Abstract: A surgical instruments can be carried out via a foot switch by an operator or a surgeon. It is typical that during operation, multiple surgical instruments are each operated via one foot switch. As a result, the risk of an incorrect operation of the foot switches increases because the space available for the placement of the foot switches is limited. The invention provides a method and a device using which various functions in connection with surgical instruments can be carried out in a simple and safe manner. This is achieved in that at least one projector for generating a virtual control panel and at least one sensor for acquiring the virtual control panel are assigned to a foot switch.

Abstract: A video endoscope including an elongated shaft, a main body, a cable for conducting control signals, video signals and/or illumination light, wherein the cable includes: a core having an optical fiber bundle, a video signal line, and/or a control signal line; a mechanical protective layer; and a sheath tube; a junction body sealingly inserted into the main body on to sealingly receive the sheath tube; an anti-kink sleeve disposed around the sheath tube to engage over the junction body, a clamping ring supported on the junction body pulled towards the main body by a first clamping nut presses the junction body against a round cord seal between the junction body and the main body and presses the anti-kink sleeve against the junction body such to seal a cavity between the anti-kink sleeve and the junction body.

Abstract: An electrode unit comprises: an electrode supporting member provided with a pair of distal end rigid members surfaces of which are covered by an electrically insulating material; a treatment electrode configured with electrode bodies arranged in respective distal end portions of the pair of distal end rigid members and protruding downward respectively from the pair of distal end rigid members, and a spanning portion that spans respective lower end portions of the electrode bodies; and a detection sensor arranged on respective proximal end sides of the pair of distal end rigid members and configured to detect a contact state between the pair of distal end rigid members and tissue.

Abstract: An electronic device including: a multilayer printed circuit board; and a molded retaining body; wherein the printed circuit board is formed of structured layers of conducting and non-conducting materials adhered together, the conducting materials form conductor tracks and contact areas, the printed circuit board being stiffened in a rigid region by stiffening material, the rigid region having electronic components and encapsulated in an epoxy; the printed circuit board having a flexible region that is more flexible than the rigid region, the flexible region having contact areas; the retaining body having an arc-shape formed on a radial inner side of the retaining body for arrangement on an inner tube of an endoscope; the retaining body having, on a radial outer side, a receiving contour for receiving and shaping the printed circuit board; and the retaining body having a retainer for holding the printed circuit board in a bent state.

Abstract: A radiofrequency electrode for handheld devices are used predominantly in urology for electrosurgical work in the bladder, the prostate, and the urethra. A large active area of the electrode is known to be advantageous. However, the size of the area is restricted by the available space. Moreover, greater energy is required for igniting the plasma for large electrodes. However, an elevated energy level is disadvantageous in terms of the heat influx into the rinsing liquid and this may be disadvantageous for the surrounding tissue. The invention develops a radiofrequency electrode, an electrode instrument and a resectoscope, in which a plasma can be better localized at the electrode and the energy for igniting the plasma is reduced at the same time. This is achieved by virtue of a radiofrequency electrode for use in a surgical handheld device having the shape of a toroid.

Abstract: A stereoscopic-vision endoscope includes an objective optical system, a relay optical system, a first lens unit, a light-beam splitting element, a second lens unit, and an image sensor. An intermediate image, a first image, and a second image are formed in a common optical path, a first optical path, and a second optical path respectively. The light-beam splitting element has a surface of incidence and a surface of emergence. A first light ray which passes through the intermediate image and reaches first image and a second light ray which passes through the intermediate image and reaches the second image are refracted to be away from an optical axis of the common optical path on the surface of incidence, as well as are refracted to be closer to the optical axis of the common optical path on the surface of emergence.

Abstract: A system controller performs collective setting processing which collectively performs setting with respect to one or more controlled devices including a medical device. The system controller judges a degree of error relating to a state of the controlled device which occurred when the collective setting processing is performed. The system controller displays an error removing screen for removing an occurred error based on a judgement result of the degree of error. A setting instruction operation is an operation which selects a desired scene from a plurality of scenes which are set in advance corresponding to a progress of a surgery. The degree of error is associated with the plurality of scenes, and the system controller judges the degree of the occurred error based on the scene which is underway of the surgery.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes in order from an object side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power. The first lens unit includes at least two negative lens components. The number of lenses in the third lens unit is larger than the number of lenses in the second lens unit. At the time of zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, distances between lens units change, and the first lens unit, after moving toward an image side, moves toward the object side. In zooming in a state of being focused to an object at infinity, a distance between the second lens unit and the third lens unit becomes the widest at the wide angle end.

