A cover (1) for a shaft of a medical scoping device comprises tubular member (2) arranged for application on the distal tip of the medical scoping device. The cover (1) comprises a plurality of projecting elements (3) spaced apart circumferentially around the tubular member (2), each projecting element having a base portion (13) and an arm portion. The projecting elements are pivotably mounted on the tubular member about a pivot axis. The base portion (13) comprises a detent (20), and the tubular member comprises a contact region, for example a protuberance (23), said contact region being located such that pivoting movement of the projecting element for moving the arm portion in a distal direction can effect impacting of the detent (20) on the contact region (23).

A method for monitoring the positioning of the teeth including production of a three-dimensional digital initial reference model of the arches of the patient and, for each tooth, definition, from the initial reference model, of a three-dimensional digital reference tooth model; acquisition of updated image of at least one two-dimensional image of the arches in actual acquisition conditions; analysis of each updated image and production, for each updated image, of an updated map; optionally, determination, for each updated image, of rough virtual acquisition conditions approximating the actual acquisition conditions; searching, for each updated image, for a final reference model corresponding to the positioning of the teeth during the acquisition of the updated image, for each tooth model, comparison of the positionings of the tooth model in the initial reference model and in the reference model obtained at the end of the preceding steps to determine the movement of the teeth.

A method for monitoring the positioning of the teeth including production of a three-dimensional digital initial reference model of the arches of the patient and, for each tooth, definition, from the initial reference model, of a three-dimensional digital reference tooth model; acquisition of updated image of at least one two-dimensional image of the arches in actual acquisition conditions; analysis of each updated image and production, for each updated image, of an updated map; optionally, determination, for each updated image, of rough virtual acquisition conditions approximating the actual acquisition conditions; searching, for each updated image, for a final reference model corresponding to the positioning of the teeth during the acquisition of the updated image, for each tooth model, comparison of the positionings of the tooth model in the initial reference model and in the reference model obtained at the end of the preceding steps to determine the movement of the teeth.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

A mouthpiece includes an outer portion comprising a first side, a second side, a first pillar coupled to the first side and configured to rotate about a first axis, a second pillar coupled to the second side and configured to rotate about a second axis, a first upper gum support coupled to the first pillar and configured to rotate about a third axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, a first lower gum support coupled to the first pillar and configured to rotate about a fourth axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, a second upper gum support coupled to the second pillar and configured to rotate about a fifth axis that is perpendicular to the second axis, and a second lower gum support coupled to the second pillar and configured to rotate about a sixth axis that is perpendicular to the second axis.

A mouthpiece includes an outer portion comprising a first side, a second side, a first pillar coupled to the first side and configured to rotate about a first axis, a second pillar coupled to the second side and configured to rotate about a second axis, a first upper gum support coupled to the first pillar and configured to rotate about a third axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, a first lower gum support coupled to the first pillar and configured to rotate about a fourth axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, a second upper gum support coupled to the second pillar and configured to rotate about a fifth axis that is perpendicular to the second axis, and a second lower gum support coupled to the second pillar and configured to rotate about a sixth axis that is perpendicular to the second axis.

Devices and methods can be used for performing transoral surgery. For example, this document provides oral retractor devices and articulating surgical tools that are well-suited for transoral surgery uses. The devices and methods provided herein may be used to treat conditions such as, but not limited to, mouth cancer, throat cancer, tongue cancer, larynx cancer, tonsil cancer, obstructive sleep disorders, and pharyngeal diverticulum, to provide some examples.

Devices and methods can be used for performing transoral surgery. For example, this document provides oral retractor devices and articulating surgical tools that are well-suited for transoral surgery uses. The devices and methods provided herein may be used to treat conditions such as, but not limited to, mouth cancer, throat cancer, tongue cancer, larynx cancer, tonsil cancer, obstructive sleep disorders, and pharyngeal diverticulum, to provide some examples.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.