Steerable Shaft Assistance Control

A control assembly for a steerable medical device shaft, the control assembly comprising:

• a steerable-shaft handle;
• and
• an elongate docking translating base, including a first-end lengthwise opening dimensioned to receive and frictionally engage a portion of a separate medical device handle and a second-end ball with an outer diameter larger than an adjacent lengthwise portion of the base,
• wherein the elongate docking translating base includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being selectively moveable relative to the second portion and selectively lockable to the second portion,
• wherein the steerable-shaft handle surrounds a longitudinal passage extending distally from a first-end terminus that includes a socket dimensioned to engagingly receive the second-end ball, and
• wherein the base includes at least two steering wires that extend through the steerable-shaft handle in mechanical communication with a steerable length of a shaft length disposed distal of the steerable-shaft handle.

A scope system, comprising:

• a steerable outer sheath comprising a lumen extending therethrough and an articulating distal lengthwise portion;
• and
• an accessory channel shaft comprising an accessory lumen extending therethrough and a distal lengthwise section, the accessory channel shaft movably disposed at least partially within the lumen of the steerable outer sheath, wherein the accessory channel shaft is moveable between a forward-viewing configuration and a side-viewing configuration relative to the steerable outer sheath,
• wherein, in the forward-viewing configuration, the distal lengthwise section of the accessory channel shaft is parallel to and/or disposed at least partially within the distal lengthwise portion of the steerable outer sheath, wherein, in the side-viewing configuration, the distal lengthwise section of the accessory channel shaft is disposed at a non-parallel angle relative to the distal lengthwise portion of the steerable outer sheath,
• wherein a steerable medical device shaft is movably disposed in the accessory channel shaft, and
• wherein the steerable medical device shaft is controlled by a control assembly including a steerable-shaft handle, the steerable-shaft handle is connected to a docking translating base, and the base includes a first-end opening dimensioned to receive and operably engage a portion of a separate medical device handle.