Abstract: A method comprises receiving a surgical instrument into engagement with a grip actuator of a teleoperational activation system. The surgical instrument includes movable jaws, and the surgical instrument is received in a prearranged gripping configuration with the jaws gripping a surgical accessory. The method includes generating a first control signal for manipulating the surgical instrument while maintaining the surgical instrument in the prearranged gripping configuration. The method further includes generating a second control signal for manipulating the surgical instrument to move from the prearranged gripping configuration to a second configuration.

Abstract: A system and method for data filtering of passageway sensor data include traversing a plurality of passageways with a flexible elongate device and recording, during the traversing, positional data using one or more sensors coupled to the flexible elongate device. The positional data includes a first plurality of positional data points recorded during a first insertion of the flexible elongate device into a first passageway and a second plurality of positional data points recorded during a first retraction of the flexible elongate device within the first passageway. The system and method further include labeling the first plurality of positional data points and the second plurality of positional data points as first common passageway positional data points and registering the positional data with a model of the plurality of passageways, wherein the registering includes matching the first common passageway positional data points with corresponding first common passageway model data points.

Abstract: Surgical stapling instruments include mechanisms for identifying and/or deactivating stapler cartridges for use with the instruments. The stapling instrument includes a drive member for actuating a staple cartridge and a locking member movable from a disabled position permitting distal translation of the drive member through a staple firing stroke, to a locking position inhibiting distal translation of the drive member through the staple firing stroke. The staple cartridge may include a switch movable in a lateral direction to either maintain the locking member in the disabled position or to allow the locking member to move into the locking position. The instrument may further include a stapler cartridge including an annular pin configured to be engaged by a drive member at a an axial position to create a detectable resistance for reload detection by a control unit to identify the type of stapler cartridge present in the surgical stapling instrument.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a surgical instrument can include a body; at least one passage extending through the body from a first open end of the body to a second open end of the body. The first and second open ends and the at least one passage can be dimensioned to receive and guide a shaft of a surgical instrument during a cleaning procedure. At least one aperture in flow communication with a port and the at least one passage can define a cleaning fluid path from the port to the passage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for motion mode management include a computer-assisted device having an input control, a repositionable structure, and a controller coupled to the input control and the repositionable structure. The controller is configured to detect motion of the input control for controlling motion of the repositionable structure and in response to determining that the motion of the input control is likely to be confused with a first portion of a motion of the input control for indicating that a mode of operation of the computer-assisted device is to be changed, temporarily disable mode switching in response to motion of the input control.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes: a distal movable component; a proximal drive assembly including a drive shaft, a capstan, and a plurality of splines; a first cable extending between the distal movable component and the drive shaft; and a second cable extending between the distal movable component and the capstan. The drive shaft includes a tapered projection, and the capstan includes a tapered bore in which the tapered projection of the drive shaft is received. The plurality of splines engage the tapered projection of the drive shaft with the tapered bore of the capstan.

Abstract: A robotic system comprises a display that is viewable by an operator. An operator reference frame is defined relative to the display or the operator viewing the display. The robotic system also includes an input device movable by the operator and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to present, in the display, a first image of a first tool captured by an imaging device, receive, from the operator, a first indication that a first axis of the input device is aligned with a corresponding axis of the first tool in the first image, and in response to the first indication, determine a first alignment relationship between the imaging device and the first tool based on a second alignment relationship between the operator reference frame and the input device.

Abstract: A medical instrument system includes a plurality of joints, a plurality of actuators, and a plurality of transmission systems. The transmission systems have proximal ends respectively coupled to the actuators. Each of the transmission systems have a distal end attached to an associated one of the joints to allow the transmission of a force for articulation of the medical instrument system. The system also includes a sensor coupled to measure a configuration of the medical instrument; and a control system coupled to receive configuration data, including a current configuration of a tip of the medical instrument from the sensor and a desired configuration of the tip of the medical instrument. Using the difference between the desired configuration and the current configuration of the tip of the medical instrument, the control system generates control signals for the actuators that cause the actuators to apply a set of tensions to the plurality of transmission systems.

Abstract: A system includes a control means for receiving an input from a user, a manipulator means configured to support a tool having a tool frame, and processing means configured to perform a method. The method involves receiving, from an image capturing system with an image frame, one or more images. The tool is visible in the one or more images. The method further involves determining an estimated frame transform based on the one or more images. The estimated frame transform is used in defining an unknown frame transform between the image frame and the tool frame. The method also involves determining, in response to the input received at the control means, an output movement for the tool based on the estimated frame transform, and causing movement of the tool based on the output movement.

Abstract: A system comprises a medical function unit comprising a connector interface configured to be operably coupled to control a medical function of a medical instrument, a control system operably coupled to control the medical function unit, a first user interface and a second user interface each operably coupled to the control system. The first user interface comprises one or more first control settings mapping to one or more corresponding settings of the medical function unit. The second user interface comprises one or more second control settings mapping to the one or more corresponding settings of the medical function. The second user interface is operable during a condition of the first user interface being inoperable.

