Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface. The distal end is movable relative to a longitudinal axis in accordance with ultrasonic vibrations applied to the proximal end. At least a portion of the outer surface of the body comprises a lubricious coating adhered thereto. The lubricious coating has a coefficient of friction that is less than the coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the body.

Abstract: An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include a first body, a first electrode on the left side of the first body, and a second electrode on the right side of the first body. The first and second electrodes may be configured to receive electrosurgical energy to treat tissue in a target treatment zone. The end effector may also include a fluid aspiration port in fluid communication with a fluid path. The fluid aspiration port may be configured to remove a material from the target treatment zone.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include control systems of an electrosurgical system for managing the flow of fluid, such as saline, and rates of aspiration or suction, in response to various states of conditions at a surgical site. The control system(s) may monitor and adjust to impedance at the surgical site, temperature of the surgical tissue, and/or RF current of electrodes, and may account for certain undesirable conditions, such as the electrodes sticking. The control systems may include various automatic sensing scenarios, while also allowing for several manual conditions.

Abstract: An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include a fluid discharge port, a fluid aspiration port, and at least two electrodes, in which the electrodes are disposed on a surface of a body of the end effector. The end effector body may include channels fluidically coupled to the fluid discharge port. The end effector body may also include channels to receive the electrodes. The electrodes may be helically wound about the end effector body. The electrodes may interdigitate. An electrosurgical device may include the end effector which is fluidically, mechanically, and electrically coupled to a handle assembly by a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly may be bendable and assume a bent configuration upon the application of a force orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly. The shaft assembly may retain the bent configuration until the application of a countering force.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface. The distal end is movable relative to a longitudinal axis in accordance with ultrasonic vibrations applied to the proximal end. At least a portion of the outer surface of the body comprises a lubricious coating adhered thereto. The lubricious coating has a coefficient of friction that is less than the coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the body.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus comprises a body, an ultrasonic transducer, a shaft, and an end effector. The ultrasonic transducer is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The shaft couples the end effector and the body together. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic blade includes a recess region having a plurality of recesses. The recess region is tapered such that the cross-sectional area of the recess region decreases along the length of the recess region. The ultrasonic blade is also curved such that a central longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic blade extends along a curved path. A reference circuit is used to account for voltage drops of unknown values during operation of the surgical apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft assembly and an end effector. The shaft assembly includes a first coupling member and a second coupling member. The first coupling member and the second coupling member are configured to flex toward each other from a first position to a second position. The first coupling member and the second coupling member define a pivot axis in the first position. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The clamp arm is configured to couple or decouple with the shaft assembly when the first coupling member and the second coupling member are in the second position. The clamp arm is configured to pivot toward and away the ultrasonic blade about the pivot axis when the first coupling member and the second coupling member are in the first position.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus comprises a transducer assembly and a shaft assembly. The transducer assembly is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The shaft assembly comprises an ultrasonic waveguide, a sheath, a shroud, and a torque transfer assembly. The waveguide is configured to couple with the transducer assembly. The waveguide is disposed within the sheath. The sheath extends through the shroud. The torque transfer assembly is contained within the shroud. The torque transfer assembly is configured to transfer a predetermined range of torque from the shroud to the waveguide to thereby couple the waveguide with the transducer assembly. The torque transfer assembly is further configured to prevent transfer of torque from the shroud to the waveguide beyond an upper limit of the predetermined range.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface. The distal end is movable relative to a longitudinal axis in accordance with ultrasonic vibrations applied to the proximal end. At least a portion of the outer surface of the body comprises a lubricious coating adhered thereto. The lubricious coating has a coefficient of friction that is less than the coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface. The distal end is movable relative to a longitudinal axis in accordance with ultrasonic vibrations applied to the proximal end. At least a portion of the outer surface of the body comprises a lubricious coating adhered thereto. The lubricious coating has a coefficient of friction that is less than the coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the body.

