Patent ID: 8287447

Claim:
An assembly for natural orifice surgery, comprising: an elongated flexible outer tube defining a single main lumen; a first insert slidably engageable with the main lumen and defining at least one sub-lumen, the first insert substantially radially filling the main lumen, the sub-lumen configured for slidably receiving an endoscope, the first lumen having a first sub-lumen configuration; and at least a second insert interchangeable with the first insert and having a sub-lumen configuration different from the first sub-lumen configuration, the inserts being provided together as part of the assembly such that plural inserts are provided to the user with the assembly so that the user can configure the assembly to a number and/or size of working lumens as desired by selecting an appropriate one of the first or second inserts and engaging it with the main lumen of the flexible outer tube; wherein the outer tube defines an open distal end, and the assembly comprises a distal plug in the distal end; and wherein a tether is attached to the distal plug, the distal plug being pushable away from the outer tube using a surgical instrument to disengage it from the outer tube, the tether facilitating retrieval of the plug from the patient.