Abstract: A control system configured to control manipulation of a surgical instrument in response to manipulation of a remote surgeon input device, the surgical instrument comprising opposable first and second end effector elements connected to a shaft by an articulated coupling, the articulated coupling comprising a first joint driveable by a first pair of driving elements so as to permit the first end effector element to rotate, and a second joint driveable by a second pair of driving elements so as to permit the second end effector element to rotate, the control system configured to: detect a change of configuration of the surgeon input device to a gripping configuration at time t; respond to the change of configuration of the surgeon input device to the gripping configuration by commanding gripping forces to be applied to the first and second pairs of driving elements, so as to cause the first and second end effector elements to rotate in opposing rotational directions towards each other with a gripping closing fo

Abstract: There is provided a medical needle with a protector that allows separately molded hub and protector to be easily assembled together. A medical needle with a protector (1) includes: a hub (3) that supports a needle tube (2); a protector (4) capable of storing the needle tube (2); a first lock unit (42a, 42b, 73) that locks the hub (3) to the protector (4) capable of unlocking in a first state; and a second lock unit (43, 75) that locks the hub (3) to the protector (4) incapable of a transition to the first state in a second state. The protector includes a large cylindrical portion (41), a protrusion piece (43), and a width-increased portion (42). The width-increased portion (42) is provided on the outer peripheral side of the protrusion piece (43) and has a minor axis and a major axis. The protrusion piece (43) is formed integrally with the large cylindrical portion (41) on the major axis side of the width-increased portion (42).

Abstract: A medical instrument includes a shaft, a distal-end assembly and a puller-wire. The shaft is configured for insertion into a body of a patient. The distal-end assembly, which is coupled to the shaft, includes a telescopic assembly, configured to elongate so as to collapse the distal-end assembly, and to compress so as to expand the distal-end assembly. The distal-end assembly further includes an elastic element, coupled to self-elongate and thus elongate the telescopic assembly. The distal-end assembly also includes an inflatable balloon, which is coupled to the telescopic assembly and is configured to collapse by the telescopic assembly elongating, and to expand by the telescopic assembly compressing. The puller-wire runs through the shaft and is connected to a distal end of the telescopic assembly, and is configured, when pulled, to compress the telescopic assembly.

Abstract: Surgical constructs and methods include the use of a one-way adjustable fixation loop that is formed by tying two knots in a surgical filament, each knot defining an individual adjustable loop and the individual adjustable loops being interconnected to form the one-way adjustable fixation loop. The knots enable a non-spliceable suture to be used in the creation of the one-way adjustable fixable loop. Embodiments can include a fixation device, such as a cortical button or plate for use in a bone tunnel, and enable the knots to work independent of and suspended below the fixation device. Embodiments can increase the compatibility of the adjustable fixation loop with existing fixation devices and can isolate and protect the knots from damage during use and after implantation.

Abstract: An automatically adjusted medical saw system has a mechanism that measures bone thickness via ultrasound-based sensors to ensure that only the bone tissue is cut during the cutting process and the soft tissue is not damaged during this cutting process. The automatically adjusted medical saw system includes a saw box, a saw blade, a movable platform, a saw motor, an ultrasonic receiver or a transmitter, a screw, a step motor, a hydrogel strip, a movement axis rail, a tightening apparatus, a motor control circuit, a control circuit for the ultrasonic receiver or the transmitter, a central control unit, and rails to guide the movable platform.

Abstract: Provided is an ophthalmic surgery instrument that is capable of simplifying the structure of a rod-shaped portion, which is inserted into an eyeball during ophthalmic surgery, and that is suitable for excising a to-be-excised part of the eyeball. The ophthalmic surgery instrument includes a rod-shaped portion that is inserted into an eyeball during ophthalmic surgery. The rod-shaped portion has a single passage formed therein so as to penetrate from one end portion thereof to another end portion thereof. A bent portion is formed at a tip end of the rod-shaped portion. A liquid is caused to flow through the passage to flow out from a tip end opening portion of the passage or a to-be-excised part is sucked through the passage while excising the to-be-excised part with the bent portion.

