Abstract: An apparatus includes a body, a shaft, a stapling head assembly, and an anvil. The body includes a motor, a first user input feature, and a second user input feature. The first user input feature is operable to activate the motor. The shaft extends distally from the body. The stapling head assembly is positioned at a distal end of the shaft. The stapling head assembly includes an anvil coupling feature, at least one annular array of staples, and a staple driver. The second user input feature is operable to drive the anvil coupling feature longitudinally. The staple driver is operable to drive the at least one annular array of staples. The motor is operable to drive the staple driver. The anvil is configured to couple with the anvil coupling feature. The anvil is further configured to deform the staples driven by the staple driver.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, at least one user input feature, an elongate shaft, a needle applier, and a motor. The needle applier includes a needle and a drive assembly coupled to the needle. The drive assembly is configured to drive the needle along an orbital path about a rotation axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, in response to an actuation of the user input feature. The motor is configured provide motion to the needle applier to thereby actuate the drive assembly.

Abstract: A powered surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising an end effector, an elongate shaft, and a handle is disclosed. The end effector comprises an elongate channel, an anvil, a cartridge including a longitudinal slot, fasteners removably stored in the cartridge, a sled, and a cutting member including a laterally extending member. The handle comprises a motor configured to output a rotary motion, an adaptive control system configured to control the rate of the rotary motion, a switch for energizing the motor, and a power source configured to supply a first power to the motor and a second power to the motor. The first power and the second power are different. The first power is proportionate to a first force experienced by the end effector and the second power is proportionate to a second force experienced by the end effector. The first force is different than the second force.

Abstract: A staple cartridge comprises an outer tissue-contacting surface comprising at least one first staple cavity. The at least one first staple cavity is configured to receive at least one first staple that includes a first staple leg with a first tip protruding beyond the outer tissue-contacting surface when the at least one first staple is in an unfired position. The staple cartridge includes an inner tissue-contacting surface comprising at least one second staple cavity. At least one pocket extender protrudes from the outer tissue-contacting surface, wherein the at least one pocket extender is configured to conceal the first tip when the at least one first staple is in the unfired position. The inner tissue-contacting surface cooperates with the outer tissue-contacting surface and the at least one pocket extender to define a contoured frame configured to reduce friction against tissue as the staple cartridge is moved relative to tissue.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes cartridge receiving assembly, a shaft assembly, and an interface assembly. The cartridge receiving assembly is operable to receive a needle driving cartridge. The shaft assembly includes a first actuation member that is operable to actuate the cartridge receiving assembly to thereby drive a needle from a needle driving cartridge received in the cartridge receiving assembly. The interface assembly includes a base and a plurality of drive shafts extending upwardly from the base. The drive shafts extend along respective axes that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly. The drive shafts are rotatable independently relative to each other. A first drive shaft of the plurality of drive shafts is operable to drive the first actuation member. The interface assembly is configured to couple with a robotic control system.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system including a control system that controls the movement of a robotic arm coupled to a tool assembly having an end effector is described. The control system can also assist with controlling either the articulation or rotation of the end effector. Furthermore, the control system can detect and monitor one or more properties (e.g., articulation, rotation, etc.), which can be used by the control system to determine one or more appropriate movement parameters of either the robotic arm (e.g., velocity of movement) or the tool assembly coupled to the robotic arm (e.g., rotational speed of the end effector). The control system can detect any number of characteristics related to the end effector and use such information to control a variety of movement parameters associated with either the robotic arm or the tool assembly.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a body, an ultrasonic transducer rotatably supported within the body and having a threaded distal end, a shaft extending from the body, a waveguide extending through the shaft and having a threaded proximal end configured to threadedly engage the threaded distal end to define a threaded coupling, and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft. An integrated torque wrench mechanism is arranged within the body and includes a first torque wrench member rotationally coupled with a proximal end of the transducer, and a second torque wrench member arranged proximally of the first torque wrench member. The torque wrench members are configured to selectively couple together and frictionally engage one another to facilitate application of a predetermined maximum torque to the threaded coupling. The torque wrench members are configured to automatically decouple upon application of the predetermined maximum torque to the threaded coupling.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument is disclosed including an ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic end effector comprising a proximal end formed of a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, and a waveguide configured to transmit ultrasonic energy generated by the ultrasonic transducer to the ultrasonic end effector. The waveguide includes an attachment portion formed of a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion. The attachment portion is configured to be selectively expandable into an acoustically coupled retaining engagement with the ultrasonic end effector by expanding faster than the proximal end of the ultrasonic end effector when heat is applied to establish an interference fit therebetween.

