Abstract: An apparatus includes a sheath configured to be at least partially inserted into a body of a patient, the sheath having a distal end and a proximal end; a housing coupled to the proximal end of the sheath; and a control mechanism operably coupled to the housing and slidable to move the sheath relative to the housing. The control mechanism includes a locking mechanism for locking the control mechanism in place relative to the housing; a deflection mechanism for articulating a distal end of the sheath; and a saddle slidable relative to the locking mechanism and the deflection mechanism. A device is coupled to the saddle and is extendable from and retractable within the sheath.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for a debrider blade assembly for improving cutting performance of a malleable blade. The system comprising of a malleable outer blade extending from a first end to a second end, an external surface and internal surface, the external surface including a plurality of openings and the internal surface defining an internal lumen. The system further comprising of a flexible inner blade at least partially disposed within the internal lumen of the outer blade, the flexible inner blade including a bendable segment formed from or covered by a flexible wrap. A covering member covering at least a portion of the flexible wrap or bendable segment of the flexible inner blade, and a helical coil extending around at least a portion of the covering member.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a sheath configured to be at least partially inserted into a body of a patient, the sheath having a distal end and a proximal end; a housing coupled to the proximal end of the sheath; and a control mechanism operably coupled to the housing and slidable to move the sheath relative to the housing. The control mechanism includes a locking mechanism for locking the control mechanism in place relative to the housing; a deflection mechanism for articulating a distal end of the sheath; and a saddle slidable relative to the locking mechanism and the deflection mechanism. A device is coupled to the saddle and is extendable from and retractable within the sheath.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a sheath configured to be at least partially inserted into a body of a patient, the sheath having a distal end and a proximal end; a housing coupled to the proximal end of the sheath; and a control mechanism operably coupled to the housing and slidable to move the sheath relative to the housing. The control mechanism includes a locking mechanism for locking the control mechanism in place relative to the housing; a deflection mechanism for articulating a distal end of the sheath; and a saddle slidable relative to the locking mechanism and the deflection mechanism. A device is coupled to the saddle and is extendable from and retractable within the sheath.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a sheath configured to be at least partially inserted into a body of a patient, the sheath having a distal end and a proximal end; a housing coupled to the proximal end of the sheath; and a control mechanism operably coupled to the housing and slidable to move the sheath relative to the housing. The control mechanism includes a locking mechanism for locking the control mechanism in place relative to the housing; a deflection mechanism for articulating a distal end of the sheath; and a saddle slidable relative to the locking mechanism and the deflection mechanism. A device is coupled to the saddle and is extendable from and retractable within the sheath.

Abstract: A scanning endoscope includes: an optical fiber that emits an illuminating light from a distal end; an actuator that causes a distal end of the optical fiber to oscillate; a fixing block that fixes the optical fiber; and a propagation portion that is provided in close contact with an outer circumferential face of a cladding of the optical fiber at a position on the distal end side relative to the fixing block, and on which, among the illuminating light, light that reaches the outer circumferential face of the cladding is incident and is propagated or absorbed inside the propagation portion.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an insertion portion insertable into a body cavity of a subject; an illumination fiber guiding light caused to be incident on a proximal-end-side end face, to a distal-end-side end face; a light-receiving fiber group guiding light from the subject and emitting the light; a light source portion generating illuminating light; a light detecting portion; a first optical unit capable of changing an optical path of the illuminating light caused to be incident on the proximal-end-side end face of the illumination fiber; a second optical unit capable of changing the optical path for the illuminating light changed by the first optical unit and causing the illuminating light to be incident on the light-receiving fiber group; and a control portion performing control of whether or not to change the optical path in the first optical unit and the second optical unit.

Abstract: A scanning endoscope system includes: a fiber that guides illuminating light emitted from a light source; a first actuator provided on a side of the fiber, the first actuator expanding/contracting according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; a second actuator disposed at a position facing the first actuator across the fiber, the second actuator expanding/contracting according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; and a drive signal output section that applies a first drive signal that varies with reference to a first voltage that brings the first actuator into a contracted state to the first actuator and applies a second drive signal that varies with reference to a second voltage that brings the second actuator into a contracted state to the second actuator.

Abstract: A scanning endoscope system includes a fiber, a first actuator that is provided laterally of the fiber to swing the fiber, a second actuator that is arranged at a position opposite to the first actuator with the fiber intervened in between to swing the fiber, and a driver unit that outputs, to the first actuator, a first drive signal having either a first waveform such that a minimum value of a voltage value, which varies periodically with a positive voltage value as a center, is not less than zero, or a second waveform such that a maximum value of a voltage value, which varies periodically with a negative voltage value as a center, is not more than zero, and configured to output, to the second actuator, a second drive signal having the same waveform as the first drive signal and different phase from the first drive signal.

