Endoscope

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Endoscope \En"do*scope\, n. [Endo- + -scope.] (Med.)
     An instrument for examining the interior of the body,
     consisting of a flexible tube with lenses and optical fibers
     permitting illumination of the interior site to be inspected,
     and visualization of the interior site from outside the body;
     it often has small surgical instruments attached to the end


     and manipulable from the outside, permitting biopsy or
     surgery. It is used as a non-invasive or minimally invasive
     tool for diagnosis or treatment, especially in organs having
     an external opening such as the rectum, the urethra, and the
     bladder.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  endoscope
       n : a long slender medical instrument for examining the interior
           of a bodily organ or performing minor surgery