Method and Device for Endoscopic Aspiration

A method for performing endoscopic surgery comprising:

• providing a steerable sheath including a steerable section, a lumen, and a tip;
• providing a flexible tube including an end;
• providing a light source and an image sensor each disposed on the end;
• advancing the flexible tube along an axis of the lumen, such that the light source and the image source are positioned at or near the tip;
• forming a bend in the steerable section, wherein forming the bend causes the tip to be steered toward an anatomical region within a patient;
• retreating the flexible tube along the axis, such that the lumen is open;
• and
• aspirating a bodily object through the lumen via the tip.

A device for performing endoscopic surgery within a patient comprising:

• a steerable sheath including a tip, a lumen, and a steerable section that is actuable to form a bend, such that the tip is operable to be steered toward an anatomical region within the patient;
• a flexible tube including an end and a working channel that defines a fourth inner diameter of at least about two millimeters and is operable to aspirate a bodily object;
• a light source disposed on the end;
• and
• an image sensor disposed on the end,
• wherein the flexible tube is disposed within the lumen such that the end is positioned at or near the tip,
• wherein the steerable section includes a concentric tube structure having nested concentric tubes, and
• wherein actuation of the steerable section is effectuated through applying an axial push-pull force to the concentric tubes.