Abstract: An intrauterine balloon apparatus to augment uterine birthing forces and assist fetal descent during parturition is provided. The body of the balloon apparatus begins packaged in a compressed state minimizing volume, enabling delivery through the birth canal. The apparatus is advanced to a proximal uterine location and deployed for operation by introducing a pressurized agent through its conduit, causing the body to expand and apply directional forces towards the infant and birth canal. The balloon body is shaped to apply pressures dispersed towards the infant and the bidirectional conduit enables fluid conduction as the infant descends. After the infant has successfully descended and been delivered through the birth canal, pressure within the balloon body is relieved through the conduit thereby collapsing the volume of the balloon body and enabling retraction through the birth canal.

Abstract: A tool, consisting of an enclosure and a rotatable knob retained by, and protruding from, the enclosure. The tool has a tube having a proximal end that is retained by the enclosure, and the tube has an axis of symmetry. A Geneva drive is retained within the enclosure, the Geneva drive consisting of a drive wheel fixedly attached to the rotatable knob and a driven wheel fixedly attached to the proximal end of the tube, so that an axis of rotation of the driven wheel coincides with the axis of symmetry of the tube. Thus, a continuous rotation of the rotatable knob causes the tube to rotate about the axis of symmetry in discrete angular steps.

Abstract: A junctional tourniquet apparatus and related methods of use. An exemplary tourniquet has an inverted cone shape, wherein a narrower end has a mushroom shaped base that is pressed against a compression target and a broader end has a plurality of pass-through slots for straps. Another exemplary tourniquet has a broad plate component and a handle component. The handle component has a mushroom shaped base on a first end and a handle on a second end. The handle component passes through the center of the plate component with threads that allow the handle component to compress a target by twisting the handle.

Abstract: A junctional tourniquet apparatus and related methods of use. An exemplary tourniquet has an inverted cone shape, wherein a narrower end has a mushroom shaped base that is pressed against a compression target and a broader end has a plurality of pass-through slots for straps. Another exemplary tourniquet has a broad plate component and a handle component. The handle component has a mushroom shaped base on a first end and a handle on a second end. The handle component passes through the center of the plate component with threads that allow the handle component to compress a target by twisting the handle.

Abstract: A circumcision device and methods for using and manufacturing the same are disclosed. Embodiments of the circumcision device include a connector that permits the circumcision device to be connected by hand to and disconnected by hand from a tissue holding member while the tissue holding member is holding penile tissue. The connector permits the circumcision device to rotate while connected to the tissue holding member. Embodiments include a blade (cutting member) that is bent at an angle that may be oblique, and the blade may include a slot on either side of or across the bend. Further embodiments include at least one gripping member that extends perpendicularly to the axis the device rotates around, while additional embodiments include at least one gripping member that is aligned with the connector to assist in connection and removal of the device from a tissue holding member.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for storing and/or shipping an intraocular lens (IOL) cartridge are provided. A system comprises a packaging comprising a passage. The IOL cartridge is removably disposed within the passage. The IOL cartridge comprises a nozzle and a compartment configured to receive an IOL. The nozzle is in fluid communication with the compartment. The IOL cartridge further comprises a dial configured to rotate upon withdrawal of the IOL cartridge from the passage, wherein an inner surface of the dial is exposed to the compartment. The dial is configured to fold the IOL and release the IOL cartridge from the packaging upon rotation of the dial.

Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for articulating medical instruments. In one aspect, the instrument includes a wrist having at least one degree of freedom of movement, and an end effector coupled to the wrist. The end effector can include a cartridge for delivering a plurality of clips to tissue. The wrist may include one or more cables capable of moving an actuator with one degree of freedom of movement within the end effector to advance one or more clips through the end effector.

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: Disclosed is a tourniquet, comprising a fixing module, a hemostasis module, and an indication module.

Abstract: A circumcision device is provided by the present invention. The device comprises two jaws configured to crush a foreskin between them along a crush region transverse to a foreskin and transverse to a general direction in which a penis being circumcised extends. The jaws are movable between an open inoperative position and a closed operative position in which a clamping and crushing force may be exerted to promote hemostasis within the crush region. The device includes a cutting assembly capable of traversing and severing a crushed foreskin within or adjacent the crush region. The invention extends to a glans penis protector comprising a handle separable from a transverse glans penis engaging cover so that the handle can be separated from the glans penis engaging cover during a circumcision procedure.

Abstract: A cutting balloon catheter including a balloon mounted on a distal portion of a catheter shaft. An expandable frame may be disposed over the balloon. The expandable frame may include a plurality of struts extending from a proximal end region to a distal end region. One or more cutting members may be secured to the expandable frame.

