Abstract: A surgical instrument is provided for manipulating a thread situated within a body, in particular a body cavity. It has a shaft with a handle on the proximal end of the shaft and two thread receivers on the distal end of the shaft. Each thread receiver is formed by an open guide at least partly surrounding the thread and which may consist of wire. The openings of the two thread receivers are arranged facing in opposite directions, so that the thread may be pulled as well as pushed using the instrument.

Abstract: The device serves to attach and secure an auxiliary instrument to a surgical instrument, through the shaft of which an auxiliary instrument may be introduced. The device has a receiver, which can be releasably fixed to the shaft on the proximal side, for a coupling part of the auxiliary instrument and a clamping element, which can be adjusted relative to the longitudinal axis of the receiver and is brought to rest frictionally against the outer periphery of the wall of the shaft situated between receiver and clamping element during adjustment.

Abstract: A video endoscope has in its distal end region an objective lens, a semi-conductor imager assigned to it and further electronic components provided for wiring it. In order to further reduce the required diameter of the endoscope shaft compared to the known designs, the electronic components are arranged on an integral ceramic substrate, on which the conductors for joining and for connecting these parts are directly placed.

Abstract: Forceps suitable for gripping body tissue or organs including a pair of jaws the gripping force of which can be adjusted. The forceps include an operating rod providing with axially spaced angularly offset cams which are selectively engagable by rotating the control rod with longitudinally slidable link assemblies separated by compression springs of differing stiffnesses. Rotation of the control rod to a particular angular position determines whether no spring or one or more springs are connected in series to determine the gripping force exerted by the forceps when the control rod is axially displaced. A control rod actuating lever is locked in position by means of a locking device.

Abstract: An endoscope with a flexible shaft, which consists of individual sub-assemblies releasably connected to each other. The proximal end of a flexible shaft is joined to a connecting portion and the distal end of the shaft can be steered into different positions by adjustment of an operating wire by means of an adjusting lever. The connecting portion can be coupled releasably to the distal end of the handle portion, at the proximal end of which an eyepiece portion is arranged. A hand-operated control means for the operating wire is provided in the handle portion, wherein the proximal end of the operating wire is clamped by a receiver in the control means. The receiver can be opened by operation of the adjusting lever for the purpose of releasing the above mentioned wire end, by moving the adjusting lever forwards of a neutral position. Moving the adjusting lever backwards from the neutral position effects longitudinal movement of the operating wire for controlling movement of the flexible shaft.

Abstract: The endoscope optical system has an objective with an object-side negative lens cluster, the constructional design of which should minimise or exclude image scale defects, such as distortion and field curvature. The object-side negative lens cluster comprises two menisci each having negative refractive power. The individual defects of distortion occurring at the surfaces are reduced as a result of the meniscus-like design, and a flattened image field, that is prevention of field curvature, is achieved as a result of splitting the lens cluster into two menisci. The object-side meniscus may be designed as a single lens or as a cemented component comprising an outer lens and an inner lens. Since the distortion defect at the cement surface has a negative sign, the defects are thus partially compensated at the outer surfaces of the meniscus.

Abstract: A medical instrument has a switch for controlling the operation of an external device operatively connected to the switch by way of a control section. The control section is a light transmitting section extending between a light source and a light receiver, and includes two optical fibers extending within the instrument with their ends in opposed spaced relationship. A cover plate is movable by means of a switch button, between the opposed ends of the fibers to alter the transmission of light to the light receiver at least in order to switch the external device on and off.

Abstract: An instrument for lithotripsy having a probe which can be vibrated longitnally by means of a drive and which extends through a guide channel in the shaft of an endoscope and is supported and guided externally of the shaft by a guide element aligned on the corresponding guide channel, is described. The guide element receives the housing of the probe drive also serving as a handle proximally, and its distal end can be releasably attached to a rinsing and probing attachment which can be connected to the proximal end of the endoscope and is provided with valves. The guide element is designed so that the valves can be actuated unimpeded.

Abstract: Surgical forceps, for example for endoscopic use, having distal mouth parts which are actuated by means of proximal grip sections via a rod and are mounted displaceably in the tubular forceps housing. An overload safety device, which prevents further actuation on exceeding a certain actuation force by radially deflecting the rod or a section of it against spring action and positively engaging it with a fixed part of the forceps housing, is provided to protect the sensitive mouth parts.

Abstract: The endoscope for introduction into a hollow organ of a living thing makes it possible for the hollow organ to be pulled against a more solid outer structure and to fix it thereto for the duration of the treatment. The endoscope is therefore provided with a retaining device, which can be used in the outer shaft of the endoscope and is guided therein, and has a plurality of hook elements, on the distal end of which hooks are formed by pushing out from the distal end of the outer shaft as a result of spreading, and with a stop disc which can be adjusted on the outer shaft. Spreading of the hook element ends can be controlled optically. After spreading the hook element ends, the endoscope is drawn back until it rests on the hollow organ in order to fix the hollow organ and secured in this position by means of the stop disc.

