Abstract: An access port for use in single port surgery includes a cannula to provide minimally invasive access to a surgical site and an instrument guide that fits closely within the cannula. The instrument guide includes guide channels that are open to the outside surface of the instrument guide. Each of the guide channels is configured to support a single surgical instrument at a defined position within the cannula. The guide channels may be smoothly enlarged at the end that receives surgical instruments. The access port may further include a seal that couples the instrument guide to the cannula such that the seal retains a pressurized insufflation fluid within the surgical site. The instrument guide may include one or more insufflation channels for introducing an insufflation fluid to the surgical site. The access port may include a flexible section. The surgical instruments may be controlled robotically by servo actuators.

Abstract: There is provided herein a tip section of a multi-camera endoscope, the tip section comprising a front-pointing camera and a discrete front illuminator associated therewith two or more side-pointing cameras positioned at or in proximity to a distal end of said tip section, wherein each of said two or more side-pointing cameras having a discrete side illuminator associated therewith, and a working channel configured for insertion of a surgical tool.

Abstract: A rigid endoscope includes a first insertion section extending along longitudinal directions, a first needle defining an outer edge of a first opening, and a first functional section provided in a vicinity of the first opening of a first lumen, and configured to perform some part of functions. The rigid endoscope includes a second insertion section extending along the longitudinal directions, and located apart from the first insertion section in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal directions, a second needle defining an outer edge of a second opening, and a second functional section provided in a vicinity of the second opening of a second lumen, and configured to perform some part of the functions different from the functions performed by the first functional section.

Abstract: A visualization instrument comprising a display support component removably coupled to a component insertable into a target space. The insertable component includes a camera providing images of the target space. The images are presented in a display device supported by the display support component. The insertable component may be discarded after a permitted number of uses.

Abstract: A bending tube for an endoscope, which is provided inside a bending portion of an insertion portion of an endoscope and includes a plurality of bending pieces covered by a flexible tube body, the bending tube including a distalmost end bending piece connected to a distal end portion of an insertion portion, a proximalmost end bending piece connected to a flexible tube portion of the insertion portion, and a net-like tube covering an outer periphery of the plurality of bending pieces except the distalmost end bending piece and the proximalmost end bending piece and including a distal end part fixed to a first bending piece joined to the distalmost end bending piece and a proximal end part fixed to a second bending piece joined to the proximalmost end bending piece.

Abstract: A tubular guide suitable for use as an operating channel for the passage of surgical instruments in an inch-worm-type locomoted endoscopic instrument is described. The guide is fixed to the ends of the central body of the endoscopic instrument and has an elastic and corrugated intermediate portion so as to follow the elongations and the contractions of the central body of the endoscopic instrument without creating an obstacle to the passage of instruments.

Abstract: An endoscopic instrument, in particular an endoscope, with a jointed portion of a shaft for connecting a distal part of the shaft with a proximal part of the shaft in a way to be angulated. For this purpose, the distal shaft part is connected with the proximal shaft part by two rigid jointed bars of different lengths, wherein each of the rigid jointed bars attaches with a joint on the distal shaft part and a joint on the proximal shaft part.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an endoscope scope insertion portion having an insertion portion configured to be inserted inside a living organism; an extracorporeal device which is disposed outside the living organism; a first scope-side signal connecting portion that is provided on the endoscope scope insertion portion and has a first electrode; and a cylindrical first extracorporeal-side signal connecting portion that is provided on the extracorporeal device and has a second electrode, the first extracorporeal-side signal connecting portion configured to engage with the first scope-side signal connecting portion.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope includes: an in vivo information acquiring section that acquires information on an inside of a body of a subject; a battery that supplies power; a power source switch that turns on/off power supply from the battery to the in vivo information acquiring section; a detection section that includes at least two electrodes disposed on an outer face of a casing, and, upon detection of introduction to the inside of the body of the subject based on a change in electric resistance between the electrodes, outputs a detection signal; and a control section that controls the power source switch according to the detection signal.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope includes, inside a capsule casing, an information acquiring section that acquires information on an inside of a body of a subject, a battery that supplies power, a detection section that, upon detection of introduction to the inside of the body of the subject, outputs a detection signal, a signal receiving section that receives a control signal from an outside and outputs an internal signal, and a control section that controls power supply from the battery to the information acquiring section according to the internal signal and the detection signal.

Abstract: A distal-end rigid section of an insertion section of an endoscope, includes: a first base of a metallic material, which constitutes a distal-end portion of the insertion section of the endoscope; a second base of a resin material, which is formed on an axially proximal-end side of the first base; a cylindrical portion protruding from the second base toward an axially distal-end side of the first base and including a non-circular hole portion in which an illumination light source having a non-circular outer shape, generating light and emitting illumination light is disposed; and a through-hole formed by opening a part along an outer peripheral surface of the first base, the cylindrical portion being disposed in the through-hole such that the illumination light is emitted to the axially distal-end side of the first base.

