Deflectable autoclavable endoscope

An endoscope, comprising:

• a shaft housing a lighting and an image transmission system,
• said shaft being entirely made of metal and having a stiff proximal end portion, a stiff distal end portion and having a flexible area, said stiff proximal end portion extending along a majority of a length of said shaft,
• said flexible area extending between said stiff proximal end portion and said stiff distal end portion, said flexible area being more flexible than said stiff proximal end portion and said stiff distal end portion, said flexible area allowing said stiff distal end portion to deflect relative to said stiff proximal end portion,
• a resetting element being fixedly placed at said flexible area,
• said resetting element comprises a spring which fixedly surrounds said flexible area of said shaft,
• said resetting element permanently urges said stiff distal end portion into a linear alignment with said stiff proximal end portion of said shaft, and
• an outer part, the outer part being attached to said shaft by being releasably mounted laterally onto said shaft,
• said outer part being a stiff single piece shell having a flexible area at a location where said flexible area of said shaft is located when said outer part is mounted to said shaft, a stiff distal end of said shell housing said stiff distal end portion of said shaft,
• said outer part having a deflector mechanism for deflecting said stiff distal end of said shell together with said stiff distal end portion of said shaft against a force of said resetting element.