Abstract: Provided is an endoluminal device system including: an elongated and flexible endoluminal device; a wire that is disposed in the endoluminal device; a first sensor that detects tension of the wire; a second sensor that detects displacement of the wire; a driving device capable of pulling the wire; and a processor. The processor is configured to: cause the driving device to execute a relaxing operation for relaxing the wire, acquire the tension and the displacement of the wire during the relaxing operation, which are detected by the first sensor and the second sensor, respectively, and adjust a control parameter of the endoluminal device based on a rate of change in the tension with respect to the displacement.

Abstract: A treatment instrument includes: a shaft; an end effector disposed on a distal side of the shaft; a joint connecting the end effector to a distal end of the shaft; a first part connected to a proximal side of the shaft and configured to bend the joint; wires each connecting the joint and the first part through the shaft and each configured to generate tension in response to an operation of the first part; and a second part connected to the proximal side of the shaft and configured to integrally rotate the shaft, the end effector, the joint, the first part, and the wires about a rotation axis passing through central axes of the shaft, the end effector, the joint, and the first part. The first part includes: a joystick displaceable in a direction intersecting a central axis of the shaft; and a lock fixing a position of the joystick.

Abstract: A joint structure of a manipulator includes: swiveling members that are coupled so as to be able to swivel via a rolling contact; shafts that constitute bending joints between the swiveling members and that are parallel to each other; pulleys that are rotatably supported about the shafts; and a connector attached to the shafts so as to be able to swivel about longitudinal axes of the shafts. The connector includes supports that are disposed on axial ends of the shafts so as to sandwich the pulleys therebetween in a direction of the longitudinal axis, and a beam that extends in between the supports to couple the supports to each other.

Abstract: A flexible-manipulator guide member is provided in an inserted portion of a flexible manipulator including the elongated flexible inserted portion, the movable portion disposed at the distal end of the inserted portion, a drive portion disposed at the base end of the inserted portion, and the elongated driving-force transmitting member that transmits motive power of the drive portion to the movable portion, and is provided with a lumen through which the driving-force transmitting member passes in the longitudinal direction, wherein the lumen has a twisted shape about the longitudinal axis of the inserted portion.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an endoscope, the endoscope including a curved portion that can be driven to bend and a flexible portion through which a bending wire that bends the curved portion is inserted, includes: arranging the curved portion and the flexible portion of the endoscope so that they have a predetermined shape; bending the curved portion; measuring first shape information, which is information about a shape of the curved portion; and updating a control parameter for the endoscope to drive the curved portion based on the measured first shape information.

Abstract: Provided is an endoscope system including an endoscope that images living tissue to be treated by at least one instrument; and a control device that includes a processor configured to derive at least one of the following information: grasp assistance information on a grasping operation to grasp the living tissue by the at least one instrument, and traction assistance information on a traction operation for traction of the living tissue by the at least one instrument, based on an endoscopic image acquired by the endoscope.

Abstract: A flexible-manipulator guide member is provided in an inserted portion of a flexible manipulator including the elongated flexible inserted portion, the movable portion disposed at the distal end of the inserted portion, a drive portion disposed at the base end of the inserted portion, and the elongated driving-force transmitting member that transmits motive power of the drive portion to the movable portion, and is provided with a lumen through which the driving-force transmitting member passes in the longitudinal direction, wherein the lumen has a twisted shape about the longitudinal axis of the inserted portion.

Abstract: A suture anchor including a base, a deformable portion, and a first passage and a second passage each formed in the base to allow a suture to pass therethrough, wherein the deformable portion is a cantilever state having a fixed end, which is disposed at a side of one end of the base, and a free end, which is disposed at a side of the other end of the base relative to the fixed end and which is separated by a space from the base, and the deformable portion is deformable in a direction in which the free end approaches the base, the first passage communicates the upper side and the lower side of the base, the second passage communicates the space and a side of the one end of the fixed end, and the deformable portion is deformed due to a tensile force applied to the suture.

Abstract: A force transmission mechanism includes a force adjuster that receives a driving force and that is configured to change a force transmission efficiency, and also includes a driving member that is configured to connect an end effector and the force adjuster via a joint section and transmit the driving force. The force adjuster converts the driving force into a linear force via a rotational force, and increases the conversion efficiency from the driving force to the linear force such that an amount of increase in the force transmission efficiency increases with increasing displacement amount of the driving member when the driving member is displaced in accordance with flexing or curving of the joint section.

Abstract: A gripping device includes: a gripping portion including a first gripping piece including a first gripping surface, and a second gripping piece including a second gripping surface, the second gripping surface being configured to grip a living tissue; and a first wire extending from a first end to a second end of the first wire, an incision portion that is a part of the first wire between the first end and the second end being bridged between the first gripping surface and the second gripping surface, the first wire being configured such that the incision portion moves from a first position toward a distal end of the gripping portion according to pulling of at least one of the first end and the second end to incise the living tissue gripped between the first gripping surface and the second gripping surface.

Abstract: A force transmitting mechanism includes: a force adjusting portion that is disposed between a joint portion of an instrument and a force generating portion and that receives force from the force generating portion; and a driving member that passes through the joint portion, that connects the end effector and the force adjusting portion, and that transmits the force applied from the force adjusting portions to the end effector, wherein, by means of displacement of the driving member associated with flexing or bending of the joint portion, the force adjusting portion increases the force transmission efficiency so that an amount of increase in the force transmission efficiency increases with an increase in a displacement amount of the driving member.

