Surgical instrument

Abstract

A medical instrument having a proximal control handle and a distal tool that are intercoupled by an elongated instrument shaft that is meant to pass internally of an anatomic body, proximal and distal movable members that respectively intercouple the proximal control handle and the distal tool with the instrument shaft, cable control means disposed between the movable members, an actuation member at the handle for controlling the distal tool through the movable members, and a coupler for selectively engaging or disengaging separable cable segments of the actuation member.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of controlling a medical instrument that has a proximal end including a control handle and a distal end including a distal tool, said control handle and distal tool being intercoupled by an elongated instrument shaft and said tool actuated from a tool control cable, said method including providing proximal and distal movable members that respectively intercouple said proximal control handle and said distal tool with said instrument shaft, said proximal and distal movable members being intercoupled so that a motion at said proximal movable member controls said distal movable member, dividing the tool control cable into separate cable segments and interlocking the separate cable segments so that the tool control cable is operable. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  including manually controlling, from the proximal end of the instrument, the rotation of said distal tool about its longitudinal distal tool axis. 
     
     
         17 - 22 . (canceled)