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Journal ArticleDOI

A new, easily miniaturized steerable endoscope

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TLDR
A new steerable endoscope for laparoscopic surgery is described, inspired by the tentacles of squid, which can be easily miniaturized to a very small diameter, making it suitable for low-cost mass production of steerableendoscopes, instruments, and catheters.
Abstract
This article describes a new steerable endoscope for laparoscopic surgery. The steerable mechanism was inspired by the tentacles of squid and consists only of standard parts such as cables, coil springs, rings, and tubes. Laparoscopic surgery is carried out using an endoscope and long and slender instruments that are inserted through small incisions in the abdominal wall. The endoscope contains a light source and a camera that displays a picture of the abdominal cavity on a monitor in the operation room. The surgeon uses the instruments to carry out the operation while estimating the spatial position of the instruments and the organs from the camera picture. The mechanism can be easily miniaturized to a very small diameter, making it suitable for low-cost mass production of steerable endoscopes, instruments, and catheters. A patent for the mechanism has been applied for, and it is currently being commercialized.

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TL;DR: In this article, a surgical stapling device particularly suited for endoscopic procedures is described, which includes a handle assembly and an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly.
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References
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Patent

Bi-directional and multi-directional miniscopes

TL;DR: In this paper, a bi-directional endoscope consisting of a catheter body having a tubular spring frame attached to and extending axially from the distal end of the catheter is presented.
Patent

Wrist mechanism for surgical instrument for performing minimally invasive surgery with enhanced dexterity and sensitivity

TL;DR: An articulated surgical instrument for enhancing the performance of minimally invasive surgical procedures is presented in this paper.The instrument has a high degree of dexterity, low friction, low inertia and good force reflection, and a cable and pulley drive system operates to reduce friction and enhance force reflection.
Patent

Steerable sheath for use with selected removable optical catheter

TL;DR: In this paper, a steerable sheath for use with one of several optical catheters is provided to be positioned in a passageway leading to a body cavity of a patient for observation and/or treatment.
Journal ArticleDOI

The functional morphology of the musculature of squid (Loliginidae) arms and tentacles.

TL;DR: It is suggested here that the musculature serves as both the effector of movement and as the skeletal support system itself in the arms and tentacles of squid.
Journal ArticleDOI

Functional design of tentacles in squid : Linking sarcomere ultrastructure to gross morphological dynamics

TL;DR: A forward dynamics model is proposed for the extension of the tentacular stalk and the forward motion of the terminal club in squid that predicts the changing geometry of the Tentacle, the pressure and stress distribution inside the tentacle and the velocity and kinetic energy distribution of the stalk and club.