Endoscope with adjacently positioned guiding apparatus

An apparatus for insertion into a body cavity, comprising:

• an elongate body having a proximal portion and a selectively steerable distal portion and defining a lumen therebetween, the steerable distal portion being configurable to assume a selected shape along an arbitrary path;
• an elongate guide having a proximal section, a distal section, and a length therebetween, the guide being slidably disposed without constraint adjacent to and along the length of the elongate body for selectively supporting the body, wherein the guide is configured to conform to and selectively maintain the selected shape assumed by the steerable distal portion, and wherein the proximal portion of the elongate body when advanced distally is configured to conform to the selected curve maintained by the guide.

A device for slidably interlocking an elongate body and an elongate guide adjacent to one another comprising:

• a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therethrough, the lumen configured to receive an elongate body and an elongate guide therein;
• and a mechanism configured to provide pressure sufficient to slidably interlock the elongate guide and elongate body to one another while advancing the elongate guide and elongate body through the lumen.

A method for slidably interlocking an elongate body and an elongate guide adjacent to one another comprising the steps of:

• providing an interlocking device having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therethrough;
• advancing an elongate body into the lumen of the interlocking device;
• and advancing an elongate guide into the lumen of the interlocking device.