Abstract: An endoscope deflection section frame including a plurality of rings and rivets. Each ring has front ears and rear ears with rivet holes through the ears. The rivets are located in the rivet holes to thereby pivotably connect the rings to one another. Each rivet includes a head at an interior side of an inner one of the ears and an opposite end at an exterior side of an outer one of the ears. The opposite end is welded to the outer ear.

Abstract: An endoscope deflection section frame including a plurality of rings and leaf springs connecting the rings to one another. Each ring includes front and rear ends with slots, wherein the slots extend into front and rear sides of the rings entirely through a wall of the ring between an interior of the wall at a central channel of the ring and an opposite exterior of the wall. The leaf springs each have opposite ends located in the slots of respective adjacent ones of the rings.

Abstract: An endoscope including a shaft having a deflectable distal end; a handle at a proximal end of the shaft; and a deflection control connected to the distal end. The deflection control includes a combined lock and deflection control member at the handle. The control member is adapted to be moved to a selected location by a single finger of a user and thereby deflect the distal end. The control member is adapted to be locked at the user selected location by movement of the control member to a locked position by the single finger of the user.

Abstract: A flexible ureteropyeloscope having a control section and a shaft extending from the control section. The shaft has a front end with a first active deflection section connected in series with a second active deflection section. The control section is adapted to independently deflect the first and second defection sections. The first and second active deflection sections are adapted to deflect such that a distal end of the ureteropyeloscope can be placed in a calyx of a lower pole of a kidney without the need to passively deflect the front end of the shaft against kidney tissue of a patient to reach the calyx of the lower pole.

Abstract: An endoscope comprising a control section and a shaft extending from the control section. The shaft has a frame with a one-piece tube along a majority of a length of the shaft. The tube comprises a superelastic alloy and slots into the tube along at least one-section of the tube. Superelastic properties of the superelastic alloy allow the tube to bend proximate the slots without substantial permanent deformation of the tube. The superelastic alloy provides the shaft with adequate stiffness and torque resistance to be inserted into a patient's body.

Abstract: A flexible ureteropyeloscope having a control section and a shaft extending from the control section. The shaft has a front end with a first active deflection section connected in series with a second active deflection section. The control section is adapted to independently deflect the first and second defection sections. The first and second active deflection sections are adapted to deflect such that a distal end of the ureteropyeloscope can be placed in a calyx of a lower pole of a kidney without the need to passively deflect the front end of the shaft against kidney tissue of a patient to reach the calyx of the lower pole.

Abstract: An endoscope having a control section and a shaft extending from the control section. The shaft comprises an outer cover; a tubular braid member located, at least partially, inside the outer cover; and a support frame located, at least partially, inside the tubular braid member. The support frame comprises a shape memory member which is spiral shaped. The shape memory member is comprised of a superelastic shape memory alloy. A first length of the support frame comprises the shape memory member having a first width and/or thickness a second length of the tubular shape comprises the shape memory member having a different second width and/or thickness such that the support frame has different respective stiffnesses along the first and second lengths.

Abstract: A medical instrument comprising a Veress needle, a dilating obturator, and a cannula. The Veress needle has a tubular safety obturator with an opening in its front section at a needle tip of the Veress needle. A guide with a guide slot can be positioned in a patient's vagina against the posterior fornix of the vagina to guide the Veress needle through the vaginal and peritoneal walls. A guide wire may be passed through the Veress needle and through the hole in the peritoneum wall formed by the Veress needle to guide the dilating obturator through the hole.

Abstract: A medical instrument having a shaft with a bending neck, an ultrasound device at a distal end of the bending neck, a working channel extending through the shaft with a tubular working channel made from superelastic material extending to an opening proximate the ultrasound device, and a biopsy needle located in the working channel. The needle is comprised of superelastic material and is extendible and retractable out the working channel opening in an imaging path of the ultrasound device.

Abstract: A medical instrument comprising a Veress needle, a dilating obturator, and a cannula. The Veress needle has a tubular safety obturator with an opening in its front section at a needle tip of the Veress needle. A guide with a guide slot can be positioned in a patient's vagina against the posterior fornix of the vagina to guide the Veress needle through the vaginal and peritoneal walls. A guide wire may be passed through the Veress needle and through the hole in the peritoneum wall formed by the Veress needle to guide the dilating obturator through the hole.

Abstract: An endoscope comprising a handle and a flexible shaft connected to the handle. The flexible shaft has an active deflection section and a passive deflection section with a control wire support member therein. The endoscope also has a control wire connected to the active deflection section. A portion of the control wire is housed in the control wire support member. The control wire support member is made from a superelastic alloy material and is resiliently deflectable bending with the passive deflection section without permanent deformation or substantial fatigue over a working life of the endoscope.

Abstract: An endoscope having a shaft with a semi-rigid tube and a malleable tube. The malleable tube is connected to and extends from a distal end of the semi-rigid tube. The connection of the two tubes includes dimples stamped into the semi-rigid tube that inwardly project into holes in the malleable tube.

Abstract: I An endoscope having a deflection control and a shaft connected to the deflection control. The shaft has a deflectable section operably connected to the deflection control by drive cables. The deflectable section comprises rigid rings and flexible connection members connecting the rings to each other. The connection members are comprised of a superelastic shape memory alloy. The connection members retain the deflectable section in a predetermined shape. The connection members can be resiliently bent to bend the deflectable section without permanent deformation of the connection member over a working life of the endoscope.

Abstract: An endoscope having a shaft with a deflectable section. The deflectable section has a plurality of rings movably connected in series to each other. The rings are connected to each other by first and second interlocking sections. The first interlocking sections have eyelet shaped sections. The second interlocking sections have tabs with sections larger than the windows in the eyelet shaped sections.

Abstract: A ratchet control mechanism for an endoscope having a generally elongated flexible shaft extending between a proximal control head and a distal objective assembly is shown. The ratchet control mechanism comprises an inner shaft having a first driving end and a second end which is operatively connected to a first spur gear and an outer shaft having an opening extending therethrough which encloses the inner shaft. The outer shaft has a second driving end and a second end which is operatively connected to a second spur gear. The outer shaft rotatably supports the inner shaft, the first spur gear on the second end of the inner shaft being in a spaced opposed relationship from the second spur gear on the second end of said outer shaft. The ratchet control mechanism further includes a ratchet mechanism having a rotatable ratchet member having an outer cam surface and positioned substantially perpendicular to and spaced from the first spur gear and the second spur gear.

Abstract: A cable compensating mechanism for an endoscope is shown. The endoscope has a generally elongated flexible shaft extending between a control head at a proximal end thereof and an objective assembly at the distal end thereof. The cable compensating mechanism includes an operative cable and sheath assembly which is operatively connected to the objective assembly and to the control head for deflecting the objective assembly in a selected direction.A control mechanism is operatively connected to the operating cable and sheath assembly and is adapted to control the magnitude of tensile force developed in the operating cable in the event that deflection of the objective assembly is restrained. The control mechanism has a guide block and carriage member moveable therein. The moveable carriage member moves the operating cable and sheath assembly within the sheath.

Abstract: A flexible ureteropyeloscope having a control section and a shaft extending from the control section. The shaft has a front end with a first active deflection section connected in series with a second active deflection section. The control section is adapted to independently deflect the first and second defection sections. The first and second active deflection sections are adapted to deflect such that a distal end of the ureteropyeloscope can be placed in a calyx of a lower pole of a kidney without the need to passively deflect the front end of the shaft against kidney tissue of a patient to reach the calyx of the lower pole.