Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body assembly, a shaft assembly that releasably attaches to the body assembly, and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly. The body assembly includes a first electrical contact and a first sealing portion. The shaft assembly includes a second electrical contact and a second sealing portion. The first and second electrical contacts are configured to electrically couple together to establish an electrical connection therebetween when the shaft assembly is attached to the body assembly. The first and second sealing portions are configured to sealingly engage one another when the shaft assembly is attached to the body assembly to establish a liquid-tight seal that surrounds the electrical connection.

Abstract: A staple cartridge for use with a stapling device that has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil portion that is selectively movable between open and closed positions is disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention include a cartridge body that movably supports first and second staple drivers. The staple drivers each support a staple thereon and serve to drive the staples into forming contact with the anvil upon actuation by the actuator. The various embodiments of the present invention enable the final formed heights of the staples to be varied so as to apply various clamping forces and pressures to soft tissue captured within the staples. In at least one embodiment, the staples can include crowns formed thereon which can be utilized to adjust or control the clamping force and/or pressure applied by the staples.

Abstract: A surgical stapler including an anvil, a staple cartridge, and a buttress material removably retained to the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In various embodiments, the staple cartridge can include at least one staple removably stored therein which can, when deployed, or fired, therefrom, contact the buttress material and remove the buttress material from the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In at least one embodiment, the anvil can include at least one lip and/or groove configured to removably retain the buttress material to the anvil until deformable members extending from the surgical staple are bent by the anvil and are directed toward and contact the buttress material.

Abstract: Circular stapling instruments and anvil assemblies. The anvil assemblies may have collapsible anvil support members that may be inserted through an opening in a patient and then expanded to be attached to an anvil plate assembly that has a staple-forming surface thereon. The anvil support member is attachable to the anvil plate assembly in such a way that when the anvil assembly is coupled to the stapling head of a circular stapler, the staple-forming surface is in substantial registry with the staples supported in the stapling head. A variety of different anvil support members and anvil plate assemblies are disclosed.

Abstract: A surgical stapling system including a driver and a staple where the driver is connected to the staple. In previous surgical stapling systems, the driver and the staple were not connected. A surgical stapling system in accordance with the present invention may have fewer components, less assembly and manufacturing time, and may accommodate larger staples which are at least partially embedded in the driver. In various embodiments, a surgical stapling system comprises a staple, the staple including a deformable member, and a stapler, the stapler including an anvil, a staple cartridge for removably storing the staple, and a cam movable between a first position and a second position. In these embodiments, the surgical stapling system further comprises a driver attached to the staple, the driver being operatively engaged with the cam to move the staple toward the anvil when the cam is moved between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes cartridge receiving assembly, a shaft assembly, and an interface assembly. The cartridge receiving assembly is operable to receive a needle driving cartridge. The shaft assembly includes a first actuation member that is operable to actuate the cartridge receiving assembly to thereby drive a needle from a needle driving cartridge received in the cartridge receiving assembly. The interface assembly includes a base and a plurality of drive shafts extending upwardly from the base. The drive shafts extend along respective axes that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly. The drive shafts are rotatable independently relative to each other. A first drive shaft of the plurality of drive shafts is operable to drive the first actuation member. The interface assembly is configured to couple with a robotic control system.

Abstract: Devices and methods for positioning a surgical instrument are described herein. In one embodiment, a positioning device can include a base that can be placed against tissue and a shuttle including a lumen that can receive a surgical instrument. The lumen can be translated in at least two directions relative to the base and an orientation of the lumen relative to the base can be polyaxially adjusted. Further, the device can include a locking mechanism that, upon actuation, prevents both translational movement and polyaxial movement of the lumen relative to the base.

Abstract: A surgical stapler including an anvil, a staple cartridge, and a buttress material removably retained to the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In various embodiments, the staple cartridge can include at least one staple removably stored therein which can, when deployed, or fired, therefrom, contact the buttress material and remove the buttress material from the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In at least one embodiment, the anvil can include at least one lip and/or groove configured to removably retain the buttress material to the anvil until deformable members extending from the surgical staple are bent by the anvil and are directed toward and contact the buttress material.

Abstract: A method of applying a buttress to a surgically cut and stapled site uses an end effector with a buttress applier cartridge assembly to load one or more buttress assemblies to the end effector. The buttress assemblies each include a buttress to support a staple formed therein as well an adhesive for adhering to the end effector. The adhesive of the buttress assemblies can include a pattern to assist in both attachment to the end effector and release from the end effector after cutting and stapling a tissue site. The buttress applier cartridge can include features that accommodate end effectors having various tip configurations, including straight tips and curved or bent tips.

