An ingestible capsule for detecting cancerous and non-cancerous tissues in a colon of patient is disclosed. The capsule has a radiation source integrated into the capsule body for illuminating tissues within a colon of the patient. Tissues of the colon are irradiated with radiation from the radiation source to elicit a fluorescence response, and a photon detector measures photons of the fluorescence response. Intensity and fluorescence lifetime of the fluorescence response is determined based on measured photons. A system employing the capsule is configured to distinguish cancerous and non-cancerous tissues based on the determined fluorescence lifetime of the fluorescence response.

The present invention is generally directed toward a laryngoscope having a handle, a rigid tube, and an optical subassembly. The handle has a distal end and a proximate end. The tube is hollow and also has a distal end having a distal opening and a proximate end having a proximate opening. The optical subassembly includes a light source located within the handle, a power source located within the handle and in communication with the light source and a light carrier extending between the handle and the tube and in communication with the light source and providing light inside and along the entire length of the tube.

A device for visualization of internal tissue of a patient's uterus, the device including a hand-held control unit, an elongated member, and an image capturing tip. To provide better light conditions, to reduce heat generation and related problems with excessive heating and to improve the ergonomic conditions, a device including an illumination structure having at least a first and a second optical fibre is provided.

A capsule core and a capsule endoscope are provided. The capsule core includes a printed circuit board module, connecting structures and functional units. The printed circuit board module includes more than more printed circuit boards connected through flexible circuit boards and spaced apart. The connecting structures connect adjacent printed circuit boards. The functional units are mounted on the printed circuit boards or the connecting structures, and at least part of the functional units communicates with the printed circuit boards.

Methods of making and using a bougie having a body with a first insertion depth indicator spaced a first distance from a first end of the body and configured to indicate a first predetermined insertion depth range, and a second insertion depth indicator spaced a second distance from a second end of the body and configured to indicate a second predetermined insertion depth range that is different from the first predetermined insertion depth range are described. To use the bougie, a user determines whether or not the first or second predetermined insertion depth range is appropriate for the patient, and then inserts the appropriate one of the first end or the second end of the body into the mouth of the patient.

Systems and methods may determine an amount of current being drawn by a light source and determine, based on the amount of current, a type of light source. Based on the type of light source, an amount of time associated with disabling the light source may be determined. A voltage may be supplied to the light source for the amount of time.

Disclosed are medical examination or diagnostic instruments and methods of operating such instruments. The method can include coupling an instrument head to a handle to form a medical examination or diagnostic instrument; detecting by the instrument head, a characteristic of the handle; and based at least in part on detecting the characteristic of the handle, determining, by the instrument head, a handle type associated with the handle, or detecting by the handle, a characteristic of the instrument head, and based at least in part on detecting the characteristic of the instrument head, an instrument head type associated with the instrument head. In some implementations, the emission of light can be controlled to be approximately linear in relation to a user input signal, as perceived by a user.

Introduced here is an ingestible device comprising a capsule, a camera, an antenna, and a propulsion component. The camera can capture images of various in vivo environments as the ingestible device traverses the gastrointestinal tract, and these images can be wirelessly transmitted to an electronic device located outside of the living body. The images may be transmitted to the electronic device for review by an operator responsible for controlling the ingestible device.

According to one aspect, a dilation device may include a body, at least one loop actuator attached to the body, and a sheath attached to the body at a proximal end and attached to the loop actuator at a distal end.

A medical device includes a handle portion downwardly extending from an examination portion. The handle portion has opposing upper and lower open ends and a through cavity extending therebetween. An illumination assembly mounted within the open upper end of cavity includes a housing, at least one battery disposed within the housing, and an LED disposed at the distal end of an arm extending from the housing. The housing is mounted through the open upper end of the through cavity. According to at least one version, the at least one battery can be removed without removing the housing from the handle portion. The extending arm is supported by the examination portion and configured to provide illumination to a medical target. The medical device can include a vaginal speculum, sigmoidoscope, laryngoscope, anoscope, or other hand-held medical device.