Compliant, atraumatic sheath tips

A system comprising:

• an elongate imaging instrument including a head comprising an imaging sensor and an insertion device;
• a sheath defining therein a lumen, the sheath insertable into a patient's body through the insertion device and extendable out of the insertion device at the head;
• an elongated medical instrument configured to be delivered through the lumen in the sheath;
• an insertion control system configured to convey the sheath to a desired location within a body;
• an instrument control system configured to direct operation of the elongated medial instrument when the elongated medical instrument reaches a desired position;
• a sheath tip integrally formed with the sheath to form a distal end of the sheath with a common outer diameter, the sheath tip having a cylindrical body extending between a base end coupled to a reminder of the sheath and a contact end configured to contact a tissue surface upon extension out of the head, wherein the cylindrical body includes a crumple zone a proximal distance away from the contact end, the crumple zone is configured to be deformable upon the contact end contacting the tissue surface;
• and
• a stiffening insert positioned within the sheath in a location proximal of a deformable portion of the sheath tip.

An apparatus comprising:

• a sheath defining a lumen that is dimensioned to convey an elongated tissue sampling instrument to a target tissue location;
• an insertion device including a head comprising an imaging sensor and an exit port configured to deliver the sheath along an extension axis to the target tissue location within a patient;
• and
• a sheath tip integrally formed with the sheath to form a distal end of the sheath, the sheath tip having a cylindrical body having a common outer diameter with the sheath, the cylindrical body extending between a base end at the distal end of the sheath and a contact end configured to contact a tissue surface upon extension of the sheath tip out of the exit port, wherein the cylindrical body of the sheath tip is configured to be deformable between the contact end and the base end of the sheath tip upon contact with the target tissue.