Abstract: A drug-eluting self-retaining suture comprises a filament, a plurality of retainers, and a drug impregnated in or coated on the filament. The shape and distribution of retainers modifies the in vivo release kinetics of the drug. The drug release kinetics may be modified uniformly or region by region. The self-retaining suture may for example be used for reattaching severed nerves and release nerve growth factor or other regeneration accelerating agents into the region of the nerve injury.

Abstract: A robotic surgical arm includes a puck containing motors to drive an end effector. A tool assembly attached to the puck generates ultrasonic and/or radio frequency energy to apply to tissue disposed between the jaws of the end effector. The tool assembly can include modular components such as a modular shaft that can include an ultrasonic transducer, nonvolatile memory, wireless interface, and/or a power source. The power source allows the modular shaft to communicate wirelessly with the robotic arm. The tool assembly can be moved from one robotic arm to another while remaining powered by the power source. The tool assembly can include sensors to determine a location or movement of the tool assembly after being detached from the robotic surgical arm. The modular shaft can be moved from a robotic arm to a handle manually controlled by a surgeon and back again to the robotic arm.

Abstract: A wound closure device having a filamentary element having a proximal end and a distal end, and a stop element coupled thereto and having a leading edge area defined by thickness and a width and having a total surface area. The leading edge area is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the filamentary element. The device may have a ratio of the leading edge area to the total surface area that is less than 10%, a ratio of the length to the maximum thickness of the stop element that is at least 4, or a ratio of the length to the width of the stop element is at least 1 for any given thickness.

Abstract: Various methods and devices are provided for allowing multiple surgical instruments to be inserted into sealing elements of a single surgical access device. The sealing elements can be movable along predefined pathways within the device to allow surgical instruments inserted through the sealing elements to be moved laterally, rotationally, angularly, and vertically relative to a central longitudinal axis of the device for ease of manipulation within a patient's body while maintaining insufflation.

Abstract: A barbed suture including a body with barbs on the periphery, a pointed end, and an anchor at one end to resist movement of the suture in the direction of the pointed end is provided. One or more limbs on the anchor may be provided, which may be arcuate, of varying lengths, and of varying distribution about the periphery of the suture body. Other anchor designs are provided. Methods of placing single-directional and bi-directional barbed sutures to approximate the tissue on each side of a wound and to position and support tissue in the absence of a wound, as in cosmetic surgery, are provided, and may include terminal J-stitches or S-stitches. Methods of placement may be made with sharp, pointed ends, which may be needles, or insertion devices. Sinusoidal patterns of sutures that have amplitudes generally perpendicular to the resultant holding force of the suture are provided.

Abstract: End effectors with increased clip loading capacity include a housing having a tapered section at a distal end; first and second jaw members protruding distally from the tapered section; a surgical clip feeder arranged within the housing and configured to contain a plurality of surgical clips therein; and a feedbar longitudinally movable between the housing and the plurality of surgical clips, the feedbar having a distal portion engageable with a distal-most surgical clip of the plurality of surgical clips within the tapered section. The plurality of surgical clips is arrangeable within the surgical clip feeder at a non-zero angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the end effector. Actuation of the feedbar engages and advances the distal-most surgical clip out of the surgical clip feeder and into interposition between the first and second jaw members.

Abstract: A barbed suture including a body with barbs on the periphery, a pointed end, and an anchor at one end to resist movement of the suture in the direction of the pointed end is provided. One or more limbs on the anchor may be provided, which may be arcuate, of varying lengths, and of varying distribution about the periphery of the suture body. Other anchor designs are provided. Methods of placing single-directional and bi-directional barbed sutures to approximate the tissue on each side of a wound and to position and support tissue in the absence of a wound, as in cosmetic surgery, are provided, and may include terminal J-stitches or S-stitches. Methods of placement may be made with sharp, pointed ends, which may be needles, or insertion devices. Sinusoidal patterns of sutures that have amplitudes generally perpendicular to the resultant holding force of the suture are provided.

Abstract: A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes an elongated channel, an anvil pivotably connected to the elongated channel, a closure member mechanically coupled to the anvil, an electric motor mechanically coupled to the closure member, a motor controller electrically coupled to the electric motor and a control circuit electrically connected to the motor controller. The control circuit is configured to monitor a first predefined event, monitor a second predefined event, provide a stop signal to the motor controller to stop a closing motion of at least one of the elongated channel and the anvil after an occurrence of the first predefined event, and provide a start signal to the motor controller to start the closing motion of the at least one of the elongated channel and the anvil after an occurrence of a second predefined event.

Abstract: Self-retaining suture systems including a suture thread bearing a plurality of laser-cut retainers are disclosed. A laser system allows the creation of retainers and self-retaining suture systems in configurations which are difficult and/or impossible to achieve using mechanical cutting technology.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for robotic surgery, and in particular for controlling various motions of a tool based on visual indicators. In general, a surgical tool can include an elongate shaft and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft and including first and second jaws. The tool can have at least one visual indicator disposed thereon and configured to indicate a size, position, or speed of movement of the tool or components of the tool.