Abstract: A highly intuitive physician input device for communication with a minimally invasive endoscopic concentric tube surgical robot. The physician input device can comprise a user interface handle assembly, a user interface linear joint assembly, a user interfaced bearing block assembly, and a user interface base assembly, and sensors distributed throughout to measure each of these axes, possibly redundantly for safety. Due to the network of sensors and encoders built in to the physician input device, it is capable of triggering a movement in the endoscopic concentric tube robot corresponding to that of the movements made on the physician input device. There are at least four movement controls the physician input device is capable of communicating to the concentric tube robot, those being translation, pan, tilt, and axial rotation. In some embodiments a fifth control includes actuation of a tool such as a gripper.

Abstract: A control system configured to control manipulation of a surgical instrument in response to manipulation of a remote surgeon input device. The surgical instrument comprises opposable first and second end effector elements connected to a shaft by an articulated coupling. The articulated coupling comprises a first joint driveable by a first pair of driving elements so as to permit the first end effector element to rotate, and a second joint driveable by a second pair of driving elements so as to permit the second end effector element to rotate.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and methods for using and manufacturing the same are provided. The surgical instrument includes a combination of serrated forceps and non-serrated forceps, the serrated forceps and the non-serrated forceps being operable independently of each other. A method of using the instrument includes using the serrated forceps of the instrument to grasp a tissue and using the non-serrated forceps of the instrument to pull a surgical needle through the tissue.

Abstract: A robotically-assisted surgical device assists robotic surgery with a surgical robot that includes at least one robot arm holding a surgical instrument. The robotically-assisted surgical device includes a processing unit and a display unit. The processing unit is configured to: acquire 3D data of a subject; acquire kinematic information regard to the robot arm; acquire information of an surgical procedure for operating the subject; acquire information regarding a position of at least one port which is to be pierced on a body surface of the subject; derive a 2D range on the body surface where errors are allowed for the piercing of the port based on the 3D data, the kinematic information, the information of the surgical procedure, and the position of the port; and cause the display unit to display the information regarding the position of the port and information indicating the 2D range.

Abstract: A clot retrieval catheter can have a tailored, highly flexible body section capable of navigating tortuous routes and an expandable tip for local flow restriction/arrest. The body can be a support tube of struts with a plurality of ribs and one or more axial spines. The support tube can also be a tubular section with a pattern of radial slots to increase flexibility while inhibiting kinking and binding. The ribs and spines can have strut widths which vary along the length of the support tube or can have curves with a non-planar cross section. The ribs can be formed such that they can move when subjected to the loads of a thrombectomy procedure. The structure of the support tube can also be a braided or woven pattern of strands. The support tube can also have a polymer jacket or membrane disposed around at least a portion of the structure.

Abstract: A surface tracking-based surgical robot system for drilling operations includes surface scanning equipment, a robot arm, and a workstation. To perform a drilling operation, surface information for the target surgery area and the surgical tool held by the robot arm is simultaneously collected with the same surface scanning equipment. A preoperative 3D image of a surgical area and a CAD model of the surgical tool are registered to the collected surface information, through which the relative position between a surgical path and the surgical tool is obtained. Using this relative position, the robot arm aligns to the predefined surgical path using a feedback control method running on a workstation. The drilling operation is then autonomously executed by the robot arm or manually performed under the guidance of the surgical tool held by the robot arm.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft assembly and an end effector. The shaft assembly includes a first coupling member and a second coupling member. The first coupling member and the second coupling member are configured to flex toward each other from a first position to a second position. The first coupling member and the second coupling member define a pivot axis in the first position. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The clamp arm is configured to couple or decouple with the shaft assembly when the first coupling member and the second coupling member are in the second position. The clamp arm is configured to pivot toward and away the ultrasonic blade about the pivot axis when the first coupling member and the second coupling member are in the first position.

