ULTRAFINE DIAMETER ENDOSCOPE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrafine diameter endoscope which enables the observation of the deep parts of the spiral canal of cochlea by the smooth insertion thereof into the spiral canal of cochlea. SOLUTION: In the ultrafine diameter endoscope, an observation window 7 and a lighting window 8 are provided at the distal end part of the insertion tube 1 while an image guide fiber 2 for transmitting the observation images fetched from the observation window 7 and a light guide fiber 3 for transmitting the illumination light to the lighting window 8 are so arranged as to be inserted through the insertion tube 1 in the overall length. The tip half part L1 of the insertion tube 1 is made as a soft part which is bendable by 270° or more at the coverture radius of 5 mm or less in any direction as caused by the reactions from an object to be inserted while the hand side half part L2 of the insertion tube part 1 is made as a hard part which is tougher than the tip side half part L1 to resist the bending thereof. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI