An arthroscope having an elongated core with a square radial cross section.

An elongate, flexible, medical device having distal and proximal ends, including an inner member having a proximal and distal end, a support member extending around the inner member between the proximal and distal end, a plurality of electrically-conductive wires, each braided with the support member having a proximal and distal end, an outer member surrounding the inner member, the support member, and the plurality of electrically-conductive wires and an actuator including a polymer electrolyte layer secured adjacent to the distal end of the elongate, flexible inner member and defining an exterior surface, electrodes distributed about the exterior of the polymer electrolyte layer. The distal end of one of the electrically-conductive wires is electrically connected to one of the electrodes. The polymer electrolyte layer is configured to deform asymmetrically in response to the application of an electrical signal through the plurality of electrically-conductive wires to the plurality of electrodes.

A medical device that includes a handle, a shaft extending distally from the handle, an end effector extending distally from the shaft, and a first actuator coupled to the handle and secured to a first wire. The first wire extends through the shaft, and the first actuator is configured to pivot relative to the shaft to pull the first wire proximally and to deflect the end effector relative to the shaft.

Certain aspects relate to manually and robotically controllable medical instruments. A manually and robotically controllable medical instrument can include an elongated shaft articulable by pull wires. The elongated shaft can be connected to an instrument handle that attaches to an instrument drive mechanism. The instrument handle can include a pulley assembly on which the pull wires can be mounted. Rotation of the pulley assembly can actuate the pull wires to cause articulation of the elongated shaft. The medical instrument also includes a manual drive input connected to the pulley assembly such that manual actuation of the manual drive input causes rotation of the first pulley assembly and a robotic drive input configured to engage with a robotic drive output of the instrument drive mechanism such that rotation of the first robotic drive output causes rotation of the pulley assembly.

Methods and apparatus for accessing and treating regions of the body are disclosed herein. Using an endoscopic device having an automatically controllable proximal portion and a selectively steerable distal portion, the device generally may be advanced into the body through an opening. The distal portion is selectively steered to assume a selected curve along a desired path within the body which avoids contact with tissue while the proximal portion is automatically controlled to assume the selected curve of the distal portion. The endoscopic device can then be used for accessing various regions of the body which are typically difficult to access and treat through conventional surgical techniques because the device is unconstrained by “straight-line” requirements. Various applications can include accessing regions of the brain, thoracic cavity, including regions within the heart, peritoneal cavity, etc., which are difficult to reach using conventional surgical procedures.

A flexible tube insertion apparatus includes an insertion section, one or more stiffness variable portion, and a detection unit. The flexible tube insertion apparatus includes a bending information calculator, a main determiner, and a controller that performs control to increase a stiffness of the stiffness variable portion provided in a segment located in a bent part, when the main determiner determines that the bent part is present and the segment provided in the stiffness variable portion is located in the bent part.

A medical instrument may comprise a plurality of links disposed in series along an axial direction. The plurality of links also may comprise a brake assembly comprise one or more first braking components coupled to a first link in the pair of adjacent links and one or more second braking components coupled to a second link in the pair of adjacent links. The one or more first braking components and the one or more second braking components may have an interleaved arrangement with each other. The braking assembly may be actuatable between an engaged state and a disengaged state, wherein the one or more first braking components and the one or more second braking components inhibit the pair of adjacent links from pivoting relative to one another in the engaged state of the brake assembly, and wherein the one or more first braking components and the one or more second braking components permit the pair of adjacent links pivoting relative to one another in the disengaged state of the brake assembly. The one or more first braking components and the one or more second braking components may be pressed together in the engaged state of the brake assembly.

A medical device may include a stabilizer configured to be coupled to a port of an insertion device. The medical device may further include a shaft configured for telescopic translation within the stabilizer and a grip coupled to the shaft. Further, the medical device may include an actuator coupled to the grip. The actuator may be axially moveable relative to the grip so as to selectively actuate a distal assembly of the medical device.

An objective is to achieve an endoscope in which a distal part of an insertion unit has a reduced diameter, yet the endoscope has good pushability so that buckling at the distal part can be avoided. This endoscope is provided with: an imaging unit having a lens and an imaging element; a resin tube which extends from the imaging unit to the proximal side opposite the distal side, and through which a cable conductively connected to the imaging element is inserted; and an elastic wire which has a distal end disposed outwardly of the imaging element, is inserted in and extends through the resin tube, and has flexibility and bending stiffness.

A medical instrument may comprise a first articulatable segment having a first diameter, and a second articulatable segment having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, wherein the second articulatable segment is coupled to the first articulatable segment and extends in a distal direction past the first articulatable segment. The instrument may also comprise a first force transmission element coupled to the first articulatable segment and extending in a proximal direction from the first articulatable segment to a first connector portion, the first connector portion being configured to be releasably coupled with a first actuator, and a second force transmission element coupled to the second articulatable segment and extending in a proximal direction from the second articulatable segment to a second connector portion, the second connector portion being configured to be releasably coupled with a second actuator. The first and second force transmission elements may be configured to transmit actuation forces, respectively, to articulate the first and second articulatable segments independently of one another.