Patent ID: 7678117

Claim:
A surgical device comprising: a flexible member having a plurality of flexible segments that each include at least one link, each link being a discrete portion of the flexible segment that is capable of movement relative to another discrete portion of the flexible segment, flexible member or device, wherein each flexible segment includes at least one flexible hinge, each flexible hinge being a discrete section that extends from a link and is capable of flexure, each flexible hinge having a point of minimum width that is narrower than the remainder of the hinge in a direction perpendicular to and offset from a central, longitudinal axis of the flexible segment, the minimum width forming a predetermined articulation location that promotes pivoting about a single axis through the point of minimum width, with adjacent links of the flexible segments joined by flexible hinges which constrain the adjacent links to pivot generally about a single axis relative to one another; a surgical or diagnostic tool attached to the distal end of the flexible member; an elongate shaft attached to the proximal end of the flexible member; and a plurality of cables distally connected to links of more than one of the flexible segments of the flexible member and received proximally through the elongate shaft, such that movement of one or more cables directly causes movement of the connected links of the flexible segments, wherein the cables connected to a first one of the links pass through a second one of the links proximal to the first one of the links in a direction substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the flexible segment.