Endoscopic History - Founders and Inventors

Karl Storz - Founder and Inventor

In 1945, Karl Storz founded a company for manufacturing ENT instruments, headlamps, and binocular loups. This interest in medical vision, illumination, and hence physics consequently led him to spezialize in endoscopes. He was fascinated by the idea of endoscopes that allow physicians to look inside the body. At the time, the technical resources available for this purpose were still extremly limited. The examination site was illuminated using tiny, faint light bulbs, or mirrors were used to reflect external light through the endoscope tube into the body. Karl Storz quickly recognized that these methods could not achieve satisfactory illumination. He wanted to find a better way.

Two competing chracteristics benefited him in this quest: a craftsman´s sure instinct for preciese workmanship and technical feasibility on the one hand and an artist´s and inventor´s imagination on the other. His illumination solution for endoscopy is still in use today: Light generated externally by a powerful light source is transmitted into the body through a flexible fiber optic light cable. This "cold light illumination" principle laid the foundation for modern entoscopy as well as for the success of the KARL STORZ company. With more than 400 additional patents and utility models, Karl Storz has made significant impact on modern endoscopy.

(Text by Karl Storz Company delivered by Michael Künze/Karl Storz)