An endoscope can include an elongate, manipulable shaft with a distal-end visualization element and a handle body comprising at least one control surface for manipulating a distal region of the shaft, where the handle body includes a passage through which a length of the shaft is passable, and where the handle body includes a novel connection structure configured for firmly, securely, and removably mounting the handle to a channel of another endoscope in a manner axially aligning the passage with the channel to provide a path of communication for the shaft. A dual medical endoscope system can be constructed including a first and a second medical endoscope, where the first endoscope comprises an accessory channel with a proximal mounting port providing access thereto, and where the second endoscope comprises a handle body that is securely and removably attached to the proximal mounting port.

An intubating device is provided for use with an endotracheal tube. In some embodiments, the intubating device includes a sheath having a distal end and a proximal end, and the sheath is configured to be introduced into a body cavity. The sheath has a rigid section, and the sheath has a flexible section at the distal end. The flexible section is selectively bendable. A control housing is located at the proximal end. The control housing includes a deflector for selectively bending the flexible section of the sheath. In some embodiments, an intubating device includes a sheath having a malleable first section and a second section that is selectively bendable located at a distal end of the sheath.

Methods and apparatus for accessing and treating regions of the body are disclosed herein. Using an endoscopic device having an automatically controllable proximal portion and a selectively steerable distal portion, the device generally may be advanced into the body through an opening. The distal portion is selectively steered to assume a selected curve along a desired path within the body which avoids contact with tissue while the proximal portion is automatically controlled to assume the selected curve of the distal portion. The endoscopic device can then be used for accessing various regions of the body which are typically difficult to access and treat through conventional surgical techniques because the device is unconstrained by straight-line requirements. Various applications can include accessing regions of the brain, thoracic cavity, including regions within the heart, peritoneal cavity, etc., which are difficult to reach using conventional surgical procedures.

An endoscopic system includes an over-tube being defined by an elongated tubular member. The elongated tubular member includes an endoscope channel and at least one treatment tool channel each of which is formed longitudinally along a length of the elongated tubular member and is spaced apart from one another within circumference of the elongated tubular member. An endoscope is configured to be inserted into the endoscope channel. Two treatment tools each of which is configured to be inserted into the respective treatment tool channels. A channel position identifier is configured to be disposed in an inner surface of at least a portion of the endoscope channel in a longitudinal direction thereof for indicating the position of the treatment tool channel with respect to the endoscope channel in a circumferential direction. The channel position identifier further includes a transparent window part and an opaque identifying member.

A multifunctional visualization instrument is provided that, in certain embodiments, includes a body having a proximal end and a distal end. The multifunctional visualization instrument includes a display screen on the body and a camera stick at the distal end of the body and comprising an arm and a camera. The arm of the camera stick is sized to fit within a channel of a removable laryngoscope blade. The multifunctional visualization instrument includes a port on a surface of the laryngoscope, configured to mate with an introducer and a steering input for steering the introducer, displayed on the display screen simultaneously with an image of the patient captured by the camera.

A transparent repellent, liquid-infused coating applied onto the distal end of an endoscope that prevents vision loss and reduces fouling is described. Also described is a disposable endoscope window that is coated in a transparent, repellant, liquid-infused coating for attachment to the distal end or distal window of an endoscope to obviate vision loss. Also described is an endoscope comprising a miniature camera coated in a transparent, repellent, liquid-infused coating.

A pericardial-cavity observing method including: a step of inserting an endoscope sheath and an endoscope into a space between the heart and the pericardium; a step of disposing a protruding portion closer to the pericardium than an optical member is so that an angle that is formed between a centerline that passes through a center of the protruding portion and a center of the optical member and a tangent of the pericardium that passes through a foot of a perpendicular line drawn, from the center of the optical member of the endoscope, to the pericardium sagging down from the protruding portion toward the heart becomes greater than an angle formed between the centerline and an external common tangent of the protruding portion and the optical member; and a step of observing the heart by means of the endoscope.

Aspects of the invention include minimally invasive imaging system. Systems according to embodiments of the invention include: an access device having a proximal end and distal end and an internal passageway extending from the proximal to distal end; and an elongated member dimensioned to be slidably moved through the internal passageway of the access device and having a proximal and distal end. In the systems of the invention, at least one of multiple visualization elements and multiple illumination elements are positioned among the distal ends of the access device and the elongated member. Also provided are methods of using the systems in imaging applications, as well as kits for performing the methods.

An endoscope system includes a convex-portion specifying section that detects a convex portion in a picked-up image of a subject picked up by an image pickup section, and a convex-portion-size calculating section that detects a convex portion in a predetermined size range on the basis of information concerning the convex portion. An illumination section includes a plurality of illumination-light emitting sections that illuminate the subject with lights in bands different from one another from directions different from one another. The plurality of illumination-light emitting sections are provided on a distal end side inner circumferential surface of a cylindrical cap attached to the distal end of an insertion section of an endoscope to specify an image pickup range of the image pickup section.

A device, including a straight support element, a curved support element slidably coupled to the straight support element, and a rigid straight support element slidably coupled to the curved support element, the straight support element having a first rigidity, the curved support element having a curved portion having a second rigidity greater than the first rigidity, the rigid straight support element having a third rigidity greater than the second rigidity, when the rigid straight support element overlaps the curved portion of the curved support element an overlapped portion of the curved portion conforms to a straight shape of the rigid straight support element, when the curved portion overlaps the straight support element, an overlapped portion of the straight support element conforms to a curved shape of the curved portion, the curved portion having a rectangular cross section.