Patent ID: 8257386
Filing Date: 2012-09-04
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A surgical instrument comprising: an instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis; a tool disposed from the distal end of the instrument shaft; a control handle coupled from the proximal end of the instrument shaft; a distal motion member for coupling the distal end of said instrument shaft to said tool; a proximal motion member for coupling the proximal end of said instrument shaft to said handle; actuation cabling extending between said distal and proximal motion members for coupling motion of said proximal motion member to said distal motion member for controlling the positioning of said tool; a rotation knob disposed between the control handle and proximal motion member and rotatable relative to the control handle for causing a corresponding rotation of the tool about a distal tool roll axis, wherein the distal tool roll axis is different than the longitudinal axis of the instrument shaft; and a locking mechanism for fixing the position of the tool at a selected position and having locked and unlocked states; said locking mechanism including a ball and socket arrangement disposed about at least a part of said proximal motion member; and an actuation cable extending from said handle to said tool for controlling the actuation of the tool; said actuation cable separated into two inter-engagable cable segments that enable the proximal motion member to be disconnected from the control handle.