Abstract: The invention relates to an industrial testing device communicating with a data center located in a remote computer network, such as the cloud. Disclosed is a method of registering the device to the cloud and specifying the geographical location of the data center. The method includes selecting a data center from a list of available data centers based on regulations specific to a device type of the industrial testing device. Features are configured for communication between the device and the selected data center.

Abstract: A gas feeding apparatus communicating with a gas feeding source that feeds a predetermined gas and configured to supply the gas to a lumen of a patient through a gas feeding conduit provided in an endoscope includes: a gas feeding bottle provided between the gas feeding apparatus and the gas feeding conduit of the endoscope, and having the gas reserved; and a control circuit configured to detect a timing of start of decrease in a state where a predetermined value is kept, and configured to control a gas feeding amount from the gas feeding bottle to the gas feeding conduit, at the detected timing.

Abstract: A diagnosis support apparatus includes a processor including at least one piece of hardware. The processor identifies, based on physical information including one or more kinds of information capable of estimating a state of a diagnosis target organ of a subject, one abnormal symptom appearing in the diagnosis target organ, performs, as lesion extraction processing for extracting a lesion candidate region from an endoscopic image, different processing specialized for each abnormal symptom that appears in the diagnosis target organ, and performs the lesion extraction processing corresponding to the identified one abnormal symptom.

Abstract: A stent delivery apparatus includes a guide catheter through which a guide wire is inserted, a pusher catheter including a first lumen through which the guide catheter is inserted and a first communication hole communicating with the first lumen, a stent including a second lumen through which the guide catheter is inserted and a second communication hole communicating with the second lumen and disposed on a distal side of the pusher catheter, and a thread that connects the stent and the pusher catheter to each other in a releasable manner, wherein the thread has a first end portion that through the first communication hole, an intermediate portion that through the second communication hole, and a second end portion that extends around a part of the guide catheter located between a proximal end of the stent and a distal end of the pusher catheter.

Abstract: A guiding device can include a guide including a through hole for insertion of an ultrasound probe that forms a tunnel to a bone. The guide can be configured to guide movement of the ultrasound probe inserted through the through hole; an offset portion offset from an axis of the through hole. The guiding device can also include an offset portion with an abutment portion configured to abut to an outer wall of the bone, on a side on which the through hole is located, in a direction orthogonal to the axis and a bone-tunnel introduction portion provided on an opposite side to the side on which the through hole is located and being configured to be inserted into the tunnel. The bone-tunnel introduction portion can have a sectional polygon shape smaller than a polygon on an inner circumferential face of the through hole.

Abstract: A control device includes: an energy source configured to supply an input combined signal having a plurality of frequency components to an ultrasound transducer; a detector configured to detect an output combined signal resulting from a change of the input combined signal by a frequency response of the ultrasound transducer, and output a detected signal according to the output combined signal; and a processor configured to separate the detected signal into a plurality of frequency components; and based on the plurality of frequency components that have been separated, determine whether or not to perform a scan, and determine a resonance frequency of the ultrasound transducer.

Abstract: The stent having self-expandability, the stent including: a body part formed in a tubular shape by a wire; and a first locking part and a second locking part protruding outward in a radial direction of the body part and formed by the wire. A first angle formed by a protrusion direction of the first locking part and an axial direction of the body part is different from a second angle formed by a protrusion direction of the second locking part and the axial direction.

Abstract: A video endoscope with lateral viewing direction including a shaft having proximal and distal ends, an objective lens in the distal end, an image sensor, and a main body at the proximal end. Where a first grip rotationally fixed relative to the shaft and the main body to rotate the shaft and the main body to change the viewing direction of the objective lens. A second grip is disposed on the main body to be rotatable relative to the shaft and the main body to maintain a horizontal position of the image sensor when the viewing direction is changed. An annular seal is disposed between the second grip and the main body and/or the first grip. The seal includes a circumferentially wound coil spring having windings oriented such that a surface vector of a surface spanned by a single winding points substantially in a circumferential direction of the seal.

