Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, a snare electrode, a spool and an electrical connector. A distal part of the body includes a passageway extending axially therethrough. The snare electrode is adapted to telescope in the passageway. The distal part of the body has an outward surface electrically insulated from the snare electrode. A second portion of the snare electrode is extendable from a second port of the passageway for forming a loop sized to be placed over tissue (e.g., portion(s) of the uterus and/or kidney(s), spleen, pancreas, gallbladder, remnant from the liver, and/or vascular aneurysm) to be removed from a patient. The spool is rotatably supported in a proximal part of the body. A first portion of the snare electrode is windable about the spool. A rotation of the spool in a winding direction causes retraction of the first portion of the snare electrode from a first port of the passageway, thereby closing the loop to engage the tissue.

Abstract: A retractor endoscope for less invasive, direct access endoscopic surgery includes a rigid frame capable of supporting applied loads required to perform retraction of an incision site. The rigid frame includes a handle at one end and a lower blade mount rotatably connected to the opposite end. A translation frame is slidably connected to the rigid frame and includes an upper blade mount rotatably connected thereto. Lower and upper blades are removably mounted to the lower and upper blade mounts respectively, with at least one of the blades including pivot mounts for high intensity fiberoptics. The angle of the lower blade along the lower blade mount rotatable connection and the angle of the upper blade along the upper blade mount rotatable connection are independently adjustable. The size of an operating window is determined by the distance between the lower and upper blade mounts and the angles of the lower and upper blades.

Abstract: A retractor endoscope for less invasive, direct access endoscopic surgery includes a rigid frame capable of supporting applied loads required to perform retraction of an incision site. The rigid frame includes a handle at one end and a lower blade mount rotatably connected to the opposite end. A translation frame is slidably connected to the rigid frame and includes an upper blade mount rotatably connected thereto. Lower and upper blades are removably mounted to the lower and upper blade mounts respectively, with at least one of the blades including pivot mounts for high intensity fiberoptics. The angle of the lower blade along the lower blade mount rotatable connection and the angle of the upper blade along the upper blade mount rotatable connection are independently adjustable. The size of an operating window is determined by the distance between the lower and upper blade mounts and the angles of the lower and upper blades.

Abstract: A hard sealed CO.sub.2 laser tube includes an impermeable envelope with flanges and seals joined by weldment and ultrahigh vacuum. A total reflecting mirror at the input is hard sealed and cooled at its back side. The plasma tube and cooling jacket are made of glass or ceramic construction. Metal-glass or glass-ceramic high voltage feedthroughs provide for connection to the internal electrodes. Feedthroughs using glass-metal sealing connect to the internal cooling jackets. The feedthroughs for electrical and cooling connections are at the total reflecting mirror end. A plastic base connector is attached to the metal structure at the total reflecting mirror end.

Abstract: The invention resides in a binocular microscope which has a collimating lens 20 and a pair of monocular tubes 28 in optical alignment with it. Each tube has, as minimum components of its optical system, an objective 22 and an eyepiece 36. The optical axes 64 of the objectives are maintained at all times parallel to and at a fixed distance from each other. The optical axes 94 of the eyepieces are also at all times parallel to each other as well as to the axes of the objectives. However, the distance between the eyepiece axes 94 is variable, and there are means to vary the distance to accommodate the inter-pupillary distance of the viewer without causing line of sight convergence. A magnification changer 30 is positioned in each monocular tube 28 in the optical path between the eyepiece 36 and the objective 22. Means are provided for operating the magnification changers independently of changes in the distance between the eyepieces.

Abstract: A laser surgical system for use in the operating room is suspended on the ceiling and can be moved horizontally in an X-Y direction. The system has the laser tubes, power supplies and cooling unit in the suspended assembly. A carbon dioxide laser for cutting and a neodymium YAG laser for coagulation excite a common optical channel. A third laser argon, or other wavelength, can be added to the system. The common optical channel couples the laser beams to an articulate arm delivery system, or a microscope micromanipulator delivery system or fiberoptics delivery system. The microscopic micromanipulator delivery system is motorized so it can be easily moved in any direction. This motorized system is also compatible with a microprocessor for automated surgery. The system also has a built-in digital television system for demonstration, recording or as a robotic eye for association wtih a computer that may help control the laser surgery.