Abstract: A medical device includes a chassis component having a bottom and an opening defined in the bottom, and a capstan including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a spool between the upper and lower portions. The upper portion of the capstan is supported within the opening of the chassis component. The spool comprises a cable wrap surface and a side wall opposing the bottom of the upper chassis. The side wall of the spool can optionally slope away from the bottom of the chassis component. The medical device can further include a cable guide and a cable. The cable extends from the cable guide to the cable wrap surface of the spool.

Abstract: A surgical table includes a tabletop with a top surface and an underside. The surgical table further includes a support column that elevates the tabletop relative to a floor along a column axis. In addition, the surgical table includes a compact tilt mechanism connecting the support column and the tabletop. The surgical table also includes at least one mechanical interface for attaching a device to the tabletop.

Abstract: A system may comprise a processor and a memory having computer readable instructions stored thereon. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to record position data for an instrument during an image capture period and determine an instrument position change from the recorded position data. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, may also cause the system to compare the instrument position change to a position change threshold and based on the comparison, determine whether to use image data captured by an imaging system during the image capture period in a registration procedure.

Abstract: A system and method of assisting tool exchange includes a computer-assisted device having a manipulator configured to have at least one tool of multiple tools mounted thereon and a control unit coupled to the manipulator. The control unit is configured to detect initiation of a tool exchange, locate a source of a replacement tool to be mounted to the manipulator, determine, based on the located source, a configuration of the manipulator that facilitates mounting of the replacement tool to the manipulator, and command movement of the manipulator into the configuration. In some embodiments, the control unit is configured to determine the configuration further based on a type of the source of the replacement tool. In some embodiments, to locate the source of the replacement tool, the control unit is configured to locate at least a part of an assistant or locate a tool holding device.

Abstract: A surgeon training apparatus includes a cassette, which includes biological tissue repurposed into a form consistent with the anatomical configuration of abdominal hernias, affixed into an anatomically correct silicon framework which replicates the abdominal anatomy. The framework positions the cassette in an anatomically correct position within the abdominal cavity, enabling surgeons to train using a properly positioned representation of the target anatomy, thus requiring the surgeon to properly use surgical tools to correct the pathologic condition caused by the hernia. The cassette is formed by applying biologic tissue to a specially designed “plate,” which affixes the tissue block into the anatomic framework, and is adapted for connection to a grounding device so the surgeon can use cautery during the simulated hernia repair.

Abstract: Described herein are devices, systems, and methods for illumination of a target that provide control over the beam divergence, beam shape, and/or direction of the illumination beam. Such illumination beam control may be based on images of the target, and may serve to direct light at one or more regions of interest.

Abstract: A cannula for insertion of a medical instrument includes a tube portion and an attachment portion coupled to the tube portion. One or more magnets are arranged at the attachment portion and configured to encode identifying information of the cannula. The attachment portion comprises a plurality of encoding positions that each indicate part of the identifying information; and for each encoding position of the plurality of encoding positions, absence of one of the one or more magnets at the respective encoding position indicates a first value, presence of one of the one of the magnets with a first orientation at the respective encoding position indicates a second value, and presence of one of the one of the magnets with a second orientation at the respective encoding position indicates a third value.

Abstract: A system for performing a minimally invasive procedure includes a flexible catheter, an elongate instrument, an optical coherence tomographic sensor, and a control system. The flexible catheter has a lumen extending therethrough. The elongate instrument is sized for passage through the lumen. The optical coherence tomographic sensor is coupled to the elongate instrument. The control system includes one or more processors and is configured to receive sensor data from the optical coherence tomographic sensor, profile a tissue based on the received sensor data, and determine a distance between the elongate instrument and the profiled tissue.

Abstract: Embodiments of a cannula seal are disclosed. In some embodiments, a cannula seal can include a base portion that engages with a cannula; and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion that slidebly engages with an instrument shaft such that an insertion frictional force between the seal portion and the instrument shaft for insertion of the instrument shaft is symmetrical and substantially equal with a retraction frictional force.

Abstract: An apparatus for guiding a flexible instrument includes a first plurality of linkages forming a first side of a channel of a support assembly and a second plurality of linkages forming a second side opposite the first side. In an elongated configuration, each linkage of the first plurality of linkages is interlocked between two adjacent linkages of the second plurality of linkages. Each linkage of the first plurality of linkages is hingedly coupled to an adjacent linkage of the first plurality by a bridging element that maintains a spacing between each linkage of the first plurality of linkages and each respective adjacent linkage. The support assembly transitions from the elongated configuration to a separated configuration as the support assembly is advanced along a longitudinal axis defined by the channel. In the separated configuration, each linkage of the first plurality of linkages is unlocked from between the two adjacent linkages.

Abstract: A sterile adapter retaining device for mounting a surgical drape to a surgical drape installation aid comprises a body having a central portion and plurality of legs extending radially from the central portion. Each leg of the plurality of legs is configured to receive mounted thereon a respective instrument sterile adapter of a plurality of instrument sterile adapters attached to a surgical drape. The body is configured to fit within an interior volume of a surgical drape installation aid in a state of the plurality of instrument sterile adapters mounted on the plurality of legs.

