Importance

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Abstract

An instrument port for a medical instrument includes an elongate access tube having a deflectable distal portion and a lumen for receiving a medical instrument. An actuator for deflecting the distal portion includes a distal actuator portion coupled to the access tube, a proximal actuator portion, and a coil spring extending between the distal and proximal actuator portions. An elongate actuation element such as a pull cable has a first end attached to the distal portion of the access tube and a second end coupled to the proximal actuator portion. When a medical instrument is disposed through the instrument port, with its distal end extending from the lumen and its proximal end disposed outside the body cavity, movement of the proximal end of the instrument moves the proximal actuator portion relative to the distal actuator portion to bend the spring and retract the pull cable, causing deflection of the deflectable distal portion of the elongate access tube, steering the distal end of medical instrument.

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First Claim