A multiple target optical imaging apparatus performs optical imaging of a plurality of physically-separated imaging sites using a light source, a two-dimensional detector and a plurality of fiber bundles. Each fiber bundle has a distal end positioned adjacent to a different one of the imaging sites, and conveys source light from its proximal end to its distal end, while conveying an optical signal from its respective imaging site from its distal end to its proximal end. The optical signals may be simultaneously detected on different regions of the detector. The system is small, and may be used to image sites on an ambulatory animal, with the light source and detector located in a portable housing attached to the animal. Different types of imaging may be used, including fluorescence imaging, hyperspectral imaging, or polarization imaging.

A treatment device for treatment of overactive bladder conditions operates to suction to grasp and conform a mucosal tissue of the bladder wall to a portion of the tissue treatment device, and deliver energy to non-superficial target tissue at a substantially uniform depth from the mucosal tissue. The tissue treatment device incorporates multiple instruments for different functions needed to treat overactive bladder conditions. The tissue treatment device provides simplified interfaces and mechanisms for operating each of the multiple instruments in a controlled manner. Further, the tissue treatment device is configured to have a low and smooth profile that permits the tissue treatment device to be used without a tubular sheath.

A flexible instrument comprises a first link and a second link that each comprise a first end, a second end, and a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall comprising an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface; an outer ear extending in a first axial direction away from the first end of the link; an inner bearing surface defined at the first end of the link, the inner bearing surface extending between the outer ear and the inner wall surface; an inner ear extending in a second axial direction away from the second end of the link; and an outer bearing surface defined at the second end of the wall, the inner bearing surface extending between the inner ear and the outer wall surface. The instrument further comprises at least one of a position sensor and an orientation sensor located along the wall of the instrument.

A flexible instrument comprises a first link and a second link that each comprise a first end, a second end, and a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall comprising an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface; an outer ear extending in a first axial direction away from the first end of the link; an inner bearing surface defined at the first end of the link, the inner bearing surface extending between the outer ear and the inner wall surface; an inner ear extending in a second axial direction away from the second end of the link; and an outer bearing surface defined at the second end of the wall, the inner bearing surface extending between the inner ear and the outer wall surface. The instrument further comprises at least one of a position sensor and an orientation sensor located along the wall of the instrument.

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 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.

In a minimally invasive surgical system, an image capture unit includes a prism assembly and sensor assembly. The prism assembly includes a beam splitter, while the sensor assembly includes coplanar image capture sensors. Each of the coplanar image capture sensors has a common front end optical structure. e.g., the optical structure distal to the image capture unit is the same for each of the sensors. A controller enhances images acquired by the coplanar image capture sensors. The enhanced images may include (a) visible images with enhanced feature definition, in which a particular feature in the scene is emphasized to the operator of minimally invasive surgical system; (b) images having increased image apparent resolution; (c) images having increased dynamic range; (d) images displayed in a way based on a pixel color component vector having three or more color components; and (e) images having extended depth of field.

In a minimally invasive surgical system, an image capture unit includes a prism assembly and sensor assembly. The prism assembly includes a beam splitter, while the sensor assembly includes coplanar image capture sensors. Each of the coplanar image capture sensors has a common front end optical structure. e.g., the optical structure distal to the image capture unit is the same for each of the sensors. A controller enhances images acquired by the coplanar image capture sensors. The enhanced images may include (a) visible images with enhanced feature definition, in which a particular feature in the scene is emphasized to the operator of minimally invasive surgical system; (b) images having increased image apparent resolution; (c) images having increased dynamic range; (d) images displayed in a way based on a pixel color component vector having three or more color components; and (e) images having extended depth of field.

An image relaying device comprises a shaft, an objective lens at a distal end of the shaft, an optically transparent window region in a proximal end region of the image relaying device, an optical system in the shaft, the optical system relaying an image produced by the objective lens to the proximal end region in a way that the relayed image can be captured through the window region. The optical system's optical axis at the window region is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the optical system's optical axis in the shaft. An optical instrument makes use of a plurality of these image relaying devices and a corresponding plurality of image sensors where the optical path length of each image relaying device may be independently adjusted to correct for optical inconsistencies in the elements of each relaying device.

An image relaying device comprises a shaft, an objective lens at a distal end of the shaft, an optically transparent window region in a proximal end region of the image relaying device, an optical system in the shaft, the optical system relaying an image produced by the objective lens to the proximal end region in a way that the relayed image can be captured through the window region. The optical system's optical axis at the window region is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the optical system's optical axis in the shaft. An optical instrument makes use of a plurality of these image relaying devices and a corresponding plurality of image sensors where the optical path length of each image relaying device may be independently adjusted to correct for optical inconsistencies in the elements of each relaying device.