Abstract: An endoscope for nasal surgery comprises an outer shaft having a handle incorporating a switching valve for connecting a suction and flushing channel of the outer shaft to, and disconnecting it from, a source of negative pressure and a source of flushing fluid. A working insert for insertion into the outer shaft, comprises a shaft for receiving an optical system proximally connected to the working insert, a shaft having a proximally positioned connector for insertion therethrough of an auxiliary instrument, for example a pair of forceps, and two guides for wires or rods which are movable by means of handles pivoted to the proximal end part of the working insert to displace a lever on the distal end of the working insert angularly to adjust the distal end of the auxiliary instrument.

Abstract: An insufflation device for filling a body cavity, such as an abdominal cavity, with a gas from a gas bottle via an expansion valve and a feed pipe leading to the body cavity characterized by the feed pipe being formed along in length by two channels with the first of the two channels having an expansion valve for setting an overpressure for rapid filling of the body cavity during an initial period and the second channel having an expansion valve to adjust the pressure to the pressure desired in the body cavity. The pressure of the second flow is monitored and compared by an electronic evaluator system, which will interrupt the flow and sound alarms if the pressure exceeds a predetermined amount over the desired value and also if the pressure exceeds a predetermined maximum amount.

Abstract: Apparatus for spatial location and destruction of an object inside a patient's body by means of ultrasound transmitted to the patient's body via a coupling fluid, the apparatus comprises a focusing transducer for generating the ultrasound piezoelectrically to destroy the object, at least two transmitting and receiving locating transducers for locating the object under visual observation, said at least two locating transducers being incorporated, installed or mounted in said focusing transducer and being operable to generate B-images which are displayed optionally individually and/or in combination as a spatial image on at least one monitor, there being preferably, three such locating transducers for generating the B-images.

Abstract: The device comprises a rotationally driven surgical instrument incorporating a hand-held element having a mount rotatably installed therein for reception of interchangeable cutting and milling inserts, a driving motor for driving the mount receiving the tool inserts, a control unit for controlling the driving motor with means of setting the rotational speed and of preselecting the rotational speed range and direction of rotation as well as a digital indicator for displaying the rotational speed set up in each case. For the purpose of accessible storage of setting data, the control unit incorporates a non-volatile read-write memory for digital storage of rotational speeds, a code carrier as well as a coding/decoding arrangement.

Abstract: Arthroscopy hook-clippers comprise a circular cross-section outer shaft having at a distal end thereof a fixed jaw and a movable jaw pivoted to the fixed jaw. Within the shaft are a thrust rod which is movable axially thereof to pivot the movable jaw with respect to the fixed jaw, and beside the thrust rod, a vacuum extraction channel. The extraction channel is of substantially circular cross-section excepting that it has a flat upper wall, which co-operates with the upper internal wall of the shaft to define a guideway for the thrust rod the cross-section of which is matched to that of the guideway.

Abstract: Apparatus for the detection and destruction by means of ultrasonic shock waves of an object within the body, comprises a transducer operated by a pulse generator for emitting shock waves which are focussed on the body of the patient by way of a fluid coupling medium. A location system connected to the transducer comprises at least one monitor as a display device. The monitor has a screen for depicting an image of the object and an aiming or sighting mark which can be placed in coincidence with the object by relative displacement between the patient and the transducer to position the focus of the transducer on the object and to authorize the operation of the pulse generator. A signal level corresponding to the brightness value of the object depicted on the screen, and obtained from a video signal of the location system, is established as a reference value. A selected target area including the object, can be scanned automatically by displacement of the transducer.

Abstract: The bipolar coagulating instrument has an outer barrel whose distal end is provided with two halves of a first jaw member, said halves being angled relative to the longitudinal axis and being spaced apart from one another. An inner barrel is similarly provided with a second jaw member, which also has halves obliquely angled relative to the longitudinal axis and spaced apart from one another. The second jaw member is axially displaceable towards the first jaw member.At least one of the two jaw members has recesses which are connected to a distally open end of an irrigation passage in the inner barrel. A cutting forceps or the like can be passed through a channel in the inner barrel and through the gap between the two sets of jaw member halves.

Abstract: Apparatus for fixing fascial holding sutures in open laparoscopy defines a central channel which allows it to be slipped onto, and fixed in position on, a trocar canula holding a laparoscope. A push-pull rod is radially displaceable by means of a hand lever, for detachably clamping the fixing apparatus to the trocar canula. The apparatus basically comprises a tapered seal and a retaining plate which is detachably connected thereto and has at several points thereon manually operable clamping devices for securing the fascial holding sutures.

Abstract: In a device for supplying light to endoscopes, in particular video endscopes, the light is passed from a light source by way of a revolving filter plate with areas of primary colors, and a runner wheel, to a photoconductor of the endoscope, for illuminating an object to be examined, the colored image of which is passed to the video endoscope. The runner wheel rotates faster than the filter plate so that the beam of light on passing each transition from one colored area of the filter plate to another is covered by an opaque region of the runner wheel.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the insufflation of gas into a body cavity the dynamic pressure of the gas flow conducted to the body cavity and the static intra-abdominal pressure in the body cavity are detected with at least one measuring transducer. The electrical output signal of the measuring transducer detecting the pressure is converted by difference formation with a compensation signal, which substantially takes into account the resistance to flow of the instrument conducting the gas into the body cavity, into a difference signal corresponding to the static intra-abdominal pressure.

