A medical device and method are disclosed, which can sufficiently capture a capturing target even if a lumen is deformed. A medical device has an accommodation unit and an impeller holding unit. The accommodation unit includes a lumen which accommodates a capturing target present inside a living body, in which a shape of at least a portion on a distal side is deformable, and whose inner surface before and after deformation is configured to be flat as a whole, a distal opening portion and a proximal opening portion which respectively communicate with the lumen, and a filter for capturing at least one or more of the capturing targets. The impeller holding unit includes an impeller which causes a fluid to flow from the distal opening portion toward the proximal opening portion inside the living body so as to allow the lumen to aspirate the capturing target together with the fluid.

A method of pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument that is to undergo decontamination involves inserting a distal tip of the instrument into a distal tip protector. The distal tip of the instrument is inserted through a rupturable resilient seal into an internal cavity of the protector that contains a fluid. The distal tip protector thereby maintains a fluid around the distal tip of the instrument until the distal tip protector is removed to allow reprocessing of the instrument to take place, facilitating decontamination of the instrument.

A method of pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument that is to undergo decontamination involves inserting a distal tip of the instrument into a distal tip protector. The distal tip of the instrument is inserted through a rupturable resilient seal into an internal cavity of the protector that contains a fluid. The distal tip protector thereby maintains a fluid around the distal tip of the instrument until the distal tip protector is removed to allow reprocessing of the instrument to take place, facilitating decontamination of the instrument.

Disclosed herein, a power supply may be recharged with a generally used system. In various embodiments, cleaning systems may be used to affect a generator to cause the generator to charge a power supply. Such charging systems may be used without the need for separate or specialized power charging systems. A charging source or system may, therefore, also charge a power supply without requiring additional steps.

Disclosed herein, a power supply may be recharged with a generally used system. In various embodiments, cleaning systems may be used to affect a generator to cause the generator to charge a power supply. Such charging systems may be used without the need for separate or specialized power charging systems. A charging source or system may, therefore, also charge a power supply without requiring additional steps.

An endoscope system includes a valve configured to keep an internal space of an endoscope airtight, an air pump configured to open and close the valve by applying a negative pressure and a positive pressure, a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure at a time of the negative pressure and the positive pressure being applied, and a control section configured to receive a detection signal from the pressure sensor, and perform drive control of the air pump.

An endoscope system includes a valve configured to keep an internal space of an endoscope airtight, an air pump configured to open and close the valve by applying a negative pressure and a positive pressure, a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure at a time of the negative pressure and the positive pressure being applied, and a control section configured to receive a detection signal from the pressure sensor, and perform drive control of the air pump.

Systems, methods and a sensor alignment mechanism are disclosed for medical navigational guidance systems. In one example, a system to make sterile a non-sterile optical sensor for use in navigational guidance during surgery includes a sterile drape having an optically transparent window to drape the optical sensor in a sterile barrier and a sensor alignment mechanism. The alignment mechanism secures the sensor through the drape in alignment with the window without breaching the sterile barrier and facilitates adjustment of the orientation of the optical sensor. The optical sensor may be aligned to view a surgical site when the alignment mechanism, assembled with the sterile drape and optical sensor, is attached to a bone. The alignment mechanism may be a lockable ball joint and facilitate orientation of the sensor in at least two degrees of freedom. A quick connect mechanism may couple the alignment mechanism to the bone.

Systems, methods and a sensor alignment mechanism are disclosed for medical navigational guidance systems. In one example, a system to make sterile a non-sterile optical sensor for use in navigational guidance during surgery includes a sterile drape having an optically transparent window to drape the optical sensor in a sterile barrier and a sensor alignment mechanism. The alignment mechanism secures the sensor through the drape in alignment with the window without breaching the sterile barrier and facilitates adjustment of the orientation of the optical sensor. The optical sensor may be aligned to view a surgical site when the alignment mechanism, assembled with the sterile drape and optical sensor, is attached to a bone. The alignment mechanism may be a lockable ball joint and facilitate orientation of the sensor in at least two degrees of freedom. A quick connect mechanism may couple the alignment mechanism to the bone.

An endoscope cleansing accessory is described for use with an automatic endoscope reprocessing (AER) apparatus which utilizes the motive force provided by a flowing cleansing fluid already within the AER to actuate an actuator wheel of the endoscope during the cleansing process. The movement or actuation of the actuator wheel during cleansing in turn imparts a back and forth motion to an elevator platform or forceps raiser within the endoscope to loosen tissue and other particles that are then flushed out by the flowing cleansing fluid.