Abstract: In an endoscope with a camera objective, in particular a video camera objective, coupled to the eyepiece cup of the endoscope at its proximal end, the objective is mounted so that it is free to rotate on the proximal end of the eyepiece cup. The camera objective and its camera head have a center of gravity which is offset from the axis of rotation of the objective so that the objective maintains its orientation if the endoscope is rotated about its longitudinal axis, whereby such rotation of the endoscope does not affect the endoscopic picture displayed on a monitor of the video camera.

Abstract: An endoscope instrument shaft is provided with a bendable distal end piece, the position of which relative to the instrument shaft can be altered by means of at least one tension wire which is actuable proximally of the endoscope and is guided through a guide tube which is fixed at both ends. That side of the end piece, which side has the larger radius of curvature when the end piece is bent is constructed as a return spring and the side of the end piece having the smaller radius of curvature when the end piece is bent is pliable to facilitate bending of the end piece.

Abstract: Bipolar forceps for grasping and coagulating tissue, are constructed so as not to damage the mesosalpinx fused with a fallopian tube, when carrying out uterine tube sterilisation by coagulation. To this end the forceps are provided with a first and a second jaw for gripping and holding the tissue to be coagulated, the first jaw having a recess at its distal end and a mandrel being provided on the second jaw, which mandrel protrudes into the recess in the first jaw with clearance, when the jaws are in a closed position. A region between the jaws, which accommodates the tissue to be coagulated is limited distally by the mandrel and proximally by a limb of a bar on the first jaw for engaging in the second jaw when the jaws are in their closed position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a trocar sleeve having a piston of a piston valve which can be brought into the open position against spring action by means of pressure on an actuation handle, which piston has a bore corresponding to the diameter of the access channel of the trocar sleeve. The valve piston can be fixed in its open position in the valve housing against its spring loading by a catch which can be released by hand.

Abstract: Apparatus for dissolving concretions within a bodily cavity, for example in the gall bladder, under the action of a solvent fluid applied within the bodily cavity, comprises an ultrasonic transducer arranged to be coupled to the exterior of the patient's body and to be focussed on selected parts of the bodily cavity. The transducer emits ultrasonic waves within a frequency range of between 20 and 40 kHz and with just enough power to generate cavitations in bodily cavity fluid within the body cavity, or in the solvent fluid, or in both of these fluids to cause dispersion therebetween.

Abstract: An apparatus for shock wave treatment includes a shock wave transducer with a cup-shaped body and with an X-ray location finding device for finding the location of a bodily concretion or tissue to be treated. The X-ray device includes an extensible X-ray tube with telescoping tube sections which are sealed against an acoustic coupling medium filling the delay path of the transducer by a balloon arranged within the X-ray tube. The balloon is secured to the upper section of the tube and to the lower section thereof. Overpressure or underpressure is applied to the interior of the X-ray tube to adjust its length in order to optimise X-ray location finding on the one hand, and shock wave treatment on the other hand.

Abstract: A coagulation, washing and suction instrument has a shaft having a washing and a suction canal, by way of which a washing fluid can be supplied to, or removed from, respectively, a bodily cavity. The instrument consists of three detachably connected parts, namely a shaft having a washing and a suction canal; a handle which can be pushed onto, and secured to, the proximal end of the shaft, the handle being made of an insulating material and having a high frequency connector for supplying a coagulation electrode on the distal end of the shaft, and finger pressure releasable connection canals for the supply to, and the removal from, the canals of the shafts, of the washing fluid; and a part for the introduction of auxiliary instruments, which can be coupled proximally to the shaft and to the handle and which can be shut off.

Abstract: A receptacle for containing preferably medical instruments and/or parts thereof is disclosed. The receptacle is for storage, disinfection or sterilization of such instruments or parts, and comprises a first trough for receiving a second trough. The troughs when nested one within the other can be closed by a detachable lid and thus combined to form a single container. The instruments are laid on flexible spiked mats which rest on point or line supports on the bottoms of the troughs and on the underside of the lid, to which mats are releasably attached.

Abstract: A device for generating sonic signal forms for limiting, preventing or regressing the growth of pathological tissue comprises an ultrasonic transmission system for transmitting sound waves, focussed on the tissue to be treated, by way of a coupling medium. An ultrasonic signal produced at the focus of the system comprises brief pulses having at least one rarefaction phase with a negative sonic pressure amplitude with a value greater than 2.times.10.sup.5 Pa. The ultrasonic signal is radiated with a carrier frequency exceeding 20 kHz, a sonic pulse duration T of less than 100 .mu.s and a pulse recurrence rate of less than 1/(5T). The device produces controlled cavitation in the tissue to be treated.

Abstract: There is disclosed lithotripsy apparatus comprising an ultrasonic shock wave generator having a coupling cushion which is adaptable to the body of a patient to be treated by means of the shock wave generator and which can be filled with water as the acoustic coupling medium between the body of the patient and the shock wave generator. Devices are provided for degasifying the water and for continuously disinfecting it for the prevention of slime formation therein, for example the growth of algae.