Abstract: A rotational device for rotating an endoscope having a stationary assembly, a rotatable assembly, which includes a distal coupling means for coupling to an endoscope, a drive means, which is embodied for putting the distal coupling means into rotational motion for rotating an endoscope connected to the distal coupling means, a proximal coupling means at the stationary assembly for coupling to a camera device, and an optical unit for transmitting light from the distal coupling means to the proximal coupling means.

Abstract: A balloon access device for use with an endoscope is disclosed. A transparent balloon attached to the distal end of the endoscope allows a user to both separate collapsed intestinal tissue and visualize the path of the endoscope without administering insufflation gas to the collapsed area of a patient. The attachment of the balloon to the endoscope is achieved by the various embodiments of the balloon access device disclosed herein.

Abstract: A flexible tubular portion of an endoscope includes a spiral tube portion. The spiral tube portion includes a closely wound portion to at least a part of which an initial tension is applied, and a sparsely wound portion provided at least at one end of the closely wound portion.

Abstract: A surgical instrument is inserted through a guide tube. A telemanipulation system moves the distal end of the surgical instrument in all six Cartesian degrees of freedom independently of any guide tube movements.

Abstract: An extendable intubation device is disclosed that includes a tube assembly having a plurality of elongated tubes. Within the assembly, a base tube is coupled with an extension tube to maintain a continuous fluid pathway along the tube assembly during a fore-and-aft movement of the extension tube relative to the base tube. The extendable intubation device can include a camera system to allow a user (e.g. physician) to visually monitor the advancement of the distal end of the extension tube into the trachea of the patient. The camera system can include a sensor portion attached to the distal end of the extension tube and a monitor portion. A conductive wire connects the sensor portion to the monitor portion. The monitor portion of the camera system can be provided as an eyepiece at the proximal end of the intubation device and/or as a stand alone display.

Abstract: An endoscopic treatment device includes an insertion unit, a manipulation unit provided at a proximal end portion of the insertion unit, and a manipulation unit attachment mechanism attaching the manipulation unit to an insertion port of a channel of an endoscope. The manipulation unit attachment mechanism has: a connection slider engaged with the insertion port by sliding in a first direction intersecting an axis of the insertion unit and disengaged from the insertion port by sliding in a second direction intersecting the axis; an insertion-port abutment part moving toward a proximal end by contacting with the insertion port; and a slider abutment part preventing sliding of the connection slider in the first direction when the insertion-port abutment part is located at a distal end side and permitting the sliding of the connection slider in the first direction when the insertion-port abutment part is located at a proximal end side.

Abstract: A laparoscope/endoscope warmer includes a rechargeable heater with an inexpensive, disposable casing so that the expensive portions of the system can be reused. An elongated heater has an outer wall, a closed end and an open end into a cavity having an inner wall. A heating element such as a heating coil is disposed between the inner and outer walls of the heater. A rechargeable battery within the heater powers the heating element. The heater fits into a charging base operative to recharge the rechargeable battery through cooperating electrical contacts or an inductive coupling. The sterile casing includes an inner sleeve that fits into the cavity of the heater unit, providing a receptacle to receive and warm the rod of an endoscope or laparoscope.

Abstract: The present invention is an access sheath comprising a tube or sheath with a passageway primarily for endoscopic procedures accessing the ureter through the bladder. The sheath has a bend limiting feature to limit the bend angle or bend radius. The sheath exhibits flexibility up to this limit at which point it becomes rigid. Excessive force is required to bend the sheath beyond the bend limit and would result in the kinking of the tubular frame.

Abstract: The present invention provides a locally invasive surgical apparatus including a manipulator for scratching the bone at a fracture site, a drive arm on which the manipulator is mounted, and a controller for controlling the manipulator and the drive arm. Therefore, it is possible to carry out minimally invasive surgery during bone fracture surgery, thereby enabling simple and quick bone fracture surgery for a speedy recovery.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion; an operation portion; a balloon water injection channel; a first opening portion; a balloon pipe sleeve provided with a first end portion and a second end portion; a branch channel connection unit; a rotation restriction portion; and a connecting tube on which the branch channel connection unit is assembled.

Abstract: Components for an endoscopic vessel harvesting system suitable for harvesting target vessels such as the saphenous vein or radial artery for cardiac artery bypass graft surgery. The main components of such systems include a vessel dissector and a vessel harvester, both of which work in conjunction with a separately provided endoscope. The vessel dissector is an elongated cannula having a blunt tip for separating layers of facial around vessels. The tip may be movable, and is typically transparent to permit viewing forward of the tip using the endoscope. Internal features of the tip may reduce glare back to the endoscope. Several devices improve visibility through the tip by reducing interference from tissue or fluid on the tip. The vessel harvester also has an elongated cannula for receiving the endoscope. Several tools within the harvester permit manipulation, severing, and sealing of vessels forward of the distal end.

