Abstract: A method of manufacturing an endoscope includes: dividing some of signal lines into bundle portions; notching a part of a tube to form one or a plurality of notch portions; cutting at least one end portion of the tube in a state where the tube is folded with each notch portion to produce a first heat-shrinkable tube having cylindrical portions with aligned end portions in longitudinal directions of the cylindrical portions; inserting the divided bundle portions into the cylindrical portions of the first heat-shrinkable tube, respectively; inserting the signal lines into a second heat-shrinkable tube; heating at least an overlapping portion in a state where the first and second heat-shrinkable tubes partially overlap each other to cause heat shrinkage; inserting the signal cable and the channel into a tubular portion; and connecting the tubular portion to a distal end constituting portion to form the insertion portion.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject; an image sensor provided at a distal end of the insertion portion and configured to acquire an image of the subject; a signal cable connected to the image sensor at one end of the signal cable, the signal cable including a signal line group formed of a plurality of signal lines configured to transmit signals acquired by the image sensor; a tube provided at a part of the signal cable, the tube covering the signal cable and having insulation properties; and a filling member configured to fill a vacant space formed between the signal cable and the tube and at least a part of which is made of a material with low melting point.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a beam former that drives an ultrasound transducer including two-dimensionally arranged vibration elements and that acquires ultrasound data of a three-dimensional space; a delay calculating circuit sets scan conditions including a drive delay amount of the beam former; a graphic circuit that generates an ultrasound slice image of a predetermined cut surface from the ultrasound data of the three-dimensional space; and a CPU that determines a focal length or a focal depth of the ultrasound according to a distance from the ultrasound transducer to the desirably set cut surface to set an amount of delay to cause the delay calculating circuit to change the scan conditions.

Abstract: An endoscope or treatment instrument including: an insertion portion configured to be inserted into a subject; an electrodeposition portion configured to electrodeposit a lubricant applied to an outer surface, the outer surface including: a conductive portion provided on the insertion portion and made of a conductive material; and an insulating portion covering an outer surface of the conductive portion, exposed to a surface of the insertion portion, and made of an electrically insulating material; a connection portion connected to the conductive portion of the electrodeposition portion to take an electric charge; and a static electricity generation apparatus connected to the connection portion and configured to electrodeposit the conductive portion of the electrodeposition portion in a state that the insulating portion electrically insulates the conductive portion and an outside of the endoscope or treatment instrument.

Abstract: A heat monitoring instrument of the invention includes: an insertion portion for inserting into tissue of a subject; a distal end portion that constitutes a distal end portion of the insertion portion and receives and transmits heat of the subject into which the insertion portion is inserted; and a shape-memory portion that constitutes the distal end portion and changes shape due to the heat of the subject.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope of the invention includes: an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject; a distal end rigid portion including a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the distal end rigid portion being made of resin and provided at a distal end portion of the insertion portion; a bending tube made of metal and provided continuously with the distal end rigid portion; objective optical systems provided at the distal end rigid portion; an image pickup unit that picks up images formed by the objective optical systems; an illumination lens barrel made of metal, the illumination lens barrel holding an illumination optical system provided at the distal end rigid portion and being extended in a direction of the proximal end portion; and a first conductive portion that establishes electrical conduction between the bending tube and the illumination lens barrel.

Abstract: An endoscope or treatment instrument including: an insertion portion configured to be inserted into a subject; an electrodeposition portion configured to electrodeposit a lubricant applied to an outer surface, the outer surface including: a conductive portion provided on the insertion portion and made of a conductive material; and an insulating portion covering an outer surface of the conductive portion, exposed to a surface of the insertion portion, and made of an electrically insulating material; a connection portion connected to the conductive portion of the electrodeposition portion to take an electric charge; and a static electricity generation apparatus connected to the connection portion and configured to electrodeposit the conductive portion of the electrodeposition portion in a state that the insulating portion electrically insulates the conductive portion and an outside of the endoscope or treatment instrument.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject; an image sensor provided at a distal end of the insertion portion and configured to acquire an image of the subject; a signal cable connected to the image sensor at one end of the signal cable, the signal cable including a signal line group formed of a plurality of signal lines configured to transmit signals acquired by the image sensor; a tube provided at a part of the signal cable, the tube covering the signal cable and having insulation properties; and a filling member configured to fill a vacant space formed between the signal cable and the tube and at least a part of which is made of a material with low melting point.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: a rigid insertion portion inserted into a subject; an image sensor provided at a distal end of the insertion portion and configured to acquire an image of the subject; a rigid channel provided in the insertion portion, extended to be inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of the insertion portion, and having a tubular shape into which a long member is inserted; and a signal cable including signal lines extended from the image sensor to transmit a signal acquired by the image sensor, and formed by winding a portion around an outer circumference of the channel at least one turn, wherein an arrangement of the channel and the signal cable at a first end side of the insertion portion is different from an arrangement of the channel and the signal cable at a second end side of the insertion portion.