Abstract: An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include one or more electrodes and a movable electrode scraper having a plurality of features in mechanical communication with a surface of the one or more electrodes and configured to move across the surface of the electrodes thereby removing biological debris adhering to the surface of the electrodes. The electrosurgical device may include a diverter in mechanical communication with the one or more electrodes. The scraper may also be configured to move across the surface of the diverter. The scraper may be operated by the action of an extendable mechanism in mechanical communication with a shaft of the electrosurgical device. An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include one or more electrodes and a movable electrode sleeve configured to movably cover the one or more electrodes.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface. The distal end is movable relative to a longitudinal axis in accordance with ultrasonic vibrations applied to the proximal end. At least a portion of the outer surface of the body comprises a lubricious coating adhered thereto. The lubricious coating has a coefficient of friction that is less than the coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface. The distal end is movable relative to a longitudinal axis in accordance with ultrasonic vibrations applied to the proximal end. At least a portion of the outer surface of the body comprises a lubricious coating adhered thereto. The lubricious coating has a coefficient of friction that is less than the coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the body.

Abstract: An apparatus for operating on tissue comprises a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, and an end effector. The acoustic waveguide extends along the shaft and is configured to transmit ultrasonic vibration. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide. The clamp arm is pivotable toward the ultrasonic blade. The end effector defines a first longitudinal region and a second longitudinal region. The end effector is configured to clamp tissue between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade in the first longitudinal region. The end effector is configured to sever tissue with the ultrasonic blade in the second longitudinal region.

Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument comprises an ultrasonic transducer, an acoustic waveguide, and an ultrasonic blade. The blade includes a pair of obliquely extending edges. The obliquely extending edges diverge away from the longitudinal axis of the waveguide and away from each other along respective paths extending distally in relation to the waveguide. A distal portion of the blade is wider than a proximal portion of the blade along a plane. The blade further includes a curved distal edge and several laterally presented surfaces. The laterally presented surfaces may provide combinations of concave and convex curvatures. The laterally presented surfaces may be angled and/or curved along one or more orthogonal planes associated with the longitudinal axis of the waveguide.

Abstract: An end effector includes a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw movable relative to the second jaw to transition the end effector between an open configuration and an approximated configuration to clamp tissue therebetween. The end effector may also include a camming assembly movable along a curved path. The camming assembly includes a first camming member which includes a first distal camming portion, a first proximal camming portion, and a first flexible portion extending between the first distal camming portion and the first proximal camming portion. The camming assembly includes a second camming member and a connector at least partially disposed between the first camming member and the second camming member, wherein the camming assembly is movable relative to the end effector to exert a camming force against the first jaw and the second jaw to transition the end effector to the approximated configuration.

Abstract: An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include a discharge port in communication with a first fluid path, an aspiration port in communication with a second fluid path, a first and second electrode, and a diverter in mechanical communication with the two electrodes. The diverter may receive, on its surface, a fluid emitted by the discharge port, and maintain a contact of the fluid with the first and second electrodes. The diverter may be further configured to prevent an aspiration, by the aspiration port, of the fluid on its surface. An electrosurgical device may include a source port in communication with a first fluid path, an evacuation port in communication with a second fluid path, a first and second electrode, and a housing. The device may include a shaft extending distally from the housing and the end effector as described above.

Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument comprises a handle assembly configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer, a shaft assembly having an acoustic waveguide and an ultrasonic blade, and a retractable clamp arm. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide such that the ultrasonic transducer is operable to drive the ultrasonic blade to vibrate ultrasonically via the acoustic waveguide. The clamp arm is configured to selectively translate between an inoperative position and an operative position. The clamp arm is positioned generally proximal to the ultrasonic blade when the clamp arm is in the inoperative position. The clamp arm is positioned lateral to the ultrasonic blade when the clamp arm is in the operative position. When in the operative position, the clamp arm is operable to move toward and away from the ultrasonic blade so as to capture and compress tissue between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.