Surgical endoscope employing multi-spectrum ring-illuminated surgical camera

A multi-spectrum ring illuminated surgical endoscope comprising:

• an endoscopic tip including a multi-spectrum ring illuminated camera that contains:
• a ring lens having a reflector at a proximal end thereof, an emission surface at a distal end thereof, and a longitudinal axis running from the proximal end to the distal end;
• a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that are adjacent to an internal surface of the ring lens and configured to have light, generated by an LED from said plurality of LEDs, radially transmitted into the ring lens,
• wherein the reflector is oriented to reflect the light, which has been transmitted radially into the ring lens, along the longitudinal axis,
• wherein the plurality of LEDs includes at least one LED configured to emit a portion of said light at a plurality of wavelengths including between three and twelve different wavelengths;
• an endoscopic cannula affixed to the endoscopic tip;
• a plurality of guidewires positioned inside the cannula and cooperated with the endoscopic tip to vary an orientation of the endoscopic tip;
• an array contact post extending in the endoscopic cannula along the longitudinal axis through the ring lens;
• and
• a grey-scale image capture sensor disposed to be recessed into the ring lens and in in electrical contact with the array contact post.