Abstract: An endoscope processor includes a processor that can be connected to an endoscope including a moving mechanism of a focusing lens included in an objective optical system and an image pickup apparatus. The processor is configured to determine whether or not a transition has been made from a screening state to a proximity state based on positional information of the focusing lens and an image in a proximity determination mode when a variation in an image height in an effective image range with control of the moving mechanism is 1% or less, and when it is determined that a transition has been made to the proximity state, the processor is configured to end the proximity determination mode and control the moving mechanism in an autofocus mode.

Abstract: The ultrasonic transducer has a cylindrical shape having a first end surface and a second end surface, and includes a piezoelectric material that generates ultrasonic vibration for treating biological tissue with ultrasonic energy, a first electrode that is disposed in contact with the first end surface and to which an ultrasonic driving voltage is applied for generating ultrasonic vibration to the piezoelectric material, a second electrode that is disposed in contact with the second end surface and to which a reference voltage is applied for generating ultrasonic vibration to the piezoelectric material, an insulating plate that opposes the second end surface with the second electrode interposed therebetween, a third electrode that opposes the second electrode with the insulating plate and to which high-frequency power for treating biological tissue is supplied with high-frequency energy, and a short-circuit prevention unit that prevents short-circuiting between the first and third electrodes.

Abstract: Treatment tool includes a fixed handle, a shaft extending distally from the fixed handle, a treatment portion projecting distally from the shaft and configured to treat biological tissue, a jaw pivotably rotatably with respect to the shaft and, with the treatment portion, configured to grasp the biological tissue therebetween, a movable handle extending proximally from the jaw and causing the jaw to open and close relative to the treatment portion by proximally approaching or separating from the fixed handle, and a first adjusting member provided on the movable handle and having an extension protruding toward the fixed handle and, when the movable handle is brought into close proximity to the fixed handle, abutting the fixed handle. Changing the amount (length) by which the extension of the first adjusting member protrudes from the movable handle, adjusts an amount of the stroke of the movable range of the movable handle.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an endoscope including an insertion portion including a bending portion, a grasping portion arranged at a proximal end portion of the insertion portion, and an electric actuator configured to bend the bending portion, and an operation unit including an operation member configured to operate the electric actuator and a transmission member configured to wirelessly transmit operation information of the operation member to the electric actuator.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion including a bending portion, an operation portion including an operation lever, a grasping portion including an actuator, and a tube body, in a continuous manner. When the operation lever is tilted, the actuator pulls a wire, whereby the bending portion is bent in a vertical direction and a lateral direction. The actuator is arranged such that a center of gravity of a portion including the insertion portion, the operation portion, the grasping portion, and the tube body is within a range in which at least one of the fourth finger or the fifth finger of the hand grasping the grasping portion is positioned, in a longitudinal direction of the grasping portion.

Abstract: Treatment instrument includes a housing having a fixed handle to be grasped by a user, an end effector for grasping biological tissue by opening and closing, a movable handle which is rotatable with respect to the housing and moves in a direction toward or away from the fixed handle by rotating with respect to the housing, an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the end effector according to the rotation of the movable handle, a first fulcrum serving as a first rotation shaft for rotating the movable handle, a first slot through which the first fulcrum is inserted, a second fulcrum provided at a position different from the first fulcrum and serving as a second rotation shaft for rotating the movable handle, and a second slot through which the second fulcrum is inserted.

Abstract: Treatment instrument with movable handle and fixed handle includes biasing member for biasing the movable handle in an opening direction and an assist system with attraction force, e.g., magnetic force, to attract the movable handle in a closing direction toward the fixed handle. Range of movement of movable handle includes first movable range and second movable range. The second movable range occurs when a second gripping piece, e.g. a jaw, is in contact with respect to a first gripping piece, e.g., a vibration transmission member, and the movable handle is then further moved in a direction toward the fixed handle to a fully closed position. In the second movable range, attraction forces associated with the assist system are smaller than biasing force from the biasing member so that, upon release of a gripping force by an operator, the movable handle moves away from the fixed handle.

Abstract: An ultrasound treatment tool includes a handle 6, a vibration transmitting member 13 that is formed in an elongated shape, the vibration transmitting member being configured to transmit an ultrasound vibration generated by a vibration generation source, a holder 112 configured to hold the vibration transmitting portion 13, and a rotary knob 9 configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis Ax1 of the vibration transmitting portion 13 in accordance with a user operation. The holder 112 and the rotary knob 9 are integrally coupled with each other, and are positioned respectively in a radial direction about the longitudinal axis Ax1 with respect to the handle 6. One of the holder 112 and the rotary knob 9 is positioned in a direction along the longitudinal axis Ax1 with respect to the handle 6.

Abstract: The procedure instrument includes an end effector for treating biological tissue by grasping biological tissue by opening and closing and imparting treatment energy to biological tissue, a fixed handle grasped by an operator, a movable handle for opening and closing the end effector by moving in a direction close to and away from the fixed handle, respectively, and a first switch provided inside the fixed handle and receiving a user operation for imparting treatment energy to the biological tissue from the end effector in response to the movement of the movable handle, and a second switch provided in a state of being exposed outside the fixed handle and receiving a user operation in response to the movement of the movable handle.

Abstract: Treatment instrument includes an operation button for receiving a user operation provided in a housing. The housing has a pair of first surfaces spaced apart at predetermined intervals and a sliding portion of the operation button, provided with a curved second surface having a predetermined curvature, is located in the space between the pair of first surfaces and configured for rotation and to press a switch element in response to a user operation to affect an associated treatment operation.