Abstract: A gas feeding apparatus configured to supply the gas to a lumen of a patient through a gas feeding conduit provided in an endoscope, the gas feeding apparatus including: a flow rate sensor configured to measure a flow rate of the gas in the gas feeding conduit; and a control circuit configured to time-sequentially calculate an integrated amount of the gas fed to the lumen in a period from a first timing to a second timing, the first timing being a timing when the gas starts to be fed from the gas feeding conduit to the lumen by an operation of a gas feeding button of the endoscope, the second timing being different from the first timing. The control circuit controls a notification unit to activate an alarm, when the integrated amount of the gas reaches the first threshold.

Abstract: An air feeding device includes: an endoscope connector connected to an endoscope conduit; a compressor connector connected to a compressor which discharges a gas; an air feeding conduit having one end connected to the endoscope connector, and another end connected to the compressor connector, an opening and closing valve disposed in the air feeding conduit; an atmosphere release valve connected to the air feeding conduit at a position between the other end and the opening and closing valve, the atmosphere release valve being capable of adjusting an atmosphere release rate of the gas from the air feeding conduit; a sensor configured to detect an internal pressure in the air feeding conduit; and a processor connected to the opening and closing valve, the atmosphere release valve, and the sensor.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an endoscope, a video processor, and a parameter control device. The parameter control device causes the endoscope and the video processor to execute predetermined processing by controlling a plurality of parameters used by the endoscope and the video processor. The parameter control device includes a data collection unit, an operation mode determination unit, and a parameter determination unit. The operation mode determination unit selects one or more operation modes from among an electric power consumption reducing mode, a wireless transmission amount reducing mode, a high image quality achieving mode, and a standard mode by determining the plurality of pieces of information acquired by the data collection unit. The parameter determination unit determines the plurality of parameters based on one or more operation modes selected by an operation mode selection unit.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes an endoscope, a video processor, and a parameter control device. The parameter control device causes the endoscope and the video processor to execute predetermined processing by controlling a plurality of parameters used in the endoscope and the video processor. The parameter control device includes a data collection unit, a determination unit, and a parameter determination unit. The determination unit determines contents of constraint processing by determining a plurality of pieces of information acquired by the data collection unit, and determines contents of recovery processing so that a function for displaying an endoscope image is recovered, the function being degraded through the constraint processing. The parameter determination unit determines one or more parameters used in the constraint processing and one or more parameters used in the recovery processing.

Abstract: A guiding device includes: a guide having a tubular shape. The guide can include a first through hole for insertion of an ultrasound probe. The guide can be configured to guide movement of the ultrasound probe inserted through the first through hole. A protrusion can protrude from one end of the guide and can have a sectional shape that corresponds to a sectional shape of the distal portion of the ultrasound probe, the sectional shape of the protrusion being orthogonal to an axis of the first through hole, and the sectional shape of the distal portion of the ultrasound probe being orthogonal to the axis of the first through hole.

Abstract: Provided is a microscope parameter setting method including step of setting a focal point position relative to a specimen, step of adjusting a microscope parameter, step of acquiring an image of the specimen at the set focal point position, step of recognizing the shape of an observation object, steps of displaying the recognized shape of the observation object such that the recognized shape is superimposed on the image, step of determining whether or not the microscope parameter is appropriate, and step of storing the microscope parameter that has been determined to be appropriate, such that the microscope parameter is associated with the focal point position.

Abstract: An optical fiber scanning device includes a housing, an optical fiber configured to emit light, a magnet disposed on the optical fiber, four drive coils configured to drive the optical fiber by applying to the magnet a magnetic field generated by a received drive power signal, and four detection coils configured to output an induced electromotive force signal corresponding to variation of a magnetic field, wherein the drive power signal is controlled based on the induced electromotive force signal, and four coil assemblies each including any one of the drive coils and any one of the detection coils are disposed at rotationally symmetrical positions so as to interpose the optical fiber among the four coil assemblies.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes: a handpiece; a movable member configured to transmit a driving force to a treating member to treat a subject by moving relatively to the handpiece; and a connector arranged inside the handpiece, and including a strip to apply a pressing force to the movable member. The movable member includes a first conductive portion formed therein. The connector includes a second conductive portion formed on the strip. The second conductive portion abutting against the first conductive portion to connect the movable member and the handpiece electrically. The second conductive portion of the connector is a molded interconnect device constituting a three-dimensional circuit.

