Patent ID: 7032798

Claim:
A method for performing a procedure on a body, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a hollow shaft having a proximal end and a distal free end without any surgical instrument supported on the distal free end, the hollow shaft having a diameter and containing a drive shaft rotatably disposed therein, the distal free end of the hollow shaft configured to permit a surgical instrument to be mounted to the distal free end of the hollow shaft; (b) inserting the distal free end of the hollow shaft without any surgical instrument attached thereto in the body via a first body orifice; (c) inserting a surgical instrument into the body via a second body orifice, the surgical instrument including a coupling complimentary to and configured to couple with the distal free end of said hollow shaft to connect the drive shaft with the surgical instrument in operable communication; and (d) coupling the hollow shaft and the surgical instrument via the coupling to mount the surgical instrument to the distal end of the hollow shaft after the steps of inserting the hollow shaft and inserting the surgical instrument.