Surgical insufflation and irrigation conduits and methods for use

1. A surgical cabling apparatus comprising:

an elongated body having a distal end to be coupled to a surgical device and an opposing proximal end;

a junction located at the proximal end of the elongated body and from which a plurality of pathways extend to an area outside of a surgical field to accommodate a plurality of components there along; and

a configuration within the junction to aggregate components from the plurality of pathways and direct the components into the elongated body for engagement with the surgical device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the elongated body is flexible.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the components include at least two of:

wiring for an imaging device;

wiring for illumination;

fiber optic wiring;

wiring for power;

wiring for data transmission;

an insufflation lumen for transferring gas; and

an irrigation lumen for transferring liquid.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a component transmits both power and data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the components are surrounded by shielding designed to protect the components while remaining flexible.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical plug coupled to a proximal end of at least one of the plurality of pathways.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a connector designed to connect to a fluid source without leaking, the connector coupled to a proximal end of at least one of the plurality of pathways.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a molded strain relief at the distal end of the elongated body for coupling to the surgical device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one spacer within the cabling to maintain a substantially circular cross section of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein empty space between the components within the cabling apparatus defines a lumen to deliver media through the elongated body.

11. A surgical device cable, the cable comprising,

a plurality of distinct pathways, each for accommodating a component from a source outside of a sterile surgical field;

a consolidating junction designed to engage the plurality of pathways at one end to combine the components from the plurality of pathways; and

a single elongated body extending from another end of the consolidating junction for receiving the combined components and for directing the combined components to a surgical device for use within the sterile surgical field.

12. The cable of claim 11 , wherein the single elongated body is flexible.

13. The cable of claim 11 , further comprising a molded strain relief at a distal end of the single elongated body for coupling to the surgical device.

14. The cable of claim 11 , further comprising a connector located at a proximal end of each pathway to removably connect a pathway to one of the sources.

15. The cable of claim 14 , wherein at least one connector is in a fluid tight connection with a fluid source.

16. The cable of claim 14 , wherein at least one connector is electrically connected to an electrical plug to provide power to the surgical device.

17. The cable of claim 11 , wherein at least one pathway is surrounded by shielding designed to protect components contained in the pathway while remaining flexible.

18. The cable of claim 11 , wherein empty space within the single elongated body defines a lumen to deliver media through the single elongated body.

19. The cable of claim 11 , wherein the sources include at least one of,

wiring for an imaging device,

wiring for illumination,

fiber optic wiring,

wiring for power,

wiring for data transmission; and

the sources include at least one of the following,

an insufflation lumen for transferring gas, and

an irrigation lumen for transferring liquid.

20. The cable of claim 11 wherein each source is spatially separate from the other of the plurality of sources.