| 摘要 |
An endoscope has an insertion member that includes a flexible tube. The flexible tube has a spiral tube, which is formed by spirally winding a metallic belt, sheathed with a braid, and has the braid sheathed with a resin sheathing. The resin sheathing is made of an ester-series thermoplastic elastomer, an amide-series thermoplastic elastomer, or a blend of them. Therefore, the flexural rigidity of the flexible tube of the insertion member attained at a predetermined position after the flexible tube is loaded during high-temperature high-pressure steam sterilization is equal to or lower than that attained before the flexible tube is loaded. Consequently, the flexural rigidity of the flexible tube attained after sterilization with high-temperature high-pressure steam is equal to or lower than that attained before the sterilization. Thus, the inserting smoothness of the insertion member can be optimized.
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