Abstract: An attachment unit rotates in directions around a longitudinal axis with respect to an insertion main body when rotary drive force is transmitted from a drive force transmission unit provided to an insertion section, and allows propulsive force in one of directions parallel to the longitudinal axis to act on the insertion section by rotating in contact with a paries. The attachment unit includes a fin portion which is spirally extended along the longitudinal axis and whose dimension from the longitudinal axis to an outer peripheral end vary in accordance with how external force different from the propulsive force acts in the directions parallel to the longitudinal axis in a state that the attachment unit does not rotate with respect to the insertion main body.

Abstract: A drying agent arrangement for optical instruments, in particular for endoscopic instruments, having a hygroscopic substance in the instrument housing, such that the hygroscopic substance, configured as individual molded bodies, is positioned in an intake receptacle that can be replaceably inserted in the instrument housing. To provide a drying agent arrangement that, along with simple, versatile application, allows the intake of a great quantity of drying agent, the intake receptacle may be configured as a double-walled sleeve, such that the two walls, forming an intake space for the molded bodies of the hygroscopic substance, are radially distanced from one another and positioned in such a way that the walls, closing the intake space at one axial end of the sleeve, are connected with one another at the end and on the other axial end of the sleeve, releasing the intake space, are radially distanced from one another at the end.

Abstract: A steering mechanism for a medical device that is configured for passing through the body cavities of a patient and for passage through an endoscope working channel is described. The mechanism comprises at least one spool having a central hole through which a central axle passes, the spool being rotatable about the axle, and the spool having at least one retaining tube having a lumen therethrough and configured to contain a portion of a drive cable. The drive cables, which may include UHMWPE, are capable of and are effective for deflecting the distal end of a catheter or endoscopic device, while preferably each being at least partially disposed through a retaining tube that is effective to prevent tangling or other binding of the cable(s).

Abstract: There is provided herein an endoscope assembly comprising at least one front-pointing camera and at least one front illuminator associated therewith, at least one side-pointing camera and at least one of side illuminator associated therewith, a front working channel configured for insertion of a medical tool and a side service channel configured for insertion of a medical tool.

Abstract: A body fluid collection device comprises a longitudinal member having a lumen formed along a longitudinal axis and configured to be inserted through the channel, a flow path in which a suction is acted by the suction section of the endoscope, which is formed to bring the lumen of the longitudinal member in communication with the channel, an accommodating section which is formed in the flow path, and accumulate the the body fluid suctioned in the lumen by the suction section of the endoscope, and a sealing member configured to seal a space between the longitudinal member and the channel closer to a distal end of the longitudinal member than the suction port so that a fluid does not flow from the distal end side to a proximal end side of the longitudinal member.

Abstract: A pipe connection structure for an endoscope is provided with a pipe made of a corrosion-resistant alloy material, and a piping block made of a corrosion-resistant alloy material, the piping block having a pipe insertion hole. An end of the pipe is fitted in the pipe insertion hole and the pipe and the piping block are connected by welding by irradiating a laser beam on the entire circumference of an area where the end of the pipe is fitted in the hole formed on the piping block. An axial length of the pipe inserted in the pipe insertion hole is in a range of 0.5 to 2 times a wall thickness of the pipe.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: an endoscope including at least an elongated insertion section having flexibility and an image pickup device, the insertion section including, at a distal end portion, an observation window forming an observation optical system and an illumination window forming an illumination optical system and the image pickup device including an image pickup surface on which an optical image passing through the observation window is formed; and an apparatus body incorporating a display section that displays an image picked up by the image pickup device, the apparatus body including the display section on one surface having a largest area of the apparatus body and including a holding member that holds the insertion section on a rear surface of the one surface in a wound state.

Abstract: A control assembly for manipulating the movement of an endoscopic instrument includes an endoscopic instrument mounting arrangement adapted to receive an endoscopic instrument, three driving arrangements, and three independent control elements. The mounting arrangement offers only three independent degrees of freedom of movement of an endoscopic instrument received by the arrangement, each degree of freedom of movement being about or along a respective axis. Each of the three driving arrangements are configured to drive the endoscopic instrument in only one of the degrees of freedom of movement. The three independent control elements are configured to receive user input, such that the actuation of each of the three independent control elements regulates one of three corresponding control signals, each control being a respective one of the driving arrangements independent of the other two driving arrangements in accordance with the user input.

Abstract: A rotary self-advancing endoscope system which produces propulsion by rotating, with a motor, a rotating cylindrical body provided on an outer periphery side of an insertion portion main body and causes the insertion portion main body to move forward into an examinee's body, wherein the system is configured to periodically repeating a combination of a state in which the rotating cylindrical body forward-rotates at a predetermined RPM and a state in which the rotating cylindrical body is stopped from rotating and releases accumulated elastic energy and, when a drive current to the motor has reached a predetermined threshold value, reverse-rotate the motor.