Abstract: Surgical systems are disclosed. Surgical systems can include evacuation systems for evacuating smoke, fluid, and/or particulates from a surgical site. A surgical evacuation system can be intelligent and may include one or more sensors for detecting one or more properties of the surgical system, evacuation system, surgical procedure, surgical site, and/or patient tissue, for example.

Abstract: Provided is a method for managing radio frequency (RF) and ultrasonic signals output by a generator that includes a surgical instrument comprising an RF energy output and an ultrasonic energy output and a circuit configured to receive a combined RF and ultrasonic signal from the generator. The method includes receiving a combined radio frequency (RF) and ultrasonic signal from a generator, generating a RF filtered signal by filtering RF frequency content from the combined signal; filtering ultrasonic frequency content from the combined signal; generating an ultrasonic filtered signal; providing the RF filtered signal to the RF energy output; and providing the ultrasonic filtered signal to the ultrasonic energy output.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and instrumentalities may be provided for a smart surgical instrument or device monitoring other surgical instruments or devices in a peer-to-peer interconnected surgical ecosystem. Monitoring and/or recording may be performed using the peer-to-peer surgical ecosystem may be performed without engaging a central computing device. A surgical instrument based on respective capabilities may configure itself as a monitoring surgical instrument and other surgical instrument that is part of the surgical ecosystem as a peer surgical instrument. The monitoring surgical instrument may establish a peer-to-peer connection with the peer surgical instrument. to monitor and record the surgical task on the second surgical instrument. The monitoring surgical instrument, using the established peer-to-peer connection, may begin monitoring and/or recording of surgical data associated with a surgical task being performed on the peer surgical instrument.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are presented for a single surgical instrument configured to grasp, seal, and/or cut tissue through application of therapeutic energy, and also detect nerves through application of non-therapeutic electrical energy. A medical device may include two jaws at an end effector, used to apply therapeutic energy and to perform surgical procedures. The therapeutic energy may be in the form of ultrasonic vibrations or higher voltage electrosurgical energy. One of the jaws may be configured to cut tissue through application of the blade. In addition, one or both of the two jaws may be configured to apply nontherapeutic energy for nerve stimulation probing. The application of therapeutic energy may be disabled while the nontherapeutic nerve stimulation energy is applied, and vice versa. The nontherapeutic nerve stimulation energy may be applied to the use of one or more probes positioned near one or both of the jaws.

Abstract: A surgical instrument, system and method for adjusting a compression force applied by a surgical instrument are disclosed. The method includes determining tissue impedance of tissue in contact with an end effector of the surgical instrument, determining a tissue type based on the tissue impedance, selecting a first energy modality to deliver to the surgical instrument, generating a first signal waveform based on the first energy modality, selecting a second energy modality to deliver to the surgical instrument, generating a second signal waveform based on the second energy modality, outputting the first and second signal waveform to deliver energy to the end effector, and adjusting a compression force applied by the end effector by changing a size of a gap between the tissue and the clamp arm based on a proportion of the first signal waveform to the second signal waveform.

Abstract: A surgical stapler is presented having a firing assembly, a motor, and a motor control circuit. The firing assembly is configured to translate along a longitudinal axis such that translation of the firing assembly in a distal direction is configured to deploy staples from an end effector during a firing stroke. The motor assembly includes a motor configured to drive the firing assembly along the longitudinal axis. The motor control circuit is configured to receive a firing signal indicating initiation of the firing stroke, drive the motor with a motor drive signal comprising a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal having a first constant duty cycle such that the firing assembly is translated through an initial distance, and increase a duty cycle of the PWM signal based at least in part on movement of the firing assembly through the initial distance.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprises a controller configured to control application of RF or ultrasonic energy at a low level when displacement or intensity of a button is above a first threshold but below a second threshold higher than the first threshold, and control application of RF or ultrasonic energy at a high level when the displacement or intensity exceeds the second threshold. In another aspect, a surgical instrument comprises a first sensor configured to measure a tissue characteristic at a first location, a second sensor configured to measure the tissue characteristic at a second location, and a controller configured to, based at least in part on the measured tissue characteristic at the first location and the second location, control application of RF or ultrasonic energy.

Abstract: Surgical hub systems are disclosed. A surgical hub system comprises a surgical hub configured to communicably couple to a modular device comprising a sensor configured to detect data associated with the modular device and a device processor. The surgical hub comprises a hub processor, a hub memory coupled to the hub processor. The surgical hub system also comprises a distributed control system executable at least in part by each of the device processor and the hub processor. The distributed control system is configured to: receive the data detected by the sensor; determine control adjustments for the modular device according to the data; and control the modular device according to the control adjustments. When in a first mode, the distributed control system is executed by both the hub processor and the device processor. In a second mode, the distributed control system is executed solely by the device processor.

Abstract: A surgical computer-implement surgical system may include a surgical computing system (e.g., a surgical hub), one or more surgical data sources in communication with the surgical computing system, a surgical device in communication with the surgical computing system, and a processor. Data generated by the one or more surgical data sources may be received by the processor. Such data may be used, by the processor, to train a machine learning (ML) model (e.g., a neural network). The ML model may be deployed to affect an operation of the surgical device. For example, the ML model may be deployed to the surgical hub to affect an operation of the surgical device.

