An ultrasonic endoscope includes: an ultrasonic transducer having an ultrasonic vibrator; a distal end portion body disposed continuously with a proximal end side of the ultrasonic transducer; an erecting base housing portion that is disposed in the distal end portion body and has an opening which opens toward one side in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the distal end portion body; a treatment tool lead-out port that communicates with the inside of the erecting base housing portion, an erecting base that is disposed in the inside of the erecting base housing portion and changes a lead out direction of a treatment tool led out from the treatment tool lead-out port; and a cleaning communication hole that is formed in a wall surface on a side opposite to a side where the opening of the erecting base housing portion is disposed and communicates with an outside.

An endoscope add-on assembly adapted to be attached to a target endoscope. The assembly includes an ultrasound imaging sub-assembly, including a communications cable connected to an ultrasound imaging head and an imaging head movement sub-assembly, including a conduit, holding a tension member that is attached to the ultrasound imaging head. Further included are connective elements, adapted to permit the endoscope add-on assembly to be attached to the target endoscope. Finally, the imaging head movement sub-assembly is detachable from the ultrasound imaging sub-assembly, thereby permitting the imaging head movement subassembly to be processed separately from the ultrasound imaging sub-assembly, after use.

An endoscope add-on assembly adapted to be attached to a target endoscope. The assembly includes an ultrasound imaging sub-assembly, including a communications cable connected to an ultrasound imaging head and an imaging head movement sub-assembly, including a conduit, holding a tension member that is attached to the ultrasound imaging head. Further included are connective elements, adapted to permit the endoscope add-on assembly to be attached to the target endoscope. Finally, the imaging head movement sub-assembly is detachable from the ultrasound imaging sub-assembly, thereby permitting the imaging head movement subassembly to be processed separately from the ultrasound imaging sub-assembly, after use.

A sheath assembly is adapted for an ultrasonic probe and includes a plug portion and a sheath portion connected to each other. One end of the plug portion of the sheath assembly is used for detachably and fixedly connecting with a connecting butt joint portion of the ultrasonic probe, so that the plug portion and the connecting butt joint portion are detachable after the ultrasonic probe is used. An inside of the plug portion communicates with an inside of the sheath portion to receive a torque transmitting portion of the ultrasonic probe.

An ultrasound probe in combination with at least an operating unit such as a tracking sensor or receiver and/or a keypad and/or a surgical tool support, wherein the probe and the at least one operating unit are each one provided with one of two parts of a releasable joint, the said two parts of the joint being releasably engageable one with the other by magnetic force and by mechanical coupling.

In some embodiments, an apparatus and methods for inserting a needle into a patient is disclosed. An apparatus can include a base having a cavity for receiving an ultrasound probe, a swing arm, a first linear position sensing track, a second linear position sensing track, an angle sensor disposed about a pivot point, a needle holder configured to move along the first linear position sensing track, and an insertion depth slider configured to move along the second linear position sensing track.

An ultrasound system is disclosed that includes an ultrasound imaging device including a display screen, a processor and memory having stored thereon logic, and an ultrasound probe. The logic of the ultrasound imaging device, upon execution by the processor, can causes an alteration of content displayed on the display screen in accordance of with ultrasound probe movement-related data. The ultrasound imaging device can include a light source configured to provide incident light to the optical fiber cable, the optical fiber cable including a plurality of reflective gratings disposed along a length thereof. Each of the plurality of reflective gratings can be configured to reflect light with different specific spectral widths to provide distributed measurements in accordance with strain applied to the optical fiber cable. The ultrasound imaging device can obtain the ultrasound probe movement-related data through an optical fiber.

For deploying a stent at a coronary ostium, an integrated intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) ostial stent delivery apparatus can include a balloon catheter and an elongate shaft defining (1) a longitudinal inflation lumen and (2) a longitudinal IVUS lumen. A balloon can be located at and about the distal shaft portion and inflated with the inflation lumen. The shaft further defines a longitudinal guidewire lumen, extending at least through the distal shaft portion underlaying the balloon for at least a length of the balloon along the shaft. The IVUS lumen can include removable IVUS ultrasound imaging transducer with a signal conduit to external processing and display componentry. The imaging can help ensure proper stent location before placement and deployment, or for post-placement and stent deployment confirmation, without requiring removal of the stent delivery device to deploy a separate IVUS imaging probe.

A disposable biocompatible (and preferably hypoallergenic) flexible cover for use with a tip of a probe of a contact ophthalmological instrument. The outer surface of the tip (at the closed end) of the cover is configured to match the surface of the cornea, while its inner surface is preferably dimensioned to be substantially congruent with the surface of the tip of the probe with which the cover is used. A method for use of the same.

Disclosed herein is a probe head-cover applicator and method for applying a probe-head cover to a probe head of an ultrasound probe. A probe head-cover applicator can include a tray including a cavity, an insert of a compressible material suspended over the cavity, and a probe-head cover adhered to the insert. The insert can include a first adhesive on an outward-facing surface of the insert facing away from the cavity. The probe-head cover can be adhered to the insert by the first adhesive. The probe-head cover can include a second adhesive on an outward-facing surface of the probe-head cover facing away from the insert. The second adhesive can be configured to adhere the probe-head cover to a probe head of an ultrasound probe when the probe head is inserted into the cavity.