Abstract: Various cartridge assemblies for surgical instruments are provided. Cartridge assemblies can include active sensors for applying stimuli to a tissue clamped by an end effector of the surgical instrument and a circuit configured to determine a tissue type of the tissue according to a change in the tissue parameter detected by the sensor resulting from a stimulus from the active element. Cartridge assemblies can also include physical features and/or stored data that identify the cartridge. Surgical instruments further can be configured to resolve conflicts when the physical features and/or stored data are not consistent with each other in their identification of the cartridge type.

Abstract: A surgical stapler. The surgical stapler includes a drive system, an electric motor, a battery and a control system. The electric motor is mechanically coupled to the drive system. The battery is electrically couplable to the electric motor. The control system is electrically connected to the electric motor and includes an H-bridge circuit, an electrically resistive element and an electrically inductive element. The H-bridge circuit includes a high side and a low side. The low side of the H-bridge circuit includes first and second switching devices. The electrically resistive element is electrically connected in series with the first switching device. The electrically inductive element is electrically connected to the electrically resistive element. The control system is configured to control a force applied to the drive system based on a current downstream of the electrically resistive element.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for controlling an ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the location of tissue grasped within an end effector are disclosed. A control circuit can be configured to apply varying power levels, via a generator, to an ultrasonic transducer driving an ultrasonic electromechanical system to oscillate an ultrasonic blade. Further, the control circuit can measure impedances of the ultrasonic transducer corresponding to the varying power levels and determine a location of tissue positioned within the end effector according to a difference between the impedances of the ultrasonic transducer relative to a threshold.

Abstract: A surgical hub is disclosed. The surgical hub includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive first image data from a first image sensor, the first image data represents a first field of view, receive second image data from a second image sensor, wherein the second image data represents a second field of view, and display, on a display coupled to the processor, a first image rendered from the first image data corresponding to the first field of view and a second image rendered from the second image data corresponding to the second field of view.

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: Various analytics systems are disclosed. An analytics system is configured to communicably couple to a plurality of surgical hubs that are controlled by control programs. The analytics system comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the analytics system to: receive perioperative data indicative of an operational behavior of the surgical hubs; analyze the perioperative data to determine whether an update condition is satisfied; generate a control program update according to whether the update condition is satisfied; and transmit the control program update to the surgical hubs. The perioperative data comprises data detected by the surgical hubs during a surgical procedure. The control program update is configured to alter the manner in which the control programs operate the surgical hubs during a surgical procedure based on the operational behavior.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for treating the tissue of a patient is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises a housing including a handle, a housing frame comprising a housing connector, and a drive system comprising at least one electric motor. The surgical instrument further comprises a shaft assembly releasably assembled to the housing including a shaft frame comprising a proximal connector and a distal connector, wherein the proximal connector is releasably coupled to the housing connector and a shaft drive system comprising at least one rotatable shaft operably coupled to the electric motor. The surgical instrument further comprises an end effector releasably assembled to the shaft assembly including an end effector frame comprising an end effector connector releasably coupled to the distal connector of the shaft assembly, a plurality of staple cartridges removably stored in the end effector, and a plurality of end effector drivers operably coupled to the rotatable shaft.

Abstract: Various aspects of a generator, ultrasonic device, and method for estimating 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 method for producing a surgical instrument is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a handle, wherein the handle comprises a distal end comprising a shaft interface surface and a first set of magnetic elements. The method further comprises obtaining a shaft, wherein the shaft comprises a proximal end comprising a handle interface surface, a second set of magnetic elements, and a third set of magnetic elements. The method further comprises attaching the shaft to the handle, wherein the shaft interface surface is configured to engage the shaft at the handle interface surface, wherein an attractive magnetic force is configured to pull the handle towards the shaft when the first set of magnetic elements interact with the second magnetic elements, and wherein a repulsive magnetic force is configured to repel the handle from the shaft when the first set of magnetic elements interacts with the third set of magnetic elements.

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: A method of coating a slip ring for use with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a slip ring including a plurality of conductive elements, and depositing a material less conductive than the conductive elements onto the conductive elements of the slip ring.

Abstract: A motor-driven surgical cutting and fastening instrument that comprises an end effector, an electric motor, and a motor control circuit. The motor control circuit is for monitoring a parameter of the electric motor that is indicative of movement of a moveable member of the end effector, and for adjustably controlling the electric motor based on the monitored parameter to thereby adjustably control movement of the moveable member of the end effector during forward rotation of the electric motor.

Abstract: A method of improving an operational parameter of a surgical system using data analytics is disclosed. The method includes transmitting, from each of a plurality of surgical hubs of the surgical system, operational data of a plurality of surgical instruments communicatively coupled to the plurality of surgical hubs, to a cloud computing system of the surgical system; aggregating, by the cloud computing system, the operational data into aggregate medical resource data; analyzing, by the cloud computing system, the aggregate medical resource data to determine a recommendation to change the operational parameter based on the analyzed aggregate medical resource data, wherein the aggregate medical resource data comprises one or more of usage data, patient derived parameter data, surgical performance data, and surgical outcome data; receiving, by the plurality of surgical hubs, the recommendation from the cloud computing system; and displaying, by the plurality of surgical hubs, the recommendation.

Abstract: A computing device, such as a surgical hub, may obtain performance data associated with a device, such as a surgical device in an operation room. Based on the performance data, a computing device may identify a performance signature associated with the surgical device. A computing device may determine whether the surgical device is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) device or a counterfeit device. A computing device may compare the operation data and/or the performance signature to data (e.g., data from a ML trained model) associated with OEM devices. Based on the comparison, a computing device may determine whether the operation data associated with the surgical device is within a normal operation parameter. If a computing device determines that the operation data outside of the normal operation parameter, the computing device may send a message to a health care professional.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method including detecting a modular surgical device within bounds of a surgical operating room; connecting the modular surgical device to a surgical hub; connecting the surgical hub to a cloud-based system; transmitting surgical data associated with a surgical procedure being performed in the surgical operating room from the modular surgical device to the surgical hub; and transmitting the surgical data from the surgical hub to the cloud-based system.

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 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: 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 flexible assembly for use within an articulated component of a motor driven surgical system is disclosed comprising a flexible shaft circuit strip comprising a plurality of wires, a knife bar comprising a first laminated plate disposed along a first side of the flexible shaft circuit strip and a second laminated plate disposed along a second side of the flexible shaft circuit strip, and a leaf spring disposed between the first side of the flexible shaft circuit strip and the first laminated plate. The knife bar is configured to reciprocate along a longitudinal axis of the flexible shaft circuit strip.