Abstract: Surgical systems and related methods for detecting whether a surgical instrument lacks a surgical cartridge in an unfired condition. A method of detecting that a surgical instrument lacks a surgical cartridge in an unfired condition mounted to the surgical instrument includes commanding a movement of the actuation output in a direction opposite to a firing direction for the surgical cartridge, detecting that an actuation amount of the actuation output as a result of the commanded movement is at or above a threshold actuation amount, and in response to detecting that the actuation amount of the actuation output is at or above the threshold actuation amount, determining that the surgical instrument lacks a surgical cartridge in the unfired condition mounted to the surgical instrument.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an end effector include an end effector for grasping a material, a drive system coupled to the end effector, a user interface, and a processor. The processor is configured to actuate the drive system to clamp the material using the end effector and in response to detecting successful clamping of the material, display a timer on the user interface. The timer provides an indication of when conditions will be safe to proceed with stapling of the material clamped by the end effector.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an end effector include an end effector for grasping a material, a drive system coupled to the end effector, and a processor. The processor is configured to use the drive system to grasp a material using the end effector, determine a grasping separation parameter of the end effector, determine, based on the determined grasping separation parameter, a prediction of success or failure in configuring the end effector for firing a staple through the material, and based on the determined grasping separation parameter, output an indicator of whether it is safe to proceed with stapling of the material grasped by the end effector.

Abstract: Surgical systems configured to determine whether a surgical cartridge is present and unfired. A surgical system includes a surgical instrument, a drive source, a sensor and a controller. The surgical instrument is configured to receive and support a surgical cartridge. The drive source is drivingly coupled with an actuation output. The sensor is configured to generate a sensor output indicative of movement of the actuation output. The controller controls the drive source to attempt to actuate the actuation output opposite to the firing direction by a predetermined amount. The controller determines that the surgical cartridge is present and unfired when the resulting actuation amount of the actuation output is less than a threshold actuation amount.

Abstract: A system comprises a surgical instrument comprising an end effector comprising a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the second jaw member comprising or being configured to receive a plurality of staples; and an actuation mechanism operably coupled to the end effector to actuate the end effector to perform at least one of a clamping procedure or a staple firing procedure. The system further comprises a drive system configured to drive the actuation mechanism, a controller operably coupled to the drive system, and a user interface operably coupled to the controller, which is configured to determine the clamping procedure or the staple firing procedure has failed based on a magnitude of an actuation force applied by the drive system to the actuation mechanism; and cause the user interface to output a failure indication indicative of the failure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling staple firing include a manipulator, a drive system, and a processor. The manipulator is configured to be releasably coupled to an instrument. The instrument has an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw. The drive system is configured to apply a force or torque to the instrument to cause staple firing to occur using the end effector. The processor is configured to monitor a force or torque applied by the drive system to cause staple firing to occur and in response to determining that the applied force or torque is outside of an acceptable range of force or torque, maintain application of clamping by the first jaw and the second jaw while suspending application of the force or torque that causes the staple firing to occur.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling staple firing include an end effector, a drive system configured to apply a force or torque to cause staple firing to occur, and a processor. The end effector includes a first jaw and a second jaw holding staples. The processor is configured to monitor the applied force or torque to cause staple firing to occur and maintain application of clamping by the first jaw and the second jaw while suspending application of the force or torque that causes the staple firing, when the applied force or torque is outside an acceptable range of force or torque.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and assemblies for sealing and cutting tissue monitor jaw angle and/or jaw clamping force to provide feedback to an operator of the surgical instrument indicative of whether the tissue is suitable clamped for sealing and/or cutting. A surgical instrument or assembly includes a jaw operable to clamp tissue, a sealing mechanism, a cutting mechanism, an actuation monitoring assembly, and a feedback assembly. The actuation monitoring assembly monitors jaw angle and/or clamping force. The feedback assembly outputs feedback to the operator, based on the jaw angle and/or clamping force, as to whether the current clamping angle and/or jaw angle is suitable for sealing and/or clamping tissue.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and assemblies for sealing and cutting tissue monitor jaw angle and/or jaw clamping force to provide feedback to an operator of the surgical instrument indicative of whether the tissue is suitable clamped for sealing and/or cutting. A surgical instrument or assembly includes a jaw operable to clamp tissue, a sealing mechanism, a cutting mechanism, an actuation monitoring assembly, and a feedback assembly. The actuation monitoring assembly monitors jaw angle and/or clamping force. The feedback assembly outputs feedback to the operator, based on the jaw angle and/or clamping force, as to whether the current clamping angle and/or jaw angle is suitable for sealing and/or clamping tissue.

Abstract: A computer-assisted device include an actuator and one or more processors. The computer-assisted device is configured to support an instrument having an end effector located at a distal end. To perform an operation with the instrument, the one or more processors are configured to operate the end effector according to a state machine having a first state and a second state. In the first state a velocity set point of the actuator is set to a first velocity. In the second state the velocity set point of the actuator is set to a second velocity lower than the first velocity. The state machine transitions from the first state to the second state when a force or torque applied by the actuator is above a first threshold and transitions from the second state to the first state when the force or torque applied by the actuator is below a second threshold.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an elongated shaft and an end effector coupled to the shaft. The end effector includes a first member, a knife member, and a second member. The first member is movable towards a distal end of the end effector. The knife member is pivotally coupled to the first member. The second member is movable towards the distal end of the end effector. The knife member is configured to be in a cutting position during a translation of the first and second members towards the distal end of the end effector. The knife member is rotatable relative to the first member to stow the knife member into a non-cutting position after the translation of the first and second members towards the distal end of the end effector.

