A handle for an endoscope

A handle for an endoscope, the handle comprising:

• a proximal end, a distal end, a front and a back, a gripping section, an operating section, and a transition section, the gripping section being separated from the operating section by the transition section,
• wherein the operating section comprises at least one protruding operating member adapted for operation by a thumb of a hand of an operator, the gripping section is adapted for being gripped by three or four fingers of the hand of the operator, and the gripping section has an outer gripping section surface surrounding a longitudinal axis of the handle,
• where said outer gripping section surface defines a periphery with a predetermined curvature of cross-sectional gripping section shapes in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at points along the longitudinal axis, and where said cross-sectional gripping section shapes vary along the longitudinal axis,
• where each cross-sectional gripping section shape is generally mirror symmetrical about a major axis defined by the intersection of the cross-sectional gripping section shape with a longitudinal plane coincident with the longitudinal axis,
• where the operating section has an outer operating section surface surrounding the longitudinal axis of the handle, said outer operating section surface defines a periphery of the cross-sectional operating section shapes in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at points along the longitudinal axis,
• where the length of the periphery of a cross-sectional gripping section shape adjacent the transition section is smaller than the length of the periphery of a cross-sectional operating section shape adjacent the transition section,
• where each cross-sectional gripping section shape is mirror asymmetrical about a minor axis, the minor axis defining a maximum width of the cross-sectional gripping section shape, and
• where the radius of curvature of the periphery of each cross-sectional gripping section shape varies along the length thereof so as to present a minimum value at a radius coincident with the major axis at the front of the handle.