Abstract: A surgical training model for simulating human prostate surgery may include a harvested porcine urethra. A harvested porcine vagina surrounds a portion of the harvested porcine urethra to define a simulated human prostate.

Abstract: A system for performing an interventional procedure includes an interventional instrument and a control system. The instrument includes a catheter and an interventional tool extendable from the catheter. The control system includes a processor and a memory comprising machine-readable instructions that cause the control system to: receive a model of an anatomic structure, the anatomic structure including a plurality of passageways; identify a target structure in the model; receive information about a maximum extension length the interventional tool can be extended relative to a distal tip of the catheter; based upon the received information about the maximum extension length, identify a planned deployment location for positioning the distal tip of the catheter to perform the interventional procedure on the target structure; determine a navigational path for the catheter to the target structure; and navigate the catheter to the identified planned deployment location via computer control or based on user input.

Abstract: A teleoperational assembly is disclosed which includes an operator control system and a plurality of manipulators configured to control the movement of medical instruments in a surgical environment. The manipulators are teleoperationally controlled by the operator control system. The system further includes a processing unit configured to display an image of a field of view of the surgical environment, determine association information about the manipulators and the operator control system, and display badges near the medical instruments in the image of the field of view of the surgical environment. The badges display the association information for the medical instrument they appear associated with.

Abstract: A medical instrument including a shaft and an actuated structure mounted at a distal end of the shaft can employ a pair of tendons connected to the actuated structure, extending down the shaft, and respectively wound around a capstan in opposite directions. A passive preload system may maintain minimum tensions in the tendons.

Abstract: A method of using a medical instrument can include applying a distally-directed or proximally-directed load via a drive member to an end effector coupled to an elongated shaft via a wrist assembly so as to actuate the end effector; and reacting the distally-directed or proximally-directed load to an inner link of the wrist assembly that is pivotally coupled to a first outer link and a second outer link. The wrist assembly can be actuatable via drive cables and reacting the load maintains the first outer link interfaced with the second outer link in the absence of tension in the drive cables.

Abstract: Surgical instruments, such as clamping and cutting instruments, are provided. In one aspect, a surgical stapling instrument comprises first and second jaws and a drive member configured to move in a distal direction through at least one of the jaws. The instrument further includes a locking member movable between a first position permitting distal translation of the drive member, and a second position impeding distal translation of the drive member, and a switch movable from a proximal position to a distal position. When the switch is in the proximal position, it releasably maintains the locking member in the first position, and when the switch is in the distal position, it allows the locking member to move to the second position. This inhibits or prevents actuation of a knife when there is a spent or previously fired cartridge loaded in the instrument.

Abstract: A surgical instrument may comprise a chassis configured to be removably coupled with a surgical robotic manipulator and may comprise an elongate flexible shaft coupled to the chassis. The surgical instrument may also comprise a robotic actuation piece coupled to and rotatable relative to the chassis and a manual actuator coupled to and translatable relative to the chassis. A rack gear may be engaged with the manual actuator and with the robotic actuation piece. The rack gear may be movable by the robotic actuation piece and by the manual actuator to control an operation of the elongate flexible shaft.

Abstract: An energy delivery system includes a transmission member, an antenna at a distal end of the transmission member, a jacket surrounding the transmission member and the antenna, a fluid channel between the transmission member and the jacket, and a plug disposed at the distal end of the transmission member and a proximal end of the antenna. The plug is configured to prevent migration of a cooling fluid from the fluid channel to a cavity between the antenna and the jacket.

Abstract: Methods and systems of registering a model of one or more anatomic passageways of a patient to a patient space are provided herein. An exemplary method may include accessing a set of model points of the model of the passageways, the model points being associated with a model space, collecting measured points along a length of a catheter inserted into the passageways of the patient, the measured points determined by a shape of the catheter, and assigning points of the first set to a plurality of subsets. The exemplary method may further include registering each of the subsets with the model points to produce a plurality of registration candidates, comparing the candidates to identify an optimal subset associated with an optimal registration of the plurality of candidates that translates the set of model points and at least one set of the sets of measured points into a common space.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a memory device and a processor coupled to a display device, an image capture device, and the memory device. The processor is configured to: cause images captured by the image capture device to be displayed in a viewing area on the display device; determine a position of a tool in a reference frame of the image capture device; determine a position to display a non-depictive symbol for the tool in a boundary area circumscribing the viewing area to indicate a direction of the determined position of the tool relative to a field of view of the image capture device, by determining a trajectory of the tool; and cause the non-depictive symbol to be displayed at the determined position in the boundary area while images that were captured by the image capture device are restricted to being displayed in the viewing area.