Abstract: An endoscopy system including: an endoscope; a light source; an optical cable connecting the light source to the endoscope; wherein the endoscope includes at least one bundle of endoscope optical fibers; the cable includes at least one bundle of cable optical fibers; a light source coupling point provided where light is coupled into the cable optical fibers; an endoscope coupling point provided where light is coupled from the cable optical fibers into the endoscope optical fibers; and the light source is configured to selectively illuminate individual cable optical fibers or groups of cable optical fibers at the light source coupling point, the light source including a controller to control the light source such that at least some of the cable optical fibers not coupled to endoscope optical fibers at the endoscope coupling point are not illuminated by the light source.

Abstract: The endoscope apparatus includes an endoscope and a video processor. The endoscope apparatus has a voice coil motor provided in a distal end portion of an insertion portion of the endoscope and having a coil with a resistance component, and a signal wire inserted into the insertion portion and connected to both ends of the coil, detects at least one value of a current supplied to the signal wire and a voltage applied to the signal wire, calculates power consumption of the coil from the at least one value detected and resistance value information of the resistance component, and executes a predetermined process based on the calculated power consumption of the coil and power consumption threshold information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing at least one evaluation method for samples (2) in at least one optical application system (5) of a microscope-based application technology, where the following steps are performed: developing the evaluation method at least by an automated training (130) of an evaluation means (60) for an evaluation (120) of a specific type of sample on the basis of the application technology by an optical training system (4), the training (130) determining a training information (200) which at least partially defines the evaluation method, at least the training information (200) for distributing (140) the evaluation method to the at least one application system (5), wherein the provision takes place as a function of the type of sample and of the application technology.

Abstract: A medical device includes a resin base including one or more than one material selected from a group consisted by an ethylene propylene resin containing fluorine, a styrene resin containing fluorine, an olefin resin containing fluorine, a vinyl chloride resin containing fluorine, a polyester resin containing fluorine, a polyurethane resin containing fluorine, and a nylon resin containing fluorine; an underlayer formed on the resin base, the underlayer including an oxazolidone ring; and an epoxy resin layer formed on the underlayer.

Abstract: An antenna holder includes: a plurality of antenna holding portions configured to hold reception antennas configured to receive a radio signal transmitted from a capsule endoscope; a main body to which the antenna holding portions are fixed; a stretch portion that is mounted on the main body, the stretch portion being configured to cover all of the antenna holding portions; and a belt portion that is attached to the main body across the stretch portion in a first direction.

Abstract: A ligament fixation method can include forming a bone tunnel to a predetermined depth from a surface of a bone; mounting a reconstruction ligament to the ligament fixation device. The reconstruction ligament can be disposed along outer surfaces of plate-like pressing segments of a ligament fixation device and an outer surface of a connection segment that connects the pressing segments. The method can also include inserting the ligament fixation device into the bone tunnel from the connection-segment side; fastening a screw to a receiving section of the ligament fixation device from an opening of the ligament fixation device to increase a distance between the pair of pressing segments and to compress the reconstruction ligament between each pressing segment and an inner surface of the bone tunnel; and fixing the reconstruction ligament to the bone by causing a part of the screw to dig into the bone.

Abstract: A connecting method includes: measuring at least one of control dimensions that influence a dimension of a member obtained by connection of a first member and a second member to each other, the second member including a connection insertion portion where the first member is inserted; determining, according to the at least one of the control dimensions, a relative position for positioning the first member and the second member by insertion of the first member in the connection insertion portion; heating the second member to a first temperature; inserting the first member in the connection insertion portion to place the first member and the second member in the relative position; and stopping the heating of the second member and maintaining the first member and the second member in the relative position.

