Abstract: An endoscopy system including a balloon-equipped endoscope including a balloon which is configured for slidable frictional engagement with an interior wall of a body passageway and axial stretching of the interior wall when inflated to a slidable frictional engagement pressure and displaced axially along the body passageway and a balloon inflation subsystem operative to selectably inflate the balloon to the slidable frictional engagement pressure.

Abstract: An endoscopy system including a balloon-equipped endoscope including a balloon which is configured for slidable frictional engagement with an interior wall of a body passageway and axial stretching of the interior wall when inflated to a slidable frictional engagement pressure and displaced axially along the body passageway and a balloon inflation subsystem operative to selectably inflate the balloon to the slidable frictional engagement pressure.

Abstract: A reprocessing system for balloon endoscopes including an endoscope reprocessing system including cleaning functionality and disinfection functionality, and a leak testing device including inflation and deflation functionality, the inflation and deflation functionality being operative to selectably inflate and deflate a balloon of a balloon endoscope.

Abstract: A user-operable controlled furling balloon assembly including a furlable balloon sheath, an elongate furling driving element which is retractable and rotatable about an elongate axis thereof relative to a base element for furling the furlable balloon sheath about the elongate axis, the furlable balloon sheath surrounding the elongate furling driving element and coupled at a first end thereof to the elongate furling driving element and at a second end thereof to the base element and a furling/retraction controlling assembly coupled to the elongate furling driving element and to the base element for limiting an extent of retraction of the elongate furling driving element to be a function of an extent of furling of the balloon sheath, thereby limiting a maximum outer diameter of the balloon sheath when furled and preventing stacking of the balloon sheath.

Abstract: An endoscope system including an endoscope including an endoscope electro-pneumatic connection assembly having a leak test port, an endoscope electro-optic subsystem which is connectable to the endoscope via the endoscope electro-pneumatic connection assembly in a manner which precludes access to the leak test port when the endoscope electro-optic subsystem and the endoscope are connected at the electro-pneumatic connection assembly and an electro-pneumatic adaptor, which is connectable to the endoscope at the electro-pneumatic connection assembly and includes an adaptor electro-pneumatic connection assembly, including a leak test port connector for connection to the leak test port of the endoscope, an adaptor electrical port assembly to which the endoscope electro-optic subsystem is connectable and a pneumatic port.

Abstract: A balloon endoscope including an endoscope body having a selectably pressurizable interior volume, which generally fills the interior of the endoscope body and a selectably inflatable balloon located on an outer surface of the endoscope body and defining a balloon volume which communicates with the interior volume for selectable inflation of the balloon by selectable pressurization of the interior volume.

Abstract: An endoscopy system including a balloon-equipped endoscope including a balloon which is configured for slidable frictional engagement with an interior wall of a body passageway and axial stretching of the interior wall when inflated to a slidable frictional engagement pressure and displaced axially along the body passageway and a balloon inflation subsystem operative to selectably inflate the balloon to the slidable frictional engagement pressure.

Abstract: A balloon endoscope including an endoscope body having a selectably pressurizable interior volume, which generally fills the interior of the endoscope body and a selectably inflatable balloon located on an outer surface of the endoscope body and defining a balloon volume which communicates with the interior volume for selectable inflation of the balloon by selectable pressurization of the interior volume.

Abstract: A balloon catheter assembly including an elongate catheter tube including a lumen having a first cross sectional area, a wire extending through the lumen, and an inflatable balloon mountably associated with the tube and the wire, the tube being formed with a plurality of balloon inflation apertures communicating with the lumen, the apertures having a total aperture cross sectional area which exceeds the first cross sectional area and including at least two apertures being arranged at different azimuthal locations along the tube underlying the balloon and the balloon being characterized by an inflated state having a ratio of maximum inflated diameter to length of more than 0.4 and a corresponding deflated state wherein at least a first portion of the balloon is capable of being twisted relative to at least a second portion thereof, resulting in at least partial blockage of at least one but not all of the apertures.

Abstract: A reprocessing system for balloon endoscopes including an endoscope reprocessing system including cleaning functionality and disinfection functionality, and a leak testing device including inflation and deflation functionality, the inflation and deflation functionality being operative to selectably inflate and deflate a balloon of a balloon endoscope.

