Abstract: Organization systems for surgical instruments and associated methods and systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument organization system can be configured for use in a medical environment, and can include a flexible, sterile container having a lower portion. The container can include an attachment system configured to elastically couple one or more surgical instruments to the lower portion of the container. In some embodiments, the container can be carried by a portable base coupled to a platform via an adjustable support member.

Abstract: A surgical sheath for use in endoscopic trans-nasal or intra-ocular surgery has an angle section joined to a conical section, with the conical section having a central axis not parallel to a central axis of the angle section. A body section is joined to the angle section, with the body section having a length at least twice the length of the angle section. The conical section, the angle section and the body section may be a flexible or compliant material. The sheath reduces collateral trauma to the tissues in the surgical pathway.

Abstract: A method of surgical robot operation includes moving a surgical instrument through a medium using the surgical robot, where the surgical robot attempts to move the surgical instrument to a desired position. The method further includes measuring an actual position of the surgical instrument, and calculating a difference between the actual position and the desired position. The actual position of the surgical instrument is adjusted to the desired position using the surgical robot.

Abstract: A surgical imaging system includes a light source configured to illuminate a portion of a surgical environment and a light sensor configured to receive light from the illuminated portion in response to the illumination. The surgical imaging system determines spectrographic content of the received light and uses the determined spectrographic content to identify the illuminated portion of the surgical environment; for example, to determine that the portion contains a surgical instrument, a foreign body, a suture, a particular type of tissue, a blood vessel, and/or a fluorescent marker. This identification of the illuminated portion of the surgical environment could be used to implement a surgical intervention. For example, a surgical laser could be operated, based on such generated identification information, to ablate cancerous tissue in the surgical environment that is marked with a fluorophore while avoiding ablating any sutures or surgical instruments disposed in the surgical environment.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system includes a surgical instrument configured to cut biological tissues and an imaging system configured to image the biological tissues. Based on one or more images of the biological tissue generated by the imager, the robotic surgical system operates the surgical instrument to cut the biological tissue according to a desired dissection of the tissue. The robotic surgical system operates the surgical instrument to partially or wholly automatically perform one or more cuts into the biological tissue to achieve the desired dissection.

Abstract: Example methods and systems to facilitate osteocutaneous free flap reconstructions are provided. One example method involves causing a surgical navigation system to display a representation of a patient undergoing surgery; receiving input data representing one or more osteotomies made during the surgery to form a defect within the patient; determining a donor site for a bone graft having a contour that corresponds to the defect within the patient using a geometric alignment algorithm to identify, as the donor site, a portion of the bone graft that virtually aligns with the defect; generating a virtual template representing the bone graft; displaying the generated virtual template representing the bone graft within the representation of the patient as a navigational guide for harvesting of the bone graft; and displaying the generated virtual template positioned into the defect within the representation as a navigational guide for reconstructing the defect using the harvested bone graft.

Abstract: A surgical device that has an external sheath having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion through an opening of a body and a plurality of tool components extending from the distal end of the external sheath. The tool components are independently deflectable with respect to each other and with respect to the external sheath and removable from the device without requiring withdrawal of the sheath through the opening of the body. The external sheath is flexible and deflectable intermediate the distal and proximal ends. This permits the device to be steered in a curvilinear manner towards a surgical target.

Abstract: A system for providing networked communications includes a plurality of head-mountable devices, each in communication with a control system via a communication network. Each of the plurality of head-mountable devices includes a display, and may also include an image-capture device and/or a microphone. The control system receives, via the communication network, surgical data of a patient obtained from at least one source of surgical data. Wearers of the head-mountable devices may select aspects of the surgical data and the control system causes those selected aspects to be displayed on the respective wearable device. The control system may also generate alerts and cause the alerts to be displayed on the wearable devices. An alert may include a notification that additional surgical data is available for access by the wearer of the head-mountable device.

Abstract: An introducer and method provides a surgical tool with a pathway through tissue to a surgical site, wherein the surgical tool includes at least one surgical instrument. The introducer comprises a flexible sheath having a distal portion including a distal end and is arranged for receiving the surgical tool. A tissue separation tip at the distal portion of the sheath advances the sheath into the tissue towards the surgical site. The tissue separation tip is arranged to form a tissue gap and provide the at least one surgical instrument access to the tissue gap for performing a medical procedure consonant with the formation of the tissue gap or the performance of work at the surgical site.

Abstract: A surgical sheath for use in endoscopic trans-nasal or intra-ocular surgery has an angle section joined to a conical section, with the conical section having a central axis not parallel to a central axis of the angle section. A body section is joined to the angle section, with the body section having a length at least twice the length of the angle section. The conical section, the angle section and the body section may be a flexible or compliant material. The sheath reduces collateral trauma to the tissues in the surgical pathway.

