A balloon is attachably and detachably mounted on an insertion part of an endoscope. A distal end part provided at a distal end of the insertion part includes an image pickup optical system, an illumination optical system, and a beam light-emitting unit. A subject is irradiated with measurement light by the beam light-emitting unit. It is possible to recognize the position of a spot from a subject image, and to measure an observation distance to an object to be observed, the size of the object to be observed, and the like.

A medical overtube to be inserted into a body cavity, the medical overtube including a flexible elongated part having a channel through which an elongated medical device is inserted, and a tubular distal end portion connected to a distal end of the elongated part. The distal end portion includes a first section having an end opening which forms an opening of the channel, and a second section located next to a base-end side of the first section, and the medical overtube satisfies the Conditional Expressions K1>K2 and K3>K2, where K1 is rigidity of the first section, K2 is rigidity of the second section, and K3 is rigidity of the elongated part.

According to one aspect, a medical device may be configured for use with an endoscope and may include a tool. The tool may include an actuator, at least one extension at a distal portion of the actuator, and a distal end. The at least one extension may extend radially outward from the actuator and may have an edge configured to fragment debris within a body. The medical device may also include a cap configured for coupling to a distal end of the endoscope, and the cap may include a body defining an opening and a cavity. The opening may be configured to align with optics of the endoscope, and the at least one extension may be positioned within the cavity of the body.

A system for performing minimally invasive procedures in a working space within a body lumen of a patient including a flexible catheter configured to receive a working instrument therethrough. The flexible catheter has a working space expanding system positioned at the distal portion, the working space expanding system including first and second flexible elements movable from a non-expanded insertion position to an expanded position forming an expanded region to expand the working space within the body. The first and second flexible elements are connected at a distal region by a coupling structure. A stabilizing member stabilizes the distal portion of the flexible catheter.

A sinus entering endoscope according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a body including a plurality of operation parts; an insertion part extending from the front end of the body to be inserted into the sinus through the nasal cavity, and having at least one working channel; and an applicator load part which is disposed in the body and on which a plurality of applicators which can selectively enter through the working channel can be mounted.

A medical system including an endoscope configured to electrically drive an endoscopic operation. The endoscopic operation includes at least one of a forward and backward movement of an insertion section, a bending angle of a bending section of the insertion section, and a rolling rotation of the insertion section, the endoscope being configured to capture an endoscope image. The medical system further includes a processor comprising hardware. The processor is configured to control the endoscopic operation to achieve a second positioning subsequent to a first positioning, the first positioning being where the insertion section is positioned with respect to a papillary portion of a duodenum, the second positioning positions a distal end section of the insertion section with respect to a papillary portion of the duodenum based on the endoscope image.

Apparatus and methods for deactivating bronchial nerves extending along a bronchial branch of a mammalian subject to treat asthma and related conditions. An ultrasonic transducer (11) is inserted into the bronchus as, for example, by advancing the distal end of a catheter (10) bearing the transducer into the bronchial section to be treated. The ultrasonic transducer emits focused ultrasound so as to heat tissues throughout circular impact volume (13) as, for example, at least about 1 cm.sup.3 encompassing the bronchus to a temperature sufficient to inactivate nerve conduction but insufficient to cause rapid ablation or necrosis of the tissues. The treatment can be performed without locating or focusing on individual bronchial nerves.

An airbag tube apparatus has a hollow tube with a closed end and an open end. A side hole is disposed near the closed end; when matter leaves the airbag tube apparatus, it enters the hollow tube from the side hole and flows out of the open end. A balloon is attached to the hollow tube, and connected to a vent. The balloon in a large volume can flexibly fix animal tissue. A vent is connected to the balloon, a valve, and a pneumatic module to form an air inflator to inflate, hold and deflate the balloon. The valve opens and closes the liquid flow in the vent, and is controlled by a circuit module; the pneumatic module, providing inflating function, is controlled by the circuit module; the circuit module, has a microprocessor unit, a memory unit and an input-and-output unit.

An endoscope system includes an endoscope and a processor device that includes a system controller formed of an image control processor. The system controller determines whether or not the endoscope is a length measurement-compatible endoscope in a case where the endoscope is connected to the processor device, and enables switching of a mode to a length measurement mode in a case where the endoscope is the length measurement-compatible endoscope.

The ultrasonic endoscope includes: an elongated insertion part having a longitudinal axis and a distal end hard portion provided on a distal end side; an ultrasonic transducer that is provided in the distal end hard portion, and transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave; and a supply port that is provided in the distal end hard portion and supplies water into a balloon surrounding the ultrasonic transducer, in which an indicator indicating a position of the supply port in a peripheral direction around the longitudinal axis is provided on a proximal end side of the insertion part with respect to the distal end hard portion.