Abstract: A surgical instrument including a system for stopping a beam of the surgical instrument from impacting a distal pin when reversing a knife is disclosed. A knife assembly of the surgical instrument comprises the knife, the beam, and a firing nut. A firing lead screw can drive the firing nut distally and proximally. A firing screw compression spring extends along the firing lead screw and applies a load proximally on the firing nut when the firing nut is driven toward a distal end of the firing lead screw.

Abstract: A system for preventing unwanted tissue migration in surgical staplers includes a surgical stapler having an end effector including an upper jaw and a lower jaw. A distal end of the upper jaw is connected to a distal end of the lower jaw, and a proximal end of the upper jaw is connected to a proximal end of the lower jaw. First and second tissue stops are formed on the distal and proximal ends of the lower jaw, respectively. The second tissue stop and the proximal end of the upper jaw define a no cut zone when the surgical stapler is in an open position. The surgical stapler also includes a tissue cutting device disposed within the lower jaw for resecting tissue. The system also includes a warning, blocking, impeding, or barrier forming device for preventing the unwanted migration of tissue into the no tissue zone.

Abstract: A clamp for a medical procedure includes a first clamp member, a second clamp member, a hinge, a biasing member, a shaft, and an actuator. The hinge couples the first ends of the first and second clamp members such that the first clamp member is pivotable relative to the second clamp member. The biasing member couples the second ends of the first and second clamp members and is configured to apply a clamping force. The distal end of the shaft and the biasing member are fixedly coupled with at least one of the first clamp member or the second clamp member for a duration of the medical procedure. The actuator is operatively coupled with the biasing member such that the actuator selectively tensions the biasing member to provide the clamping force.

Abstract: An end effector includes an anvil and a cartridge. The anvil can include a plurality of staple pockets positioned on an anvil face. The cartridge can be configured to retain a plurality of staples. Each of the plurality of staples includes a first staple leg, a second staple leg, and a crown connecting the first staple leg and the second staple leg, and each has an open staple configuration where the first staple leg and the second staple leg are generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the crown and a closed staple configuration where a first tip of the first staple leg is bent in a first direction away from the longitudinal axis of the crown, and a second tip of the second staple leg is bent in a second direction away from the longitudinal axis of the crown, the first direction being different than the second direction.

Abstract: A method for generating customized alerts related to the procurement, sourcing, strategic sourcing and/or sale of one or more items by an enterprise is disclosed. The method is based on a Value Chain Intelligence (VCI) system that enables suppliers and procurement professionals to leverage enterprise and marketplace data in order to potentially improve decision-making in business enterprises. Accordingly, internal data from enterprises and external data from suppliers, catalogs, and marketplaces are integrated and analyzed in real time for their impact on supply chains processes. When an event occurs or data is received potentially affecting decisions regarding the procurement, sourcing, strategic sourcing, and/or sale of one or more items, the system correlates the data with predetermined conditions, which, when satisfied, trigger one or more software modules to send alerts to specified users about the potential impact of the event and/or data on the particular item/s.