Provided is a scanning endoscope apparatus capable of generating an image having an optimum SNR. The scanning endoscope apparatus includes: a light source; an optical fiber that guides light emitted from the light source; an actuator that deflects light emitted from the optical fiber and repeatedly scans the deflected light on the irradiation object; a light detector with a controllable multiplication factor, the light detector photoelectrically converting signal light obtained from the irradiation object irradiated with the light; and a controller, the controller controlling the multiplication factor so as to optimize a SNR based on electric signals obtained for a certain period, the signals having been photoelectrically converted by the optical detection unit.

A Carpal Tunnel Release (CTR) surgical tool is disclosed. The CRT tool is useable to perform CTR surgically endoscopically through an incision in the patient, and includes dedicated optical components within the tool. The tool also includes wireless communication means to broadcast video images from the camera to an external display without the use of any cabling. The CTR tool is modular, thus allowing different portions of the tool to be replaced, including a blade tip assembly. The CTR tool is comprised of components manufactured of materials that can be cleaned and sterilized using an autoclave alone, which allows the tool to be more easily and cheaply used in subsequent surgeries, and in contexts that may lack the resources and support traditionally necessary for surgery. The CTR system may simply comprise of the tool (and its cheaper replacement parts), a monitor having wireless capability, and a simple autoclave.

An optical endoluminal far-field microscopic imaging catheter comprises a light generating system, a first light delivery conduit for propagating light generated by the light generating system and a light distributor configured to redirect light propagated by the delivery conduit into a direction of an object to be imaged. A discriminator is configured for capturing light reflected from the object incident on a window of the discriminator from a particular direction and transmitting only the light captured from the particular direction to a second light delivery conduit. A drive mechanism is configured to sweep the window through a plurality of directions in a predictable pattern for matching each light capture event in the window with a direction of the window during the event. An analyzer matches the direction of the window with an associated light capture event and generate a visible image based on a mosaic of the captured light.

An optical fiber structure according to the present application includes a cylindrical resin body, and a plurality of circumferential arrays of optical fiber bare wires disposed within the resin body and extending along a longitudinal direction of the resin body. The resin body includes a linear slit provided at a location intermediate the length of the resin body. The linear slit extends from an outer surface to an inner bore of the resin body and extending substantially parallel to the bare wires.

According to one aspect, the invention relates to a device for transporting and controlling light beams for endo-microscopic imaging without a lens on the distal side comprising a single-mode optical fibre bundle (40) on the distal side, wherein each single-mode optical fibre is intended to receive an elementary light source and to emit a light beam at a distal end; a single-mode optical fibre section (50) arranged at the distal end of the optical fibre bundle and intended to receive the light beams emitted by the single-mode optical fibres of the optical fibre bundle; an optical phase control device arranged on the side of the proximal end of the single-mode optical fibres. The optical phase control device comprises at least one spatial light modulator (30) adapted to apply a phase shift to each of the elementary beams and control means (60) for controlling the spatial light modulator allowing application of a phase shift to each of the elementary beams to form an illumination beam with a determined phase function at the distal end of the multimode optical fibre section (50).

An endoilluminator system includes an endoilluminator probe and an illumination source. The endoilluminator probe includes a nano-scale optical fiber and a probe fiber connector, and the illumination source includes a source fiber connector. The illumination source is configured to produce an illumination spot at the source fiber connector having a diameter smaller than a diameter of a fiber core of the nano-scale optical fiber. The probe fiber connector and the source connector are configured when connected to align the illumination spot off-center relative to the nano-scale optical fiber such that the angular distribution of light emitted by the nano-scale optical fiber is increased relative to aligning the illumination spot at a center of the nano-scale optical fiber.

An instrument system that includes an image capture device, an elongate body, an optical fiber and a controller is provided. The elongate body is operatively coupled to the image capture device. The optical fiber is operatively coupled to the elongate body and has a strain sensor provided on the optical fiber. The controller is operatively coupled to the optical fiber and adapted to receive a signal from the strain sensor and to determine a position or orientation of the image capture device based on the signal.

A plastic optical fiber for a medical device lighting decreases the cost of a lens and simplify the design of a lighting apparatus, wherein the plastic optical fiber for a medical device includes a core composed of a (co)polymer containing methyl methacrylate as a main component and is characterized by including a cladding material composed of a copolymer having a fluorine weight composition ratio of 60 to 74%, and by having a theoretical numerical aperture, NA, of 0.48 to 0.65 and, thus, the plastic optical fiber has a high numerical aperture and also has excellent translucency and flexibility.

An optogenetic probe, an optogenetic system, and a method for fabricating an optogenetic probe are provided. The optogenetic probe has a proximal and a distal end, and includes an elongated body made of a body glass material and extending longitudinally between the proximal and distal ends. The optogenetic probe also includes at least one optical channel, each including an optical channel glass material having a refractive index larger than a refractive index of the body glass material, so as to guide light therealong. The optogenetic probes also includes at least one electrical channel, each including an electrical channel structure having an electrical conductivity larger than the electrical conductivity of the body glass material, so as to conduct electricity therealong. The optogenetic probe further includes at least one fluidic channel, each adapted for transporting fluid therealong. Each optical, electrical and fluidic channel extends longitudinally within the elongated body.

A guidewire comprises an elongate metal core, an inner layer, an optical core, and an outer layer. The metal core is configured to communicate torsional motion from a proximal end of the metal core to the distal end of the metal core. The inner layer extends about the metal core and has a first index of refraction. The optical core is disposed about the inner layer, wherein the optical core is configured to transmit light along the length of the guidewire. The optical core has a second index of refraction, which is greater than the first index of refraction. The outer layer is disposed about the optical core and has a third index of refraction. The third index of refraction is less than the second index of refraction.