Abstract: A surgical end effector includes a clevis and two jaws rotatably coupled to the clevis. A rocking pin in the form of a solid of revolution is pivotally supported by the clevis. The rocking pin may be pivotally supported by the clevis at the midpoint between the first and second ends. The opposite ends of the rocking pin engage the jaws to constrain the jaws to have opposite motions around the axes of rotation of the jaws. The clevis may be coupled to an elongate shaft to provide an endoscopic instrument. The first and second jaws may be electrically isolated from one another for electrocautery and the rocking pin may be formed from a non-conductive material or electrically isolated from the first and second jaws by electrically non-conductive liners. The jaws may be opened and closed by pushing and pulling on wires coupled to the jaws.

Abstract: Locking assemblies for surgical clamping and cutting instruments include a locking member and a switch. A drive member may be configured to releasably engage a knife and/or a shuttle of the surgical instrument for translating the knife and/or shuttle in a distal direction through a firing stroke. The locking member is movable from a first position permitting distal translation of the drive member through the firing stroke, and a second position inhibiting distal translation of the drive member through the firing stroke. A switch, when proximally positioned, releasably engages the locking member to maintain the locking member in the first position. The switch disengages from the locking member when the switch is moved to a distal position.

Abstract: An instrument access device of a teleoperated surgical system includes an envelope, a clamp, and a plurality of ports. The envelope includes a distal opening and a cavity. The clamp is in the distal opening of the envelope. The plurality of ports are coupled to the envelope. The plurality of ports are proximal to the clamp and the distal opening of the envelope. Each of the plurality of ports includes a seal, which is sized and shaped to seal an outer surface of a cannula and to fix a position of the cannula relative to the port and the envelope.

Abstract: An exemplary connection system includes a connector assembly and a receiver assembly. The connector assembly includes a hermetically-sealed housing, a first RF communication device within the housing and communicatively coupled to a surgical instrument and a first induction coil within the housing and electrically coupled to the surgical instrument. The receiver assembly includes a second RF communication device communicatively coupled to a controller of the surgical instrument, a second induction coil electrically coupled to a power source and a receptacle configured to receive the connector assembly such that the first RF communication device is aligned with the second RF communication device, the first induction coil is aligned with the second induction coil, the first RF communication device may wirelessly communicate with the second RF communication device, and the second induction coil may inductively couple to the first induction coil to wirelessly transmit power to the first induction coil.

Abstract: In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a system includes an imaging instrument with a shaft including a proximal end, a distal end, and a lens at a distal end portion of the shaft. The system also includes a collar at a proximal end portion of the shaft. A cleaning device coupled to the imaging instrument includes a tubular member sized to receive the shaft of the imaging instrument. The cleaning device also includes a latching element coupled to the tubular member and configured to couple to the collar to retain the tubular member on the shaft of the imaging instrument and maintain a relative rotational relationship between the tubular member and the shaft of the imaging instrument. Devices and methods relate to cleaning devices for imaging instruments.

Abstract: Capstan slip-stop shoulders limit relative rotation of capstans: a drive is shaft rotatably inserted within first and second axially aligned annular capstans, the first capstan including a first tooth extending parallel to the drive shaft in a first direction, the second capstan including a second tooth extending parallel to the drive shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction, the first tooth including first and second circumferentially spaced first tooth slip-stop shoulders, the second tooth including first and second circumferentially spaced second tooth slip-stop shoulders, the first and second capstans arranged such that abutting contact between the first and second slip-stop shoulders can halt capstan rotation about the drive shaft in one direction, and abutting contact between the second first and second slip-stop shoulders can halt capstan rotation about the drive shaft in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A method is provided to control actuation of a click event by a hand-actuated selector moveably mounted to a mount structure, comprising: in a first control state, imparting a maintaining force to the hand-actuated selector; in a second control state, imparting a haptic force to the hand-actuated selector that increases as a function of increasing displacement of the hand-actuated selector from the neutral displacement position; imparting a click event signal to cause an occurrence of the click event at a display system, in a third control state, imparting a haptic force to the hand-actuated selector that decreases in magnitude to a reduced magnitude.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for positioning an end effector or remote center of a manipulator arm by floating a first set of joints within a null-perpendicular joint velocity sub-space and providing a desired state or movement of a proximal portion of a manipulator arm concurrent with end effector positioning by driving a second set of joints within a null-space orthogonal to the null-perpendicular space. Methods include floating a first set of joints within a null-perpendicular space to allow manual positioning of one or both of a remote center or end effector position within a work space and driving a second set of joints according to an auxiliary movement calculated within a null-space according to a desired state or movement of the manipulator arm during the floating of the joints. Various configurations for devices and systems utilizing such methods are provided herein.

Abstract: A system for visualizing a tissue region of interest includes an imaging element, a sheath, and a dilator. The imaging element is configured to visualize tissue. The sheath includes a channel configured to receive the imaging element. The imaging element is positionable along a central longitudinal axis of the sheath and positionable in an off-axis position relative to the central longitudinal axis. The sheath comprises a flexible section defining at least a portion of the channel. The dilator is configured to advance through the channel to force the imaging element into the off-axis position. The dilator is configured to cause the imaging element to bulge the flexible section as the dilator is advanced through the channel.