INSTRUMENT PORT WITH FLEXIBLE SHAFT FOR EPICARDIAL ABLATION

1 . An instrument port comprising:

an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends and extending along a shaft axis;

a flexible shaft attached to the distal end of the elongated shaft, the flexible shaft configured to bend only within a pivot plane that is defined by the shaft axis and a pivot axis that is orthogonal to the shaft axis;

a steerable tip attached to the distal end of the shaft, the steerable tip extending along a tip axis;

a handle attached to the proximal end of the elongated shaft, the handle including a lever in mechanical communication with the flexible shaft to adjust a customizable angle of the steerable tip, the customizable angle measured between the shaft axis and the tip axis; and

a working tube disposed in the elongated shaft and flexible shaft, the working tube forming a working channel to receive a medical instrument.

2 . The instrument port of claim 1 , wherein in an unbent state:

the flexible shaft extends along the shaft axis, and

the flexible shaft includes:

a plurality of mechanical rings concentrically disposed along the shaft axis, the plurality of mechanical rings including neighboring mechanical ring pairs, and

each neighboring mechanical ring pair is mechanically coupled by a pair of mechanical links, wherein a respective third axis passes through each pair of mechanical links, the respective third axis orthogonal to the shaft and pivot axes.

3 . The instrument port of claim 2 , wherein the pairs of mechanical links mechanically restrict a bending direction of the flexible shaft to the pivot plane.

4 . The instrument port of claim 1 , wherein the lever is mechanically coupled to a wire that extends to a distal end of the flexible shaft, the wire attached to an internal surface of the flexible shaft, the pivot axis passing through the internal surface.

5 . The instrument port of claim 4 , wherein the lever is mechanically coupled to a wire rope that extends to the distal end of the flexible shaft, the wire rope comprising the wire.

6 . The instrument port of claim 4 , wherein the lever is mechanically coupled to a spindle disposed in the handle.

7 . The instrument port of claim 6 , wherein:

the wire is attached to the spindle, and

pulling the lever causes the spindle to rotate to pull the wire towards the proximal end of the elongated shaft to thereby cause the flexible shaft to bend in a first direction.

8 . The instrument port of claim 7 , wherein the handle includes a mechanical lock that applies a force against the spindle to set the customizable angle of the flexible shaft.

9 . The instrument port of claim 1 , wherein:

the customizable angle is within a range of 0° to 90°, and

when the flexible shaft is in an unbent state:

the flexible shaft extends along the shaft axis, and

the customizable angle is 0°.

10 . The instrument port of claim 1 , further comprising an offset balloon attached to the distal end of the elongated shaft.

11 . The instrument port of claim 1 , wherein:

the elongated shaft is flexible,

the elongated shaft has a flexed state and an unflexed state, and

in the unflexed state, the elongated shaft extends along the shaft axis.

12 . The instrument port of claim 11 , when the customizable angle is adjusted, the elongated shaft stays in the unflexed state.

13 . The instrument port of claim 11 , wherein when the customizable angle is adjusted, the elongated shaft stays in the flexed state, the elongated shaft having a same flexed position while the customizable angle is adjusted.

14 . An instrument port comprising:

an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends and extending along a shaft axis;

a flexible shaft attached to the distal end of the elongated shaft, the flexible shaft configured to bend only within a pivot plane that is defined by the shaft axis and a pivot axis that is orthogonal to the shaft axis;

a steerable tip attached to the distal end of the shaft, the steerable tip extending along a tip axis;

a handle attached to the proximal end of the elongated shaft, the handle including:

a first lever mechanically coupled to a first wire having an end attached to a first side of the flexible shaft, the first lever configured to pull the first wire to deflect the flexible shaft in a first direction within the pivot plane; and

a second lever mechanically coupled to a second wire having an end attached to a second side of the flexible shaft, the second lever configured to pull the second wire to deflect the flexible shaft in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, the second direction within the pivot plane; and

a working tube disposed in the elongated shaft and flexible shaft, the working tube forming a working channel to receive a medical instrument.

15 . The instrument port of claim 14 , wherein in an unbent state:

the flexible shaft extends along the shaft axis, and

the flexible shaft includes:

a plurality of mechanical rings concentrically disposed along the shaft axis, the plurality of mechanical rings including neighboring mechanical ring pairs, and

each neighboring mechanical ring pair is mechanically coupled by a pair of mechanical links, wherein a respective third axis passes through each pair of mechanical links, the respective third axis orthogonal to the shaft and pivot axes.

16 . The instrument port of claim 15 , wherein the pairs of mechanical links mechanically restrict a bending direction of the flexible shaft to the pivot plane.

17 . The instrument port of claim 14 , wherein:

the first and second sides of the flexible shaft comprise internal surfaces disposed at a distal end of the flexible shaft, and

the pivot axis passes through the internal surfaces of the first and second sides.

18 . The instrument port of claim 17 , wherein:

the first and second levers are mechanically coupled to first and second wire ropes, respectively, and

the first and second wire ropes comprise the first and second wires, respectively.

19 . The instrument port of claim 17 , wherein the first and second levers are mechanically coupled to a spindle disposed in the handle.

20 . The instrument port of claim 19 , wherein:

the first and second wires are attached to the spindle, and

the spindle is configured to rotate in a first direction to pull the end of the first wire towards the proximal end of the elongated shaft when the first lever is pulled, thereby causing the flexible shaft to bend in the first direction, and

the spindle is configured to rotate in a second direction to pull the end of the second wire towards the proximal end of the elongated shaft when the second lever is pulled, thereby causing the flexible shaft to bend in the second direction.

21 . The instrument port of claim 20 , wherein:

the spindle is configured to release a first force on the first wire when the spindle is rotated in the second direction, and

the spindle is configured to release a second force on the second wire when the spindle is rotated in the first direction.

22 . The instrument port of claim 20 , wherein the handle includes a mechanical lock that applies a force against the spindle to set the customizable angle of the flexible shaft.

23 . The instrument port of claim 14 , wherein:

the customizable angle is within a range of −90° to 90°, and

when the flexible shaft is in an unbent state:

the flexible shaft extends along the shaft axis, and

the customizable angle is 0°.

24 . The instrument port of claim 14 , wherein the customizable angle is adjustable while a flexed position and a flexed orientation of the elongated shaft is maintained.