A medical instrument for providing access to the interior of the body comprises a shaft having an elongated base body and a handle. The base body extends between a distal end and a proximal end of the shaft. The handle is coupled to the base body of the shaft at the proximal end. The shaft defines at least a first channel and a second channel that extend through the shaft. The first channel provides a passage for surgical instruments through the shaft. The second channel is adapted to accommodate an observation optics. The second channel is adjacent to at least one secondary channel that is connected to the second channel.

A handle (4) for an endoscope (1) includes a first shell-shaped (6) housing part and a second shell shaped housing part (7) adapted for mutual engagement so as to form a housing. The shell-shaped housing parts (6, 7) include a first recess (10) and a second recess (11) so arranged and configured that when the first and second shell-shaped housing parts (6, 7) are mutually engaged, a circumferential recess is provided in the exterior surface of the housing. The handle (4) further includes a hoop (28) adapted to be received in the circumferential recess and hold the first and second shell-shaped housing parts together.

An endoscopic flexible tube including a flexible-tube base containing metal as a constituent material, and a cover layer covering an outer periphery of the flexible-tube base, wherein the cover layer includes a polyester having a naphthalene structure and a component having an action of inhibiting a reaction of an active species such as a radical, an endoscopic medical apparatus including the endoscopic flexible tube, and a covering material for the endoscopic flexible-tube base.

A rigidity variable apparatus includes: a rigidity variable member having a cylindrical shape, a bending rigidity of the rigidity variable member increasing by being heated; a heater having a cylindrical shape and arranged along the rigidity variable member on an inside of the rigidity variable member in a radial direction, the heater being configured to heat the rigidity variable member; a filler arranged so as to fill a gap between the heater and the rigidity variable member in the radial direction, the filler being configured to transfer heat from the heater to the rigidity variable member; and a tube arranged along the heater on an inside of the heater in the radial direction.

An imaging catheter is provided. In one embodiment, the imaging catheter includes a flexible elongate member that includes a proximal portion formed of a first material embedded with a first braid with a first braid pitch; a distal portion formed of a second material embedded with a second braid with a second braid pitch, wherein the second material is a lower durometer than the first material and wherein the second braid pitch is a higher per inch count than the first braid pitch such that the distal portion is more flexible than the proximal portion; a primary lumen extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; and a plurality of secondary lumens extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; and an imaging component coupled to the distal portion of the flexible elongate member.

A medical endoscopic instrument includes a distal elongated insertion section (1) for minimally invasive insertion into a human or animal body, with at least one LED (5) arranged in a distal end section of the insertion section (1), and a lens system (19) arranged distally of the LED (5) with an optical axis (x). The lens system (19) includes a first lens (29) and a second lens (31) arranged distally of the first lens (29). The second lens (31) has a proximally extending sleeve extension (35). The sleeve extension (35) has a first reference surface for positioning the second lens (31) in relation to the insertion section (1) and a second reference surface (39) for positioning the first lens (29) in relation to the second lens (31).

A method for producing a reinforced working channel tube, a working channel tube produced by the method, a use of the working channel tube and an endoscope including the working channel tube, the method including: providing an elongated hollow tube main body, the tube main body having a meltable plastic material at least on its outer surface; at least locally heating a wire; tensioning the wire and winding the wire at least in sections around the outer surface of the tube main body; softening or melting the outer surface of the tube main body by the wire; securely anchoring or embedding the wire in the outer surface of the tube main body; and forming a coil anchored or embedded in the outer surface of the tube main body through the winding of the wire.

An articulated tip part for an endoscope, and an endoscope, including segments including a distal end segment having an outer wall defining an inner spacing adapted to accommodate a camera assembly therein and a proximal wall having a proximal surface, the distal end segment having an outer surface, wherein adjacent of the segments are interconnected by at least one hinge member to enable bending of the articulated tip part; and an insertion guide adapted to guide a steering wire and including an entry provided in the outer surface of the distal end segment, the insertion guide also including an exit fluidly coupled with and leading to the inner spacing of the distal end segment, whereby an end of a steering wire can be guided into the inner spacing of the distal end segment via the entry of the insertion guide.

A method for supplementing a shaft tube and an assembly of a medical instrument with a plastic component comprises a step of providing a shaft tube with a distal end; a step of mechanically connecting an assembly to the distal end of the shaft tube by way of a connecting device; a step of inserting the shaft tube with the assembly into a casting mold and closing the casting mold, a predetermined region of the outer surface of the assembly contacting a mold surface of the casting mold; a step of supplying a liquid plastic into the casting mold, the liquid plastic wetting the distal end of the shaft tube and the outer surface of the assembly; and a step of solidifying the liquid plastic, the solidified plastic forming the plastic component and creating a further mechanical connection of the assembly to the end of the shaft tube.

A method for supplementing a component (20) of a medical instrument (10) by way of a plastic component comprises the steps of inserting (106) the component (20) of the medical instrument (10) into a casting mold (70) and closing (107) the casting mold (70), a first region (72) of a mold surface of the casting mold (70) being placed against the component (20) and a casting chamber (78) remaining between a second region (74) of the mold surface of the casting mold (70) and the component (20); a step of supplying (108) a liquid plastic to the casting chamber (76); and a step of coupling (111) electromagnetic radiation into the liquid plastic within the casting chamber (76) in order to trigger a solidification of the plastic and in order to form the plastic component.