Abstract: An appliance management method is designed to make power distribution equipment, provided on a power supply channel, control and/or monitor an appliance to be electrically connected to the power distribution equipment. The appliance management method includes an authentication step and a management step. The authentication step includes allowing a high-order system to perform authentication on the power distribution equipment by making the power distribution equipment access the high-order system via a public network after the power distribution equipment has been energized. The management step includes making the power distribution equipment that has been authenticated in the authentication step control and/or monitor the appliance.

Abstract: Electrical equipment includes a housing and serves as power distribution equipment provided on a power supply channel. The electrical equipment further includes an execution unit and a processing unit. The execution unit controls and/or monitors an appliance to be electrically connected to the electrical equipment. The processing unit performs information processing related to the appliance. The execution unit and the processing unit are held by the housing. The execution unit controls and/or monitors the appliance based on a result of the information processing performed by the processing unit.

Abstract: A high frequency treatment apparatus of the present invention comprises a high frequency generation section for supplying high frequency power, a control section, which is connected to the high frequency generation section, and which controls output of the high frequency generation section, having a first control mode in which the maximal output value of high frequency power supplied from the high frequency generation section is confined to be equal to or less than a first predetermined value and a second control mode in which the maximal output value of high frequency power supplied from the high frequency generation section is confined to be equal to or less than a second predetermined value which is less than the first predetermined value, a treatment tool, which is connected to the high frequency generation section, and which performs a treatment of a diseased part by supplying high frequency power from the high frequency generation section controlled by the control section to the diseased part, and a con

Abstract: A cavity-retaining tool for bone surgery includes a cavity-retaining sheath which is inserted into the body and forms a cavity to act as a work space for bone surgery, a treatment channel which is placed in the cavity-retaining sheath and guides treatment tools necessary for the treatment of a bone into the space for bone surgery, an observation tool which is attached to the cavity-retaining sheath and by which to observe the operation field within the space for bone surgery, and a fitting portion which is placed at a tip of the cavity-retaining sheath and fits the tip of the cavity-retaining sheath to a bone.

Abstract: An information offering method including: disclosing summary information about a designated product via a designated communication line; judging whether or not the user reading said summary information disclosed by said summary information disclosing step and desiring to read detailed product information about the product about which said summary information is disclosed is a user who is permitted to read detailed information; and disclosing detailed information about the product about which said summary information is disclosed, to the user who is judged to be permitted to read detailed information by said judgment step.

Abstract: A surgical operation apparatus of this invention includes an operation sheath having a cavity securing portion that is inserted into vital tissue through the skin to secure a working cavity for a surgical operation in the body, and a sheet member that allows an operation tool to be inserted from outside the body into the cavity. The operation sheath is guided into the vital tissue by guide tools such as a dilator, a soft tube, and a mandrin.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for fastening together opposing portions of a body organ. The instrument comprises a first support for supporting the first opposing portion of the body organ, a second support opposing the first support, for supporting the second opposing portion of the body organ, and a displacement-preventing member connected to the first or second support for preventing the supports from displacing relative to each other. The member comprises a pin protruding from one of the supports and a hole formed in the other of the supports. The pin is made of thermoplastic resin. When heated, the pin is softened and deformed, whereby the first and second supports are secured to each other, fastening together the opposing portions of the body organ.

Abstract: A surgical manipulator system comprising at least one surgical manipulator, at least one guide, a detector, and a drive controller. The surgical manipulator has a surgical device for performing a desired operation. The guide guides the surgical device. The detector detects a position and/or orientation relationship between the surgical device and the guide, and/or a position and/or orientation relationship between the surgical device and another surgical device. The drive controller controls the surgical manipulator such that the surgical device is guided by the guide.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for fastening together opposing portions of a body organ. The instrument comprises a first support for supporting the first opposing portion of the body organ, a second support opposing the first support, for supporting the second opposing portion of the body organ, and a displacement-preventing member connected to the first or second support for preventing the supports from displacing relative to each other. The member comprises a pin protruding from one of the supports and a hole formed in the other of the supports. The pin is made of thermoplastic resin. When heated, the pin is softened and deformed, whereby the first and second supports are secured to each other, fastening together the opposing portions of the body organ.

Abstract: A stereoscopic endoscope including an objective lens system for forming an image of an object which objective lens system is arranged at the front end of an inserting section and has a single optical axis; an image transmission device coaxially arranged with the objective lens system and adapted to transmit the image formed by the objective lens system; a pupil dividing device for dividing the image transmitted through the objective lens system and the image transmission device so as to obtain left and right images of the object; an image sensing device for picking up the left and right images obtained by the pupil dividing device; a first support structure containing at least the objective lens system; and a second support structure containing at least the pupil dividing device and the image sensing device, wherein the first and second support structures are rotatable relative to each other around an axis extending along the longitudinal dimension of the endoscope.

