ARTICULATING SURGICAL TOOLS AND TOOL SHEATHS, AND METHODS OF DEPLOYING THE SAME
A system for performing a medical procedure includes an articulating probe including inner and outer sleeves, and a surgical tool including a functional element positioned at a distal end of a tool shaft, the tool shaft having an articulation region. The articulating probe and the surgical tool are independently controllable.
1 . A surgical tool comprising:
a functional element positioned at a distal end of a tool shaft; and
a tool handle positioned at a proximal end of the tool shaft,
wherein the tool shaft includes an articulation region, wherein the articulation region includes a plurality of segment links, and wherein each segment link of the plurality of segment links is constructed and arranged to provide 12° to 15° of articulation between the functional element and an axis of the tool shaft.