Abstract: An endoluminal surgery system is disclosed. The endoluminal surgery system includes an operating device, a connecting rod, and a handle. The operating device includes an operating part and a connecting part. During the surgery, the operating device is placed in a body cavity through an incision, the other end of the connecting rod that is outside the body is fixedly connected with the handle. Next, the operating part is controlled through the handle outside the body to achieve the corresponding surgical operation. After the operation, cut off the connecting rod, take out the operating device from the incision, and pull out the connecting rod, leaving no wound or tiny wounds on body.

Abstract: Articulating medical instruments and corresponding techniques can be utilized using a robotically enabled medical system. In a surgical method, a clinician can insert a distal end of a medical instrument into a treatment area of a patient. Once inserted, a first bending section of the medical instrument can be articulated by driving one or more motors of an articulation handle that is positioned at a proximal end of the elongated shaft.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to methods and systems for capturing, filtering, or retrieving obstructions or other particulates from a patient's vasculature. In one aspect, device for retrieving an obstruction from a patient is provided that includes an outer delivery shaft and an expandable basket movable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. The basket is configured to be in the collapsed configuration during delivery and in the expanded configuration during engagement and retrieval of the obstruction. A proximal end of the basket is configured to be centrally and pivotally coupled to the outer delivery shaft. The proximal end and/or a distal end of the basket is movable relative to each other such that a proximal portion of the expandable basket is invertible toward a distal portion of the basket to form a proximally oriented cavity in the expanded configuration to engage and retrieve the obstruction.

Abstract: A surgical tool includes a drive housing having an elongate shaft extending therefrom, an end effector operatively coupled to a distal end of the shaft, and a drive input rotatably mounted to the drive housing and having an input shaft extending therefrom. An upper capstan assembly is rotatably mounted to the input shaft and has a first drive cable coupled thereto and extending to the end effector, and a lower capstan assembly is rotatably mounted to the input shaft and has a second drive cable coupled thereto and extending to the end effector. A compliant member is operatively coupled to and extends between the upper and lower capstan assemblies to provide a constant opposing torsional load on the upper and lower capstan assemblies and thereby remove slack in the first and second drive cables as the input shaft rotates.

Abstract: A robotic surgical instrument comprising a shaft, an articulation attached to the distal end of the shaft, and a driving mechanism at the proximal end of the shaft. The articulation comprises a plurality of joints for articulating an end effector, the plurality of joints driveable by at least first and second pairs of driving elements. The driving mechanism comprises a pulley arrangement and a pulley drive. The pulley arrangement comprises first and second pulleys attached together such that their separation is fixed, wherein the first pair of driving elements is constrained to move around the first pulley, and the second pair of driving elements is constrained to move around the second pulley.

Abstract: An instrument guide is removably inserted into a proximal portion of a cannula and extends to a distal end of the cannula to guide and support multiple surgical instruments within the cannula. The instrument guide is designed to be manufactured by injection molding of plastic material. The instrument guide includes a tube and several radial walls connected to the tube to form passageways within the tube. The radial walls are joined to a core where they intersect. The tube and radial walls have substantially the same wall thickness and the core has a minimum diameter that is substantially larger than the wall thickness to facilitate delivery of plastic material. Portions of the tube and radial walls are thinner than the general wall and rib thickness to form guideways that support surgical instruments within the passageways. Channels may be formed on an outside of the tube to deliver insufflation gas.

Abstract: A catheter assembly includes a catheter comprising a flexible elongated member including a distal portion that includes a tubular body defining an inner lumen and a plurality of body apertures that extend through a sidewall of the tubular body into the inner lumen, and a plurality of primary electrodes positioned along the tubular body. The catheter assembly includes a wire defining at least one secondary electrode, the wire being configured to be slidably moved through the inner lumen of the tubular body, where the wire and the plurality of primary electrodes are configured to electrically couple to an energy source that delivers an electrical pulse to a fluid in contact with the plurality of primary electrodes and the at least one secondary electrode to cause the fluid to undergo cavitation to generate a pressure pulse wave within the fluid.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, a clamp actuator, and a blade cooling system. The end effector has a clamp arm and an ultrasonic blade coupled with an ultrasonic transducer. The clamp arm is configured to selectively move from a first actuator position toward a second actuator position thereby directing movement of the clamp arm from the open position toward the closed position, respectively. The cooling system is operable to deliver fluid coolant to the ultrasonic blade to thereby cool the ultrasonic blade while the clamp actuator remains in the first actuator position.

Abstract: An exemplary surgical device includes a handle including a bore, and a trigger configured to advance or retract a needle through the bore of the handle. The trigger is configured to rotate about a pivot axis and is further configured to slide in distal and proximal directions. The device may be operated using one hand, and permits a user, such as a surgeon, to advance a needle through the device using intuitive, relatively easy thumb movements. While the device may be used in other techniques, it is particularly useful in meniscal repairs, including inside-out meniscal repairs.