Abstract: A side-mountable overtube for use with an endoscope including a sleeve formed with a slit, extending entirely along its length, and with a balloon inflation/deflation lumen communicating with a balloon opening at a balloon opening location intermediate along its length, and a selectably inflatable/deflatable balloon mounted onto the sleeve in a manner such that it does not extend entirely across the slit and thereby is side mountable along with the sleeve onto an endoscope, an interior of the balloon communicating with said balloon opening at the balloon opening location for selectable inflation/deflation of the balloon.

Abstract: An expander for mounting a resilient outer tubular article over an elongate article including a chassis element having associated therewith at least one outwardly movable element which is selectably engageable with at least a portion of the resilient outer tubular article, a driver which is movable with respect to the chassis element and is operative to selectably engage the at least one outwardly movable element, when the outwardly movable element is in engagement with the at least a portion of the resilient outer tubular article, for producing corresponding outward motion and outward expansion thereof and an engagement element, associated with the driver, for insertion into the at least a portion of the resilient outer tubular article upon expansion thereof by operation of the driver, the engagement element being configured to accommodate at least a portion of the elongate article.

Abstract: A catheter including a tube having at least one lumen, at least one elongate element, the at least one elongate element having a bendable portion at a predetermined bendable portion location therealong forward of a distal end of the tube and at least one selectably inflatable balloon communicating with at least one of the at least one lumen, the at least one selectably inflatable balloon having a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end of the balloon being located rearwardly of the predetermined bendable portion location.

Abstract: An enhanced flexibility auxiliary endoscope assembly for use with an endoscope, the assembly including at least one flexible elongate element and a flexible sleeve having a first lumen for accommodating a distal portion of an endoscope capable of assuming at least a first curvature and a second lumen for accommodating the at least one flexible elongate element, the second lumen being configured to allow the at least one flexible elongate element to assume the at least first curvature as well as at least a second curvature about the first curvature, thereby to enhance flexibility of the auxiliary endoscope assembly.