Abstract: A forceps and in particular hooked shears, has a distal extremity of the forceps shaft provided with a recess of the one fixed branch of the forceps jaws, with which branch there co-operates a double-armed pivotally displaceable jaw branch by means of a scissors grip and a push and pull rod. The recess of the fixed jaw branch is continued by a shaft slot whereof the delimiting edge forms a stop for a stepped surface of the push and pull rod placed in impingement in the closed position of the jaws and the open position of the jaws is restricted by impingement of a surface of the pivotable jaw branch against the top distal edge of the push rod.

Abstract: A plug and socket type connector for connecting an endoscope to supply units such as light projectors, pumps and electrical generators, comprises a casing incorporating connections which may be coupled to corresponding connections of the supply unit or units in question, and the casing is provided with a reception device for releasably connecting a plug of a light conductor cable to the casing.

Abstract: An ocular attachment for an endoscope, in which the endoscopic image may be split into two images in each case by several adjacently positioned beam splitter elements which are displaceable transversely to the image axis, to which end, the one image may be transmitted to a first camera connector along the image axis acting as a first optical axis, and the other image may be transmitted to a second camera connector via an image ductor along a second optical axis. The degree of brightness of these two images may be adjusted by the beam splitter elements having different divisional ratios and held by a mounting, by placing one of the beam splitter elements in the beam path of the endoscopic image in each case, by displacing the mounting. An arrangement is also provided for supplying an undivided endoscopic image at will to the first or second camera connector.

Abstract: A holder for medical instruments comprises a holding element fastenable on to the body of a patient, for example in the form of a strap or a hoop, on which is fixedly mounted at least one rigid rail which carries mountings for endoscopes and/or auxiliary instruments. The instrument mountings are adjustably secured to the rail by means of couplings. The instruments can thus be mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the rail and/or displaceable along it.

Abstract: An instrument for holding surgical needles comprises a pair of forceps having forceps jaws at a distal end of the instrument and having a pair of hand grips for operating a movable jaw of the forceps by way of a push and pull rod. The movable jaw is releasably retainable in a closed needle gripping position. The hand grips extend obliquely outwardly in the proximal direction of the instrument and are arranged in mirror image symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof. The hand grips are actuable in the transverse direction of the longitudinal axis, the forceps jaws, when closed, lying in the direction of that axis. The transverse force exerted on the hand grips is convertable to a longitudinally directed force for actuating the movable jaw, to grip a surgical needle. The instrument can be passed through conventional trocar sleeves.

Abstract: A focussing transducer for the destruction of objects internal to a patient's body by pulses of ultrasonic waves. The transducer comprises a concave transducer surface which is divided into areas and there is a control means which can selectively activate the areas of the transducer so that the waveform arriving at the focus can adjusted.

Abstract: An instrument for guiding a laser light transmitting fiber in intra-abdominal endoscopic work, comprises a shaft to the distal end of which is pivoted a fiber guide for deflecting the distal end of a fiber emerging from the distal end of the shaft. The shaft contains a fiber guide drive tube through which the fiber extends and which is articulated to the fiber guide by means of a link. A lever is provided for shifting the drive tube axially in the shaft to deflect the fiber guide and thus the distal end of the fiber, and a fiber feed device has a fiber feed member mounted for displacement axially of the shaft for advancing and retracting the fiber.

Abstract: An endoscope for endonasal surgery in particular, comprises a suction and flushing shaft accommodating an optical system and having a suction channel and a flushing channel. A switching valve is accommodated in a handle of the endoscope, for connecting the suction channel and the flushing channel to a suction source and to a flushing fluid source, respectively. The switching valve allows the suction channel to be flushed clear of bodily tissue or secretions, for example, during use of the endoscope within a bodily cavity. To this end, the switching valve is such that the suction channel can be cleansed by flushing fluid in an intermediate position of the switching valve, whilst the suction channel is shut off from the suction source.

Abstract: A device for locating and disintegrating concretions and stones in bodily cavities by means of a shock wave generator comprises a reclining surface for the patient, with an opening therein below which the generator, including a flexible precursor section, is so arranged that the fluid sealed off from the outside is in contact via the opening with the body section to be treated, either directly or indirectly via a diaphragm sealing off the precursor section. To this end, the reclining surface and the shock wave generator are displaceable with respect to each other.

Abstract: A video endoscope having a semiconductor image converter which is incorporated in the endoscope and which receives the image of the object illuminated periodically by an illumination device with a sequence of partial colors, for example by using a filter wheel, and converts same into video signal components which correspond to partial color separations of the image and which are read successively and selectively separated according to partial colors into an intermediate store and are then read out simultaneously for the formation of an individual image and are processed for the representation of the image into television-compatible video signals, in which the lamp of the illumination device is pulsed with variable pulse amplitudes.