Abstract: An endoscopy system including a balloon-equipped endoscope including a balloon which is configured for slidable frictional engagement with an interior wall of a body passageway and axial stretching of the interior wall when inflated to a slidable frictional engagement pressure and displaced axially along the body passageway and a balloon inflation subsystem operative to selectably inflate the balloon to the slidable frictional engagement pressure.

Abstract: A method for reprocessing a balloon endoscope, the method including the steps of deflating a balloon of a balloon endoscope to a negative pressure state following clinical use thereof and thereafter maintaining the interior of the balloon in a negative pressure state during at least part of reprocessing the balloon endoscope.

Abstract: A reprocessing method for balloon endoscopes, the method including introducing a balloon endoscope to be reprocessed into an endoscope reprocessing system, performing reprocessing on the balloon endoscope to be reprocessed while a balloon of the balloon endoscope is deflated, thereafter inflating the balloon of the balloon endoscope, thereafter deflating the balloon of the balloon endoscope and thereafter performing further reprocessing on the balloon endoscope to be reprocessed while the balloon of the balloon endoscope is deflated.

Abstract: Mounting a double-balloon auxiliary endoscope assembly over a conventional endoscope by sliding an overtube subassembly over the conventional endoscope, and thereafter sliding over the conventional endoscope, while connected to the overtube subassembly via a flexible interconnection tube, a forward balloon support sleeve of a forward balloon subassembly also including a forward balloon fixedly mounted on the forward balloon support sleeve and defining together therewith a forward inflatable volume.

Abstract: A method for reprocessing a balloon endoscope, the method including the steps of deflating a balloon of a balloon endoscope to a negative pressure state following clinical use thereof and thereafter maintaining the interior of the balloon in a negative pressure state during at least part of reprocessing the balloon endoscope.

Abstract: An assembly including an endoscope having an external surface, an auxiliary endoscope assembly having a resilient collar portion mounted onto the endoscope and a hand-held collar cutting tool for removal of the auxiliary endoscope assembly having a resilient collar portion from the endoscope, the cutting tool including a hand-held collar cutting tool body portion, a cutting edge associated with the cutting tool body portion and adapted for cutting the resilient collar portion and a spacer portion protruding from the hand-held collar cutting tool body portion, the spacer portion being adapted for insertion between the resilient collar portion and the endoscope for spacing the endoscope from the resilient collar portion and from the cutting edge, the spacer portion being softer than the external surface of the endoscope.

Abstract: A balloon endoscope including an endoscope body having a selectably pressurizable interior volume, which generally fills the interior of the endoscope body and a selectably inflatable balloon located on an outer surface of the endoscope body and defining a balloon volume which communicates with the interior volume for selectable inflation of the balloon by selectable pressurization of the interior volume.

Abstract: A balloon endoscope including an endoscope body having a selectably pressurizable interior volume, which generally fills the interior of the endoscope body and a selectably inflatable balloon located on an outer surface of the endoscope body and defining a balloon volume which communicates with the interior volume for selectable inflation of the balloon by selectable pressurization of the interior volume.

Abstract: A reprocessing method for balloon endoscopes, the method including introducing a balloon endoscope to be reprocessed into an endoscope reprocessing system, performing reprocessing on the balloon endoscope to be reprocessed while a balloon of the balloon endoscope is deflated, thereafter inflating the balloon of the balloon endoscope, thereafter deflating the balloon of the balloon endoscope and thereafter performing further reprocessing on the balloon endoscope to be reprocessed while the balloon of the balloon endoscope is deflated.

Abstract: An endoscope system including an endoscope including an endoscope electro-pneumatic connection assembly having a leak test port, an endoscope electro-optic subsystem which is connectable to the endoscope via the endoscope electro-pneumatic connection assembly in a manner which precludes access to the leak test port when the endoscope electro-optic subsystem and the endoscope are connected at the electro-pneumatic connection assembly and an electro-pneumatic adaptor, which is connectable to the endoscope at the electro-pneumatic connection assembly and includes an adaptor electro-pneumatic connection assembly, including a leak test port connector for connection to the leak test port of the endoscope, an adaptor electrical port assembly to which the endoscope electro-optic subsystem is connectable and a pneumatic port.