Abstract: This disclosure is relative to the field of laparoscopic surgery and gynecologic surgery. Specifically disclosed is a surgical technique for laparoscopic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy-oophorectomy which encompasses dissection and removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The technique utilizes a single-entry port located at the umbilicus in conjunction with access through the vaginal opening to access and manipulate the organs within the abdominal cavity.

Abstract: Various aspects of a generator, ultrasonic device, and method for estimating and controlling a state of an end effector of an ultrasonic device are disclosed. The ultrasonic device includes an electromechanical ultrasonic system defined by a predetermined resonant frequency, including an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. A control circuit measures a complex impedance of an ultrasonic transducer, wherein the complex impedance is defined as Z g ? ( t ) = V g ? ( t ) I g ? ( t ) . The control circuit receives a complex impedance measurement data point and compares the complex impedance measurement data point to a data point in a reference complex impedance characteristic pattern. The control circuit then classifies the complex impedance measurement data point based on a result of the comparison analysis and assigns a state or condition of the end effector based on the result of the comparison analysis.

Abstract: A system includes a balloon catheter having a shaft, an inflatable balloon fitted at a distal end of the shaft, and multiple electrodes disposed on the inflatable balloon, a display, and a processor configured to receive signals that are indicative of respective electrode positions of the multiple electrodes in 3D space, compute the respective electrode positions of the multiple electrodes based on the received signals, from among a plurality of virtual planes defined by different respective groups of the electrode positions, select a virtual plane that contains a maximum number of the electrode positions to within a given tolerance, fit a virtual circle to the electrode positions that are within the given tolerance of the selected virtual plane, and render to the display a 3D representation of the balloon catheter based on a position and orientation of the fitted virtual circle in 3D space.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and system and methods for using surgical instruments are disclosed. A surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade and clamp arm, an electrode, an ultrasonic transducer, and a sensor coupled to a control circuit. The electrode receives electrosurgical energy from a generator and applies the electrosurgical energy to the end effector to weld tissue based on the generator generating a drive signal. The ultrasonic transducer ultrasonically oscillates the ultrasonic blade in response to the drive signal. The control circuit receives a signal from the sensor indicative of a surgical parameter, determines a weld time of a surgical operation based on the sensor signal, and varies one or more of a clamp arm pressure applied by the clamp arm and a power level of the electrosurgical energy to maintain one or more of a predefined heat flux or power applied to tissue loaded in the end effector.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to treating diseased tissue with ablation therapy. In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises a catheter having an elongate body extending between a proximal end and a distal end. The apparatus further includes a balloon structure arranged proximal to the distal end of the catheter, wherein the balloon structure has a first portion with a first permeability and a second portion with a second permeability such that the first permeability is different than the second permeability. In addition, the apparatus includes a first electrode arranged on or within the balloon structure and configured to: transmit current through the first portion, receive current transmitted through the first portion or both.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and system and methods for using surgical instruments are disclosed. A surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade and clamp arm, an ultrasonic transducer, and a control circuit. The ultrasonic transducer ultrasonically oscillates the ultrasonic blade in response to a drive signal from a generator. The end effector receives electrosurgical energy to weld tissue. The control circuit determines a resonant frequency measure indicative of a thermally induced change in resonant frequency and a electrical continuity measure; calculates a weld focal point based on the determined measures, controls closure of the clamp arm to vary a pressure applied by the clamp arm to provide a threshold control pressure to the tissue loaded into the end effector, and maintains a gap between the ultrasonic blade and clamp arm at a point proximal to the proximal end of the tissue. Pressure is varied based on corresponding weld focal point.

Abstract: An articulable wrist for an end effector includes a distal linkage provided at a distal end of the articulable wrist, a proximal linkage provided at a proximal end of the articulable wrist, and a central channel cooperatively defined by the distal and proximal linkages and extending between the distal and proximal ends. A flexible member is arranged within the central channel and has a first end operatively coupled to the distal linkage and a second end axially movable relative to the proximal linkage. One or more conduits are defined in the flexible member to receive one or more central actuation members extending through the flexible member.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. An end effector assembly includes an end effector body portion coupled to the distal end of the shaft. A cable having a distal end feature extending radially outwardly from the cable extends through the shaft between the proximal end of the shaft and the distal end of the shaft. A proximal surface of the distal end feature of the cable abuts a distal surface portion of the end effector body portion. A method of assembling a surgical instrument including an end effector body and a retaining member includes inserting a distal end feature of a cable within a recess in the end effector body and positioning a retaining member over the recess in the end effector body to retain the distal end feature of the cable within the retaining member.

Abstract: An ultrapolar electrosurgery blade and an ultrapolar electrosurgery pencil that can be used in both monopolar and bipolar modes for cutting and coagulating tissue. The ultrapolar electrosurgery blade includes a non-conductive member with opposing planar sides, a cutting end with a sharp cutting edge, and an opposite non-cutting end, an active electrode located on one of the opposing planar sides of the non-conductive member, and a return electrode located on the other opposing planar side of the non-conductive member.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an expandable energy delivery assembly adapted to deliver electrical energy to tissue. The assembly includes an elongate device including an irrigation shaft defining a irrigation lumen fluidly couplable to an irrigation source and a rapid exchange shaft defining a guidewire lumen configured for reception and passage of a guidewire. The assembly also includes an inflatable element that is secured to the elongate device. The inflatable element includes a double helical electrode disposed on the inflatable element that makes between about 0.5 to about 1.5 revolutions around the inflatable element.

