A surgical visualization system is disclosed. The surgical visualization system is configured to identify one or more structure(s) and/or determine one or more distances with respect to obscuring tissue and/or the identified structure(s). The surgical visualization system can facilitate avoidance of the identified structure(s) by a surgical device. The surgical visualization system can comprise a first emitter configured to emit a plurality of tissue-penetrating light waves and a second emitter configured to emit structured light onto the surface of tissue. The surgical visualization system can also include an image sensor configured to detect reflected visible light, tissue-penetrating light, and/or structured light. The surgical visualization system can convey information to one or more clinicians regarding the position of one or more hidden identified structures and/or provide one or more proximity indicators.

An endoscope handpiece and system may include an angle of view selector, a depressible button, which may be connected to a lock disposed within a port of the endoscopic handpiece. The system may further provide an endoscope, which may be connected to the handpiece via the port and locked in place by the lock.

An endoscope system includes an endoscope including at least one switch, each of which can be assigned two functions, and a controller. The controller sets a plurality of function pairs, each of which is composed of a combination of any one of a plurality of first functions and any one of a plurality of second functions, and assigns one function pair selected from the plurality of function pairs to the switch, measures a switch pressing time period after the switch is pressed, and executes the first function when the switch pressing is released before a predetermined first time period elapses after the switch is pressed and executes the second function when the switch pressing time period passes the first time period.

A surgical suturing tracking system configured for use with a suturing needle is disclosed. The surgical suturing tracking system comprises a spectral light emitter, a waveform sensor, and a control circuit coupled to the waveform sensor. The control circuit is configured to cause the spectral light emitter to emit spectral light waves toward a suturing needle and a tissue structure, receive an input corresponding to the spectral light waves reflected by the needle and the tissue structure and determine a distance between the needle and the tissue structure based on the received input.

A medical imaging system having an image sensor, a birefringent mask coupled to the image sensor, and processing circuitry that obtains image data from the image sensor, and performs processing on the image data based on unique optical characteristics of a coupled medical device, wherein the processing includes selecting at least one of depth of field expansion and blur improvement based on the unique optical characteristics.

Sensing parts are formed in different directions in a circumferential direction in substantially a same position in the longitudinal direction thereof. Each sensing part is configured to include an optical characteristic changing member which generates the optical signals having absorption wavelength characteristic regions that vary from sensing part to sensing part by giving an optical characteristic change, which differs from that of other sensing parts, to the sensor light incident thereon in accordance with an amount of bending in a specific direction. A light detector detects the optical signals included in sensor light from a light source, which has passed through the sensing parts and undergone the optical characteristic change.

A method for observing the branch portion of the hole comprising, a step of pushing an obstacle in the hole with an elbow portion; a step of rotating a guide member around an axial direction so that a distal portion of the guide member faces the branch portion extending laterally to an extending direction of the hole; a step of projecting an endoscope from the distal portion and inserting into the branch portion, while confirming an image; and a step of rotating the image to match an up-and-down direction of the image recognized by a user with an up-and-down of a vertical direction, after the endoscope is inserted into the branch portion.

A medical imaging system having an image sensor, a birefringent mask coupled to the image sensor, and processing circuitry that obtains image data from the image sensor, and performs processing on the image data based on unique optical characteristics of a coupled medical device, wherein the processing includes selecting at least one of depth of field expansion and blur improvement based on the unique optical characteristics.

A surgical visualization system is disclosed. The surgical visualization system is configured to identify one or more structure(s) and/or determine one or more distances with respect to obscuring tissue and/or the identified structure(s). The surgical visualization system can facilitate avoidance of the identified structure(s) by a surgical device. The surgical visualization system can comprise a first emitter configured to emit a plurality of tissue-penetrating light waves and a second emitter configured to emit structured light onto the surface of tissue. The surgical visualization system can also include an image sensor configured to detect reflected visible light, tissue-penetrating light, and/or structured light. The surgical visualization system can convey information to one or more clinicians regarding the position of one or more hidden identified structures and/or provide one or more proximity indicators.

An imaging system for acquisition of NIR and full-color images includes a light source providing visible light and NIR light to an area under observation, such as living tissue, a camera having one or more image sensors configured to separately detect blue reflectance light, green reflectance light, and combined red reflectance light/detected NIR light returned from the area under observation. A controller in signal communication with the light source and the camera is configured to control the light source to continuously illuminate area under observation with temporally continuous blue/green illumination light and with red illumination light and NIR excitation light. At least one of the red illumination light and NIR excitation light are switched on and off periodically in synchronism with the acquisition of red and NIR light images in the camera.