Abstract: An endoscope and a treatment instrument of the present invention include: an insertion portion that can be inserted into a subject; an electrodeposition portion provided on a surface of the insertion portion and configured to electrodeposit a lubricant applied to an outer surface; and a connection portion configured to connect the electrodeposition portion to one of a direct current power source and a static electricity generation apparatus in a state that the insertion portion is inserted into the subject.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an endoscope includes: dividing some of signal lines into bundle portions; notching a part of a tube to form one or a plurality of notch portions; cutting at least one end portion of the tube in a state where the tube is folded with each notch portion to produce a first heat-shrinkable tube having cylindrical portions with aligned end portions in longitudinal directions of the cylindrical portions; inserting the divided bundle portions into the cylindrical portions of the first heat-shrinkable tube, respectively; inserting the signal lines into a second heat-shrinkable tube; heating at least an overlapping portion in a state where the first and second heat-shrinkable tubes partially overlap each other to cause heat shrinkage; inserting the signal cable and the channel into a tubular portion; and connecting the tubular portion to a distal end constituting portion to form the insertion portion.

Abstract: A biopsy needle includes: an outer needle including a first needle tip; an inner needle including a second needle tip, an inclined surface, and a notch portion; and a moving mechanism configured such that a maximum distance by which the outer needle is slidable in a distal end direction is set to be longer than a maximum distance by which the inner needle is slidable in the distal end direction such that the outer needle and the inner needle switch between a first state, in which the second needle tip is positioned closer to a distal end than the first needle tip, and a second state, in which a position of the first needle tip is located closer to the distal end than a proximal end of the inclined surface and a distance between the first needle tip and the second needle tip is shorter than a distance between the first needle tip and the second needle tip in the first state.

Abstract: A biopsy needle includes an outer needle being tubular and having a first needle tip at one end of the outer needle in a longitudinal direction, and an inner needle having a pillar shape and configured to be inserted into and movable in the outer needle in the longitudinal direction of the outer needle. The inner needle includes: a distal end portion having a second needle tip at a distal end of the inner needle and having an inclined surface inclined toward the second needle tip at the distal end; a notch portion having a notch on a side surface closer to a proximal end side of the inner needle than the inclined surface to collect body tissues; and a guide portion leading from the distal end portion to the notch portion.

Abstract: A biopsy needle includes: a tubular outer needle including a first needle tip at one end in a longitudinal direction of the outer needle; and an inner needle having a columnar shape and configured to be inserted into the outer needle and movable along the longitudinal direction. The inner needle includes: a second needle tip at a distal end of the inner needle; an inclined surface that is inclined toward the second needle tip; and concave portions provided on first and second side surfaces of the inner needle, the first side surface facing a first direction perpendicular to a cross section parallel to the longitudinal direction, the second side surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction, a part of the inclined surface being included in an area obtained by projecting the concave portions in a direction parallel to a transverse direction of the inner needle.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope of the invention includes: an insertion portion to be inserted into a subject; a distal end rigid portion including a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the distal end rigid portion being made of resin and provided at a distal end portion of the insertion portion; a bending tube made of metal and provided continuously with the distal end rigid portion; objective optical systems provided at the distal end rigid portion; an image pickup unit that picks up images formed by the objective optical systems; an illumination lens barrel made of metal, the illumination lens barrel holding an illumination optical system provided at the distal end rigid portion and being extended in a direction of the proximal end portion; and a first conductive portion that establishes electrical conduction between the bending tube and the illumination lens barrel.

Abstract: An ablation method according to the present invention includes: a step I of observing a target region in a tissue of a subject and a conservation region that should not be ablated, the conservation region being adjacent to the ablation target region, using an observation unit; a step II of placing a thermal monitoring instrument that deforms if a temperature thereof exceeds a predetermined temperature, in a boundary between the ablation target region and the conservation region under the observation using the observation unit; a step III of heating the ablation target region using an ablation instrument while observing the ablation target region using the observation unit; and a step IV of stopping the heating at a stage where deformation of the thermal monitoring instrument is confirmed.

Abstract: An endoscope and a treatment instrument of the present invention include: an insertion portion that can be inserted into a subject; an electrodeposition portion provided on a surface of the insertion portion and configured to electrodeposit a lubricant applied to an outer surface; and a connection portion configured to connect the electrodeposition portion to one of a direct current power source and a static electricity generation apparatus in a state that the insertion portion is inserted into the subject.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a beam former that drives an ultrasound transducer including two-dimensionally arranged vibration elements and that acquires ultrasound data of a three-dimensional space; a delay calculating circuit sets scan conditions including a drive delay amount of the beam former; a graphic circuit that generates an ultrasound slice image of a predetermined cut surface from the ultrasound data of the three-dimensional space; and a CPU that determines a focal length or a focal depth of the ultrasound according to a distance from the ultrasound transducer to the desirably set cut surface to set an amount of delay to cause the delay calculating circuit to change the scan conditions.

Abstract: A puncture treatment instrument for endoscope of the present invention includes: a concave portion with an opening on a distal end side and a bottom surface on a proximal end side; a holding portion adjacent to a proximal end of the concave portion, the holding portion allowing advancement and retraction of a needle; a puncture needle with a full length longer than a distance from a proximal end of the holding portion to a distal end of the concave portion; and a locking portion that generates resistance force in an advancing direction to stop retraction of the puncture needle when the puncture needle is retracted after the puncture needle is advanced to project into the concave portion from the holding portion.

Abstract: A heat monitoring instrument of the invention includes: an insertion portion for inserting into tissue of a subject; a distal end portion that constitutes a distal end portion of the insertion portion and receives and transmits heat of the subject into which the insertion portion is inserted; and a shape-memory portion that constitutes the distal end portion and changes shape due to the heat of the subject.