Abstract: A surgical instrument and method for indicating a tissue penetration site includes an inner needle and a head. The inner needle has a driver configured to translate the inner needle form a first position to a second position. The head is securely attached to the inner needle at an end opposite the driver and is configured to expand from a contracted state to an expanded state and thereby indicate the tissue penetration site.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system including a control system that controls the movement of a robotic arm is described. The robotic arm can be coupled to a tool assembly that includes an end effector positioned at a distal end of a shaft. The tool assembly can include one or more sensors that measure a variety of forces or velocities associated with either the robotic arm or end effector. The control system can collect and monitor such sensed forces and velocities to determine and control one or more appropriate movement parameters associated with the robotic arm thereby controlling the cutting of tissue and preventing unwanted cutting of tissue. Furthermore, movement parameters associated with more than one robotic arm can be controlled by the control system.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a shaft and a tissue fastener. The tissue fastener is releasably attached to the distal end portion of the shaft. The shaft is operable to rotatably drive the tissue fastener about a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The tissue fastener includes a base, first and second arms, and barbs. The first and second arms extend laterally and longitudinally from the base and are configured to be received within a first and second tissue portion, respectively. The first and second arms are configured to draw the first tissue portion against the second tissue portion. The barbs extend from the first and second arms and are configured to anchor the first and second arms within the first and second tissue portions. The shaft is configured to release the tissue fastener thereby securing the first tissue portion against the second tissue portion with the tissue fastener anchored therein.

Abstract: A method of conserving energy in a surgical instrument that includes a segmented circuit having a plurality of independently operated circuit segments, a voltage control circuit, an energy source, a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to control a state of a circuit segment of the plurality of circuit segments. The state can be an energized state or a deenergized state. The method includes transmitting an energizing signal from the processor to a voltage control circuit, receiving the energizing signal by the voltage control circuit to apply a voltage to a circuit segment of the plurality of circuit segments, applying the voltage to the circuit segment by the voltage control circuit to cause the circuit segment to transition from the deenergized state to the energized state in accordance with an energization sequence that is different from a deenergization sequence.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for retracting a cutting assembly in the event of a failure on a motorized electrosurgical device. A surgical device is provided that includes a handle portion with an elongate shaft extending distally therefrom. The elongate shaft has first and second jaws at a distal end, and the jaws are configured to engage tissue. The surgical device also has a cutting assembly configured to cut tissue engaged between the first and second jaws. A drive shaft extends from the handle of the surgical device through the elongate shaft and is coupled to the cutting assembly for moving the cutting assembly. The surgical device has a motorized gear assembly with at least one motor driven gear that is configured to move the drive shaft. The surgical device also has a bailout assembly that is configured to manually move the drive shaft.

Abstract: A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and a shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween. The surgical clip applier can include a variety of features to facilitate use of the device, including features to prevent misalignment of the jaws and clip therebetween, features to protect the jaws, and features to ensure proper closure of the jaws and clip therebetween.

Abstract: Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for robotic surgical instrument communication are provided. In general, a surgical tool includes a sensor configured to sense a parameter related to the surgical tool and to wirelessly communicate the sensed data to another device, e.g., another surgical tool. Each of the surgical tool and the other device are configured to be operatively connected to a robotic surgical system and to be controlled by the robotic surgical system. The other device is configured to transmit the data received from the surgical tool to the robotic surgical system.

Abstract: A staple cartridge system is disclosed. The staple cartridge system can be used interchangeably with different staple cartridges. For example, the staple cartridge system can be used interchangeable with a staple cartridge comprising wire staples and with a staple cartridge comprising stamped staples. The stamped staples can be stamped from a sheet of flat stock.

Abstract: A surgical instrument system comprising a housing, a first drive, a second drive, a first stapling assembly, and a second stapling assembly is disclosed. The housing comprises an electric motor configured to output rotary motions. The first drive is configured to translate in response to the rotary motions. The second drive is configured to translate independently of the first drive in response to the rotary motions. The first stapling assembly is releasably attachable to the housing. The first stapling assembly is configured to perform a first surgical function in response to the translation of the first drive. The second stapling assembly is releasably attachable to the housing when the first stapling assembly is not attached to the housing. The second stapling assembly is configured to perform a second surgical function in response to the translation of the first drive. The second surgical function and the first surgical function are different.

Abstract: Devices and methods for positioning a surgical instrument are described herein. In one embodiment, a positioning device can include a base that can be placed against tissue and a shuttle including a lumen that can receive a surgical instrument. The lumen can be translated in at least two directions relative to the base and an orientation of the lumen relative to the base can be polyaxially adjusted. Further, the device can include a locking mechanism that, upon actuation, prevents both translational movement and polyaxial movement of the lumen relative to the base.

Abstract: An end effector for an electrosurgical instrument is disclosed which includes a first jaw, a first energy delivery surface, a first distal end, and a first proximal end. A second jaw of the end effector includes a second energy delivery surface, a second distal end, and a second proximal end. The end effector also includes an electrically conductive gap setting member which defines a distal gap distance between the first and second energy delivery surfaces. At least one pivot is fixed to one of the jaws to set a proximal gap distance between the first and second energy delivery surfaces. A method for making an end effector and a method for assembling an end effector for an electrosurgical instrument are also disclosed.

Abstract: A surgical tool that includes a drive housing, an elongate shaft that extends from the drive housing, and a plurality of drive cables extending within the elongate shaft between the drive housing and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft. A cable brake assembly is at least partially arranged within a cavity defined in the drive housing or the elongate shaft, the cable brake assembly having one or more brakes and a brake pad engageable with one or more of the plurality of drive cables. The cable brake assembly is actuatable between a first position, where the plurality of drive cables are free to move longitudinally within the elongate shaft, and a second position, where the one or more brakes and the brake pad engage and prevent the one or more of the plurality of drive cables from moving.