Abstract: A ligament fixation device for fixing a ligament to a bone tunnel includes: a fixation device body having a flat surface, wherein the fixation device body has a mounting section for mounting the ligament or a pulling member thereto and a torque application portion configured to apply torque about an axis orthogonal to the flat surface, the pulling member being provided for mounting the ligament, and wherein the mounting section includes a pair of through-holes provided in the noncircular flat surface.

Abstract: A distal end frame includes: a first distal end frame member that includes a resin molded product which constitutes a molded interconnect device; a housing chamber that is provided on a distal end side of the first distal end frame member, and is formed of a recessed portion a distal end and one side of which are opened; a second distal end frame member that is composed of the resin molded product constituting the molded interconnect device, and is configured to close the one side of the housing chamber; a signal pattern that is the metal pattern formed in a region including a first joining surface which is a joining surface with the second distal end frame member, on a surface of the first distal end frame member; and a solder material which is configured to join the first distal end frame member and the second distal end frame member.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes a processor. An image signal includes a first image signal corresponding to first light and a second image signal corresponding to second light. The processor determines at least one of whether or not a submucosa region or a bleeding region is included in an image based on the image signal. In a case where the submucosa region is included, the processor performs conversion processing that increases a combination ratio of the second image signal to the first image signal in an image region including the submucosa region, and allocates a combined image signal to a G-channel. In a case where the bleeding region is included, the processor performs conversion processing that increases a combination ratio of the first image signal to the second image signal in an image region including the bleeding region, and allocates the combined image signal to the G-channel.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a processor. The processor detects an image pickup scene based on a picked-up image acquired by an image pickup apparatus disposed in an insertion section included in an endoscope and calculates operation information corresponding to the image pickup scene using an approach of machine learning.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus generates an ultrasound image based on an ultrasound signal acquired by an ultrasound probe having an ultrasound transducer. The ultrasound transducer transmits an ultrasound wave to an observation target and receives the ultrasound wave reflected from the observation target.

Abstract: An endoscopic surgical device includes: a sheath; a forceps section protruding from a cover provided at a distal end of the sheath and including a pair of openable-closable forceps components; an operable member that is connected to a proximal end of the forceps section, that opens the forceps components when moved forward in a longitudinal direction, and that closes the forceps components when moved rearward; and a flow-path formation member having a through-hole through which the operable member extends and having a first liquid delivery hole constituted by a gap between the through-hole and the operable member and a second liquid delivery hole constituted by a gap between the flow-path formation member and an inner peripheral surface of the cover. The operable member is provided with a large-diameter section that abuts on the flow-path formation member when the operable member is moved forward to block the first liquid delivery hole.

Abstract: A tracking device, comprising a first image stabilization actuator that moves the image stabilization lens, a second image stabilization actuator that moves an image sensor, and a processor that has a calculation section, a determination section and a tracking control section, wherein the determination section determines whether or not a subject image exists at a specified position within an effective imaging region of the image sensor, the calculation section calculates movement direction and movement velocity for moving the subject image with respect to the image sensor, and the tracking control section performs drive control for at least one of the first image stabilization actuator and the second image stabilization actuator based on the movement direction and movement velocity that have been calculated by the calculation section, to perform tracking such that the subject image is always positioned at a specified position within the effective imaging region of the image sensor.

Abstract: A signal processing device according to the present invention is a signal processing device that processes data of a detected ultrasound waveform representing a temporal change in the intensity of ultrasound generated at a measurement position in a specimen and includes: a comparison unit that compares a predetermined standard ultrasound waveform and the detected ultrasound waveform at the measurement position and that calculates a degree of similarity between the predetermined standard ultrasound waveform and the detected ultrasound waveform; and a discrimination unit for discriminating whether or not the measurement position corresponds to a predetermined examination subject on the basis of the degree of similarity.

Abstract: A surgical instrument including: a main body; an elongated shaft tube connected to the main body, the shaft tube having at least one working channel tube arranged in an interior of the shaft tube, the at least one working channel tube extending in a longitudinal direction of the shaft tube; and a connection body coupled to a proximal end region of the main body; wherein a proximal end region of the at least one working channel tube is accommodated inside the connection body and is sealed with respect to the connection body.

