A relay adapter includes a first connector configured to connect to a processor supplying a first power. The relay adapter includes a second connector configured to connect to an insertion instrument operable using a second power. The relay adapter includes a power circuit coupled to the first connector to receive the first power. The power circuit is configured to convert the first power into the second power The power circuit is coupled to the second connector for delivering the second power to the second connector. The relay adapter includes a switching circuit coupled to the power circuit. When the second connector is not connected to the insertion instrument, the switching circuit prevents the power circuit from delivering the second power to the second connector.

A light cable for conveying light from a light source to an endoscope includes a first connector at a proximal end of the light cable for connecting to the light source; a second connector at a distal end of the light cable for connecting to the endoscope; a light guide for conveying light received from the light source to the endoscope; a first wireless antenna positioned at the proximal end for wireless communication with the light source; and a second wireless antenna positioned at the distal end for wireless communication with the endoscope.

A hand manipulated endoscopic medical device includes a body having a proximal end, which is hand manipulated, a distal end which includes a manipulator, a light emitting device at the distal end, an imaging device at the distal end. A tool for extracting an artificial lumbar disc from between a pair of vertebral plates includes a handle, a member for transmitting force, and a sharpened end, specially configured to be placed between the artificial disc and the vertebral plate. A tool for implanting or explanting a ball to or from an artificial lumbar disc includes a pinion shaft and a pinion shaft enclosure, with a tightening knob at the proximal end of the shaft enclosure and coupled to the pinion shaft, a pinion at the distal end of the pinion shaft, a grappling device at the pinion, and a pair of semi-circular rings.

A connector comprises an upper surface finger-resting portion that extends in the longitudinal axial direction on the outer periphery of the gripping portion, and on which the first finger is placed, a lower surface finger-resting portion on which the second finger or the third finger is rested when the connector is gripped by placing the first finger on the upper surface finger-resting portion, and a guide protrusion portion that is arranged on the same straight line as the upper surface finger-resting portion in the longitudinal axial direction and determines the position to be inserted, in which the connector is directly fitted into the receiving-side connector by directing the finger tip of the first finger that is placed on the upper surface finger-resting portion to the guide groove of the receiving-side connector and inserting the connector.

An ultrasound probe includes: an acoustic matching layer having a sheet-shaped member whose both ends are bonded together by adhesive to define a cylindrical shape and configured to adjust acoustic impedance of ultrasound; piezoelectric elements arranged along a circumferential direction on an inner periphery of the acoustic matching layer and configured to emit ultrasound in response to an input signal and configured to convert ultrasound from outside into an echo signal; a disc-shaped structural member provided on one end side of the acoustic matching layer in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction, a part of an outer side surface of the structural member being fixed inside the acoustic matching layer. The structural member has a water repellent portion on a part of the outer side surface such that the water repellent portion faces, in a radial direction, a gap between the both ends of the acoustic matching layer.

An endoscope system includes: a CMOS image pickup device configured to output digital signals of a plurality of systems; E/O converters configured to convert the digital signals of the plurality of systems to optical signals respectively; optical fibers configured to transmit the optical signals of the plurality of systems respectively; a transmission amount changer configured to convert a data amount of the digital signal of at least one system; and a metal wire configured to transmit the digital signal, the data amount of which is converted by the transmission amount changer.

An illuminating wire medical device may include an elongate flexible housing and an illuminating fiber and a core wire extending through at least part of the housing, the core wire providing desired pushability and torquability. The illuminating device may further include a connector assembly cooperating with the illuminating fiber to accommodate changes in length and to absorb forces applied during use of the device.

An endoscopic system includes: an endoscope acquiring an image of an inside of a subject; and a processing device performing image processing on the acquired image. The endoscope includes: an imaging unit outputting the image of the inside of the subject as an electrical signal; and an optical transmission unit converting the electrical signal into an optical signal and transmitting the optical signal to the processing device via an optical fiber. The processing device includes: an optical reception unit receiving the optical signal transmitted from the optical transmission unit and converts the received optical signal into an electrical signal; a curvature-detecting unit detecting a curvature of the optical fiber, and a control unit controlling at least one of characteristics of the electrical signal output from the imaging unit and characteristics of the electrical signal output from the optical transmission unit based on the detection result of the curvature-detecting unit.

An endoscope achieves favorable advancing and retracting motion without causing disturbance in displacement of built-in components in bending of a bending tube by covering, out of an image pickup cable and a conduit that are cross-symmetrical built-in components disposed to intersect with each other in a radial direction of the bending tube, an outer circumference of the conduit with a second heat-shrinkable tube serving as a protective member, and removing the second heat-shrinkable tube from a partial region that includes a region (an intersection region) where the image pickup cable and the conduit intersect with each other, even when the built-in components in the bending tube are intersected with each other.

Several embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to medical visualization systems that comprise combinations of disposable and resuable components, such as catheters, functional handles, hubs, optical devices, etc. Other embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to features and aspects of an in-vivo visualization system that comprises an endoscope having a working channel through which a catheter having viewing capabilities is routed. the catheter may obtain viewing capabilities by being constructed as a vision catheter or by having a fiberscope or other viewing device selectively routed through one of its channels. The catheter is preferably of the steerable type so that the distal end of the catheter may be steered from its proximal end as it is advanced with the body. A suitable use for the in-vivo visualization system includes but is not limited to diagnosis and/or treatment of the duodenum, and particularly the biliary tree.