Abstract: A fiberscope is constructed with one or more of a pivoted eyepiece, a cannula insertion assembly capable of housing a retractable fiber bundle and/or delivering distention fluid, a disposable sheath and seal assembly and an encasement for a fiber bundle. The distal end of the encased bundle can be advanced or withdrawn from its protective sheath. When advanced, it may be reoriented in direction by means of linkage to structure which can be manipulated from outside the instrument.

Abstract: A balloon-type catheter is provided with an integral optical system utilizing illuminating fibers made of optical grade plastic, and an imaging bundle of many very small, flexible, fused glass fibers of pixels doped to increase the index of refraction and cladded together by doped glass with a much lower index of refraction than the pixels. A gradient index objective lens in the form of a cylinder of optical quality glass is attached to the distal end of the imaging fiber bundle. An inflation lumen is provided in the catheter for inflating the balloon, and a separate lumen conducts optically-transparent liquids to flush the field of view. The resulting catheter can be very small in diameter, is very flexible and is sufficiently inexpensive to be practically disposable.