Proximal-end securement of a minimally invasive working channel

1. An apparatus comprising:

a) an arm having a proximal end portion connected to a stationary object and a distal end portion,

b) a medial-lateral bar connected to the distal end portion of the arm and having a first arcuate rail;

c) a cranial-caudal bar cantilevered from the medial-lateral bar and having:

i) a first arcuate rail in slidable engagement with the first arcuate rail of the medial-lateral bar in a first direction, wherein the first arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar and the first arcuate rail of the medial-lateral bar have matching arcuate shapes,

ii) a second arcuate rail extending substantially perpendicularly from the first arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar;

iii) a third arcuate rail extending from the first arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar in a direction substantially parallel to the second arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar; and

iv) a fourth rail that connects the second arcuate rail and the third arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar to form a window;

d) a working channel construct comprising:

i) a tube having an outer surface and a proximal end portion and a distal end, wherein the tube extends through the window disposed between the second arcuate rail and the third arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar; and

ii) a slider attached to the outer surface of the tube and having a first arcuate rail and a second arcuate rail substantially parallel to the first arcuate rail, wherein the first arcuate rail of the slider is in slidable engagement with the second arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar and the second arcuate rail of the slider is in slidable engagement with the third arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar, wherein the first arcuate rail of the slider and the second arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar have matching arcuate shapes;

wherein the first arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar is configured to slide to a position along the first arcuate rail of the medial-lateral bar to configure a medial-lateral tilt angle of the proximal end portion of the tube in a first plane while maintaining a location of the distal end of the tube; and

wherein the first arcuate rail of the slider is configured to slide to a position along the second arcuate rail of the cranial-caudal bar in a second direction to configure a cranial-caudal tilt angle of the proximal end portion of the tube in a second plane while maintaining the location of the distal end of the tube.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cranial-caudal bar has a release button for releasable attachment to the medial-lateral bar.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the slider has a release mechanism for releasable attachment to the cranial-caudal bar.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the medial-lateral bar has a first window therein for slidable reception of the cranial-caudal bar.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first rail of the medial-lateral bar and the first rail of the cranial-caudal bar have mating teeth thereon.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second rail of the cranial-caudal bar and the first rail of the slider have mating teeth thereon.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

e) a medical device located within the tube.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the medical device is an instrument.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the medical device is an implant.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the slider is attached to the outer surface of the tube at the proximal end portion of the tube.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the tube at the proximal end portion of the tube has a thread thereon, the slider has a window having a matching thread thereon, and the slider is threadably engaged with the proximal end portion of the tube.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first rail of the cranial-caudal bar is in slidable engagement with the first rail of the medial-lateral bar by virtue of a bolt-slot connection.