A multifunctional camera system having a bendable arm configured to be inserted into the thoracic cavity of a patient and camera head at a distal end of the bendable arm. The camera head has a high definition video camera and a light source. The camera head has a view adjustment mechanism for changing a view angle of the camera without changing the position of the camera head. A controller controls the view adjustment mechanism under command of a surgeon.

An endoscope having an insertion tube with a distal optical module and a releasable handle. In a semi-robotic embodiment, the handle comprises haptic controllers and a computer configured for steering and/or adjusting physical properties of the insertion tube in response to one or more command inputs from the haptic controllers. The computer may also convert image data received from the optical module into two-dimensional images displayable on a monitor. The endoscope may have inertial measurement units (IMUs) for providing data to the computer for creating a digital three-dimensional image representation of an anatomy model and/or for facilitating handling properties of the endoscope.

The present invention relates to the field of medical devices and discloses an endoscope structure, which consists of a fixing ring, a connection tube and an operation tube connected in sequence, among which, the connection tube consists of braided layers, the connection tube can be bent, and the stiffness of the braided layers of the connection tube is inversely proportional to the maximum bending angle of the connection tube; the structure also consists of traction wires, the traction wires are fixed onto the fixing ring by the operation tube through the connection tube, and the connection tube will be bent by pulling the traction wires at the end of the operation tube. Main beneficial effects of the present invention are: the braided layers and traction wires are arranged inside the connection tube, so that the present invention has advantages of convenient connection, soft and controllable; the guide groove is arranged on the outer lateral walls of the support layers, the traction wires are respectively placed inside the guide groove, when the traction wires move, the guide groove plays a role of guiding and positioning to ensure that the traction wires only move along the length direction of it structure.

An endoscope includes a handle operation unit. The handle operation unit includes: an outer ring; a cam ring accommodated in the outer ring to rotate in accordance with rotation of the outer ring about a central axis and having a pair of guide holes; a pair of slide members accommodated in the respective guide holes and fixed to a force transmission member; and a support portion having a pair of slide grooves extending along a longitudinal direction of the endoscope, the support portion being accommodated in the cam ring to support the pair of slide members. The slide members slide in the respective slide grooves in accordance with the rotation of the outer ring. The field of view of the image-capturing unit is changed in accordance with sliding of the pair of slide members.

Systems and methods are disclosed providing a flexible articulable device for accessing deep within tight and arbitrarily shaped channels of a body. The flexible or articulable device may employ two, independent locomotion strategies. These strategies can be combined or independently used. However, both strategies use a segmented approach that employs one or multiple embedded actuation units along the body of the device. The multiple embedded actuation units may be individually controlled, are generally connected serially, and generally uses one of the locomotion strategies. One strategy relates to propulsion while the other strategy relates to shape control.

A medical probe includes a shaft for navigation in a patient body, and first and second deflection mechanisms. The shaft ends with a flexible section and a spring, followed by a rigid distal tip having one or more medical devices coupled thereto. The first deflection mechanism is configured to deflect the flexible section relative to the shaft. The second deflection mechanism is configured to deflect the distal tip relative to the first flexible section by using the spring.

A combined ultrasonic and endoscopy system includes a cannula with a distal tip configured for insertion into an internal organ or other internal body structure. The distal tip is configured to include both an ultrasound probe head and a camera module. The ultrasonic and direct vision endoscopy images can be simultaneously displayed to a user on a display monitor. The ultrasound probe head can be rotated and steered to scan any location in the human organ cavity. The ultrasound probe can be re-usable or single use. The endoscopy system can be configured with a handheld portion that includes a re-usable handle portion and a single use portion that is configured to be disposed of following a single use. The system can also be configured using a conventional re-usable endoscope with working channels and an endoscopy processing tower system.

Devices, systems, and methods for delivering various implantable devices, such as heart valve implants, with the use of a steerable imaging element are described. An imaging element is positioned adjacent the implantable device and implant site, a relationship between the implantable device and the implant site is visualized and/or imaged, and the implantable device is anchored and/or adjusted with reference to the visualization and/or imaging thereof.

An optical prism is designed to displace a field of view offset angle of an endoscope. A connector is designed to affix the optical prism to a tip of an endoscope that has a field of view at an initial offset angle displaced off-axis. The optical prism and connector are designed to reduce the offset angle of the field of view of the endoscope toward on-axis. Delivery packaging for an endoscope has a vial, well, or cavity designed to retain anti-adhesive lubricant in contact with a lens or window of the endoscope.

A medical device may include a first body having a lumen and a central longitudinal axis; a second body positioned at least partially within the lumen of the first body; and an arm assembly. The arm assembly may include a first arm coupled to the first body and extending distal to the first body; and a second arm coupled to the second body and extending distal to the second body. A distal end portion of the first arm may be coupled to a distal end portion of the second arm. Distal movement of the second body may be configured to move the first arm and the second arm radially-outward away from the central longitudinal axis. Proximal movement of the second body, relative to the first body, may be configured to move the first arm and the second arm radially-inward towards the central longitudinal axis.