Abstract: The endoscope has an insertion portion, an imaging unit, and a member formed in a given dimension. The insertion portion has an apical portion, an actively curvable portion, and a treatment device channel. The actively curvable portion is located on the proximal side of the apical portion. The treatment device channel is positioned along the longitudinal axis of the insertion portion. The insertion portion is formed of resin. One or more radiopaque members, formed of knowns dimensions, are coated on a surface of the insertion portion or placed in, buried or covered laterally in the insertion portion. The X-ray transmittance of the radiopaque members is different from the X-ray transmittance of the resin forming the insertion portion.

Abstract: An endoscope treatment instrument having a sheath, a rotation axis extending in a width direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the sheath, a plate formed with a first opening through which the rotation axis passes and a second opening having a width different from the width of the first opening, a forceps piece rotatably supported about the first opening and the rotation axis passing through the second opening, and a wire connected to a proximal end portion of the plate.

Abstract: Clip unit with a clip having a plurality of arms that can be opened and closed, a distal end connecting portion that is releasably connected to the clip, a proximal end connecting portion that is connected to a power transmission member; and a rod-shaped portion that longitudinally connects the distal end connecting portion and the proximal end connecting portion. In a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the rod-shaped portion has a first length in a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction that is shorter than a second length in a second direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the first direction.

Abstract: A treatment device for treating a target tissue includes a drive source having a transducer configured to convert electrical energy to mechanical vibrations, an instrument having a blade connected to the drive source and configured to apply the mechanical vibrations to the target tissue, and a control unit configured to control a supply of electrical energy to the drive source. The control unit is configured to automatically adjust the supply of electrical energy to the drive source in response to a detection of a change in a resonance frequency of the blade. The change in resonance frequency of the blade occurs after the target tissue has been completely cut by the blade.

Abstract: Treatment device with clip is reciprocally closed and opened in one operation and locked in a second, distinct operation. The clip has a first arm and second arm which are configured to move in a direction toward and away from each other to close and open the clip; a wire connected to a proximal end of the clip configured to reciprocally move within a sheath to close and open the clip; and one or more latch elements on the clip configured to lock the clip in a closed state. Operating the wire does not lock the clip in a closed state in a single operation. Rather, the clip can be locked by another operation that is distinct from operating the wire for reciprocal movement, such as operating a stopper, an inner sheath reciprocally movable to slid over the clip arms, or a locking ring slidable over the clip arms.

Abstract: A treatment device equipped with high frequency capability includes a pair of clasping jaws that serves as bipolar electrodes. Another treatment device equipped with high frequency capability includes a high-frequency knife that serves as monopolar electrode. An anti-fouling coating that minimizes or prevents adhesion of cauterized tissues is incorporated on the electrode surfaces. Durability and functioning of the anti-fouling coating is improved by one or a combination of increased coating thickness, increased density of the coating, and incorporation of glass and/or high molecular weight PFPE into the coating. The anti-fouling coating can be applied to different locations of the treatment portion, e.g., an insulated portion and a recess of an electrode, an insulated portion and a boundary portion with an electrode.

Abstract: An endoscope reprocessor includes: a pump; a port; a tube connected to the port; a connector disposed in the tube and connected to a pipe sleeve of a treatment instrument channel, which is a pipe of an endoscope, and configured to allow a fluid to be leaked from a connection region of the connector to the pipe sleeve to an outer circumferential surface of the pipe sleeve; a valve disposed in a flow path; a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the fluid; and a processor configured to repeatedly control the valve such that the valve is closed when the pressure exceeds a first pressure and the valve is opened when the pressure is lower than a second pressure, and determine a feeding state of the fluid based on a time period until an opening/closing number of the valve reaches a predetermined number more than one.

Abstract: A liquid feeding conduit includes: a tube body of a cleaning tube through which a fluid passes; an endoscope-side connector provided at an end of the tube body, the endoscope-side connector being connected to a conduit cap of an endoscope conduit; a valve element provided in the endoscope-side connector, the valve element being configured to move toward a side of the conduit cap by a supply pressure of the fluid to thereby watertightly connect the endoscope-side connector and the conduit cap; a spring configured to bias the valve element toward an opposite side of the conduit cap; and a buffer unit configured to delay the movement of the valve element toward the side of the conduit cap.

Abstract: An endoscopic treatment device includes a clip unit having a first arm and a second arm connected with each other; a power transmission member; an applicator connected with the clip unit; an engaging portion provided in one of the proximal end portion or the power transmission member; and an engaged portion provided in the other of the proximal end portion or the power transmission member without the engaging portion, wherein the engaging portion includes a hook portion entering the engaged portion so as to be engageable with the engaged portion; a support portion continuing with the hook portion; and a protrusion portion having a dimension so as to be impossible to enter the engaged portion, and at least one of the hook portion and the support portion is deformed to release the engagement between the engaging portion and the engaged portion.

Abstract: Methods and systems for treating biological tissue using high frequency electrical energy includes a cycle comprising a desiccating phase, a cutting phase and a coagulating phase. During the dessicating phase of the cycle, a first high frequency electrical energy applied to the tissue for desiccating the tissue is modulated. A first parameter associated with application of the first high frequency electrical energy to the tissue for desiccating the tissue is estimated. During the cutting phase, cutting energy applied to the tissue for cutting the tissue is then modulated based on the first parameter. During the coagulating phase, a second high frequency electrical energy applied to the tissue for coagulating the cut tissue is modulated.