Abstract: A scanning endoscope includes: an optical fiber that emits an illuminating light from a distal end; an actuator that causes a distal end of the optical fiber to oscillate; a fixing block that fixes the optical fiber; and a propagation portion that is provided in close contact with an outer circumferential face of a cladding of the optical fiber at a position on the distal end side relative to the fixing block, and on which, among the illuminating light, light that reaches the outer circumferential face of the cladding is incident and is propagated or absorbed inside the propagation portion.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a fixing member having a through hole at a center portion and configured to fix an exit end portion in a state penetrating through the through hole, and an actuator section including a first drive section, provided on an outer surface of the fixing member, configured to swing, in a first direction, the exit end portion protruding from a distal end portion of the fixing member, and a second drive section, provided on an outer surface of the fixing member, configured to swing, in a second direction different from the first direction, the exit end portion protruding from the distal end portion of the fixing member, where the first drive section and the second drive section differ from each other in at least one of a shape and a material of piezoelectric elements of the first drive section and the second drive section.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an insertion portion insertable into a body cavity of a subject; an illumination fiber guiding light caused to be incident on a proximal-end-side end face, to a distal-end-side end face; a light-receiving fiber group guiding light from the subject and emitting the light; a light source portion generating illuminating light; a light detecting portion; a first optical unit capable of changing an optical path of the illuminating light caused to be incident on the proximal-end-side end face of the illumination fiber; a second optical unit capable of changing the optical path for the illuminating light changed by the first optical unit and causing the illuminating light to be incident on the light-receiving fiber group; and a control portion performing control of whether or not to change the optical path in the first optical unit and the second optical unit.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: an endoscope having a field of view in front of a distal end portion of an insertion portion; an insertion assisting instrument including a conduit having an inner portion through which the insertion portion can be inserted and an angle operation portion that varies an angle of a distal end portion of the conduit; an image generation section that generates an image corresponding to the field of view of the endoscope; a rotation angle calculation section that calculates a rotation angle indicating to what extent the insertion portion inserted through the inner portion of the conduit is rotated with respect to the insertion assisting instrument, based on the image generated by the image generation section; and an image rotation section that rotates the image so as to display the image, with the rotation angle being offset.

Abstract: A scanning endoscope system includes: a fiber that guides illuminating light from a light source; a first actuator provided on a side of the fiber and expands/contracts according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; a second actuator disposed at a position facing the first actuator across the fiber and expands/contracts according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; a drive signal output section applying a first voltage for setting a reference position of the fiber where the first actuator is in a contracted state, to the first actuator, and applying a second voltage for setting the reference position of the fiber where the second actuator is in a contracted state, to the second actuator; and a controller that in order to change the reference position of the fiber, controls the drive signal output section to change at least one of the first voltage and the second voltage.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: a light transmitting section for transmitting illuminating light and emit the light from a light exit surface; a light receiving section for receiving return light of the light emitted from the light exit surface; a light guiding section for allowing the light to be incident on the light receiving section by totally reflecting return light from a subject or the emitted light at least one or more times; a driving section for allowing an end portion having the light exit surface of the light transmitting section to be swung; a light detecting section for detecting the light received through the light guiding section, as a signal; and a control section for, if the pattern of fluctuations in the signal level by the light detected by the light detected section does not correspond to the predetermined pattern of fluctuations, performing control for lowering a quantity of the illuminating light.

Abstract: A scanning endoscope system includes: a fiber that guides illuminating light emitted from a light source; a first actuator provided on a side of the fiber, the first actuator expanding/contracting according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; a second actuator disposed at a position facing the first actuator across the fiber, the second actuator expanding/contracting according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; and a drive signal output section that applies a first drive signal that varies with reference to a first voltage that brings the first actuator into a contracted state to the first actuator and applies a second drive signal that varies with reference to a second voltage that brings the second actuator into a contracted state to the second actuator.

Abstract: A scanning endoscope system includes a fiber, a first actuator that is provided laterally of the fiber to swing the fiber, a second actuator that is arranged at a position opposite to the first actuator with the fiber intervened in between to swing the fiber, and a driver unit that outputs, to the first actuator, a first drive signal having either a first waveform such that a minimum value of a voltage value, which varies periodically with a positive voltage value as a center, is not less than zero, or a second waveform such that a maximum value of a voltage value, which varies periodically with a negative voltage value as a center, is not more than zero, and configured to output, to the second actuator, a second drive signal having the same waveform as the first drive signal and different phase from the first drive signal.

Abstract: A scanning endoscope system includes: a fiber that guides illuminating light from a light source; a first actuator provided on a side of the fiber and expands/contracts according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; a second actuator disposed at a position facing the first actuator across the fiber and expands/contracts according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; a drive signal output section applying a first voltage for setting a reference position of the fiber where the first actuator is in a contracted state, to the first actuator, and applying a second voltage for setting the reference position of the fiber where the second actuator is in a contracted state, to the second actuator; and a controller that in order to change the reference position of the fiber, controls the drive signal output section to change at least one of the first voltage and the second voltage.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes: a light transmitting section for transmitting illuminating light and emit the light from a light exit surface; a light receiving section for receiving return light of the light emitted from the light exit surface; a light guiding section for allowing the light to be incident on the light receiving section by totally reflecting return light from a subject or the emitted light at least one or more times; a driving section for allowing an end portion having the light exit surface of the light transmitting section to be swung; a light detecting section for detecting the light received through the light guiding section, as a signal; and a control section for, if the pattern of fluctuations in the signal level by the light detected by the light detected section does not correspond to the predetermined pattern of fluctuations, performing control for lowering a quantity of the illuminating light.