An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

An imaging system for use in a patient is provided. The system includes an imaging probe, a rotation assembly, and a retraction assembly. The imaging probe collects image data from a patient site and includes an elongate shaft with a proximal end and a distal portion, with a lumen extending therebetween. A rotatable optical core is positioned within the elongate shaft lumen and an optical assembly is positioned in the elongate shaft distal portion. The optical assembly directs light to tissue at the patient site and collects reflected light from the tissue. The rotation assembly connects to the imaging probe and rotates the optical assembly. The retraction assembly connects to the imaging probe and retracts the optical assembly and the elongate shaft in unison.

A medical manipulator system includes a manipulator having a first joint; a first detecting means detecting an orientation of the first joint; an operation unit having a second joint associated with the first joint for operating the first joint; a second detecting means detecting an orientation of the second joint; a control unit outputting a signal for operating the first joint, the signal being based on the orientation of the second joint detected by the second detecting means; and a display unit displaying information output by the control unit, wherein a display of the information by the display unit includes a first display indicating a predetermined range of an orientation determined by using the orientation of the first joint that is detected by the first detecting means as a reference and a second display indicating the orientation of the second joint that is detected by the second detecting means.

An endoscope cleansing accessory is described for use with an automatic endoscope reprocessing (AER) apparatus which utilizes the motive force provided by a flowing cleansing fluid already within the AER to actuate an actuator wheel of the endoscope during the cleansing process. The movement or actuation of the actuator wheel during cleansing in turn imparts a back and forth motion to an elevator platform or forceps raiser within the endoscope to loosen tissue and other particles that are then flushed out by the flowing cleansing fluid.

An apparatus for performing surgical procedures is disclosed including a flexible entry guide tube and a first steering device. The guide tube has one or more lumens extending along its length from a proximal end to substantially at or near a distal end. At least one of the one or more lumens is an instrument lumen with open ends to receive a flexible shaft of a surgical tool. The first steering device is insertable into the instrument lumen to shape the guide tube as it is inserted through an opening in a body and along a path towards a surgical site. The apparatus may further include a flexible locking device to couple to the flexible entry guide tube and selectively rigidize the guide tube to hold its shape. The guide tube may be steered by remote control with one or more actuators.

A medical device may include a tool body and a handle. The handle may include a first body having a first coupling feature extending axially along the first body and a second body including a second coupling feature positioned within the first coupling feature. In a first orientation, the first body and second body may be rotatable and axially translatable relative to each other as a function of the first and second coupling features.

In the biopsy system according to one embodiment, the needle tube of the treatment tool has the minor axis of the flattened portion and the bending plane of the bending portion parallel to each other. Accordingly, the needle tube is easily bent in the bending direction of the bending portion, and even in an endoscope that has few bendable directions and is bendable, for example, in only two directions (e.g., up and down), the bending operation of the bending portion is not easily hindered. As a result, even after the treatment tool for endoscopes is inserted into the endoscope, the bending portion can be easily bent with a predetermined bending amount, and a procedure can be easily performed.

A manipulator, including: a drive unit for generating a driving force, and a treatment tool that is driven by the drive unit and attachable to and detachable from the drive unit, wherein the treatment tool includes: a distal end having at least one joint driven by the drive unit, a lock unit that is actuated to lock at least one of joints at the distal end, a lock-operating unit for operating the lock unit, and a control unit that is operated such that the lock unit is operated by the lock-operating unit and such that when the drive unit is driven, the drive unit is deactivated, and even with the treatment tool detached from the drive unit, the lock unit keeps on with locking.

A manipulator includes: an operating unit, and a bending assembly that is bent by operation of the operating unit, wherein: the bending assembly includes: a first link member having a first arc portion, a second link member having a second arc portion, an intermediate link member that includes a first intermediate arc portion and a second intermediate arc portion in opposition to the first intermediate arc portion, and is mounted between the first link member and the second link member.

A moving device includes an elastic tube, a sectional shape of which is elastically deformable according to an internal pressure given by fluid, a slider unit capable of moving forward and backward in a longitudinal direction of the elastic tube according to a change in the sectional shape of the elastic tube, a brake provided in the slider unit and configured to be deformed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the elastic tube to be capable of coming into sliding contact with a target object, and a fluid adjusting section configured to supply air to or discharge air from the elastic tube respectively via first and second fluid supply pipes that respectively communicate with insides on a distal end side and a proximal end side of the elastic tube.