Provided is a flexible member that can exhibit excellent load resistance and flexibility while achieving a reduction in size. This flexible member includes: a main body part which has multiple wave washers stacked in an axial direction and joined to each other, and the main body part is able to be bent with respect to the axial direction due to elastic deformation of the wave washers; and a linking member that is elastically deformable, the linking member being provided at an end part of the main body part and being linked to other member. A deformation amount of the linking member is smaller than a deformation amount of the wave washer, when the main body part is bent.

Apparatus for performing a minimally-invasive procedure, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end, wherein the shaft comprises a flexible portion and an articulating portion, wherein the flexible portion extends distally from the handle assembly and the articulating portion extends distally from the flexible portion, and further wherein the articulating portion is configured to articulate relative to the flexible portion; a handle assembly attached to the proximal end of the shaft; and an end effector attached to the distal end of the shaft; wherein a plurality of articulation cables extends from the handle assembly to the articulating portion, such that when tension is applied to at least one of the plurality of articulation cables, the articulating portion bends relative to the flexible portion of the shaft; wherein the plurality of articulation cables are mounted to the handle assembly such that moving the handle assembly to angle the handle assembly relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft applies tension to at least one of the plurality of articulation cables, whereby to articulate the articulating portion of the shaft relative to the flexible portion of the shaft.

The present invention relates to a therapeutic substance delivery device for delivering a therapeutic substance to a desired site in a bodily duct, characterized in that the therapeutic substance delivery device is provided with: a therapeutic substance loading portion; a connector which is connected to the therapeutic substance loading portion; and a supplying/discharging pipe connected to the connector; and in that the therapeutic substance loading portion includes a main body portion in which a recessed portion is formed, a resilient film, and a connecting pipe; the connector is provided with a joint main body, a flange portion fixed to the other end portion side of the joint main body, and a fixing nut through which the joint main body passes; the joint main body is provided with a tube fastening portion; and at least part of the inner wall of the fixing nut is provided with a thread.

Articulation devices, systems, methods for articulation, and methods for fabricating articulation structures will often include simple balloon arrays, with inflation of the balloons interacting with elongate skeletal support structures so as to locally alter articulation of the skeleton. The skeleton may comprise a simple helical coil or interlocking helical channels, and the array can be used to locally deflect or elongate an axis of the coil under control of a processor. Liquid inflation fluid may be directed so as to pressurize the balloons from an inflation fluid canister, and may vaporize within a plenum or the channels or balloons of the articulation system, with the inflation system preferably including valves controlled by the processor. The articulation structures can be employed in minimally invasive medical catheter systems, and also for industrial robotics, for supporting imaging systems, for entertainment and consumer products, and the like.

The present disclosure generally relates to a surgical instrument. In some embodiments, the flexible surgical instrument, comprising: a distal structural body comprising first distal structural segment and second distal structural segment, the first distal structural segment comprising a first distal fixing disk and first distal segment structural backbones, the second distal structural segment comprising a second distal fixing disk and second distal segment structural backbones; and a proximal structural body comprising a proximal structural segment, the proximal structural segment comprising a proximal fixing disk, first proximal segment structural backbones, and second proximal segment structural backbones, the first proximal segment structural backbones being connected to the first distal segment structural backbones in a crossed arrangement; or the second proximal segment structural backbones being connected to the second distal segment structural backbones in a crossed arrangement.

Surgical devices and systems having rotating end effector assemblies for treating tissue are provided. Methods for using the same are also provided.

A wall of a catheter (a) includes a braided portion having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a braided interior between the outer and inner surfaces, and (b) is shaped to define first and second longitudinally-running channels therethrough. A distal portion of the catheter is shaped to define first and second lateral openings. An angle between (a) a first line running between the first and second lateral openings, and (b) a second line that is parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the catheter when the catheter is straight, is between 30 and 150 degrees. A flexible longitudinal member passes from a proximal portion of the catheter to the distal portion via the first channel, out of the first channel via the first lateral opening, into the second channel via the second lateral opening, and from the distal portion to the proximal portion via the second channel.

A surgical device for cutting bone or tissue in a patient can include a cutting blade having a rigid portion, a flexible portion, and a liner to provide a seal to the flexible portion. The blade has an outer member and an inner member disposed within a lumen of the outer member. The inner member has a rigid portion and a flexible portion. The liner can be disposed within a lumen of the inner member and can engage the rigid portion such as to retain the liner adjacent to the flexible portion of the inner member.

A dilator tip may include an elongated tubular member defined by a circumferential wall and having a distal tip region and a proximal end, and a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally between the distal tip region and the proximal end. The plurality of ribs may extend radially outward from the elongated tubular member, and the plurality of ribs may be spaced apart circumferentially.

A medical device, comprising a shaft, wherein the shaft has a corrugated body, and wherein the corrugated body includes a plurality of hoops extending around a circumference of the shaft, a plurality of indentations, wherein the plurality of indentations extend around a portion of the circumference of the shaft and define a reduced-diameter portion of the shaft relative to a diameter of the plurality of hoops, and wherein each of the plurality of hoops is spaced apart from an adjacent hoop of the plurality of hoops by at least one of the plurality of indentations, and a plurality of nodes, wherein each node extends between and connects adjacent hoops of the plurality of hoops, and wherein each of the plurality of nodes is radially offset relative to adjacent nodes along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.