed, this resistance value is about 1/100 or less, so it is After the removal operation, if the resistance value is measured using the device (20) of the present invention, it can be determined whether the stratum corneum has been removed or not based on the change in resistance value.

In addition, if the dermal surface is damaged, the resistance value decreases significantly, so it is possible to judge whether excessive removal of the stratum corneum has occurred.
It is possible to reliably measure blood sugar levels, etc.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the stratum corneum removal detection device (2o) according to the present invention will be explained as follows.
This will be explained in detail with reference to the block diagram shown in the figure.

In Fig. 1, (+) is a cross-sectional view of a suction cell for body fluid extraction, which is shaped like a flat funnel, with a tube (11) connected to one narrow opening, and an end face of the other wide opening. is the skin contact surface (IA). And this contact surface (
For example, a pair of electrodes (2) are connected to the body fluid extraction suction cell (1
) is placed within. The resistance value between the electrodes (2) is measured by the measuring means (3). In this measuring means (3), for example, the resistance value between the electrodes (2) is detected by a bridge circuit (4) containing a DC power supply, and this electrical output is sent to an analog/digital converter (hereinafter referred to as A/D converter). )(
5) is A/D converted and sent to the central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as C).
(denoted as PU) (6) is manually operated.

The CPU (6) has a ROM (read only memory) (9) that stores programs for performing measurement operations, which will be described later.
) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) (10) that temporarily stores measured values.
The output from (6) is digitally displayed on the display means (8) by the drive circuit (7).

The stratum corneum removal detection device (20
) will be explained in detail with reference to the flowchart in the key of FIG.

For example, in Fig. 2
As shown in , place the body fluid extraction suction cell (1),
First, before removing the stratum corneum, the electrical resistance value on the skin is measured using a means (
3). The electrical resistance value on the skin changes depending on the placement condition, that is, the degree of pressure on the skin.
In this case, the sample is simply placed and measured without suction.

As shown in Figure 2B, this measured value is set as the initial value RA
Store in M (10).

Thereafter, as shown in Figure 2C, the stratum corneum of the test area is removed, and as shown in the second diagram, the suction cell (1) for body fluid extraction is placed on the test part again. Measure the resistance value.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, this measured value is compared with the initial value stored in FIG. ), the display means (8) displays externally the degree of stratum corneum removal, for example, whether it is good or bad, based on a change in resistance value, for example, by the number of light emitted from a plurality of LEDs (light emitting devices) provided thereon.

Based on this display, as shown in FIG. 2F, the stratum corneum is removed again, or the stratum corneum removal detection is ended, and the blood sugar level is measured using the body fluid extraction suction cell (1).

In this way, the degree of removal of the stratum corneum can be reliably measured without relying on the senses of the measurer, such as visual inspection.

In the example described above, a suction cell for body fluid extraction (1)
Although we have described the case where the body fluid extraction suction cell (1) is placed on the test subject, the resistance value may also be measured by fixing the body fluid extraction suction cell (1) in a state where it is pressed onto the skin with a normal pressure. .

In addition, in the above example, the electrical resistance value on the stratum corneum is first measured and used as the initial value, and this is compared with the electrical resistance value after the removal of the stratum corneum to check the degree of removal of the stratum corneum. This is because there are individual differences in the electrical resistance value on the skin, and by making a relative comparison in this way, a more accurate judgment on the removal of the stratum corneum can be made. In this case, various other program configurations may be adopted, such as measuring the initial value only the first time, and thereafter performing measurements only after removing the stratum corneum.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As mentioned above, the stratum corneum removal detection device (2) according to the present invention
According to 0), at least a pair of electrodes (2) are arranged in 1) in a suction cell for body fluid extraction, and when the pair of electrodes (2) is in contact with the human body, the resistance between the image electrodes (2) is A measuring means (3) for measuring the value, and a display means (3) for displaying the measurement results.
By comprising 8), the resistance value of the subject's skin can be measured, and removal of the stratum corneum can be determined based on the measurement of this resistance value, thereby ensuring reliable measurement of blood sugar levels, etc. I can do it.

Further, when the dermal surface is damaged, the resistance value is significantly reduced, so excessive removal of the stratum corneum can be reliably determined.

As described above, according to the device of the present invention, removal of the stratum corneum can be detected, so it is possible to avoid aspirating blood due to damage to the stratum corneum during body fluid extraction, and to reduce the pain of the subject. It is useful for frequently measuring blood sugar levels, etc.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a stratum corneum removal detection device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the measurement mode of the stratum corneum removal detection device according to the present invention. (1) is a suction cell for body fluid extraction, (IA) is a contact surface, (2
) is the electrode, (2A) is the end surface, (3) is the measuring means, (4)
is a bridge circuit, (5) is an A/D converter, (6) is a CP
U, (7) C drive circuit, (8) display means, (9)
is ROM, (10) is RAM, (11) is tube, (
20) is a stratum corneum removal detection device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A measuring means for measuring a resistance value between both electrodes in a state in which at least a pair of electrodes are disposed in a body fluid extraction suction cell, and the pair of electrodes are in contact with a human body; and a measurement result thereof. A stratum corneum removal detection device comprising: display means for displaying.