Flexible ureteropyeloscope

In a flexible ureteropyeloscope having a control section and a shaft extending from the control section, the improvement comprising:

• the shaft comprising a front end with a first active deflection section connected in series with a second active deflection section, the control section being adapted to independently deflect the first and second deflection sections, wherein the first and second active deflection sections are adapted to deflect such that a distal end of the ureteropyeloscope can be placed in a calyx of a lower pole of a kidney without the need to passively deflecting the front end of the shaft against tissue of the kidney of a patient to reach the calyx of the lower pole, wherein the first active deflection section comprises a first shape-memory frame member having a general tubular shape comprised of superelastic material, and wherein the second active deflection section comprises a second shape-memory frame member having a general tubular shape comprised of superelastic material, and wherein the first and second frame members are connected to each other by a fitting, and an end of a control wire from the control section is fixedly connected to the fitting.

In a flexible ureteropyeloscope having a control section and a shaft extending from the control section, the improvement comprising:

• the shaft comprising a front end with a first active deflection section connected in series with a second active deflection section, the control section being adapted to independently deflect the first and second deflection sections, wherein the first and second active deflection sections are adapted to deflect such that a distal end of the ureteropyeloscope can be placed in a calyx of a lower pole of a kidney without the need to passively deflecting the front end of the shaft against tissue of the kidney of a patient to reach the calyx of the lower pole, wherein the first active deflection section comprises a first shape-memory frame member having a general tubular shape comprised of superelastic material, and wherein the second active deflection section comprises a second shape-memory frame member having a general tubular shape comprised of superelastic material, and wherein the second frame member has a curved preshaped home position.

A flexible ureteropyeloscope having a control section and a shaft extending from the control section, comprising:

• the shaft comprising a front end with a first active deflection section connected in series with a second active deflection section, the control section being adapted to independently deflect the first and second deflection sections, wherein the first and second active deflection sections are adapted to deflect such that a distal end of the ureteropyeloscope is sized and shaped to be placed in a calyx of a lower pole of a kidney without passively deflecting the front end of the shaft against tissue of the kidney of a patient to reach the calyx of the lower pole,
• wherein the first active deflection section is adapted to deflect in at least two opposite directions about 155°-190° with a radius of curvature of about 9-12 mm, and wherein a frame piece of the shaft which forms the second active deflection section is adapted to deflect in at least one direction about 125°-165° with a radius of curvature of about 9.5-13 mm.

A flexible ureteropyeloscope comprising:

• a control section;
• and
• a shaft extending from the control section, the shaft comprising a front end with two superelastic tube frame pieces connected in series, wherein a first one of the frame pieces forms a first active deflection section adapted to deflect in a first direction about 155°-190° with a radius of curvature of about 9-12 mm, and wherein a second one of the frame pieces forms a second active deflection section adapted to deflect in a direction substantially the same as the first direction about 125°-165° with a radius of curvature of about 9.5-13 mm.

A flexible ureteropyeloscope comprising:

• a control section;
• and
• a shaft extending from the control section, the shaft comprising a front end with two superelastic tube frame pieces connected in series, wherein a first one of the frame pieces forms a first active deflection section adapted to deflect in a first direction about 155°-190° with a radius of curvature of about 9-12 mm, and wherein a second one of the frame pieces forms a second active deflection section adapted to deflect in a direction substantially the same as the first direction about 125°-165° with a radius of curvature of about 9.5-13 mm, wherein the first and second frame members are connected to each other by a fitting, an end of a control wire from the control section being fixedly connected to the fitting.

In a flexible ureteropyaloscope having a control section and a shaft extending from the control section, the improvement comprising:

• the shaft comprising a front end with a first active deflection section connected in series with a second active deflection section, the control section being adapted to independently deflect the if first and second deflection sections, wherein the first and second active deflection sections are adapted to deflect such that a distal end of the ureteropyaloscope is adapted to be placed in a calyx of a lower pole of a kidney without passively deflecting the front end of the shaft against tissue of the kidney of a patient to reach the calyx of the lower pole, wherein the first active deflection section comprises a shape-memory frame member having a general tubular shape comprised of superelastic material, and wherein the shape-memory frame member is connected to another frame member in the second active deflection section by a fatting, and an end of a control wire from the control section is fixedly connected to the fitting.

A flexible ureteropyeloscope comprising:

• a control section;
• and
• a shaft extending from the control section, the shaft comprising a front end with at least one deflectable superelastic tube frame piece forming a first active deflection section connected in aeries to a second active deflectable section, wherein the frame piece forms the first active deflection section adapted to deflect in a first direction about 155°-190° with a radius of curvature of about 9-12 mm, and wherein the second active deflection section is adapted to deflect in a direction substantially the same as the first direction about 125°-165° with a radius of curvature of about 13 mm or less, wherein the first and second active deflection sections are connected to each other by a fitting, an end of a control wire from the control section being fixedly connected to the fitting for controlling deflection of the second active deflection section.