Abstract: Described herein is a system including a catheter, an optical circuit, a pulsed field ablation energy source, and a processing device. The catheter includes a proximal section, a distal section, and a shaft coupled between the proximal section and the distal section. The optical circuit is configured to transport light at least partially from the proximal section to the distal section and back. The pulsed field ablation energy source is coupled to the catheter and configured to transmit pulsed electrical signals to a tissue sample. The processing device is configured to analyze one or more optical signals received from the optical circuit to determine changes in polarization or phase retardation of light reflected or scattered by the tissue sample, and determine changes in a birefringence of the tissue sample based on the changes in polarization or phase retardation.

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument used in electrosurgery, and includes a handpiece to be gripped by a user and provided with an accommodation space therein; a cable coupled to a rear end of the handpiece so as to transmit electrical energy; a conductive electrode, at least a portion of which protrudes toward a front side of the handpiece and which is configured to move in a front-rear direction relative to the handpiece; and a connecting body provided in the accommodation space and including a conductor electrically connecting the cable and the conductive electrode to each other, and a film formed of a non-conductive material and bonded to opposite sides of the conductor so as to shield the conductor, wherein at least a portion of the connecting body is formed of a Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB) and is formed in a spiral or helical shape such that the total length of the connecting body is variable in the front-rear direction.

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument is disclosed including an end effector, a shaft assembly, and a link. The end effector includes a first jaw rotatable relative to a second jaw between an open position and a closed position. The shaft assembly includes an outer tube, a jaw tube disposed within the outer tube, an actuation band operably coupled to the jaw tube. The jaw tube is configured to move within the outer tube between a proximal end and a distal end. The link includes a first end and a second end. The first end of the link is pivotably coupled to the actuation band. The second end of the link is pivotably coupled to the first jaw. The jaw tube is configured to rotate the first jaw towards the closed position based on movement of the jaw tube towards the proximal end.

Abstract: A medical device may include a handle, a sheath fixed relative to the handle, a longitudinal actuator movable relative to the handle, an end effector, a member extending proximally from the end effector through the sheath, with a portion of the member being fixed relative to the longitudinal actuator, and a rotation actuator. Movement of the rotation actuator may cause rotation of the member relative to the sheath, and movement of the longitudinal actuator may cause longitudinal movement of the member relative to the rotation actuator.

Abstract: An electrosurgical forceps includes a pair of first and second shaft members pivotably coupled to one another, an end effector assembly coupled to the pair of first and second shaft members, a knife, and a biasing member. The biasing member is disposed about the knife and configured to resiliently bias the knife toward a retracted position.

Abstract: A system and method for treating the skin by heating at least one discrete skin volume, comprising at least one treatment tip reversibly connectable to at least one applicator. The treatment tip comprises one or more electrodes, with the electrodes having one or more spaced apart protruding conducting elements. The protruding conducting elements are characterized by dimensions of height A and hypotenuse B, where the ratio A/B is in a predetermined range, and the protruding conducting elements penetrate the skin surface at discrete locations. The electrodes are configured to apply energy to skin volumes around the discrete locations so as to heat the skin volumes. The applicator comprises an energy generator configured to apply energy to the skin volumes by means of the electrodes and the spaced apart protruding conducting elements.

Abstract: A balloon dilation assembly configured to be used for performing balloon valvuloplasty in order to dilate a stenotic heart valve, in particular a stenotic aortic valve. The assembly comprises at least three outer balloons (12), (13), (14) evenly arranged in a circle around a central balloon (11) and fixed to the central balloon, and comprises a further outer balloon (15) which is shorter in length compared with balloons (11), (12), (13), (14) and which is not fixed to the central balloon, whereby each balloon has a separate filling tube (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) used for inflating each balloon separately, characterized in that the short outer balloon (15) is equipped with a sensing and/or stimulation system comprising an electrical pole (21).

Abstract: Methods for treating sleep disorders and for reducing a risk associated with developing a sleep disorder in patients via therapeutic renal neuromodulation and associated systems are disclosed herein. Sympathetic nerve activity can contribute to several cellular and physiological conditions associated with sleep disorders as well as an increased risk of developing a sleep disorder. One aspect of the present technology is directed to methods for improving a patient's calculated risk score corresponding to a sleep disorder status in the patient. Other aspects are directed to reducing a likelihood of developing a sleep disorder in patients presenting one or more sleep disorder risk factors. Renal sympathetic nerve activity can be attenuated to improve a patient's sleep disorder status or risk of developing a sleep disorder. The attenuation can be achieved, for example, using an intravascularly positioned catheter carrying a therapeutic assembly configured to use, e.g.

Abstract: Systems for nerve and tissue modulation are disclosed. An illustrative system may include an intravascular nerve modulation system including a catheter shaft, an expandable basket and one or more electrode assemblies affixed to the expandable basket. The one or more electrode assemblies may be affixed to the expandable basket using one or more covers or coatings.

Abstract: An ablation assembly includes a handle, a catheter assembly and a connector locking assembly. The catheter assembly includes: a catheter shaft, a balloon and a connector at the distal and proximal ends of the catheter shaft, and a delivery tube extending between there between. The connector includes a connector body secured to the proximal end and a plug secured to the delivery tube, the plug and delivery tube movable axially and rotationally. The handle includes an open portion receiving the plug and the connector body. The connector locking assembly includes: means for simultaneously automatically connecting the plug and the connector body to the handle to place the connector in a load state prior to use, and means for automatically releasing the connector body and thereafter the plug from the handle to place the connector in an eject state to permit the connector to be removed from the handle.