Method of performing a surgical procedure

Abstract

A method of performing a surgical procedure on an affected region in a body cavity includes steps of introducing the distal end, and first and second bendable joints, of a rod-shaped member into the body cavity having the affected region, engaging a body portion in the body cavity, other than the affected region, with the manipulating element, manipulating the body portion other than the affected region using the manipulating element, so as to increase a spacing around the affected region in the body cavity, and bending at least one of said first and second joints so as to increase a spacing between the rod-shaped member and the affected region in the body cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of performing a surgical procedure on an affected region in a body cavity using a medical manipulator comprising a rod-shaped member having at least first and second bendable joints provided at separate positions along the length of the rod-shaped member, whereby the rod-shaped member can be bent along its length by bending at the joints, and further comprising a manipulating element provided at a distal end of the rod-shaped member, the method comprising the steps of:
 introducing at least the distal end, and the first and second bendable joints, of the rod-shaped member into the body cavity having the affected region;   engaging a body portion in the body cavity, other than the affected region, with the manipulating element;   manipulating the body portion other than the affected region, using the manipulating element, so as to increase a spacing around the affected region in the body cavity; and   bending at least one of said first and second joints so as to increase a spacing between the rod-shaped member and the affected region in the body cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said manipulating element is a gripper and said step of engaging a body portion with the manipulating element comprises gripping the body portion with the gripper, and wherein said step of manipulating the body portion comprises retracting the gripped body portion away from the affected region. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said manipulating element is a pusher and said step of engaging a body portion with the manipulating element comprises engaging the body portion with the pusher and wherein said step of manipulating the body portion comprises pushing the body portion to retract the body portion away from the affected region. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said step of bending at least one of said first and second joints so as to increase a spacing between the rod-shaped member and the affected region comprises bending both of said first and second joints. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said body portion other than the affected region is elongated, and said first and second joints are bent such that at least a portion of the length of the rod-shaped member between the first and second joints extends approximately parallel to the length of the body portion while the gripper is gripping the body portion. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said body portion other than the affected region is an intestine.