Abstract: Adjunct materials for delivery to stomach tissue are provided. In general, the adjunct materials can be configured to be delivered to tissue by deployment of staples from a cartridge body of a surgical stapler. The adjunct material can have a structure effective to cause a desired reaction in the stomach tissue. The adjunct material can include an effective amount of one or more medicants disposed within and releasable from the adjunct material for delivery to the stomach tissue to encourage the desired reaction. The adjunct material can be in the form of at least one of a film and a foam that is releasably retained on the cartridge body. Methods of using a staple cartridge assembly or an end effector to apply such adjunct materials to stomach tissue are also provided.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for initializing a surgical tool are provided. In general, a surgical tool can include an end effector, an elongate shaft, and a wrist that couples the end effector to a distal end of the shaft. The wrist can be configured to facilitate movement of the end effector relative to the shaft. The surgical tool can include multiple flexible members configured to move, either individually or as a group including any plural number of the flexible members, to cause the movement of the end effector relative to the shaft by pivoting at the wrist. The movement of the end effector can include movement between an unarticulated position and an articulated position. The surgical tool can also include one or more homing members configured to be selectively actuated to force the end effector into the unarticulated position.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for providing surgical access into a body cavity. In one embodiment, a surgical access device is provided that includes a housing coupled to a retractor. The housing can be have one or more movable sealing ports for receiving surgical instruments. Each movable sealing port can include one or more sealing elements therein for sealing the port and/or forming a seal around a surgical instrument disposed therethrough. Each movable sealing port can be rotatable relative to the housing and each sealing element can be rotatable relative to the housing along a predetermined orbital path.

Abstract: The present invention includes a stapling assembly having a curved cartridge deck, a flexible firing bar, and a firing member capable of moving within the curved slot during a firing stroke. The curved cartridge deck has a curved slot, a first step with a first step height, and a second step with a second step height, wherein the height of the first step is different than that of the second step. The stapling assembly has a first row and a second row of staple drivers configured to support staples in a first unfired height and a second unfired height. The first unfired height is different than the second unfired height. The stapling assembly has an anvil with a first and second curved row of forming pockets and an unstepped tissue compression surface extending between the first curved row of forming pockets and the second curved row of forming pockets.

Abstract: A device including smart sensors with a local signal processor is disclosed. The device includes an end-effector including at least one sensor and a signal processing component corresponding to the at least one sensor; and a handle configured to receive processed information from the signal processing component. The processed information is generated by the signal processing component at the end-effector based on data received from the at least one sensor at the end-effector.

Abstract: A removable stapling attachment configured to be operably attached to a surgical device is disclosed. The removable stapling attachment comprises a staple cartridge carrier and a staple cartridge body. The removable stapling attachment further comprises a plurality of staples removably stored in the staple cartridge body, an anvil supported relative to the staple cartridge carrier and movable from an open position to a closed position, and a housing. The housing is removably attachable to the surgical device. The removable stapling attachment further comprises an electric motor attached to the housing. The electric motor is configured to produce rotational motion. The electric motor selectively receives power from a power source only when the housing is coupled to the surgical device. The removable stapling attachment further comprises drive means for converting the rotational motion produced by the electric motor to translational motion to eject the staples from the staple cartridge body.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for controlling a motor of a robotic surgical system are provided.

Abstract: A circular stapler apparatus for stapling tissue includes a staple and pledget assembly and a circular staple head operable to drive staples toward an anvil. A staple of the staple and pledget assembly has a pair of legs disposed substantially perpendicular to a crown of the staple in a first position. The pair of legs is operable to advance against a pocket in the anvil to form a staple with bent legs. The staple and pledget assembly includes the staple and a pledget configured to receive the pair of legs of the staple. The pledget comprises a bioabsorbable material. The pledget is configured to advance distal ends of the pair of legs to a position in which the distal ends are laterally offset from a plane in which the crown of the staple is disposed.