Abstract: A tip of an endoscopic insertion section includes a tip body having a forceps hole, and a cap covering the distal face of the tip body and having an opening corresponding to the forceps hole. Protrusions are provided between the distal face of the tip body and the opposite face of the cap that is opposite to the distal face, so that a specified space is formed between the distal face and the opposite face with the protrusions. In the space, at least a region around the forceps hole is filled with an adhesive so as to adhere the tip body and the tip cap together with no voids in the adhesive surrounding the forceps hole and thereby prevent disadvantages due to the entrance of a body fluid or a chemical cleaning solution through such voids.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a surgical device. The surgical device includes a jaw assembly and a camera assembly coupled to the jaw assembly. The camera assembly includes a camera housing defining an interior space having at least one opening on a side thereof, first and second support arms pivotally coupled within the camera housing and deployable therefrom, and a camera body coupled to the first and second support arms and moveable between a first position, in which the camera body is positioned within the interior space of the camera housing, and a second position, in which the camera body extends from the at least one opening of the camera assembly.

Abstract: An endoscope with adjustable viewing angle, in which the viewing angle can pivot around a pivot axis, includes a fixed reflecting surface for reflecting illuminating light from a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope to a direction parallel to the pivot axis of the viewing angle and a pivotable reflecting surface for reflecting illuminating light from a direction parallel to the pivot axis of the viewing angle to the viewing angle for illuminating an object observed by the endoscope, such that at least either the fixed reflecting surface or the pivotable reflecting surface is curved.

Abstract: First illumination light of a first wavelength range, in which light absorption coefficient of blood hemoglobin varies with oxygen saturation thereof, is projected into a test subject body, to capture a first image signal from the first illumination light as reflected from inside the test subject body. Then second illumination light of a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range is projected into a test subject body, to capture a second image signal from the second illumination light as reflected from inside the test subject body. A subject image of the test subject is produced from the second image signal. Oxygen saturation levels of the test subject are calculated using the first and second image signals. According to the calculated oxygen saturation levels, color properties of the subject image are changed to produce an oxygen saturation image.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for space-optimized visualization catheters are provided. Some embodiments utilize complimentary metal-oxide-semi-conductor (“CMOS”) technology integrated into a CMOS camera train holder system that may be a stand-alone component for use with a visualization catheter, such as a baby endoscope, or may be fabricated/extruded as a part of the catheter itself. Some embodiments of apparatuses, methods, and equivalents thereto provide better direct visual feedback to the medical personnel performing the procedure while providing a similarly-sized outer diameter visualization catheter device having an increased space therein for additional lumens and equipment or by reducing the overall outer diameter of the visualization catheter.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus includes a first drive control section controlling a drive state of a drive member in such a manner that a rotary unit rotates toward a first periaxial direction with a first rotation amount during a reference time. The insertion apparatus includes a second drive control section controlling the drive state of the drive member in such a manner that the rotary unit rotates toward a second periaxial direction with a second rotation amount smaller than the first rotation amount during the reference time.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for facilitating insertion of an endotracheal tube and/or for verifying the position of the endotracheal tube within an airway of a patient with respect to an anatomical landmark of a patient are disclosed. Systems, methods, and devices for facilitating removal of debris from the distal airways of a patient under direct visualization are also disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-camera endoscope which includes an elongated shaft terminating with a tip section turnable by way of a bending section, wherein the tip section includes: a front-pointing camera and a discrete front illuminator associated therewith; a front fluid injector configured for cleaning at least one of said front-pointing camera and said discrete front illuminator; a side-pointing camera and a discrete side illuminator associated therewith; a side fluid injector configured for cleaning at least one of said side-pointing camera and said discrete side illuminator; a working channel configured for insertion of a surgical tool; and a pathway fluid injector for inflating and/or cleaning a body cavity into which the endoscope is inserted.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a first flat surface formed at a distal end portion of an insertion part to be inserted into a subject, and orthogonal to an axial direction of the insertion part an observation window provided at the distal end portion for allowing image light of the subject to be taken therethrough, with the surface of the observation window as a light incidence plane, an illumination window provided at the distal end portion to irradiate a subject with illumination light, a fluid jetting nozzle arranged at the first flat surface to jet a fluid toward the observation window, and an inclined surface formed around the observation window and arranged at a position that faces the fluid jetting nozzle, wherein the distal end portion is formed with a second flat surface arranged on the distal end side of the first flat surface and parallel to the first flat surface.