Patent ID: 8257303

Claim:
A robotic endoscopic instrument system, comprising: a parent endoscopic instrument defining a working lumen and having a base removably coupled to an parent instrument interface of an instrument driver, the instrument driver comprising at least one motor operably coupled through the parent instrument interface to a control element extending thorough the parent endoscopic instrument, whereby movement of a distal bending portion of the parent endoscopic instrument may be controlled by selected operation of the motor; and a guide-sheath instrument pair at least partially positioned in the working lumen of the parent endoscopic instrument, the guide-sheath instrument pair including a sheath instrument defining a working lumen and having a base removably coupled to a sheath instrument interface located on a same or different instrument driver as the parent instrument interface, and a guide instrument positioned in the sheath instrument lumen and comprising a base removably coupled to a guide instrument interface located on a same or different instrument driver as the respective parent instrument interface and sheath instrument interface, wherein the parent endoscopic instrument, sheath instrument and guide instrument are independently controllable by the respective same or different instrument drivers.