Patent ID: 8491466

Claim:
An intraductal insertion device comprising a thrust generating section installed at an insertion portion, wherein: the thrust generating section includes a flexible shaft having one end portion and an other end portion, the flexible shaft being wound around an outer circumferential face of the insertion portion and adapted to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around a shaft axis; and a driving section adapted to impart a rotational force to rotate the flexible shaft around the shaft axis; wherein the one end portion of the flexible shaft is placed in the insertion portion rotatably around the shaft so as to be prevented from falling off, and the other end portion of the flexible shaft wound around the insertion portion extends in a proximal direction of the insertion portion and is connected to the driving section; the insertion portion has a first hole and a second hole on a same circumference of an outer circumferential face, where the first hole communicates between the insertion portion and the outside and a distal end side of the flexible shaft is turnably placed in the second hole; and the thrust generating section is configured by placing, in the second hole, the flexible shaft led out of a through-hole in the insertion portion via the first hole and thereby winding the flexible shaft at least half a turn or more around the outer circumferential face of the insertion portion.