Abstract: Various ultrasonic instruments are disclosed. The ultrasonic instruments include an ultrasonic waveguide acoustically coupled to an ultrasonic transducer. Several techniques for acoustically coupling the ultrasonic transducer to the ultrasonic waveguide are disclosed.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising a transducer configured to produce vibrations along a longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument further comprises an ultrasonic blade extending along the longitudinal axis. The ultrasonic blade is coupled to the transducer and comprises a body and a treatment region. The body comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a bottom surface. The distal end of the body is movable relative to the longitudinal axis by the vibrations produced by the transducer. The treatment region extends from the proximal end to the distal end. The surgical instrument further comprises a protective sheath disposed adjacent to the bottom surface of the ultrasonic blade.

Abstract: A handle assembly for a handheld surgical instrument is disclosed. The handle assembly may include a body portion extending parallel to a longitudinal axis, a fixed handle interfaced with the body portion and extending downwardly from the body portion and away from the longitudinal axis, and a detachable handle portion. The fixed handle may define a proximal contact surface. The detachable handle portion may define an internal surface configured to interface with the proximal contact surface of the fixed handle and comprise at least one attachment feature to removably couple the detachable handle portion to the fixed handle.

Abstract: A surgical tool includes a drive housing having an input shaft and a drive cable capstan arranged within the drive housing. The input shaft includes a drive gear and the drive cable capstan includes a driven gear intermeshed with the drive gear such that rotation of the input shaft rotates the drive cable capstan. An elongate shaft extends from the drive housing, and an end effector is operatively coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft. A drive cable is coupled to the drive cable capstan and extends to the end effector. A spring assembly includes a winder drum and a constant force spring extending between the winder drum and the input shaft. The constant force spring provides a constant torque force that resists rotation of the input shaft and thereby prevents the drive cable from slackening.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft, and an end effector that is operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue. The end effector includes an anvil and a cartridge. The anvil has a curved tip. The curved tip is elastically deformable from a biased curved position when the tip is subject to a force, such as the force exerted on the anvil when tissue is clamped between the anvil and cartridge. The curved and deformable features of anvil provide for an end effector with improved visualization and maneuverability, in particular during procedures involving marching.

Abstract: Surgical tools that are capable of both manipulating a needle and cutting surgical thread during a suturing operation can sometimes be problematic due to inadvertent severing of the surgical thread. Surgical tools capable of exposing a bladed cutting surface only when severing of surgical thread is desired can substantially alleviate this issue. Such surgical tools may comprise an end effector comprising an end effector axle, a first jaw and a second jaw rotatably mounted to the end effector axle, and a first cutting body having a first blade and second cutting body having a second blade. The first cutting body is configured to move in tandem with the first jaw and the second cutting body is configured to move in tandem with the second jaw, such that the first and second blades are occluded when the first and second jaws are closed or partially opened.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier includes a drive housing, an elongate shaft that extends distally from the drive housing, an end effector arranged at a distal end of the elongate shaft and including first and second jaw members, and an articulation joint interposing the end effector and the elongate shaft. The articulation joint includes a flexible shaft length articulable in a plane of motion and having a first end and a second end, a lumen defined within the flexible shaft length and extending between the first and second ends, and a clip track provided within the lumen and extending at least partially between the first and second ends to guide surgical clips through the articulation joint.

Abstract: A variety of methods for managing a re-usable ultrasonic medical device may include a medical device control module capable of receiving functional data from a user assembled or reassembled ultrasonic medical device, and notifying the user if a value of the functional data lies within an acceptance range. If the value of the functional data does not lie within the acceptance range, the control module may prompt a user to reassemble the device or to clean or replace one or more components thereof. The functional data may relate to a clamp force of a jaw assembly, an impedance or resonant frequency value of an ultrasonic blade, or a mechanical displacement value of one or more moving components of the device.

Abstract: A trocar assembly includes a trocar that includes a trocar housing and a cannula that extends distally from the trocar housing, and an integral seal system positioned within a central passageway extending axially through the trocar and engageable against a surgical tool shaft extended therethrough. The integral seal system includes an asymmetric seal and a duckbill seal arranged distal to the asymmetric seal, and the asymmetric seal defines a diaphragm that complements insertion and extraction drag forces generated by the duckbill seal against the surgical tool shaft such that total insertion and extraction drag forces generated by the integral seal system are equalized.

