Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for providing suction and/or irrigation to locations within a body cavity. In general, the methods and devices can allow instruments within a body cavity to be cleaned during a surgical procedure without having to remove the instruments from the body cavity. In one embodiment, an end effector is provided that includes an elongate body having a cleaning base formed thereon. The end effector can be configured as a modular element configured to be removably and replaceably attachable to a distal end of an elongate shaft. The cleaning base can have one or more ports formed through a surface thereof. The cleaning base can be configured to provide suction and/or irrigation through the one or more ports to clean a face of a surgical instrument seated in the cleaning base or in close proximity to the cleaning base.

Abstract: An endoscopic incision system includes: an endoscope; a cylindrical member for covering at least a distal end of an insertion section of the endoscope; and at least an incision section for incising a living tissue, the incision section being provided to a distal end of the cylindrical member and being capable of being exposed from the distal end of the cylindrical member outwardly. In this configuration, the radially expanding incision section will not be twisted or bent, and the incision section prevented from inadvertent fall-off can maintain the desirable shape when it is operated and rotated.

Abstract: A hysteroscope includes a base and a handle attached to the base. The handle has a first trigger and a second trigger. An outer barrel is attached to the base. The outer barrel has a plurality of channels. An actuatable tool is located within at least one channel. The first trigger is in communication with the actuatable tool for extending the tool from within the at least one channel. The second trigger in communication with the actuatable tool for actuating the tool. The hysteroscope may further include a third trigger to pivot a distal portion of the outer barrel.

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 medical appliance including a medical instrument that is separable from an actuator support, the appliance including a connection and disconnection system including a connector carried by the instrument and including a guide for guiding at least one actuator rod retained elastically in the guide by a head, and a coupling endpiece carried by the support and including at least one engagement mechanism that is guided in rotation and that defines a reception setback for receiving the head of the actuator rod. The engagement mechanism is fitted with a rotary coupling member complementary to the rotary coupling member presented by the connector, and the endpiece also presents at least one hook connected to an actuator system.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes an insertion portion inserted into a body, an optical member arranged exposed from an outside surface at a distal end of the insertion portion, an objective optical system that condenses light impinged from the optical member, an electronic image pickup circuit that photoelectrically converts the light condensed by the objective optical system, a heat absorbing section arranged in the vicinity of the electronic image pickup circuit for absorbing heat generated from the electronic image pickup circuit, a heat transfer section extending toward the optical member side for transferring heat of the heat absorbing section, a heat radiation section arranged in the vicinity of the optical member for radiating heat transferred by the heat transfer section to the optical member, and a heat transfer member that is formed by patterning a metal foil on an insulating, flexible film member and includes the heat absorbing section, the heat transfer section and the heat radiation section.

Abstract: An endoscope is provided having an observation port, a fluid supply pipe, a cap, a fluid ejection channel, and a direction adjustment protrusion. The observation port is provided at the distal end of the endoscope, and collects light reflected from an object. The fluid supply pipe transmits gas and/or liquid to the distal end. The cap blocks the distal end of the fluid supply pipe and is configured so that a partially enclosed semispherical space is created between the distal end of the fluid supply pipe and the inner surface of the cap. The fluid ejection channel has an outlet in the direction of the observation port, and extends from the edge of the opening at the distal end of the fluid supply pipe to the outlet and occupies the semispherical space inside the cap. The direction adjustment protrusion extends over the outlet in the lengthwise direction of the fluid ejection channel.

Abstract: A medical instrument, includes: an insertion section having a treatment instrument projection port and an active bending section at a position on the insertion section's proximal end portion side of the treatment instrument projection port; a joystick by which an operation of the active bending section is inputted; a driving section for driving the active bending section; and a control section for controlling the joystick and the driving section, and the control section having an active bending section which performs a control in one control mode selected from a plurality of different control modes.

Abstract: A capsule medical apparatus to be introduced into a subject includes a tissue collecting unit that collects in-vivo tissue; a storage unit that stores therein the in-vivo tissue that is collected by the tissue collecting unit; a liquid storing unit that stores therein liquid for suppressing autolysis of in-vivo tissue; a liquid supplying unit that supplies the liquid in the liquid storing unit to the storage unit; and a control unit that allows, in response to an instruction to start collecting the in-vivo tissue, the tissue collecting unit to collect desired in-vivo tissue and to store the collected in-vivo tissue in the storage unit and that then allows the liquid supplying unit to supply the liquid to the storage unit and makes the storage unit be in a liquid-tight state.

Abstract: There is provided a flexibility/rigidity adjustable apparatus which can change over its state between a flexible state in which such apparatus is freely bendable and a rigid state in which such bending is restricted when in use. A flexible closing cover 18 which can expand/shrink is provided on an outer circumference 2 of a flexible tube 1. A latching member 7 which moves together with the closing cover 18 is provided, and a latching-member receiving part 11 with which the latching member 7 can engage is provided at the outer circumference 2 of the tube 1. A closed space 21 formed between the closing cover 18 and the tube 1 is connected to an air inlet/outlet part 22. As the air is evacuated through the inlet/outlet part 22 to change the pressurized condition of the closed space 21 from an atmospheric pressure condition to a negative pressure condition, the closing cover 18 reduces its diameter around an axis 4, and the latching member 7 is caused to engage with the latching-member receiving part 11.

