Flexible Endoscope and Methods of Making Same

A method of making an endoscope insertion tube or components thereof, the method comprising:

• a. positioning a primary liner on a primary mandrel having an hourglass shape and at least a first slot and a second slot;
• b. positioning a secondary liner on each of at least two secondary mandrels;
• c. nesting each of the two secondary mandrels with deflection channel liners within the first slot and the second slot of the primary mandrel;
• d. wherein the primary liner is between the primary mandrel and the secondary mandrels;
• e. braiding a shaft around the primary liner and the secondary mandrels;
• f. positioning a plastic laminate on an exterior of the shaft;
• g. bonding portions of the primary liner and the plastic laminate to the shaft;
• h. removing the primary mandrel from the primary liner such that the primary liner defines a hollow inner lumen;
• and
• i. removing the secondary mandrels from the deflection channel liners such that the deflection channel liners define at least two hollow deflection channels positioned within the shaft and outside the inner lumen of the primary liner.