Patent ID: 7628798

Claim:
A surgical instrument for cutting selected tissue in a body cavity while under visual inspection, comprising: a probe having a closed distal end, an open proximal end, and an axial passage extending from said proximal end to said distal end through which at least an optical system and tool extension shaft extend, said probe having an upper surface with a lateral aperture positioned near said distal end through which a cutting blade can be extended and retracted under operation of said tool extension shaft, wherein said proximal end includes a connector section with two axial slots on opposite sides of said proximal end and a slotted twist region, wherein said slotted twist region includes two slotted pathways in the form of a threaded screw partial twist where said slotted pathways begin at a distal end of said two axial slots and are connected therewith; a handle having a top region and a lower grip region and a left and right side, said top region including a bore for receiving said proximal end of said probe, said bore including two inwardly projecting land regions positioned on opposite sides of said bore, said two inwardly projecting land regions fitting within said two axial slots and said slotted twist region of said proximal end of said probe, wherein said two inwardly projecting land regions in said bore of said handle and said two axial slots and said slotted twist region of said proximal end of said probe being configured to permit said probe to be attached to and removed from said handle by sliding said proximal end of said probe into said bore of said handle with said two inwardly projecting land regions passing through said two axial slots and said two slotted pathways by sliding said proximal end of said probe into said bore and twisting said probe such that said upper surface of said probe is oriented towards said left or right side of said handle with said two inwardly projecting land regions reaching an end of said two slotted pathways; and a locking mechanism affixed to said handle which includes a locking member that is selectively movable within said bore of said handle by an actuator positioned on an outer surface of said handle, wherein said locking member is moveable into and out of each of said two axial slots at said proximal end of said probe to alternatively lock or unlock said probe to or from said bore of said handle.