Abstract: A medical instrument includes: an image pickup unit incorporated in a medical instrument body for picking up an image of the subject to be examined from an observation window; an airflow generating unit provided rotatably with respect to the medical instrument body so as to cover the image pickup unit by a covering unit having an opening formed therein, the airflow generating unit being configured to generate an airflow for preventing adherents from sticking to the observation window, by rotation of the covering unit; a fixing unit for indwelling and fixing the medical instrument body inside the subject to be examined; and a drive unit incorporated in the medical instrument body, for driving the airflow generation unit.

Abstract: An attachment and detachment mechanism includes convex and concave engaging portions provided in first and second couplings respectively and extending in a radial direction of first and second shaft portions, the convex engaging portion is to be slidably inserted into and removed from the concave engaging portion along a longitudinal direction of the concave engaging portion, the convex and concave engaging portions includes basic positions where the longitudinal directions of the convex and concave engaging portions correspond to the attachment and detachment direction of the first and second main body portions and the convex and concave engaging portions are insertable into and removable from each other, and the attachment and detachment mechanism further includes a guide mechanism to guide one engaging portion such that the one engaging portion is disposed at the basic position in conjunction with the attachment or detachment of the first and second main body portions.

Abstract: An endoscopic assembly for an endoscope is disclosed. The assembly comprises a ligator barrel having proximal and distal portions. The proximal portion has a seat and a receiving wall extending to a proximal end. The receiving wall has a first threaded portion formed thereon. The assembly further comprises a connector for connecting the ligator barrel about the endoscope. The connector has a scope portion and a tip portion. The scope portion has a receiving end through which the endoscope is disposed to engage the seat for connecting the ligator barrel about the endoscope. The tip portion has a second threaded portion formed thereon and are configured to cooperate with the first threaded portion to receive the receiving wall and attach the connector with the ligator barrel. The first and second threaded portions are configured to cooperate with each other to tighten the connection of the ligator barrel about the endoscope as the threads increase surface area contact therebetween.

Abstract: An endoscope including, an insertion section, a distal end section body which constitutes a distal end section of the insertion section and has at least an observation window, a first flow path which is formed to supply a liquid to the distal end section body side and communicates with a first fluid source, a second flow path which is formed to supply a gas to the distal end section body side and communicates with a second fluid source, and a nozzle having a jet outlet which jets a mixture fluid, in which a fluid supplied from the first flow path and a fluid supplied from the second flow path are mixed, toward the observation window, wherein the observation window is disposed, relative to the jet outlet, on a side of one of the first flow path and the second flow path, which has a smaller fluid supply amount.

Abstract: Lead screws and nut members screwed to the respective lead screws are provided on a wire operation section for operating wires for operating a bending section in a bending manner, and a driving force generating section, a drive coupling shaft rotationally driven in a spin direction by a driving force from the driving force generating section, and drive couplings are provided on a drive source unit separably coupled to the wire operation section. The lead screws are rotationally driven in a spin direction from the driving force generating section via the drive coupling shaft to move the nut members in the axial direction thereby performing pulling operation of the wires during coupling of the drive source unit and the wire operation section.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a manipulation unit, and an insertion unit which is disposed in continuation to the manipulation unit. The insertion unit contains a bending portion which has a plurality of articulation wheels coupled in succession, two adjacent ones of the articulation wheels being coupled by a shaft member so as to be relatively turnable around the shaft member which crosses the center axis of the bending portion, the bending portion being bent in such a way that a wire which leads to the manipulation unit via the plurality of articulation wheels is tractively manipulated. The shaft member has a guide part formed with an insertional hole through which the wire is inserted, and at least the guide part of the shaft member is turnable around the center axis of the shaft member, to both the two articulation wheels coupled by the shaft member.

Abstract: An endoscope includes, an insertion section, a distal end section body has an observation window, a liquid feed path which is formed to supply a liquid to the distal end section body side, a gas feed path which is formed to supply a gas to the distal end section body side, and a nozzle having a confluent portion which makes confluent the liquid supplied from the liquid feed path and the gas supplied from the gas feed path, and a jet outlet which jets a gas/liquid mixture fluid, which is mixed in the confluent portion, toward the observation window, wherein the nozzle is configured such that an angle, which is formed between a direction of a flow of the liquid toward the jet outlet and a direction of a flow of the gas toward the jet outlet, is set at an obtuse angle of 90° or more.

Abstract: An endoscopic aspiration device is mounted on a manipulating head of an endoscope, from which an elongated insertion rod member is extended forward, the endoscopic aspiration device being composed of a valve casing which is mounted on the manipulation head in communication with an aspiration passage running through the insertion rod member, and a valve assembly unit including a valve member, a valve guide member and a connector member attached to the valve guide member to communicate same with a proximal aspiration passage on the side of a suction source. The valve member is put in a sliding displacement along the valve guide member to bring the aspiration passage into and out of communication with the proximal aspiration passage on the side of a suction source. The valve guide member is coupled with the valve casing through a coupling mechanism which permits to turn the valve assembly unit on and relative to the manipulating head.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for controlling an endoscope in a body cavity. In one exemplary embodiment, a stiffening element for an endoscopic surgical system includes an elongate member having a diameter configured for insertion and use in a channel of an endoscope. The elongate member can be movable between an unlocked position in which the elongate member is freely movable to assume a desired configuration, and a locked position in which the elongate member is maintained in a desired configuration. In one embodiment, the elongate member is formed from a plurality of links that are pivotally coupled to one another. Methods for controlling a surgical device in a body cavity, as well as systems for use in endoscopic surgeries, are also provided herein.

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.