Abstract: A system and method of variable velocity control of a surgical instrument in a computer-assisted medical device including an end effector located at a distal end of the instrument, an actuator, and drive mechanisms for coupling force or torque from the actuator to the end effector. To perform an operation with the instrument, the computer-assisted medical device sets a velocity set point of the actuator to an initial velocity, monitors force or torque applied by the actuator, reduces the velocity set point when the applied force or torque is above a first threshold, increases the velocity set point when the applied force or torque is below a second threshold, decreases the velocity set point to zero when the applied force or torque is above a maximum threshold, and drives the actuator based on the velocity set point. The first and second thresholds are lower than the maximum threshold.

Abstract: A surgical system includes a dynamic preload tension feature for a tensioning element that actuates a distal end component of a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a chassis at a proximal end of the surgical instrument, drive components mounted in the chassis, a distal end component at a distal end of the surgical instrument, a flexible tensioning element coupled between a first of the drive components and the distal end component, and a dynamic preload tensioner mounted in the chassis and coupled to a second of the drive components. The flexible tensioning element extends along a path. The dynamic preload tensioner is configured to be driven by the second of the drive components to be moved relative to the chassis and is positioned to change the path of the flexible tensioning element as the dynamic preload tensioner moves relative to the chassis.

Abstract: A system comprises a surgical instrument comprising an end effector comprising a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the second jaw member comprising or being configured to receive a plurality of staples; and an actuation mechanism operably coupled to the end effector to actuate the end effector to perform at least one of a clamping procedure or a staple firing procedure. The system further comprises a drive system configured to drive the actuation mechanism, a controller operably coupled to the drive system, and a user interface operably coupled to the controller, which is configured to determine the clamping procedure or the staple firing procedure has failed based on a magnitude of an actuation force applied by the drive system to the actuation mechanism; and cause the user interface to output a failure indication indicative of the failure.

Abstract: A surgical system includes a dynamic preload tension feature for a tensioning element that actuates a distal end component of a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a chassis at a proximal end of the surgical instrument, drive components mounted in the chassis, a distal end component at a distal end of the surgical instrument, a flexible tensioning element coupled between a first of the drive components and the distal end component, and a dynamic preload tensioner mounted in the chassis and coupled to a second of the drive components. The flexible tensioning element extends along a path. The dynamic preload tensioner is configured to be driven by the second of the drive components to be moved relative to the chassis and is positioned to change the path of the flexible tensioning element as the dynamic preload tensioner moves relative to the chassis.

Abstract: A surgical stapler system may include a surgical instrument comprising an end effector configured to receive a removable staple cartridge, and an actuation mechanism operably coupled to actuate the end effector to perform a stapling procedure. The surgical stapler system also may include a drive system operably coupled to transmit an actuation force to the actuation mechanism and a controller operably coupled to the drive system. The controller may be configured to measure an actuation force transmitted by the drive system to the actuation mechanism, and control continued transmission of the actuation force based on a comparison of the measured actuation force to a range defined from a minimum threshold actuation force to a maximum threshold actuation force.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an end effector include an end effector for grasping a material, a drive system coupled to the end effector, and a processor. The processor is configured to use the drive system to grasp a material using the end effector, determine a grasping separation parameter of the end effector, determine, based on the determined grasping separation parameter, a prediction of success or failure in configuring the end effector for firing a staple through the material, and based on the determined grasping separation parameter, output an indicator of whether it is safe to proceed with stapling of the material grasped by the end effector.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an end effector include a first jaw, a second jaw, a first actuation mechanism configured to actuate the first jaw and the second jaw toward each other with a first force, and a second actuation mechanism configured to actuate the first jaw and the second jaw toward each other with a second force greater than the first force. The second actuation mechanism is different from the first actuation mechanism. In some embodiments, the first actuation mechanism includes a first pull cable configured to increase an angle between the first jaw and the second jaw and a second pull cable configured to decrease the angle between the first jaw and the second jaw. In some embodiments, the second actuation mechanism includes a lead screw.

Abstract: A system and method of variable velocity control of an instrument by a computer-assisted device includes a computer-assisted device that includes an actuator and one or more processors. To perform an operation with an instrument coupled to the computer-assisted device, the one or more processors are configured to set a velocity set point of the actuator to an initial velocity, monitor force or torque applied by the actuator to actuate the instrument, when the applied force or torque is above a first force or torque limit, determine whether a total duration of a set of pauses occurring during the operation of the instrument is below a maximum pause threshold, and in response to determining that the total duration is below the maximum pause threshold, pause the operation of the instrument.

Abstract: A system and method of variable velocity control of a surgical instrument in a computer-assisted medical device includes a surgical instrument having an end effector located at a distal end of the instrument, an actuator, and one or more drive mechanisms for coupling force or torque from the actuator to the end effector. To perform an operation with the instrument, the computer-assisted medical device is configured to set a velocity set point of the actuator to an initial velocity and monitor force or torque applied by the actuator. When the applied force or torque is above a first force or torque limit it is determined whether a continue condition for the operation is satisfied. When the continue condition is satisfied the operation is paused and when the continue condition is not satisfied it is determined whether forced firing of the actuator should take place.