Patent ID: 8303489

Claim:
An endoscope comprising: an endoscope insertion unit including an observation window at a tip portion; a suction duct having a suction source end connected to a suction source, and a suction end located on the tip portion of the endoscope insertion unit; a suction switchover unit provided at a halfway part of the suction duct, the suction switchover unit switching over between suction ON/OFF states by the suction source; and a tissue retrieving unit for retrieving a living tissue sucked through the suction duct, the tissue retrieving unit being located on the suction duct between the suction end and the part of the suction duct where the suction switchover unit is provided, wherein the suction duct includes: a first duct having one end configuring the suction end and another end configuring a suction duct opening, the first duct serving also as a duct for a treatment equipment; and a second duct having one end configuring the suction source end and another end configuring an opening portion, and the tissue retrieving unit includes: a treatment equipment plug located on a suction duct opening side and capable of closing off the suction duct opening; a filter portion for retrieving a living tissue sucked through the first duct, the filter portion being coupled to the opening portion of the second duct; a connection duct for connecting the first duct and the filter portion; a filter provided to the filter portion and having a mesh-shaped opening for retrieving the living tissue; a tissue retrieving portion for retrieving the living tissue by hindering passage of the sucked living tissue by the filter; a filter main body including the filter, the filter main body being rotatably mounted to the opening portion of the second duct; and a switchover portion for switching over between a first state in which the living tissue passed through the connection duct is stored in the tissue retrieving portion by hindering the passage of the living tissue by the filter and a second state in which the connection duct is connected to the second duct so as to bypass the living tissue passed through the connection duct to a side of the second duct without the filter intervening between the connection duct and the second duct, depending on a rotational moving position of the filter main body.