Apparatuses (e.g., devices, systems, etc.) and methods that may provide access to one or more tools to a remote site in the body including expandable and external working channels that may be part of a tube that is coupled to an outer surface of an elongate medical device, such as an endoscope.

A handle for an endoscope has a handle housing, an operating member (7) accommodated in said handle, at least one pull wire (17) attached to said operating member (7), and at least one guide tube (16) surrounding and supporting said at least one pull wire (17). The guide tube (16) is fixed with respect to said handle housing at at least a first location. A direction guide (24) adapted for directing the free end of the pull wire (17) in a desired direction during assembly of the endoscope is provided at said first location.

A multifunctional laryngoscope is provided that includes a handle comprising a proximal end and a distal end and a display screen on the handle. The laryngoscope includes a laryngoscope camera at the distal end of the handle and an introducer comprising an orientation sensor at a distal end of the introducer. The laryngoscope includes a processor programmed to execute instructions for receiving from a steering input a steering command in a first reference frame, and mapping the steering command to a second reference frame oriented to the distal end of the introducer based on an orientation signal from the orientation sensor.

Endoscopes and methods of their use, where the endoscopes provide a low profile or cross-section which facilitates introduction through small body passages, such as patient's cervix, and into body cavities, such a patient's uterus.

A handle for maneuvering a catheter, comprises: a handle body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a tubular passage extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end of the handle body. The handle includes a coupling mechanism at the proximal end and a strain relief sleeve at the distal end of the handle body. The strain relief sleeve is adapted to irremovably secure a flexible catheter sheath to the handle; and the coupling mechanism is adapted to detachably connect the handle to a patient interface unit (PIU). The handle body is ergonomically sized and shaped for grasping by a single hand of a user, and is configured to linearly engage to and disengage from the PIU via the coupling mechanism. When the handle is attached to the PIU, an imaging core moves linearly inside the tubular passage without bending.

An insertion instrument comprises an insertion portion including a bending portion provided at a distal end side of the insertion portion, a first wire provided in the insertion portion, and an operation portion provided at a proximal end side of the insertion portion. The operation portion includes a bending operation unit. The bending operation unit includes a lever having a central shaft defining a central axis, a rotor coupled to the lever, a wire attachment surface to which the first wire is attached. An inner surface of the operation portion includes a receiver body and a restriction body. The receiver body supports the rotor for rotation about the central axis and for movement of the lever from a neutral position to an inclined position, where, in the inclined position, the central shaft is inclined relative to the central shaft in the neutral position. Movement of the lever from the neutral position to the inclined position pulls the first wire to bend the bending portion. The restriction surface restricts a portion of the rotation of the rotor about the central axis.

An enhanced flexible robotic endoscopy apparatus includes a main body and flexible elongate shaft. The main body comprises a proximal end, a distal end and a housing that extends to the proximal end and the housing comprises a plurality of surfaces and a plurality of insertion inlets which reside on at least one of the surface of the housing at the proximal end of the main body, through which a plurality of channels for endoscopy are accessible. Each of the insertion inlets has insertion axis corresponding thereto, along which flexible elongate assemblies are insertable, with the insertion axes of the insertion inlets being parallel to the central axis of the flexible elongate shaft at the proximal end of the flexible elongate shaft.

A steerable instrument for endoscopic and/or invasive type of applications, such as in surgery, which has an elongated tubular body having a proximal end part with a first actuation flexible zone having a first diameter and a distal end part having a first distal flexible zone having a second diameter that is different from the first diameter. A cylindrical diameter adaptation section is arranged to connect the proximal end part to the distal end part such that a flexion in a radial direction relative to a longitudinal center axis of the longitudinal tubular body of the first actuation flexible zone results in an amplified or attenuated flexion of the first distal flexible zone.

A rapid exchange detachable endoscope includes a transmission system having a shaft with two linear translation nuts mounted on oppositely threaded portions of the shaft so that rotation of the shaft in one direction moves the two linear translation nuts further away from one another and rotation of the shaft in an opposite direction moves the two linear translation nuts closer together to control an insertion tube tip. A control handle can be attached and detached from the transmission system, allowing an insertion tube associated with the transmission system to remain in vivo and allow for exchange of overtubes.

A flexible endoscope includes a disposable endoscope body structure and a reusable camera assembly. The endoscope body structure includes a handle portion, a flexible inserting portion, and a line connecting portion. The flexible inserting portion is directly or indirectly connected to the handle portion. The line connecting portion includes a receptacle located in the handle portion and an external connecting portion located outside the handle portion. The receptacle is directly or indirectly connected with the external connecting portion. The handle portion is provided with a camera assembly access port for the camera assembly to access. After accessing and being assembled to the camera assembly access port, the camera assembly access port is able to insert into the receptacle to transmit electrical energy and/or a signal with the external connecting portion with the receptacle. The flexible inserting portion is provided with an instrument for controlling the flexible inserting portion to bend, and the instrument is penetrated through the flexible inserting portion.