Patent ID: 7615002

Claim:
Endoscope comprising: a proximal end area, a distal end area introducible into the body of a human being, a shaft extending in a longitudinal direction, an optical device extending through the shaft in the longitudinal direction thereof and movable relative to the shaft, an inflow channel for feeding a fluid from the proximal end area to the distal end area, an outflow channel for conducting a fluid away from the distal end area to the proximal end area, an inflow connection in flow communication with the inflow channel, and an outflow connection in flow communication with the outflow channel, wherein: the optical device is fixable in an axial direction relative to the shaft in a first precisely defined position and in at least a second precisely defined position differing from the first position at least with regard to the longitudinal direction, the inflow connection, the outflow connection and the optical device are rotatable relative to one another about an axis of rotation extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the shaft; and in a third position, the optical device is fixable in the axial direction and freely rotatable about the axis of rotation.