Imaging tissue or stone removal basket

An endoscope having an imaging tissue or stone removal basket for removal of unwanted tissue or stone from an operative site within a body, said endoscope comprising:

• an elongated tube, having a distal end and a proximal end;
• an elongated basket, having generally circular distal end with a central opening therein and a proximal end, said proximal end of said basket being attached to the periphery of said distal end of said tube, said basket being formed as a plurality of spaced flexible members which normally bow outwardly between said distal end and said proximal end thereof;
• an optic fiber bundle slidably received within said tube, said optic fiber bundle having a distal end and a proximal end and a smaller diameter than said tube;
• an elongated handle having a distal end, a proximal end and a central passageway therethrough whose diameter is substantially greater than the diameter of said optic fiber bundle;
• a sleeve slidably received over said tube, having a distal end and a proximal end;
• a slidable tubular arm having a distal end and a proximal end, within said passageway, said distal end thereof projecting beyond said distal end of said handle, releasably connectable to said proximal end of said sleeve, said optic fiber bundle extending centrally through said arm within said passageway and having a diameter substantially smaller than the inner diameter of said arm;
• slidable control means on said handle connected to said arm for extending and retracting said arm with respect to said distal end of said handle to extend and retract said distal end of said sleeve with respect to said basket;
• and
• clamping means intermediate said ends of said handle for releasably holding said proximal end of said tube in a fixed position relative to said handle.