Abstract: An end effector for use with a surgical instrument includes an anvil with at least one staple pocket that defines a longitudinal axis. The staple pocket comprises a first cup and a second cup. The end effector also includes a staple cartridge.

Abstract: Various devices are provided for allowing multiple surgical instruments to be inserted through a single surgical access device at variable angles of insertion, allowing for ease of manipulation within a patient's body while maintaining insufflation. Safety shields and release mechanisms are also provided for use with various surgical access devices.

Abstract: Devices and methods for organizing a plurality of end effectors and selectively delivering them through surgical trocars are described herein. In one embodiment, a surgical end effector loading device is provided that includes at least one mating element to interface with a surgical trocar, a deployment lumen positioned to align with a working channel of a surgical trocar, an end effector repository having a plurality of end effector lumens formed therein to receive end effectors, the repository being configured to selectively align any of the plurality of end effector lumens with the deployment lumen, and an advancer coupled to the repository and configured to advance an end effector from the repository through the deployment lumen.

Abstract: A trocar assembly includes a cannula assembly, an obturator assembly, and a catch arm. The cannula assembly has a housing, a cannula, and a working channel defining a longitudinal axis from a proximal opening to a distal opening. The obturator assembly includes a proximal head, a distal tip, and a shaft extending therebetween. The catch arm is selectively moveable from a retracted position to a first and second deployed positions and is configured to releasably capture a suture thread. In the retracted position, the catch arm is positioned radially inward from the first deployed position. In the first deployed position, the catch arm is positioned radially outward from the retracted position. In addition, the catch arm is configured to be moved a predetermined distance from the first deployed position to the second deployed position and release the captured suture thread therefrom.

Abstract: A staple cartridge comprising a cartridge body, a surgical staple, and a compressible member is disclosed. The surgical staple is movable from an unfired position to a fired position. The surgical staple is deformable from a first shape in the unfired position to a second shape in the fired position during a firing stroke. The surgical staple is ejected from the cartridge body during the firing stroke. The surgical staple comprises a crown, a first deformable member extending from the crown, and a second deformable member extending from the crown. The compressible member is positioned intermediate the first deformable member, the second deformable member, and the crown after the surgical staple has been deformed into the second shape. The compressible member is at least partially positioned between the first deformable member and the second deformable member of the surgical staple when the surgical staple is in the unfired position.

Abstract: A surgical stapler configured to clamp, staple, and cut tissue is disclosed. The surgical stapler comprises a housing, a shaft, a staple cartridge, an expandable anvil, and a distal head portion. The shaft extends from the housing and comprises three concentric actuators. The three concentric actuators are operable independently of each other. The three concentric actuators are actuatable relative to the housing and are configured to perform three separate and distinct end effector functions. The staple cartridge comprises a unitary cartridge body. The distal head portion is configured to rotate relative to the shaft. One of the separate and distinct end effector functions comprises rotating the distal head portion to expand the anvil.

Abstract: Various devices are provided for allowing multiple surgical instruments to be inserted through a single surgical access device at variable angles of insertion, allowing for ease of manipulation within a patient's body while maintaining insufflation. Safety shields and release mechanisms are also provided for use with various surgical access devices.

Abstract: A stapling assembly comprising a cartridge jaw, a staple driving system, an anvil, and a firing member is disclosed. The cartridge jaw comprises a cartridge body comprising a deck, wherein the deck comprises a first longitudinal step having a first step height and a second longitudinal step having a second step height which is different than the first step height. The staple driving system comprises first staple supports configured to support first staples at a first unfired height, second staple supports configured to support second staples at a second unfired height, and third staple supports configured to support third staples. A first staple support, a second staple support, and a third staple support are interconnected in a first driver arrangement. A first staple support, a second staple support, and a third staple support are interconnected in a second driver arrangement which is different than the first driver arrangement.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating an anvil for a surgical stapling device. Various methods include forming an anvil body from a first material and a deformable anvil tip from a second material and attaching the deformable anvil tip to a distal end of the anvil body with a deformable second attachment member. Other methods include molding a deformable anvil tip to a distal end of an anvil body.

Abstract: An anvil for a surgical stapler. The anvil includes a staple-forming undersurface that has lines of staple-forming pockets that are configured to establish a flexible staple line. A plurality of anvil protrusions protrude from planar non-forming surface portions such that each anvil protrusion is adjacent to at least two staple-forming pockets to direct staples therein during a staple firing process and to engage the tissue that is being stapled.