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170° “lumina SL” Arthroscope and Sheath (Wolf)

Health Sciences · Robert W. Jackson Arthroscopy

A metal optical instrument with a long, thin, cylindrical stem. The instrument consists of two parts: an arthroscope and its corresponding sheath.

A black coloured eyepiece is located at one the arthroscope. Protruding from the barrel of the instrument, adjacent to the eyepiece, is a port for a fiber optic light source. There is a narrow red band near the base of this port.

The arthroscope is fitted into a sheath with two ports protruding opposite each other from its perimeter. Round knurled knobs open and close the ports. A small, round, white sticker has been placed on the cylindrical section between the ports. Where the sheath meets the arthroscope, there is a collar that locks the arthroscope into place.

Accession Number: 2020.JAC.8

Alternative Name:

Primary Materials: Steel, Glass, Plastic

Markings:

On the barrel of the sheath under valves: “WOLF 8856.02”
On the barrel of the arthroscope: “170° WOLF 8680.31”
Printed in white lettering on the eyepiece: “lumina SL// MADE IN GERMANY”
Stamped or engraved on the rim of the eyepiece: “113034”

Dimensions (cm): Height = 5, Width = 6, Length = 24.

Function:

An arthroscope is an optical instrument for viewing the interior of a joint during a surgical operation. Its development made possible minimally invasive surgery for many knee operations. It significantly improved diagnoses and healing times for many knee conditions. Specialized arthroscopes may also be used on smaller joints.

Condition:

There there is very light wear across the surface of the instrument. There is some oxidation on the sheath, notably on one of the ports. There are some scuffs around the port for the fibre optic light source.

Associated Instruments:

Manufacturer:

Richard Wolf GmbH, Knittlingen, Germany.

Date of Manufacture: 20th C., post 1970s

Provenance:

The Robert W. Jackson Arthroscopy Collection was acquired by the University of Toronto from Dr. Jackson’s family on November 12th, 2020.

Additional Information and References:

Richard Wolf GmbH., “History” Richard Wolf GmbH Company Website. https://web.archive.org/web/20220616020900/https://www.richard-wolf.com/en Accessed and archived, September 4, 2022.

Historical Notes:

Richard Wolf GmbH was founded in Knittlingen, Germany in 1947. Production of endoscopes began the following year.

Beginning in the 1970s, Wolf launched a number of subsidiaries in Germany and abroad, including Richard Wolf Medical Instruments Corp. in Vernon Hills, Illinois, USA. [Richard Wolf GmbH., “History”]

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