About Us
History
1947
On January 15, 1947, the Richard WOLF GmbH was founded in Knittlingen/Germany.
1954
Resectoscope Type 782 with pistol handle, 360° rotatable.
Color photographs of the liver with the photo-laparoscope.
| 1957 First endoscopic color films with Wolf instruments. |
 |
1958
First endoscopic television transmissions.
| 1961 Photo-cystoscope with intracorporeal electronic flash tube. |
 |
| 1963 Introduction of "cold light" illumination for endoscopes. |
 |
| 1968 Establishment of the Richard and Annemarie WOLF Foundation. Development of the modern lumina rod lens telescope. |
 |
1971 to 1979
Establishment of subsidiaries:
1979 - Heynemann GmbH, Munich.
Kurt Semrau GmbH, Tuttlingen.
Richard WOLF Medical Instruments Corp., Vernon Hills, Illinois, USA.
RIWOPLAN GmbH, Knittlingen.
N.V. Endoscopie
Richard WOLF Belgium S.A., Gent-Drongen.
Richard WOLF France S.A.R.L., Reims.
Richard WOLF U.K. Ltd., Wimbledon.
| 1975 Iglesias resectoscope with continuous irrigation. Magnifying laryngo-pharyngoscope. |
 |
1979
WOLF Riwolith for electrohydraulic fragmentation of urinary stones.
| 1979-1980 Percutaneous nephroscope for ultrasound litholapaxy. |
 |
1980-1981
Uretero-renoscope with ultrasound lithotripsy under X-ray control.
1982
2/3" tube color endocamera.
| 1983 Operating uretero-renoscope. Instrument set for transanal endoscopic microsurgery. Instrument set for surgery of the paranasal sinuses and anterior base of the skull. |
 |
1986
Digital CCD endocamera.
Piezolith 2200 with ultrasound location.
1988
Compact fiber uretero-renoscope, 6/7.5 Fr., channel 4 Fr.
| 1993 3CCD endocamera. 3D video system with stereo telescope. Modular forceps and scissors system. Neuro-endoscope system. PANOVIEW PLUS laparoscopes, with no distortion. |
 |
| 1994 Founding of the subsidiary Richard WOLF Austria Ges.m.b.H. Automatic trocar sleeves with magnetic ball valve. Continuous-irrigation hysteroscope, 15 Fr. with straight instrument channel. |
 |
1995
"Oval high-performance resectoscope".
Autoclavable fiber uretero-renoscopes.
| 1996 PDD system for photodynamic diagnosis of bladder cancer. Mini laparoscope system with Verres needle. New generation of units. New ACL instrument set for arthroscopy of the anterior cruciate ligament. Instrument set for plastic surgery. Instrument set for endoscopy of the spinal column. |
 |
| 1997 RIWO-resectoscope E-line. MICRO and MINI system for laparoscopic microsurgery. MULTI-ENDOCAM 5502 for 1CCD camera or electronic CCD endoscopes. Modular needle holder with automatic alignment function. New generation flexible fiber urethro-cystoscope. Uretero-renoscopes with 2-channel continuous irrigation system. Video mediastinoscope. |
  |
| 1998 Piezoson 300 for shock-wave therapy in orthopaedics New generation "RIWO-DRIVE" generator, handle with shaver/knife Modular bipolar forceps New Telescopes: 4 mm PANOVIEW PLUS for arthroscopy and sinus surgery 5/7 mm PANOVIEW PLUS for gynecological laparoscopy and laparoscopic surgery Instrument set for ESDP compact system with large channel Instrument set for ESVH (Endoscopic Subfascial Vein Harvesting) New generation of re-usable "Metzenbaum" scissors for laparoscopic surgery Wolf endoscopic spine system is introduced |
  |
| 1999/2000 HMD - Head Mounted Display Personal operating monitor and extended information system with 3D and 2D image processing in high-resolution displays. Ergonomic design and voice control option. |
 |