Abstract: Surgical devices are disclosed herein that generally include an intracorporeal elbow joint to facilitate translational movement of an end effector while allowing a body portion of the surgical device and a trocar or working channel through which the device is inserted to be maintained in a fixed angular orientation relative to the patient. This allows a plurality of such devices to be used effectively with a single incision or access device. Such devices also generally provide end effector movement with six degrees of freedom, while maintaining a mechanical linkage between the user and the end effector and while mimicking and/or mirroring natural user movement. Various methods related to such devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for controlling a motor of a robotic surgical system are provided.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for controlling movement of a robotic surgical system are provided. In general, a plurality of surgical instruments can be simultaneously in use during performance of a surgical procedure. One or more of the plurality of instruments can be coupled to a robotic surgical system, which can be configured to control movement of the one or more of the plurality of instruments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a surgical instrument comprises a handle assembly. The handle assembly comprises a first translatable member defining a notch, a lockout lever comprising a cam surface and a detent, a closure trigger, a jaw position sensor comprising a switch in a first state, and a translatable cam operatively coupled to the closure trigger. The detent of the lockout lever is configured to engage the notch of the first translatable member. In response to actuation of the closure trigger, the translatable cam is configured to slidably interface with the cam surface of the lockout lever to cause the lockout lever to: (i) disengage the detent of the lockout lever from the notch of the first translatable member, and (ii) actuate the jaw position sensor switch to a second state.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for causing end effector motion with a robotic surgical system are provided. In general, a surgical tool can be configured to releasably and removably couple to a robotic surgical system. The robotic surgical system can include two motors configured to provide torque to the surgical tool to drive one single function of the surgical tool. In at least some embodiments, at least one of the two motors configured to cooperate with another motor to drive the single function of the surgical tool can be configured to drive a second function of the surgical tool.

Abstract: Adjunct material is provided that has multiple reservoirs formed therein and releasably carrying a plurality of vessels that each retain at least one medicant. An implantable adjunct has at least one bioabsorbable polymer configured to maintain the vessels within a reservoir. Disruption of the at least one bioabsorbable polymer allows release of the vessels from at least one of the reservoirs. A rate of the vessels' release can be controlled by a degradation rate of the at least one bioabsorbable polymer. The released vessels are, in turn, disrupted to thereby cause at least one medicant disposed therein to release and thus provide a desired effect on tissue in-growth.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides methods and devices for controlling movement of an end effector, and in particular for causing mimicked motion between an input tool and an end effector during a surgical procedure. In an exemplary embodiment, a surgical system is provided having a master assembly with an input tool and a slave assembly with an end effector. The master assembly and the slave assembly can be coupled together by a mechanical assembly that is configured to mechanically transfer mimicked, rather than mirrored, motion from the input tool to the end effector. A floating frame is also provided and can be utilized with the surgical system. The floating frame can have a counterbalance that allows the surgical system to “float” above a patient and provide a weightless feel to movement of the surgical system. In addition, the floating frame can provide a number of additional degrees of freedom for ease of movement of the surgical system around the patient and/or the operating room.

Abstract: A battery assembly is disclosed which includes a housing and one or more battery cells position in the housing. The battery assembly further comprises features configured to absorb an impact force and protect the battery cells. The battery assembly further comprises features configured to accommodate the thermal expansion of the battery cells.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for moving a surgical instrument coupled to a robotic surgical system are provided. In general, a robotic surgical system can include a movement assembly configured to facilitate movement of surgical instrument coupled to the robotic surgical system, e.g., coupled to an electromechanical arm of the robotic surgical system. The movement can include translational movement of the surgical instrument in which the instrument is selectively advanceable and retractable in opposed directions, e.g., proximal direction and distal direction, up vertically and down vertically, etc. The translational movement can be along a shaft of the instrument such that the movement assembly can be configured to selectively translate the instrument along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A surgical tool is disclosed. The surgical tool has a tool mounting portion having a tool mounting housing, a tool mounting plate, and a coupler to couple a shaft assembly having an articulation section to the tool mounting portion. An articulation mechanism is located within the tool mounting portion and is configured to receive a proximal end of the shaft assembly to articulate the articulation section of the shaft assembly. The articulation mechanism has a cam mechanism operative to articulate the articulation section of the shaft assembly. An interface mechanically and electrically couples the tool mounting portion to a manipulator.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an end effector having first and second jaws that cooperate to capture tissue therebetween, a movable firing member to cut the tissue, an actuator actuatable between various settings that define various output values of a characteristic of motion of the firing member, and a real-time feedback system. The real-time feedback system includes a sensor to assess a parameter of the end effector, a zone indicator adjustable between various positions inside and outside a desired zone, and a circuit to receive the sensor input from the sensor, the sensor input defining a measurement of a parameter of the end effector, and select one of various positions based upon the measurement of the parameter of the end effector, the selected position representing a status of a current output value of the characteristic of motion of the firing member, and adjust the zone indicator to the selected position.

Abstract: A surgical system for use with a robotic surgical system is disclosed. The surgical system comprises a stapling head, an elongate shaft coupled to the stapling head, and a rigid housing coupled to the elongate shaft. The housing comprises a first rotary disc member, a second rotary disc member, a third rotary disc member and a fourth rotary disc member. Each of the rotary disc members are configured to be driven by the robotic surgical system. Each rotary disc member is rotatable about a different axis to operate the stapling head. The first rotary disc member is configured to rotate more than a complete rotation about its axis to operate the stapling head.