A surgical instrument guidance apparatus is proposed to guide a surgical instrument or tool. The apparatus includes a device guiding mechanism, composed of inner and outer sheaths, for defining a longitudinal path along which the surgical instrument is to be moved. The guidance apparatus includes two mechanisms which independently control two degrees of freedom in the position of the device guiding mechanism relative to a central axis of the apparatus: (i) a device swing mechanism which sets an angle between the longitudinal path and the central axis and (ii) a device rotator which sets the rotational position of the longitudinal path about that central axis. In other words, using the device rotator the longitudinal path can sweep out a conical surface about the central axis, the semi-vertical angle of that cone being selected using the device swing mechanism.本發明揭示一種用於導引一外科手術儀器或工具的外科手術儀器導引裝置。該等裝置包含由內與外護鞘構成的一裝置導引機構,用來定義該外科手術儀器所要移動的一縱向路徑。該等導引裝置包含兩機構,各別控制該裝置導引機構位置內,相對於該等裝置中央軸的兩個自由度:(i)一裝置擺動機構,設定該縱向路徑與該中央軸之間的角度;以及(ii)一裝置旋轉器,設定該縱向路徑繞著該中央軸的該旋轉位置。換言之,使用該裝置旋轉器,該縱向路徑可掃過繞著該中央軸的一圓錐表面,而使用該裝置擺動機構選擇該圓錐的半垂直角度。100...裝置102...裝置旋轉器104...裝置擺動機構106...裝置導引機構108...裝置深度控制機構110...裝置定位框架112...裝置控制器116...中央軸302...側邊區塊506...擺動導引
