Minimally invasive surgical instrument to provide needle-based therapy

A minimally invasive surgical instrument, comprising:

• a surgical device coupled to an end of an tubular insert, the insert having one or more pins extending from a surface of the tubular insert;
• a first tubular input mechanism, the tubular insert arranged to be concentrically within the first tubular input mechanism, wherein the first tubular input mechanism includes slots formed along an axis of the first tubular input mechanism and a hole at a first end of the first tubular input mechanism, wherein
• the one or more pins of the tubular insert extend through the slots and the surgical device extends through the hole;
• a second tubular input mechanism concentrically surrounding the first tubular input mechanism and the tubular insert, the second tubular input mechanism including helical slots formed in an interior wall of the second tubular input mechanism, the one or more pins arranged to be received in the helical slots, wherein
• the surgical device is moved in a first degree of freedom in response to driving the first tubular input mechanism and the second tubular input mechanism;
• and
• the surgical device is moved in a second degree of freedom in response to driving the second tubular input mechanism while the first tubular input mechanism is held stationary.

A minimally invasive surgical instrument, comprising:

• a first input mechanism having one or more axial slots formed in a periphery therein, the input mechanism coupled to a first mechanical driving mechanism;
• a second input mechanism having one or more helical slots formed in a surface therein, the second input mechanism coupled to a second mechanical driving mechanism;
• an insert having one or more pins extending from a surface thereof, the insert coupled to the second input mechanism such that the one or more pins extend into the helical slots;
• and
• a needle coupled to an end of the insert, wherein:
• the needle is moved in a first degree of freedom in response to a mechanical driving force applied to both the first input mechanism and the second input mechanism by the first and second driving mechanisms, respectively;
• and
• the needle is moved in a second degree of freedom in response to a mechanical driving force applied to the second input mechanism by the second driving mechanism while the first input mechanism is held stationary.