Catheter with remotely extendible instruments

摘要

A method for performing a surgical procedure within lungs of a patient. The method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of surgical instruments and providing a housing. Attaching a flexible, elongated shaft with distal and proximal ends to the housing. Engaging at least one working end to the distal end of the housing, the working end including a plurality of tubes disposed therein that define a corresponding plurality of working channels for housing a corresponding plurality of surgical instruments. Controlling an actuator to engage at least one of the corresponding plurality of surgical instruments, wherein rotation of the working end with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft engages at least one of the plurality of surgical instrument with the actuator to deploy the at least one surgical instrument to the lung as needed during a surgical procedure.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a housing; an elongated shaft extending from the housing, the elongated shaft including a plurality of channels each of which includes an actuator, the elongated shaft including at least one mechanical interface at a distal end thereof; and at least one working end including at least one mechanical interface at a proximal end thereof and a plurality of channels each of which includes at least one surgical instrument, the at least one working end engageable with the distal end of the elongated shaft to engage the at least one mechanical interface of the at least one working end with the at least one mechanical interface at the distal end of the elongated shaft for aligning the plurality of channels of the at least one working end with the plurality of channels of the elongated shaft upon rotation of the at least one working end with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft to allow selective deployment of one of the at least one surgical instruments from the at least one working end.