Abstract: A medical treatment tool includes an elongated insertion section; a grasper supported by a distal end of the insertion section so as to be openable and closable; a generator disposed at a proximal end of the insertion section and generating a force to drive the grasper; a transmitter transmitting the force generated by the generator to the distal end of the insertion section; an amplifier amplifying the force transmitted through the transmitter; and a toggle amplifying and converting the force amplified by the amplifier into a force directed to open or close the grasper.

Abstract: A high-frequency treatment tool includes a sheath (1), a conductive wire (13) inserted into the sheath and protruding in a loop shape in a long axis direction of the sheath from a distal end of the sheath, and an operation unit (5) connected to a proximal end of the sheath to operate both end portions of the conductive wire, in which the conductive wire includes an incision unit (30) provided on a loop protruding from the distal end of the sheath and a first covering portion (31) and a second covering portion (32) disposed on both sides of the incision unit and having an insulated outer peripheral surface, and the incision unit is accommodated in the sheath asymmetrically with respect to the long axis direction by an operation of the operation unit.

Abstract: An endoscope snare includes a sheath, a support wire inserted into the sheath and movable advance and retraction in the sheath along an axis, a loop-shaped conductive wire connected to a distal end of the support wire, and a pressing wire inserted into the sheath, connected to the conductive wire at a position different from that of the support wire, and movable advance and retraction in the sheath independently of the support wire. The pressing wire may have a plurality of wires, and may be connected to at least the conductive wire at two points of the support wire between which the axis is interposed.

Abstract: A gripping mechanism includes: two gripping pieces pivoted relative to each other about a pivot axis; a base supporting the gripping pieces in a pivotable manner; a pulling pulley rotatably supported about a rotation axis parallel to the pivot axis; and a wire wound around the pulley, and causing, with a pulling force, the pulley to move the rotation axis. The pulley is disposed so that a resultant force of tensile forces of the wire becomes greater than the pulling force and generates a moment causing the gripping pieces to be pivoted relative to each other in closing direction. The base includes a first hole. At least one of the gripping pieces includes a second hole inclined in one direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first hole. The rotation axis is provided so as to be movable along the longitudinal axes of the individual holes.

Abstract: A bending mechanism includes: an elongated support member; a swivel that is supported at a distal end of the support member so as to swivel around an axis that intersects a longitudinal axis of the support member; a transmitter that are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the support member, transmits a driving force applied at a proximal end thereof, and makes the swivel swivel relative to the support member; and a regulator that regulates stress generated in the transmitter at each swivel position of the swivel with respect to the support member such that the stress does not exceed a prescribed threshold.

Abstract: Provided is a gripping mechanism including: a frame; a first jaw that is supported by the frame so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis; a second jaw that is supported by the frame so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis that is different from the first rotation axis and that is parallel to the first rotation axis; a slit that is formed in at least one of the jaws; a transmission pin that passes inside the slit and that transmits a force between the jaws; and a wire that is connected to the first jaw and that transmits a rotational force about the first rotation axis to the first jaw through tension. Movement of the transmission pin inside the slit through rotation of the first jaw rotates the second jaw.

Abstract: A medical treatment tool includes: a forceps; an operating section; a sheath; first and second sections bending the sheath; and at least two wires passing through the first and second sections and transmitting, to the forceps, a force applied to the operating section. The sheath includes lumens allowing the wires to pass therethrough. With respect to a position of lumens at which the first and second sections are bent in opposite directions in the same plane, the lumens are twisted between the first and second sections in the same direction by the same angle that operating direction of the operating section is twisted relative to the opposite direction mentioned above. The first and second sections are bent in directions in which changes in path lengths of the wires by bending of the first bending section are offset by changes in the path lengths by bending of the second bending section.

Abstract: A gripping mechanism includes: two gripping pieces pivoted relative to each other about a pivot axis; a base supporting at least one of the gripping pieces; a pulley rotatably supported about a rotation axis parallel to the pivot axis; a wire wound around the pulley, causing tensile forces that move the rotation axis in one direction to act, and transmitting a pressing force; and a force-receiving portion receiving the pressing force. The pulley is disposed so that a resultant force of the tensile forces of the wire acting on the rotation axis generates a moment causing the gripping pieces to be pivoted in a direction causing the gripping pieces to be closed. The force-receiving portion is disposed so that the pressing force applied from the wire generates a moment causing the gripping pieces to be pivoted in a direction causing the gripping pieces to be opened.

Abstract: A medical rotation mechanism has a cylindrical force transmission member; a cylindrical driver disposed at an external side of the force transmission member and having a plurality of external teeth; and a cylindrical rotation member formed disposed at an external side of the driver and having a plurality of internal teeth, wherein the force transmission member has a cam portion configured to push the driver outwardly in a radial direction, a part of the cam portion in the circumferential direction having a larger length in the radial direction than that of the other part, the force transmission member is configured to transmit the force to the driver and move an inscribed engagement portion in the circumferential direction so as to rotate the rotation member, and the force transmission member has a roller configured to transmit a rotation force to the driver.