Abstract: End effectors with increased clip loading capacity include a housing having a tapered section at a distal end; first and second jaw members protruding distally from the tapered section; a surgical clip feeder arranged within the housing and configured to contain a plurality of surgical clips therein; and a feedbar longitudinally movable between the housing and the plurality of surgical clips, the feedbar having a distal portion engageable with a distal-most surgical clip of the plurality of surgical clips within the tapered section. The plurality of surgical clips is arrangeable within the surgical clip feeder at a non-zero angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the end effector. Actuation of the feedbar engages and advances the distal-most surgical clip out of the surgical clip feeder and into interposition between the first and second jaw members.

Abstract: Various trocars and trocar supports are provided for allowing an insufflation port on the trocar to be coupled through the trocar support to an insufflation fluid. In one embodiment, the trocar includes a housing, a cannula extending through the housing, and an insufflation port projecting from the housing. A trocar support is provided having an opening that receives the insufflation port on the housing such that the insufflation port is unobtrusive during use and can be connected and disconnected rapidly.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for coupling a robotic surgical tool with a tool driver of a robotic surgical system via a sterile barrier disposed between the tool and the driver. The tool has an elongate shaft and an end effector coupled thereto, as well as a mating interface member having a plurality of independently movable portions and a plurality of coupling features disposed about a perimeter of an outer wall of the mating interface member. The coupling features are configured to reversibly engage with a proximal end of a corresponding actuation member from a plurality of actuation members of the tool driver. The coupling features reversibly engage with the proximal ends of the actuation members so as to allow the actuation members to move in proximal and distal directions independently from one another to thereby control operation of the end effector.

Abstract: Novel absorbable polymeric blends are disclosed. The blends have a first absorbable polymer type that is a polylactide polymer or a copolymer of lactide and glycolide and a second absorbable polymer type that is poly(p-dioxanone), wherein the first absorbable polymer type or the second absorbable polymer type or the first absorbable polymer type and the second absorbable polymer type additionally comprise a first polymeric component and a second polymeric component. The first polymeric component has a higher weight average molecular weight than the second polymeric component and at least one of said components is at least partially end-capped by a carboxylic acid. The novel polymeric blends are useful for manufacturing medical devices having dimensional stability, having engineered degradation and breaking strength retention in vivo. Also disclosed are novel absorbable medical devices made from these novel polymer blends, as well as novel methods of manufacture.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel medical devices for use in surgical procedures and methods for manufacturing novel medical devices. In some embodiments, the novel medical devices can include surgical needles that are capable of being repeatedly passed through tissue using minimal force. More particularly, the surgical needles can be manufactured with one or more coatings that provide the surgical needles with both durability and lubricity for ease of repeated and successive passes through tissue. Novel methods for manufacturing the surgical needles and for providing and applying coatings to the surgical needles are also provided.

Abstract: An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing having an actuator, a shaft extending from the housing, and an end cap secured to a distal end of the shaft. The end cap has a bottom side, a top side, a lower distal edge adjacent the bottom side, and an end face that slopes upwardly and proximally from the lower distal edge to the top side of the end cap. A surgical fastener delivery window is formed in the sloping distal end face of the cap for dispensing surgical fasteners. The sloping distal end face extends continuously around the outer perimeter of the surgical fastener delivery window. The cap includes a plurality of gripping posts projecting distally from the sloping distal end face of the distal end cap. The posts are inserted into the pores of a surgical mesh for controlling movement of the mesh.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an interface assembly and a shaft assembly. The interface assembly is configured for use with a robotic system and includes a first drive assembly and a mounting plate. The mounting plate includes an opening. The first drive assembly is positioned within the opening such that the first drive assembly is laterally translatable within the opening from a first position to a second position. The shaft assembly is removably coupled with the interface assembly. The shaft assembly includes an end effector and a first coupling feature. The first drive assembly of the interface assembly actuates the end effector of the shaft assembly. The first coupling feature is longitudinally aligned with the first drive assembly. The first drive assembly engages the first coupling feature of the shaft assembly when the first drive assembly is laterally translated from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A surgical fastener includes a first leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a first insertion tip at the distal end of the first leg, the first insertion tip having a first distal piercing point, and a second leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a second insertion tip at the distal end of the second leg, the second insertion tip having a second distal piercing point. A bridge connects the first and second legs. The first and second distal piercing points are located outside the respective first and second legs. The first and second legs extend along respective longitudinal axes, and the first and second insertion tips are asymmetrical and skewed outwardly relative to said respective longitudinal axes of the first and second legs.

Abstract: Novel absorbable polymer blends are disclosed. The blends are useful for manufacturing medical devices having engineered degradation and breaking strength retention in vivo. The blends consist of a first absorbable polymeric component and a second absorbable polymeric component. The weight average molecular weight of the first polymeric component is higher than the weight average molecular weight of the second polymeric component. At least at least one of said components is at least partially end-capped by a carboxylic acid group. Further aspects are medical devices made therefrom.

Abstract: Novel absorbable polymer blends are disclosed. The blends are useful for manufacturing medical devices having engineered degradation and breaking strength retention in vivo. The blends consist of a first absorbable polymeric component and a second absorbable polymeric component. The weight average molecular weight of the first polymeric component is higher than the weight average molecular weight of the second polymeric component. At least at least one of said components is at least partially end-capped by a carboxylic acid group. Further aspects are medical devices made therefrom.