An endoscope system includes: a first endoscope including an insertion section, an operation section, and a bending operation device; a second endoscope including an insertion section, an operation section, and a bending operation device; and a fixing member configured to connect and fix the operation sections to each other such that the bending operation device of the first endoscope is made to protrude toward the operation section of the second endoscope, the bending operation device of the second endoscope is made to protrude toward the operation section of the first endoscope, and the bending operation device of the second endoscope is spaced apart from the bending operation device of the first endoscope toward an insertion section side.

A guidewire holding device comprises a sheath including a lumen, a holder disposed at a distal end of the sheath and configured to be switchable between holding a guidewire and releasing the guidewire, a treatment tool inserted in the lumen to perform an intended treatment, and a wire connected to the treatment tool and configured to move the treatment tool between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the treatment tool is contained insider the lumen, and, in the second configuration, the treatment tool is protruded from the distal end of the sheath.

This present invention proposes new methods of designing single-use endoscopes with built-in optical fibers and operating fixtures. As compared to conventional endoscopes, a separate lumen is reserved for integrating a laser fiber along the insertion tube of the proposed endoscope, and an optical fiber placement device (OFPD) is correspondingly added in the endoscope handle for controlling the movement of the laser fiber. By sliding the slider or dialing the wheel of OFPD, a surgeon can conveniently control movement of the laser fiber. By pressing a retractable control stick in the OFPD, the surgeon can either push the laser fiber out from the endoscope's distal-end or pull back the laser fiber, further unlocking or locking the power switch of the laser fiber to avoid mis-operations. All these above operations can be performed by the surgeon's one-hand, including the routine deflections and rotations of the endoscope. Four implementations of the OFPD are introduced in this invention. In addition, an ultra-small optical fiber based pressure sensor can be added at the distal end of the endoscope upon applications.

An endoscope adaptor according to an embodiment may include: an endoscope holder configured to hold an endoscope to be rotatable; and a base portion including an attachment portion, a driven member, and a transmission mechanism. The base portion includes a cable holder configured to hold a cable connected to the endoscope.

An illumination optical system includes: a light source; a light guide member that includes an input end and a plurality of output ends, optically guides light entering the input end, and outputs the light from the plurality of output ends; and a deflecting element that deflects the light from the light source toward the input end and changes a position where the light enters an end surface of the input end. The end surface of the input end is divided into a plurality of areas. Light entering one of the areas is output from one of the output ends different from an output end from which light entering another one of the areas is output.

Provided is a system for advancing an article along a path. The system may include a head member, a dispatching member, and an eversion sleeve. Also provided is a method for assembling a system for advancing an article along a path.

An endoscope includes: a direction conversion module for converting rotational motions of the upper and lower sprockets to linear motions of the upper and lower chains while maintaining linear states of the upper and lower chains pulled, and pushed upon rotational operation of the operation part, in which the direction conversion module includes: first and second connection blocks for connecting both ends of the upper chain to one end of each of the first and second connection wires of the operation part, and third and fourth connection blocks for connecting both ends of the lower chain to one end of each of the third and fourth connection wires of the operation part.

In one embodiment, a calibration apparatus includes a jig body, a camera, an elongated strip which is deflectable and resilient, a lower groove which is disposed in the jig body, and is configured to receive and grasp the camera therein, an upper groove, which is disposed in the jig body above the lower groove, and is configured to receive and grasp the elongated strip therein so as to position the elongated strip above, and in a fixed relation to, the camera, the upper groove being wider than the lower groove, and an alignment element, which is disposed in the jig body, and is configured to align an end of the camera with an end of the elongated strip.

An ultrasonic endoscope system includes an ultrasonic endoscope and an ultrasonic endoscope apparatus, in which the ultrasound observation apparatus includes a B-mode image generator that generates, on the basis of an ultrasound signal acquired by the ultrasonic endoscope, a B-mode image obtained by converting an amplitude of the ultrasound signal into a brightness; a region-of-interest setting unit that sets a region of interest ROI in the B-mode image; a blood flow image generator that generates a blood flow image of the region of interest ROI on the basis of the ultrasound signal; and an image display part that is capable of displaying the B-mode image or a composite image of the B-mode image and the blood flow image, and the region-of-interest setting unit recognizes a procedure performed using the ultrasonic endoscope and sets the region of interest ROI in accordance with the recognized procedure.

An endoscope system includes: a first endoscope including an insertion section, an operation section, and a bending operation device; a second endoscope including an insertion section, an operation section, and a bending operation device; and a fixing member configured to connect and fix the operation sections to each other such that the bending operation device of the first endoscope is made to protrude toward the operation section of the second endoscope, the bending operation device of the second endoscope is made to protrude toward the operation section of the first endoscope, and the bending operation device of the second endoscope is spaced apart from the bending operation device of the first endoscope toward an insertion section side.