| CPC A61B 34/71 (2016.02) [A61B 34/35 (2016.02); B25J 9/1045 (2013.01); A61B 2034/715 (2016.02); A61B 34/76 (2016.02)] | 20 Claims |

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1. A system comprising:
a surgical instrument mountable to a remotely controllable manipulator, the surgical instrument comprising
a distal end component,
first and second rotatable cylinders, and
first and second tensioning elements each coupled to the distal end component, the first tensioning element coupled to the first rotatable cylinder, and the second tensioning element coupled to the second rotatable cylinder, wherein the first tensioning element and the second tensioning element are coupled to one another such that a tension in one of the first tensioning element and the second tensioning element is transmitted at least in part to the other of the first tensioning element and the second tensioning element;
a first motor to be coupled to the first rotatable cylinder, the first motor configured to apply a first tension to the first tensioning element when the first motor is coupled to the first rotatable cylinder;
a second motor to be coupled to the second rotatable cylinder, the second motor configured to apply a second tension to the second tensioning element when the second motor is coupled to the second rotatable cylinder; and
a controller operable with the first and second motors to maintain the first tension in the first tensioning element and the second tension in the second tensioning element while the first rotatable cylinder is being locked to the second rotatable cylinder.
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