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A surgical apparatus includes a slider mechanism, a surgical instrument coupled to the slider mechanism, and a single cable bundle that couples the slider mechanism and instrument to a driver. The single cable bundle includes a first cable that operates the slider mechanism and thus the instrument w

A surgical apparatus includes a slider mechanism, a surgical instrument coupled to the slider mechanism, and a single cable bundle that couples the slider mechanism and instrument to a driver. The single cable bundle includes a first cable that operates the slider mechanism and thus the instrument with one degree-of-freedom of movement, and a second cable that operates the instrument itself with another degree-of-freedom of movement. The cable bundle is attached to the slider mechanism at a location that is stationary.

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What is claimed is: 1. A surgical instrument system, comprising: a surgical instrument carrying a distal tool that is useable in performing a medical procedure on a patient; an instrument holder configured for receiving the surgical instrument and positionable to maintain the surgical instrument at

What is claimed is: 1. A surgical instrument system, comprising: a surgical instrument carrying a distal tool that is useable in performing a medical procedure on a patient; an instrument holder configured for receiving the surgical instrument and positionable to maintain the surgical instrument at an operative site of the patient, the surgical instrument being releaseably engageable with the instrument holder; and a coupling mechanism configured for interconnecting the surgical instrument with a drive unit configured for controlling multiple degrees-of-freedom of motion of the surgical instrument, the instrument holder being releaseably engageable with the coupling mechanism. 2. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the distal tool is an articulating tool. 3. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the instrument holder comprises a guide tube for receiving the surgical instrument. 4. The surgical instrument system of claim 3, wherein guide tube has a curved distal end. 5. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the multiple degrees-of-freedom comprises a rotation of the surgical instrument about an axis. 6. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the multiple-degrees-of-freedom comprises a linear movement of the surgical instrument about an axis. 7. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the multiple-degrees-of-freedom comprises a flexing of a distal end the surgical instrument about an axis. 8. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the multiple-degrees-of-freedom comprises an actuation of the distal tool. 9. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a carriage on which the surgical instrument is sidably mounted. 10. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises at least one driver element configured to be actuated by the drive unit, the instrument holder comprises at least one intermediate driver element configured to be actuated by the at least one driver element, and the surgical instrument has at least one driven element configured to be actuated by the at least one intermediate driver element to control the multiple-degrees-of-freedom of the motion of the surgical instrument. 11. The surgical instrument system of claim 10, wherein each of the at least one driver element is a drive shaft, each of the at least one intermediate driver element is a drive shaft, and each of the at least one driven element is a wheel. 12. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the instrument holder has a clam-shell configuration configured for closing to enclose a proximal end of the surgical instrument within the instrument holder, and opening to allow the proximal end of the surgical instrument to be removed from the instrument holder. 13. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the instrument holder is configured for being clamped to the coupling mechanism. 14. The surgical instrument system of claim 13, wherein the instrument holder and coupling mechanism have corresponding lips that fit together, and one of the instrument holder and coupling mechanism has a clamp opposite the lips to secure the instrument holder to the coupling mechanism. 15. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism is configured for being mounted over a patient table. 16. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, further comprising: another surgical instrument carrying another distal tool useable in performing another different medical procedure on the patient; another instrument holder configured to receive the other surgical instrument and positionable to maintain the other surgical instrument at the operative site of the patient, the other surgical instrument being releaseably engageable with the other instrument holder, and the other instrument holder being releaseably engageable with the coupling mechanism. 17. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, further comprising the drive unit. 18. The surgical instrument system of claim 17, wherein the drive unit comprises a motor array. 19. A robotic surgical instrument system, comprising: a surgical instrument carrying a distal tool that is useable in performing a medical procedure on a patient; an instrument holder configured for receiving the surgical instrument and positionable to maintain the surgical instrument at an operative site of the patient, the surgical instrument being releaseably engageable with the instrument holder; a drive unit; a coupling mechanism configured for interconnecting the surgical instrument with the drive unit, the instrument holder being releaseably engageable with the coupling mechanism; and a remote controller configured for directing the drive unit to multiple-degrees-of-freedom of motion of the surgical instrument. 20. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the distal tool is an articulating tool. 21. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the instrument holder comprises a guide tube for receiving the surgical instrument. 22. The surgical instrument system of claim 21, wherein guide tube has a curved distal end. 23. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the multiple degrees-of-freedom comprises a rotation of the surgical instrument about an axis. 24. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the multiple-degrees-of-freedom comprises a linear movement of the surgical instrument about an axis. 25. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the multiple-degrees-of-freedom comprises a flexing of a distal end the surgical instrument about an axis. 26. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the multiple-degrees-of-freedom comprises an actuation of the distal tool. 27. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a carriage on which the surgical instrument is sidably mounted. 28. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises at least one driver element configured to be actuated by the drive unit, the instrument holder comprises at least one intermediate driver element configured to be actuated by the at least one driver element, and the surgical instrument has at least one driven element configured to be actuated by the at least one intermediate driver element to control the multiple-degrees-of-freedom of the motion of the surgical instrument. 29. The surgical instrument system of claim 28, wherein each of the at least one driver element is a drive shaft, each of the at least one intermediate driver element is a drive shaft, and each of the at least one driven element is a wheel. 30. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the instrument holder has a clam-shell configuration configured for closing to enclose a proximal end of the surgical instrument within the instrument holder, and opening to allow the proximal end of the surgical instrument to be removed from the instrument holder. 31. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the instrument holder is configured for being clamped to the coupling mechanism. 32. The surgical instrument system of claim 31, wherein the instrument holder and coupling mechanism have corresponding lips that fit together, and one of the instrument holder and coupling mechanism has a clamp opposite the lips to secure the instrument holder to the coupling mechanism. 33. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the coupling mechanism is configured for being mounted over a patient table. 34. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, further comprising: another surgical instrument carrying another distal tool useable in performing another different medical procedure on the patient; another instrument holder configured to receive the other surgical instrument and positionable to maintain the other surgical instrument at the operative site of the patient, the other surgical instrument being releaseably engageable with the other instrument holder, and the other instrument holder being releaseably engageable with the coupling mechanism. 35. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, further comprising the drive unit. 36. The surgical instrument system of claim 35, wherein the drive unit comprises a motor array. 37. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the remote controller has a user interface for receiving commands from a user. 38. The surgical instrument system of claim 37, wherein movements made at the user interface correspond to movements of the surgical instrument. 39. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the remote controller is coupled to the drive unit via external cabling. 40. The surgical instrument system of claim 19, wherein the drive unit is coupled to the adapter via external cabling.