Abstract: An endoscopic system includes an integrated grasper device passing through a device lumen in the cannula. The grasper device has distal end forming two jaw portions that are biased to remain in an open position if unconstrained. The grasper has arch shaped portions that push against the inner surface of the device lumen when the grasper is retracted. To close the jaws of the grasper the grasper is retracted proximally until the arch shaped portions engage the opening of the device lumen. Further retraction causes the grasper jaws to close through engagement with the device lumen inner surface. The endoscopy system can include a single-use, removable cannula having a camera module on its distal tip. A re-usable portion can include the hand piece and display screen.

Abstract: A portable endoscopic system injects medication into a patient's cavity using a single-use access sheath inserted in the cavity with a single-use endoscopic cannula inserted in the sheath. A display mounted on a handle secured to the cannula shows images of target tissue taken with an imaging module at a distal end of the cannula. The sheath can remain in the same position in the patient while the cannula rotates in the sheath. The distal end of the injection needle is offset radially from a central axis of the cannula, so rotation of the cannula points the needle to new injections sites. The cannula, needle, and injection sites are seen on the display, as is the angular position of the cannula relative to markings at the distal end of the sheath. The distal end of the sheath has surfaces made of or covered by non-reflective or low-reflection material to prevent or reduce image artifacts due to reflection from the sheath.

Abstract: A hand-held, multi-band imaging pen is shaped and dimensioned for holding as a pen and has, at least at one end thereof, light sources and image sensors for imaging in white light and in non-white light, can have at the other end at least one light source and one light sensor, and can have a working channel for a medical instrument. The pen includes a wireless transmitter for sending images to an external display and tactile controls for lighting and camera functions.

Abstract: A handheld surgical endoscope has a disposable, single-use handle, cannula and an imaging module at a distal tip. A multiple-use display unit is removably mounted on and supported by the handle and includes a touch-sensitive display screen configured to respond to touch commands to control taking of images with the imaging module and further configured to display the images. The display unit and the handle include respective mechanical connectors that engage each other to removably mount the display unit on the handle by sliding motion relative to each other, and the display unit is removable tool-free from said handle for disposal of the handle and cannula after a medical procedure therewith.

Abstract: Systems and methods are configured for combined fluorescence imaging and white light imaging of tissue such as during surgical endoscopic procedures. A chip-on-tip type endoscope can be equipped with both white light and blue light LEDs. A single camera or dual cameras are configured with backside illuminated CMOS image sensor(s) to receive and process the white light and fluorescence images. The light sources, image sensors and image processing circuitry are configured to synchronously emit light and record pixels for visible white light and fluorescence frames alternately. Global or quasi-global shuttering can be used on the image sensor(s). A modified color filter array and other filters can be provided to enhance fluorescence imaging capabilities. Insufflating gas clears debris from the camera field of view and aids in moving the cannula distally through a body passageway.

Abstract: A kit comprising a first single-use portion releasably coupled with a reusable portion for use in a first stage of a PCNL medical procedure to penetrate to a patient's kidney and/or ureter and view on an electronic display the work area and a guidewire passed through the first single-use portion, and a second single-use portion releasable coupled with said reusable portion for use in a second stage of a PCNL medical procedure, after the first single-use portion has been withdrawn from the patient, to view on the electronic display the work area and surgical tools treating the area during and after completion of treatment. Another kit comprises a single-use device for sialendoscopy.

Abstract: An endoscope in which a reusable portion is inserted nearly all the way into a hollow, pistol-grip handle of a single-use portion and the protruding part of the reusable portion and an adjacent part of the handle are covered with a flexible and resilient cap. The same cap covers the open end of the handle when the single-use portion is shipped from a manufacturing site. At a user's facility, a health professional tears the pouch, removes the cap from the handle, inserts the reusable portion, and covers the distal end of the reusable portion and an adjacent part of the handle with the same cap. Typically, a remote display connects to the endoscope wirelessly or through a cable, with a connector that fits through a hole in the cap configured to keep fluids from entering around the connector. The wireless transmission preferably uses a proprietary protocol to preserve medical data confidentiality.

Abstract: An endoscope in which a reusable portion is inserted nearly all the way into a hollow, pistol-grip handle of a single-use portion and the protruding part of the reusable portion and an adjacent part of the handle are covered with a flexible and resilient cap. The same cap covers the open end of the handle when the single-use portion is shipped from a manufacturing site. At a user's facility, a health professional tears the pouch, removes the cap from the handle, inserts the reusable portion, and covers the distal end of the reusable portion and an adjacent part of the handle with the same cap. Typically, a remote display connects to the endoscope wirelessly or through a cable, with a connector that fits through a hole in the cap configured to keep fluids from entering around the connector. The wireless transmission preferably uses a proprietary protocol to preserve medical data confidentiality.

Abstract: A handheld endoscope has a disposable, single-use portion that includes a fluid hub, cannula, distal tip and is steerable by the operator though actuation of one or two levers. The endoscope also includes multiple-use portion that has a handle and display module. The distal tip includes LED illumination and an imaging module that feeds live video to the display module that is rotatable to allow viewing by the operator and others. The single-use and multiple-use portions mate and un-mate with each other via physically separated mechanical and electrical connectors. The component of the endoscope can be supplied to users in different combinations of pre-assembled configurations, some in a sterile package. The single use portion can include grasper device that can be actuated by an operator using an actuation tab.

