Patent ID: 8535304

Claim:
A system for minimally invasive surgery using a therapeutic catheter comprising: a proximal immobilizer; a distal immobilizer; an actuation mechanism that allows the proximal immobilizer and the distal immobilizer to move axially with respect to each other, wherein the actuation mechanism is constructed and arranged to provide at least four degrees of freedom between the proximal immobilizer and the distal immobilizer; wherein the actuation mechanism includes a helical drive screw that is connected between the proximal immobilizer and the distal immobilizer so as to control the relative displacement therebetween, and that rotates in each of a first rotational direction and a second opposing rotational direction to move the proximal immobilizer and the distal immobilizer away from each other and toward each other, respectively; a steering mechanism that allows a pointing direction of the distal immobilizer to be changed; and a proximal immobilizer lumen passing through the proximal immobilizer and a distal immobilizer lumen passing through at least a proximal portion of the distal immobilizer, constructed an arranged to allow the catheter to pass therethrough, the catheter being slidably arranged with respect to one of the proximal immobilizer lumen and the distal immobilizer lumen, and being held stationary to one of the distal immobilizer lumen and the proximal immobilizer lumen, respectively.