Abstract: A method of operating a surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes an electronic system comprising an electric motor coupled to the end effector; a motor controller coupled to the motor; a parameter threshold detection module configured to monitor multiple parameter thresholds; a sensing module configured to sense tissue compression; a processor coupled to the parameter threshold detection module and the motor controller; and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to monitor multiple levels of action thresholds and monitor speed of the motor and increment a drive unit of the motor, sense tissue compression, and provide rate and control feedback to the user of the surgical instrument.

Abstract: A surgical computer-implement surgical system may include a surgical computing system (e.g., a surgical hub), one or more surgical data sources in communication with the surgical computing system, a surgical device in communication with the surgical computing system, and a processor. Data generated by the one or more surgical data sources may be received by the processor. Such data may be used, by the processor, to train a machine learning (ML) model (e.g., a neural network). ML model may be deployed to affect an operation of the surgical device. For example, the ML model may be deployed to the surgical hub to affect an operation of the surgical device.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an end effector, a drive assembly operably coupled to the end effector, and a replaceable motor cartridge that includes a motor control circuit board and a motor. The surgical instrument further includes a main control circuit board including a processor and a computer-readable storage device storing program instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to detect a malfunction of the motor cartridge. The surgical instrument also includes an interface including a mechanical interface portion configured to releasably couple the motor to the drive assembly and an electrical interface portion configured to releasably couple the motor control circuit board to the main control circuit board.

Abstract: A method for characterizing a state of an end effector of an ultrasonic device is disclosed. The ultrasonic device including an electromechanical ultrasonic system defined by a predetermined resonant frequency. The electromechanical ultrasonic system further including an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. The method including applying, by an energy source, a power level to the ultrasonic transducer; measuring, by a control circuit coupled to a memory, an impedance value of the ultrasonic transducer; comparing, by the control circuit, the impedance value to a reference impedance value stored in the memory; classifying, by the control circuit, the impedance value based on the comparison; characterizing, by the control circuit, the state of the electromechanical ultrasonic system based on the classification of the impedance value; and adjusting, by the control circuit, the power level applied to the ultrasonic transducer based on the characterization of the state of the end effector.

Abstract: A method of compressing tissue during a surgical procedure is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a surgical instrument comprising an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, establishing a communication pathway between the surgical instrument and a surgical hub, and inserting the surgical instrument into a surgical site. The method further comprises compressing tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw, determining a location of the compressed tissue with respect to at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw, communicating the determined location of the compressed tissue to the surgical hub, and displaying the determined location of the compressed tissue on a visual feedback device.

Abstract: A surgical instrument, system and method for adjusting a compression force applied by a surgical instrument are disclosed. The method includes determining tissue impedance of tissue in contact with an end effector of the surgical instrument, determining a tissue type based on the tissue impedance, selecting a first energy modality to deliver to the surgical instrument, generating a first signal waveform based on the first energy modality, selecting a second energy modality to deliver to the surgical instrument, generating a second signal waveform based on the second energy modality, outputting the first and second signal waveform to deliver energy to the end effector, and adjusting a compression force applied by the end effector by changing a size of a gap between the tissue and the clamp arm based on a proportion of the first signal waveform to the second signal waveform.

Abstract: Surgical hub systems are disclosed. A surgical hub system comprises a surgical hub configured to communicably couple to a modular device comprising a sensor configured to detect data associated with the modular device and a device processor. The surgical hub comprises a hub processor, a hub memory coupled to the hub processor. The surgical hub system also comprises a distributed control system executable at least in part by each of the device processor and the hub processor. The distributed control system is configured to: receive the data detected by the sensor; determine control adjustments for the modular device according to the data; and control the modular device according to the control adjustments. When in a first mode, the distributed control system is executed by both the hub processor and the device processor. In a second mode, the distributed control system is executed solely by the device processor.

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument comprising an end effector is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw. The first jaw comprises a first electrode. The end effector is movable from an open configuration to a closed configuration to grasp tissue. The second jaw comprises a second electrode configured to deliver a first monopolar energy to the tissue, a third electrode, and a conductive circuit selectively transitionable between a connected configuration with the third electrode and a disconnected configuration with the third electrode. In the connected configuration, the third electrode is configured to cooperate with the first electrode to deliver bipolar energy to the tissue. The conductive circuit defines a return path for the bipolar energy. In the disconnected configuration, the first electrode is configured to deliver a second monopolar energy to the tissue.

Abstract: A method of displaying an operational parameter of a surgical system is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a cloud computing system of the surgical system, first usage data, from a first subset of surgical hubs of the surgical system; receiving, by the cloud computing system, second usage data, from a second subset of surgical hubs of the surgical system; analyzing, by the cloud computing system, the first and the second usage data to correlate the first and the second usage data with surgical outcome data; determining, by the cloud computing system, based on the correlation, a recommended medical resource usage configuration; and displaying, on respective displays on the first and the second subset of surgical hubs, indications of the recommended medical resource usage configuration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cloud computing system for use with surgical hubs communicatively coupled to surgical instruments in surgical procedures. The cloud computing system includes an input/output interface configured for receiving raw data from the surgical hubs, wherein the raw data are generated from operation of the surgical instruments in the surgical procedures. The cloud computing system further includes a data collection and aggregation module configured to: identify patterns in the raw data; generate metadata based on the patterns; aggregate raw data into data sets based on a predetermined classification system; and store aggregated data sets in a database.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising a motor, a user interface, and a control circuit is disclosed. The motor is configured to drive an actuation of an end effector. The control circuit is configured to prevent an activation of the motor, display instructions for replacing the motor via the user interface, detect installation of a replacement motor, and allow an activation of the replacement motor.