Abstract: A multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator includes a flexible tube having a plurality of flex portions provided therealong, a plurality of actuators made of shape memory alloy and respectively provided near the flex portions to correspond to the flex portions, for flexing the flex portions, two common energy transmission paths, extending along the flexible tube, for transmitting an energy to the actuators, and selective energy supply members, provided between the common energy transmission paths and the actuators in series, for controlling the energy supplied from the common energy transmission path to the actuators, thereby respectively independently driving the actuators to bend the flexible tube.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for fastening together opposing portions of a body organ. The instrument comprises a first support for supporting the first opposing portion of the body organ, a second support opposing the first support, for supporting the second opposing portion of the body organ, and a displacement-preventing member connected to the first or second support for preventing the supports from displacing relative to each other. The member comprises a pin protruding from one of the supports and a hole formed in the other of the supports. The pin is made of thermoplastic resin. When heated, the pins is softened and deformed, whereby the first and second supports are secured to each other, fastening together the opposing portions of the body organ.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for fastening together opposing portions of a body organ. The instrument comprises a first support for supporting the first opposing portion of the body organ, a second support opposing the first support, for supporting the second opposing portion of the body organ, and a displacement-preventing member connected to the first or second support for preventing the supports from displacing relative to each other. The member comprises a pin protruding from one of the supports and a hole formed in the other of the supports. The pin is made of thermoplastic resin. When heated, the pins is softened and deformed, whereby the first and second supports are secured to each other, fastening together the opposing portions of the body organ.

Abstract: A cleaning tube apparatus for an endoscope, comprises the endoscope having an observation optical system for observing a subject part at a forward-end portion, a cleaning tube detachable with respect to said endoscope, said cleaning tube being provided with a plurality of fluid jetting openings in a peripheral direction at one end of said cleaning tube, said fluid jetting openings being provided for leading cleaning fluid at least to said observation optical system, and a fluid supply unit connected to said cleaning tube, for supplying the cleaning fluid to said cleaning tube.

Abstract: A multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator includes a flexible tube having a plurality of flex portions provided therealong, a plurality of actuators made of shape memory alloy and respectively provided near the flex portions to correspond to the flex portions, for flexing the flex portions, two common energy transmission paths, extending along the flexible tube, for transmitting an energy to the actuators, and selective energy supply members, provided between the common energy transmission paths and the actuators in series, for controlling the energy supplied from the common energy transmission path to the actuators, thereby respectively independently driving the actuators to bend the flexible tube.

Abstract: A stereoscopic endoscope including an objective lens system for forming an image of an object which objective lens system is arranged at the front end of an inserting section and has a single optical axis; an image transmission device coaxially arranged with the objective lens system and adapted to transmit the image formed by the objective lens system; a pupil dividing device for dividing the image transmitted through the objective lens system and the image transmission device so as to obtain left and right images of the object; an image sensing device for picking up the left and right images obtained by the pupil dividing device; a first support structure containing-at least the objective lens system; and a second support structure containing at least the pupil dividing device and the image sensing device, wherein the first and second support structures are rotatable relative to each other around an axis extending along the longitudinal dimension of the endoscope.

Abstract: A three-dimensional vision endoscopic apparatus according to the present invention comprises a pair of optical systems for transmitting an image of a subject as two subject images having a parallax between them, a pair of imaging devices for picking up subject images transmitted by the optical systems, at least one visual field mask, a display unit for displaying the two subject images alternately or concurrently, an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the position of one or both of the imaging devices so that the display images will become consistent on the screen of the display unit, and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the relative position of the visual field mask.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a surgical device for applying surgical fasteners to body tissues in order to fasten the body tissues together. The device comprises an operation section having a housing having an inner space completely sealed from the outside, drive elements electrically driven and arranged in the inner space of the operation section, an insertion section including a housing which has a first end portion containing the fasteners and having an opening through which the fasteners are to be applied, and a second end portion removably coupled to the housing of the operation section, fastener-applying elements located in the housing of the insertion section, for applying the fasteners from the opening to body tissues, and force-transmitting elements for transmitting drive force from the drive elements to the fastener-applying elements.

Abstract: A trocar comprises an obturator having a piercing tip, and a cannula for forming a passage in tissue that is punched by the piercing tip. The cannula is formed from a flexible tube or a coil tube and transforms and libitum in accordance with the shape of the surgical tool that is to be inserted into the body cavity through the cannula. Therefore, the trocar of the invention allows insertion of a surgical tool curved in a circular arc into the body cavity without requiring no enlargement of the inside diameter of the cannula.

Abstract: A surgical device for stapling and fastening body tissues, which comprises a staple-applying section containing a plurality of staples, a staple pusher incorporated in the staple-applying section, for applying the staples, an anvil section for deforming the staples, thereby to staple the body tissues together, an operation section for operating the staple pusher and the anvil section, an observation window located near the anvil section, and an ocular section for displaying images supplied from the observation window.