Patent ID: 7306574

Claim:
A dilatation system comprising: a dilator having a dilatation shaft, the dilatation shaft having a medial portion and a malleable distal portion including a flexible distal tip, the medial portion including a distal region having a distal region diameter and a proximal region having a proximal region diameter, the distal region diameter being greater than the proximal region diameter; a detachable handle detachably connected to the dilator; a fiber optic scope adapted to be positioned within the dilatation shaft; a fluid delivery supply in fluid communication with the dilatation shaft; and a controller associated with the dilator to control the attitude of the flexible distal tip of the malleable distal portion of the dilatation shaft, the controller comprising a control sleeve associated with the medial portion of the dilatation shaft and connected to at least one control wire extending axially from the distal tip to the proximal portion of the dilatation shaft on which the control sleeve is slidably positioned, the control sleeve substantially surrounding the proximal region of the medial portion of the dilatation shaft so as to slidably move over the proximal region to thereby increase tension in the at least one control wire and cause the distal tip of the dilatation shaft to flex in response thereto.