Patent ID: 7785250

Claim:
An endoscopic instrument assembly, comprising an endoscope, and a flexible medical instrument to be used in conjunction with said endoscope, wherein; said endoscope includes a working channel having an internal diameter, and a distal end surface disposed perpendicular to an axis of said endoscope, said distal end surface having an outer perimeter, and one or more operative features of said endoscope, said operative features being positioned upon said distal end surface; and said flexible medical instrument includes a shaft sized to be passably insertable into said working channel of said endoscope, and an end effector removably attachable to a distal end of said shaft, said end effector being larger than said internal diameter of said working channel of said endoscope; said end effector being shiftable in a distal direction, and being adapted to be disposed entirely within said perimeter of, and flush against said distal end surface of said endoscope during delivery of said flexible medical instrument, so that said end effector does not extend beyond said perimeter, and does not obstruct said operative features when said flexible medical instrument is in a delivery configuration, and wherein said end effector is shifted distal to, and apart from said distal end surface of said endoscope when in an operating configuration.