Methods of colon cleansing and/or inspection are described which safely maintain a colon in an uncollapsed state. Balanced replacement of a volume of fluid, gas and/or solids evacuated during cleansing of the colon is described. Replacement volume comprises, for example, cleansing fluid, jetting gas, and/or inflation gas. In some embodiments, balancing of evacuated and replacement volume is achieved under automatic control, based on monitored volume of material exchange, and/or measurement of resulting pressures.

Methods of colon cleansing and/or inspection are described which safely maintain a colon in an uncollapsed state. Balanced replacement of a volume of fluid, gas and/or solids evacuated during cleansing of the colon is described. Replacement volume comprises, for example, cleansing fluid, jetting gas, and/or inflation gas. In some embodiments, balancing of evacuated and replacement volume is achieved under automatic control, based on monitored volume of material exchange, and/or measurement of resulting pressures.

A method of spectrometric analysis comprises obtaining one or more sample spectra for an aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The one or more sample spectra are subjected to pre-processing and then multivariate and/or library based analysis so as to classify the aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The results of the analysis are used for various surgical or non-surgical applications.

A user-interface for visualizing a colonoscopy procedure includes a video region and a navigational map upon which coverage annotations are displayed. A live video feed received from a colonoscope is displayed in the video region. The navigational map depicts longitudinal sections of a colon. The coverage annotations are presented on the navigation map and indicate whether one or more of the longitudinal sections is deemed adequately inspected or inadequately inspected during the colonoscopy procedure.

A user-interface for visualizing a colonoscopy procedure includes a video region and a navigational map upon which coverage annotations are displayed. A live video feed received from a colonoscope is displayed in the video region. The navigational map depicts longitudinal sections of a colon. The coverage annotations are presented on the navigation map and indicate whether one or more of the longitudinal sections is deemed adequately inspected or inadequately inspected during the colonoscopy procedure.

Embodiments of a system, a machine-accessible storage medium, and a computer-implemented method are described in which operations are performed. The operations comprising receiving a plurality of image frames associated with a video of an endoscopy procedure, generating a probability estimate for one or more image frames included in the plurality of image frames, and identifying a transition in the video when the endoscopy procedure transitions from a first phase to a second phase based, at least in part, on the probability estimate for the one or more image frames. The probability estimate includes a first probability that one or more image frames are associated with a first phase of the endoscopy procedure.

Embodiments of a system, a machine-accessible storage medium, and a computer-implemented method are described in which operations are performed. The operations comprising receiving a plurality of image frames associated with a video of an endoscopy procedure, generating a probability estimate for one or more image frames included in the plurality of image frames, and identifying a transition in the video when the endoscopy procedure transitions from a first phase to a second phase based, at least in part, on the probability estimate for the one or more image frames. The probability estimate includes a first probability that one or more image frames are associated with a first phase of the endoscopy procedure.

A user-interface for aiding navigation of an endoscope through a lumen of a tubular anatomical structure during an endoscopy procedure includes a video region in which a live video feed received from the endoscope is displayed and an observation location map. The observation location map depicts a point of observation from which the live video feed is acquired within the lumen relative to a cross-sectional depiction of the lumen as the endoscope longitudinally traverses the tubular anatomical structure within the lumen during the endoscopy procedure.

A flexible tube insertion apparatus includes a flexible tube having flexibility and configured to be inserted into an object to be inserted, one or more external force detectors disposed on the flexible tube and configured to detect a force of an external force applied to the flexible tube when the flexible tube is twisted in at least one direction, and a providing device configured to provide twisting information regarding a twisting direction of the flexible tube for releasing a loop section formed in the flexible tube, according to a direction in which the flexible tube is twisted and the detected force of the external force.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to drug-coated balloon catheters for treating, preventing, or reducing the recurrence of a stricture and/or cancer, or for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), in a non-vascular body lumen and methods of using the same. A drug-coated balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body lumen stricture includes an elongated balloon having a main diameter. The balloon catheter includes a coating layer overlying an exterior surface of the balloon. The coating layer includes one or more water-soluble additives and an initial drug load of a therapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the balloon catheter includes a length-control mechanism which stretches and elongates the balloon when it is in a deflated state, giving the balloon a smaller cross-sectional deflated profile for tracking through the body lumen and for removal after treatment.