Abstract: An endoscope in which a reusable portion is inserted nearly all the way into a hollow, pistol-grip handle of a single-use portion and the protruding part of the reusable portion and an adjacent part of the handle are covered with a flexible and resilient cap. The same cap covers the open end of the handle when the single-use portion is shipped from a manufacturing site. At a user's facility, a health professional tears the pouch, removes the cap from the handle, inserts the reusable portion, and covers the distal end of the reusable portion and an adjacent part of the handle with the same cap. Typically, a remote display connects to the endoscope wirelessly or through a cable, with a connector that fits through a hole in the cap configured to keep fluids from entering around the connector. The wireless transmission preferably uses a proprietary protocol to preserve medical data confidentiality.

Abstract: A photodynamic treatment device treating a patient's cervix opening with light that causes selected tissue to fluoresce and imaging the tissue while the treatment is in progress without affecting the treatment.

Abstract: A medical endoscopy/stereo colposcopy instrument is configured to selectively take stereo colposcopy images of a patient's uterus and endoscopy images of the patient's bladder or uterus. Any of the images can be white light images or images for a selected narrow wavelength band or fluorescence images. The images can be displayed individually or as spatially registered composite images to highlight selected features of the imaged anatomy. A cup-shaped device can be positioned at the patient's cervix and provided with a light source and a fluorescence camera module to monitor changes in fluorescence in response to a photoactivated substance.

Abstract: A medical endoscope that has a reusable portion to which either of two different single-use portions can be snapped in by hand to thereby form two different assembled endoscopes. When one of the single-use portions is assembled with the reusable portion, a motor in the reusable portion robotically rotates a cannula about a proximal end of the single use portion. When the other single-use portion is assembled with the reusable portion, the motor robotically angulates the distal end of the cannula. Another medical endoscope is single-use in its entirety and has motor-driven angulation of the cannula's distal end. Another has manually controlled angulation.

Abstract: A compact, hand-held, robotic assisted endoscopic system configured to derive the position and/or orientation CamPose of a distal part of a single-use portion relative to coordinates HandPose of a reusable portion of an endoscope and display juxtaposed images of an object such a patient's organ being diagnosed or treated in a medical procedure with the endoscope and the distal part of the endoscope, and to provide guidance to the system user with display of images such as prior images of the object, standardized images of the object of tutorial images related to the medical procedure.

Abstract: Systems and methods are configured for combined fluorescence imaging and white light imaging of tissue such as during surgical endoscopic procedures. A chip-on-tip type endoscope can be equipped with both white light and blue light LEDs. A single camera or dual cameras are configured with backside illuminated CMOS image sensor(s) to receive and process the white light and fluorescence images. The light sources, image sensors and image processing circuitry are configured to synchronously emit light and record pixels for visible white light and fluorescence frames alternately. Global or quasi-global shuttering can be used on the image sensor(s). A modified color filter array and other filters can be provided to enhance fluorescence imaging capabilities. Insufflating gas clears debris from the camera field of view and aids in moving he cannula distally through a body passageway.

Abstract: A medical endoscopy/stereo colposcopy instrument is configured to selectively take stereo colposcopy images of a patient's uterus and endoscopy images of the patient's bladder or uterus. Any of the images can be white light images or images for a selected narrow wavelength band or fluorescence images. The images can be displayed individually or as spatially registered composite images to highlight selected features of the imaged anatomy. A cup-shaped device can be positioned at the patient's cervix and provided with a light source and a fluorescence camera module to monitor changes in fluorescence in response to a photoactivated substance.

Abstract: A multi-camera, multi-spectral endoscope provides a composite image formed from a white light stereo image and a fluorescence image. The fluorescence image highlights areas of abnormal tissue without obscuring the white light image. In one example, the endoscope uses a white light camera and a camera that has an electrically controlled color filter that switches between passing white light and passing fluorescent light. In another example, two white light cameras produce a stereo image, and a third camera is a dedicated fluorescence camera. In yet another example, one pair of cameras generates a white light stereo image, and another pair generated a stereo fluorescence image. The endoscope can use a single-use portion comprising the cameras and a reusable portion and can rotate the cannula and bend it distal portion.

Abstract: A handheld endoscope has a disposable, single-use portion that includes a fluid hub, cannula, distal tip and is steerable by the operator though actuation of one or two levers. The endoscope also includes re-usable portion that has a handle and display module. The distal tip includes LED illumination and an imaging module that feeds live video to the display module that is rotatable to allow viewing by the operator and others. The single-use and re-usable portions mate and un-mate with each other via physically separated mechanical and electrical connectors. The single use portion can include grasper device that can be actuated by an operator using an actuation tab.

Abstract: An endoscopic system includes an integrated grasper device passing through a device lumen in the cannula. The grasper device has distal end forming two jaw portions that are biased to remain in an open position if unconstrained. The grasper has arch shaped portions that push against the inner surface of the device lumen when the grasper is retracted. To close the jaws of the grasper the grasper is retracted proximally until the arch shaped portions engage the opening of the device lumen. Further retraction causes the grasper jaws to close through engagement with the device lumen inner surface. The endoscopy system can include a single-use, removable cannula having a camera module on its distal tip. A re-usable portion can include the hand piece and display screen.

Abstract: An endoscopic system includes a single-use portion and a multiple-use portion. The two portions can be mated and un-mated. The single-use portion includes an elongated cannula that has a bendable section near its distal end providing a “steerable” distal tip. The distal tip includes LED illumination and an imaging module that feeds live video to a display screen forming which forms part of the multiple-use portion. Ergonomically designed steering control and significant portions of the steering structure reside in the multiple-use portion. The cannula is configured to rotate, which further expands the field of view when combined with steering deflection along a single axis. Some embodiments, include motorized distal tip deflection and/or omni-directional tip deflection.