Abstract: A surgical tool harvests power from a robotic surgical system having one or more robotic manipulators when a housing of the surgical tool is installed within a carriage of one of the robotic manipulators. The surgical tool harvests power via inductive coupling between an inductor of the surgical tool and a corresponding inductor of the carriage. The surgical tool may include an indicator that provides a user with an indication of remaining life of the surgical tool. The indicator may be an LED indicator that is illuminated with power generated via the inductive coupling. The indicator may also be an electro-chromic indicator that changes color when exposed to power generated via the inductive coupling. The indicator may also be a photo-chromic indicator that changes color when exposed to light from a light source powered via the inductive coupling.

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 motorized surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member, an energy source, a motor, a control circuit, and a position sensor. The control circuit is configured to initiate firing the displacement member at a predetermined electrical load on the energy source, wherein the predetermined electrical load is applied to the motor to actuate the displacement member, monitor the position of the displacement member via the position sensor, continually sample a voltage of the energy source during a first interval of travel of the displacement member, compare the sampled voltage to a threshold voltage, and continue firing the displacement at the first velocity when the sampled voltage is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage or adjust the first velocity when the sampled voltage is less than the threshold voltage. Techniques for handling motor stall conditions and transitions between velocities also are disclosed.

Abstract: A surgical end effector that includes first and second jaws that are selectively movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position relative to each other. At least one expandable tissue stop is located on one of the first and second jaws and is configured to extend between first and second jaw surfaces on the first and second jaws as the first and second jaws move between the fully open and the fully closed positions.

Abstract: A robotic stapling system comprising a surgical robot and a surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising a first jaw and a second jaw, a replaceable staple cartridge comprising staples, an instrument drive system, and a coupling member movable distally by the instrument drive system. The coupling member comprises a first cam configured to engage the first jaw and a second cam configured to engage the second jaw when the coupling member is moved distally. The coupling member is moved distally a first distance during a first actuation of the instrument drive system and a subsequent distance during a subsequent actuation of the instrument drive system. Staples are ejected from the staple cartridge during the subsequent actuation. The first actuation occurs at a first rate and the subsequent actuation occurs at a second rate which is faster than the first rate.

Abstract: A method of coating a slip ring for use with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a slip ring including a plurality of conductive elements, and depositing a material less conductive than the conductive elements onto the conductive elements of the slip ring.

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 tool driver. The sterile barrier can have a housing configured to accommodate proximal portions of a plurality of actuation members of the tool driver when the sterile barrier is coupled to the tool driver. The housing can have at least partially disposed within it substantially cylindrical, longitudinally expandable bellows, each being configured to encompass and mate with a proximal portion of a corresponding one of the plurality of actuation members. In some cases, the sterile barrier can have a plurality of sterile barrier couplers each having a first portion configured to engage with an actuation member of a tool driver, and a second portion configured to engage with a tool actuation member of a surgical tool.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of beads and a plurality of links joining the beads together. Each bead includes a housing, a passageway extending through the housing, and at least one annular magnet. The passageway defines an axis. The at least one annular magnet is coaxially positioned about the passageway. The housing defines a gap adjacent to the at least one annular magnet. The gap is sized and configured to allow at least one annular magnet to rotate relative to the housing about a rotation axis. The rotation axis is offset from the axis of the passageway. Portions of the links are slidably disposed in corresponding passageways of the beads.

Abstract: Stapling assemblies for use with a surgical stapler and methods for manufacturing the same are provided. Three dimensional adjuncts for use with a surgical stapling assembly and methods for manufacturing the same are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a first jaw, a second jaw, a first handle, and a second handle. The second jaw is pivotally coupled with the first jaw. The first jaw and the second jaw are configured to grasp tissue. The jaws provide offset electrode surfaces that are operable to deliver bipolar RF energy to tissue grasped between the jaws. The apparatus is further operable to sever tissue. A lockout feature selectively prevents tissue severing, based on an energization state of the jaws.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft, an ultrasonic transducer, a waveguide, and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft. A rotation knob is rotatably coupled to the body and is configured to rotate the shaft, the waveguide, and the end effector together relative to the body. A torque transfer structure is positioned radially outwardly of and in direct contact with the waveguide at an acoustic node thereof. The torque transfer structure is rotationally fixed relative to the waveguide and is configured to rotationally couple the waveguide with the shaft and the rotation knob. The waveguide includes a first axial constraining feature defining a distally facing surface, and the torque transfer structure includes a second axial constraining feature defining a proximally facing surface configured to abut the distally facing surface to constrain the waveguide axially relative to the torque transfer structure and the body.