Abstract: An endoscope device includes: an image sensor that has a first color filter and a second color filter and that acquires a first image signal based on a first light transmitted through the first color filter and a second image signal based on a second light transmitted through the second color filter; and one or more processors configured to: perform color separation processing and individual-difference correction processing; and respectively allocate the first and second image signals after the processings being performed to first and second channels of a color image signal. The color separation processing is processing in which the second and first light are subtracted from the first and second image signals, respectively. The individual-difference correction processing is processing in which, for each image signals, an error is corrected based on the difference in spectral characteristics between the color filter and a reference color filter.

Abstract: A light source apparatus includes: a first light source; a second light source configured to emit light having a dimming resolution lower than a dimming resolution of the first light source; a holder configured to hold the first light source and the second light source on a first surface of the holder; a substrate provided to face a second surface of the holder, the second surface being different from the first surface, and a circuit configured to control driving of the first light source and the second light source being mounted on the substrate; a first wiring configured to electrically connect the first light source and the substrate; and a second wiring configured to electrically connect the second light source and the substrate, wherein a length of the first wiring is shorter than a length of the second wiring.

Abstract: A slide actuator includes: a fixed member; a movable member movable to the fixed member by a predetermined stroke in a predetermined direction; a plurality of balls interposed between the fixed member and the movable member and configured to movably support the movable member; and paired elastic bodies disposed at both ends of a moving range of each of the balls, each of the elastic bodies being configured to come into contact with the corresponding ball when the balls move with movement of the movable member.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of an image pickup apparatus for endoscope includes: fabricating a first optical wafer and a second optical wafer including spacers; disposing walls made of a first resin, being greater in height than the spacers, and enclosing optical paths without any gap; clamping the first optical wafer and the second optical wafer with the walls being interposed between the first optical wafer and the second optical wafer; charging a second resin around the walls; performing curing treatment on the second resin to cause the second resin to shrink, and fix the first optical wafer and the second optical wafer in a state where an interval between the first optical wafer and the second optical wafer is defined by the spacers; and cutting a bonded wafer.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: a light source apparatus; an image pickup apparatus configured to pick up an image of an object including a region containing hemoglobin irradiated with illumination light and output an image-pickup signal; and a processor. The processor performs predetermined image processing on at least one of a first image and a second image and outputs the one image, the first image being obtained by performing image pickup of the object irradiated with the first light, the second image being obtained by performing image pickup of the object irradiated with the second light, and generates an observation image by using the first and second images obtained as a processing result of the predetermined image processing.

Abstract: A method for endoscopic imaging including: capturing white light images with a video endoscope under white light illumination; evaluating the captured white light images for a structure having a predefined characteristic, when the presence of the structure having the predefined characteristic is found in a white light image, setting a special light imaging mode in which a light source generates special light illumination using the at least one special light and one or more images of a video stream are captured under the special light illumination and subjected to image processing in the set special light processing mode; identifying a subregion of the at least one white light image that contains the structure with the predefined characteristic and reading out only the subregion of a CMOS image sensor associated with the video endoscope, and processing the image data read out from the subregion as one or more special light images.

Abstract: A method for controlling a temperature at an end-effector of an instrument connected with a controller includes estimating a residual energy associated with a prior application of base energy to the end-effector based on a first set of parameters. An amount of electric power that is converted to heat at the end-effector is estimated based on the first set of parameters. A current temperature at the end-effector is estimated based on: (i) the residual energy, (ii) the amount of electric power provided to the end-effector, and (iii) a time for which the electric power is provided. The electric power provided to the instrument is controlled to maintain the current temperature at the end-effector within a predetermined range.

Abstract: This optical adapter for an endoscope includes a plurality of incident optical systems eccentrically disposed with each other, an optical axis of each of the plurality of incident optical systems being spaced away from an axis of the optical adapter for an endoscope with an interval; a brightness stop including a plurality of apertures corresponding to the plurality of incident optical systems respectively; a relay lens configured to relay incident light entering each of the plurality of incident optical systems to the corresponding aperture; and a distal light-shielding portion which is disposed more distally than the relay lens, wherein the plurality of incident optical systems, the relay lens, and the brightness stop are disposed in this order from a distal end side toward a proximal end side of the optical adapter for an endoscope along an incident direction of the incident light.