Patent ID: 8632460

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising a remotely controllable extendable and retractable needle capable of injecting liquid into target tissue, and an interlock release apparatus comprising a mechanism for selectively blocking and releasing first and second members from moving with respect to each other, wherein the mechanism provides interference between the first and second members when in a blocking condition that prevents the needle from being extended, and the mechanism provides clearance between the first and second members when in a release condition, allowing the needle to be extended, wherein the second member comprises a frame and the first member comprises a slide member that is slideably attached to the frame, wherein the frame and slide member are slideable relative to each other along a common axis when in the release condition, and wherein the slide member comprises a first handle and the frame comprises a second handle, the first and second handles being moveable towards each other when in the release condition to extend the needle, and that are moveable away from each other to retract the needle, and the mechanism comprises a depressable button located on the slide member which prevents movement of the first handle towards the second handle in the blocking condition when the button is not depressed, and which permits movement of the first handle towards the second handle in the release condition when the button is depressed.