Flexible Surgical Devices

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A surgical device comprising:

a tube including a proximal segment and a distal segment;

a plurality of force transmission elements coupled to the tube and actuatable to alter the distal segment of the tube between a flexible state and a stiffened state;

a plurality of routing members, each routing member coupled to a wall of the tube, the routing members configured to receive and route the force transmission elements along a length of the tube while permitting the length of the tube to flex and compress; and

a decoupling structure that generates a reduced force transmitted to the proximal segment when an applied force is applied to the distal segment by the force transmission elements.

22 . The surgical device of claim 21 wherein the decoupling structure includes a sheath through which one of the plurality of routing member extends.

23 . The surgical device of claim 22 wherein the sheath is substantially incompressible.

24 . The surgical device of claim 22 wherein the sheath is less compressible than the tube.

25 . The surgical device of claim 22 wherein a distal end of the sheath is secured to the distal segment.

26 . The surgical device of claim 22 wherein the sheath extends along and is spaced apart from the proximal segment.

27 . The surgical device of claim 22 wherein the sheath comprises a coil tube.

28 . The surgical device of claim 22 wherein the sheath comprises a laser cut hypotube.

29 . The surgical device of claim 21 wherein the plurality of routing members are coupled to the wall of the tube distally of the decoupling structure.

30 . The surgical device of claim 21 wherein the tube includes a plurality of slits generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tube.

31 . The surgical device of claim 21 wherein in the stiffened state of the tube, a force exerted on the force transmission elements causes the tube to straighten and compress along a longitudinal axis of the tube.

32 . A surgical device comprising:

a tube including a proximal segment and a distal segment;

a plurality of force transmission elements coupled to the tube and actuatable to alter the distal segment of the tube between a flexible state and a stiffened state, wherein in the stiffened state a force exerted on the force transmission elements causes the tube to straighten and compress along a longitudinal axis of the tube;

a plurality of routing members, each routing member coupled to a wall of the tube, the routing members configured to receive and route the force transmission elements along a length of the tube while permitting the length of the tube to ties and compress; and

a decoupling structure that decouples a force applied to one of the proximal or distal segments from the other of the proximal or distal segment.

33 . The surgical device of claim 32 wherein the decoupling structure includes a sheath through which one or the plurality of routing member extends.

34 . The surgical device of claim 33 wherein the sheath is substantially incompressible.

35 . The surgical device of claim 33 wherein the sheath is less compressible than the tube.

36 . The surgical device of claim 33 wherein a distal end of the sheath is secured to the distal segment.

37 . The surgical device of claim 33 wherein the sheath extends along and is spaced apart from the proximal segment.

38 . The surgical device of claim 32 wherein the plurality of routing members are coupled to the wall of the tube distally of the decoupling structure.

39 . The surgical device of claim 32 wherein the tube includes a plurality of slits generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tube.

40 . The surgical device of claim 32 wherein the decoupling structure decouples a beading force applied to the one of the proximal or distal segments from the other of the proximal or distal segment.