Abstract: An end effector assembly of a robotic surgical instrument includes a clevis, first and second jaw members supported by the clevis, and a cam bar configured to move the first and second jaw members between an open state and a closed state.

Abstract: A lithotripter is provided that includes a lithotripsy apparatus for treatment of a urinary tract stone by fragmentation. The lithotripsy apparatus includes a lithotripsy wave guide shaft configured to transmit an energy form to at least one urinary tract stone. The lithotripter includes a sensing device configured to provide signal data for determining optimal application of energy during treatment with the lithotripsy apparatus. The lithotripter includes a processor configured to collect the signal data and provide feedback to a user. The processor has a control logic configured to determine at least one of: a) if the lithotripsy wave guide shaft is in contact with a tissue; b) if the lithotripsy wave guide shaft is in contact with a stone; c) type of stone; d) if a user is applying force in excess of a predetermined threshold; and e) physical characteristics of a stone. A method is also provided.

Abstract: An aspiration system comprises an aspiration catheter, an aspiration source fluidly coupled to the aspiration catheter to create an aspiration flow path between the aspiration catheter and the aspiration source, a pressurized fluid source, and a passive pressure oscillation assembly fluidly coupled between the pressurized fluid source and the aspiration flow path. The passive pressure oscillation assembly is configured for being operated between a normal mode that prevents fluid communication between the pressurized fluid source and the aspiration flow path, and an oscillatory mode that pulses fluid communication between the pressurized fluid source and the aspiration flow path. The passive pressure oscillation assembly is configured for being triggered to switch from the normal mode to the oscillatory mode in response to a clog in the aspiration catheter.

Abstract: A medical instrument includes a shaft, a distal-end assembly and a puller-wire. The shaft is configured for insertion into a body of a patient. The distal-end assembly, which is coupled to the shaft, includes a telescopic assembly, configured to elongate so as to collapse the distal-end assembly, and to compress so as to expand the distal-end assembly. The distal-end assembly further includes an elastic element, coupled to self-elongate and thus elongate the telescopic assembly. The distal-end assembly also includes an inflatable balloon, which is coupled to the telescopic assembly and is configured to collapse by the telescopic assembly elongating, and to expand by the telescopic assembly compressing. The puller-wire runs through the shaft and is connected to a distal end of the telescopic assembly, and is configured, when pulled, to compress the telescopic assembly.

Abstract: A tissue closure system for closing vaginal tissue includes a tissue closure device having an end effector supporting one or more sutures securable to vaginal tissue. The one or more sutures may be separated from the end effector and tied to the vaginal tissue. The tissue closure system may include a tissue approximation device configured to apply negative pressure to vaginal tissue for approximating portions of the vaginal tissue together.

Abstract: A robotic system assembly comprises a robotic manipulator including an actuator assembly and a surgical instrument having a base body mountable to the actuator assembly. The base includes a first control input and a second control input, wherein the first and second control inputs are positioned on different sides of the base. The actuator assembly is moveable between open and closed positions to facilitate removal and replacement of surgical instruments. When in the closed positions, drive elements of the actuator assembly are positioned to drive the first and second control inputs of the surgical instrument to cause end effector movement or actuation.

Abstract: Devices and methods for treatment of a patient's vasculature may include a resilient self-expanding permeable implant having a radially constrained elongated state configured for delivery within a catheter lumen and an expanded state with a longitudinally shortened configuration, and a plurality of elongate filaments which are woven together. Each of the plurality of elongate filaments may have a diameter between about 0.0005 and about 0.005 inches. The implant includes at least some filaments consisting of nitinol and at least some composite filaments that are drawn filled tube wires comprising an external nitinol tube and a highly radiopaque material concentrically disposed within the external tube. The implant has at least about 40% composite filaments relative to a total number of filaments, and wherein a total number of filaments is about 10 to about 300.