Patent ID: 7670282

Claim:
A lung access system comprising: (a) an imaging device having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, said distal end being adapted to be placed within a subject's lung and said proximal end being adapted to be located outside of said subject's lung; (b) a guide element having a first end and a second end, the guide element being insertable through the lumen of the imaging device so that the guide element extends distally from the first end to the distal end of the imaging device, and proximally from the distal end of the imaging device outside of the imaging device back to the second end adjacent the proximal end of the imaging device with the first and second ends of the guide element located outside of said subjects lungs, and so that the guide element between the second end and the distal end of the imaging device is outside said imaging device and so that tensioning the second end of the guide element from outside the subject's lungs can direct distal advancement of the imaging device within the subject's lungs, wherein said guide element has a guide element lumen extending distally of the distal end of the imaging device so that tensioning of the second end of the guide element from outside the subject's lungs laterally deflects the lumen of the guide element distally of the imaging device; and (c) an instrument axially advanceable distally through the laterally deflected guide element lumen so that a distal end of the instrument is disposed outside the lumen and distally of the imaging device.