Patent ID: 9636127
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A method of moving a device toward a target site in a living body, the method comprising: introducing an endoscope into the living body, the endoscope possessing a distal end and an instrument channel extending along a longitudinal extent of the endoscope and opening adjacent the distal end of the endoscope, and a device located at the distal end of the endoscope, with an elongated shaft connected to the device and positioned in the instrument channel, the device and the endoscope being movable together, and the introduction of the endoscope into the living body also introducing the device into the living body; moving the endoscope and the device within the living body toward the target site; changing a shape of the elongated shaft while moving the device in the living body so that an angular orientation of the device relative to a distal end of the elongated shaft changes from a first angular orientation to a second angular orientation, the second angular orientation being different from the first angular orientation, and maintaining a shape of the elongated shaft unless an external force is applied to the elongated shaft; and moving the device within the living body toward the target site while the device is in the second angular orientation to position the device at the target site.