STEERABLE SEGMENTED ENDOSCOPE AND METHOD OF INSERTION

摘要

A steerable endoscope 100 has an elongated body 102 with a selectively steerable distal portion 104 and an automatically controlled proximal portion 106. The endoscope body is inserted into a patient and the selectively steerable distal portion 104 is used to select a desired path within the patient's body. When the endoscope body is advanced, an electronic motion controller 140 operates the automatically controlled proximal portion 106 to assume the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion 104. Another desired path is selected with the selectively steerable distal portion and the endoscope body is advanced again. As the endoscope body is further advanced, the selected curves propagate proximally along the endoscope body, and when the endoscope body is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves propagate distally along the endoscope body. The creates a serpentine motion in the endoscope body allowing it to negotiate tortuous curves along a desired path through or around and between organs within the body.