Patent ID: 8771288

Claim:
A method of positioning an end effector of a medical instrument at a desired location, the method comprising: positioning an assembly at a desired location within a patient's body, the assembly including: an outer sleeve; an inner sleeve disposed within the outer sleeve; a tubular member secured to an inner surface of the inner sleeve, the tubular member having a discontinuous inner surface and a discrete length extending from a first end to a second end of the tubular member, the discrete length of the tubular member disposed within the inner sleeve; a shaft at least partially disposed within the inner sleeve and disposed within the tubular member, the shaft including an end effector connected to a distal region thereof and having a discontinuous outer surface, the discontinuous outer surface being capable of interacting with the discontinuous inner surface of the tubular member; retaining the end effector within the outer sleeve during positioning of the assembly within the patient's body; moving a portion of the shaft in a distal linear direction relative to the outer sleeve such that the end effector exits a distal end of the outer sleeve; and moving a portion of the shaft in a linear direction relative to the inner sleeve causing the discontinuous inner surface of the tubular member to interact with the discontinuous outer surface of the shaft causing the end effector to rotate to a desired rotational position within the patient's body.