Patent ID: 7942814

Claim:
A method of imaging an orthopedic region within a patient comprising: connecting a removable sheath to a handle that is attached to a fiber optic imaging probe, the fiber optic imaging probe being adapted to transmit an image from a distal end to a proximal end through a plurality of imaging optical fibers positioned within an imaging tube, the fiber optic imaging probe having a lens system including a first lens element, a second lens element and an aperture stop positioned at the distal end of the imaging tube that couples light into the plurality of imaging optical fibers of the fiber optic imaging probe, the removable sheath being connected to the handle with a mounting mechanism such that the sheath extends over the distal end of the fiber optic imaging probe, the sheath having an outer diameter of less than 2 mm, a distal window and a plurality of illumination optical fibers extending between an inner tube and an outer tube of the removable sheath; inserting the sheath and the distal end of the probe through a cannula into the orthopedic region of the patient; illuminating the orthopedic region of the patient with light transmitted through the plurality of illumination optical fibers positioned around the fiber optic imaging probe; and detecting an image with an imaging device in the handle, the imaging device being optically coupled to the proximal end of the fiber optic imaging probe.