Abstract: A system for providing networked communications includes a plurality of head-mountable devices, each in communication with a control system via a communication network. Each of the plurality of head-mountable devices includes a display, and may also include an image-capture device and/or a microphone. The control system receives, via the communication network, surgical data of a patient obtained from at least one source of surgical data. Wearers of the head-mountable devices may select aspects of the surgical data and the control system causes those selected aspects to be displayed on the respective wearable device. The control system may also generate alerts and cause the alerts to be displayed on the wearable devices. An alert may include a notification that additional surgical data is available for access by the wearer of the head-mountable device.

Abstract: A device is provided including (a) a base, (b) a first interface component coupled to the base, wherein the first interface component is cylindrical, (c) a rotatable component including a second interface component positioned on a first side of the rotatable component, wherein the first interface component and the second interface component are removeably coupled to one another based on a magnetic field, and wherein the second interface component includes a concave surface approximately corresponding to the cylindrical shape of the first interface component such that the first interface component fits at least partially within the second interface component when the first interface component is coupled to the second interface component, and (d) an attachment component coupled to a second side of the rotatable component, wherein the attachment component is configured to be removeably coupled to a hand and/or finger of a user.

Abstract: Organization systems for surgical instruments input devices and associated methods and systems are disclosed herein. In one aspect, a surgical instrument input device organization system can include a first interface configured to receive input from a user and a second interface communicatively coupled to the first interface via a link. The second interface can include a module sized to receive a surgical input instrument device and an actuator configured to engage a movable surface of the surgical instrument input device in response to input received from the user at the first interface.

Abstract: A surgical imaging system includes a light source configured to illuminate a portion of a surgical environment and a light sensor configured to receive light from the illuminated portion in response to the illumination. The surgical imaging system determines spectrographic content of the received light and uses the determined spectrographic content to identify the illuminated portion of the surgical environment; for example, to determine that the portion contains a surgical instrument, a foreign body, a suture, a particular type of tissue, a blood vessel, and/or a fluorescent marker. This identification of the illuminated portion of the surgical environment could be used to implement a surgical intervention. For example, a surgical laser could be operated, based on such generated identification information, to ablate cancerous tissue in the surgical environment that is marked with a fluorophore while avoiding ablating any sutures or surgical instruments disposed in the surgical environment.

Abstract: Local surgical cockpits comprising local surgical consoles that can communicate with any desired remote surgical module (surgical robot), for example via a shared Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) or other unified open source communication protocol or other suitable communication system. The systems and methods, etc., herein can also comprise a modular approach wherein multiple surgical consoles can network supporting collaborative surgery regardless of the physical location of the surgeons relative to each other and/or relative to the surgical site. Thus, for example, an operator operating a local surgical cockpit can teleoperate using a remote surgical module on a patient in the same room as the surgeon, or surgeons located in multiple safe locations can telemanipulate remote multiple surgical robots on a patient in or close to a war zone.

Abstract: Methods, articles of manufacture, and devices related to generating haptic feedback for point clouds are provided. A computing device receives depth data about an In-Contact environment. The computing device generates a point cloud from the depth data. The computing device determines a haptic interface point (HIP). The computing device determines a haptic interface point (HIP). The computing device determines a force vector between the HIP and point cloud. The computing device sends an indication of haptic feedback based on the force vector.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for defining surgical boundaries. One example method involves receiving data indicating a representation of a patient; receiving data indicating (i) a surgical target region within the representation of the patient; and (ii) a surgical entry portal within the representation of the patient; providing a graphical display of (i) the representation of the patient, and (ii) a surgical pathway from the surgical entry portal to the surgical target region; defining one or more surgical boundaries within the representation; receiving data indicating a position of a surgical instrument with respect to the representation; based on the received data indicating the position of the surgical instrument, determining that the surgical instrument is within a threshold distance from the one or more surgical boundaries; and providing feedback indicating that the surgical instrument is within the predetermined threshold distance from the one or more surgical boundaries.

Abstract: Organization systems for surgical instruments and associated methods and systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument organization system can be configured for use in a medical environment, and can include a flexible, sterile container having a lower portion. The container can include an attachment system configured to elastically couple one or more surgical instruments to the lower portion of the container. In some embodiments, the container can be carried by a portable base coupled to a platform via an adjustable support member.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for selecting surgical approaches. One example method involves (1) receiving data indicating (a) one or more surgical target regions and (b) one or more surgical portals; (2) determining a plurality of surgical pathways; (3) determining a plurality of surgical approaches; (4) for each surgical approach in the plurality of surgical approaches, determining at least one approach characteristic, for each determined surgical pathway in the respective surgical approach, determining at least one pathway characteristic, and determining a surgical-approach ranking based on the determined at least one approach characteristic and the determined at least one pathway characteristic; (5) selecting a subset of the plurality of surgical approaches based on the determined surgical approach rankings; and (6) causing an output device to provide a representation of the selected subset of the plurality of surgical approaches.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to: tracking movement of a gloved hand of a human; interpreting a gloved finger movement of the human; and/or in response to interpreting the gloved finger movement, providing feedback to the human.