Patent attributes
A surgical instrument and method of operating same includes an end effector and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly has proximal and distal shaft portions respectively extending along proximal and distal axes, a first elongate member, and an articulation section. The articulation section extends between the proximal and distal shaft portions and is configured to articulate about a first articulation axis and about a second articulation axis to thereby respectively deflect the end effector along a first plane and a second plane. The articulation section has a first lumen radially offset from the proximal and distal axes that longitudinally intersects the first and second articulation axes. The first lumen movably supports the first elongate member such that the radial spacing of the first elongate member is maintained relative to the proximal and distal axes at each of the first and second articulation axes during deflection of the end effector.
