A Veress needle is modified to receive a forward-looking miniature videoscope through the lumen of an insufflation tube of the Veress needle. The modified instrument enables direct viewing of progress of the instrument through tissue to the peritoneal cavity of a patient, for proper location of the needle and insufflation of the cavity via the needle. The videoscope has an elongated shaft of smaller diameter than the lumen of the insufflation tube for passage of insufflation gas with the scope in place. In another embodiment a needle is fitted with a miniature videoscope to provide the same function, with the needle's lumen serving as an insufflation tube.

An endoscope device is provided. The device comprises: an elongate member comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and a camera is located at the distal end of the disposable elongate member; one or more external guiding elements configured to guide an articulation movement of the distal end of the elongate member, and each of the one or more external guiding elements is individually controlled; and a handle component removably attached to the proximal end of the elongate member.

Device for inspecting a cavity of a patient comprising a retractor body, extending along a longitudinal axis between a distal end and a proximal end, and a handle applied or fixed to the proximal end of the retractor body.

The retractor body has a distal portion having a substantially tubular shape and a proximal portion extending from the distal portion in a diverging fashion. The distal portion defines a retraction zone of an internal cavity of a patient and internally delimits an internal volume accessible from a rear access opening made on the proximal portion, wherein said distal portion of the retractor body has at least one front and/or lateral opening to allow access to the mucosa or tissue of the patient from said internal volume. The device further comprises at least one support seat arranged in the proximal region of the retractor body and configured to supportingly receive a front surface of a laser head, said at least one support seat being arranged in a radially external position with respect to an external profile of the proximal portion.

Device for inspecting a cavity of a patient comprising a retractor body, extending along a longitudinal axis between a distal end and a proximal end, and a handle applied or fixed to the proximal end of the retractor body, and an adapter body.

The retractor body has a distal portion having a substantially tubular shape and a proximal portion extending from the distal portion in a diverging fashion, wherein the distal portion defines a retraction zone of an internal cavity of a patient and internally delimits an internal volume accessible from a rear access opening made on the proximal portion, wherein said distal portion of the retractor body has at least one front and/or lateral opening to allow access to the mucosa or tissue of the patient from said internal volume. Said adapter body being removably applicable, in use, to said retractor body and in particular to said proximal portion.

The device further comprises at least one support seat arranged on the retractor body and configured to supportingly receive a front surface of a laser head.

Device for inspecting a cavity of a patient comprising a retractor body, extending along a longitudinal axis between a distal end and a proximal end, and a handle applied or fixed to the proximal end of the retractor body.

The retractor body has a distal portion having a substantially tubular shape and a proximal portion extending from the distal portion in a diverging fashion, wherein the distal portion defines a retraction zone of an internal cavity of a patient and internally delimits an internal volume accessible from a rear access opening made on the proximal portion, wherein said distal portion of the retractor body has at least one front and/or lateral opening to allow access to the mucosa or tissue of the patient from said internal volume.

The device further comprises at least one support seat arranged on the retractor body and configured to receive in support a front surface of a laser head and wherein said support housing is defined by a stop wall in the form of a spherical dome having a central opening, said stop wall being configured to accommodate with spherical mobility said front surface of the laser head.

An endoscope, cannula, and obturator. The endoscope has a handle and an insertion shaft. The insertion shaft has a solid state camera. The handle contains a circuit board with circuitry for control of and receipt of signals from the camera. The handle and its components are formed of biocompatible materials. The handle is formed of inner and outer shells concentric with each other, rotation of the shells relative to each other controlled via one or more resilient components frictionally engaged between the respective shells. The handle has no metal fasteners, no adhesives, and no detachable parts small enough to travel though fluid passages of the insertion shaft, except those encapsulated by overmolding or melt-fusing to prevent dislodgement. The cannula has a connector and locking feature designed to engage with mating connectors and locking features of the obturator and the endoscope, both successively.

Improved methods and devices for performing an endoscopic surgery including a system for performing minimally invasive procedures including a flexible catheter having a first lumen, a first flexible tube positioned in the first lumen, and a second flexible tube positioned in the first lumen. The first lumen defines a first space configured and dimensioned to receive an endoscope. The first flexible tube and second flexible tube are fixed at a proximal portion and configured to float within the first lumen of the catheter. First and second flexible guides are slidably positioned within the first and second flexible tubes and dimensioned to receive a first instrument for axial movement therein, the first and second flexible guides movable to an angled position with respect to a longitudinal axis. A working space expanding system positioned at a distal portion of the flexible catheter, the working space expanding system movable from a non-expanded insertion position to an expanded position forming an expanded region to expand the working space within the body lumen.

An endoscopic tissue snare system comprising: a sleeve adapted to be slid over the exterior of an endoscope; a pair of push tubes slidably mounted to the sleeve, each of the push tubes comprising a distal opening and a proximal opening; a distal balloon secured to the distal ends of the pair of push tubes; and a snare comprising a pair of free ends and an intermediate portion disposed between the pair of free ends, wherein the snare extends into the proximal opening of one push tube, up the length of the push tube, out the distal opening of that push tube, across the face of the distal balloon, into the distal opening of the other push tube, down the length of that push tube, and out the proximal opening of that push tube.

An endoscopic portal protective shield assembly has an elongate portal shaft and an elongated protective shield. The elongate portal shaft has a viewing portal. The shaft has a slotted tubular body with interior surfaces. The shaft has a distal end and a proximal end and a slotted opening at the distal end extending partially along the slotted tubular body toward the proximal end. The elongated protective shield has a longitudinal shield body, a proximal end and a distal end. The protective shield is configured to be slid into the slotted opening of the tubular body with an interior portion of the longitudinal shield body being inserted inside the tubular body while maintaining the viewing portal open.

A catheter system comprises an elongate catheter body including a distal end, a cannulation lumen extending through the catheter body and terminating at the distal end of the catheter body, and a steering element extending through the catheter body for steering the distal end. The catheter system also comprises an imaging element secured to a distal end portion of the catheter body and configured to obtain optical images of an area located distally of the distal end of the catheter body. The catheter body includes a ridge extending axially along an outer surface of the distal end portion, wherein a width of the ridge measured about a circumference of the catheter body is less than a length of the ridge measured along the longitudinal axis, and the imaging element is radially aligned with the ridge with at least a portion of the imaging element disposed within the ridge.