Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument including a first jaw configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge therein and a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw between an open position and a closed position. A firing member is configured to axially move between a starting and ending position upon application of a firing motion thereto. A firing member lockout interfaces with ae camming assembly in the surgical staple cartridge to lockout the firing member unless the camming assembly is in an unfired position. A cartridge verification member is configured to move the camming assembly out of the unfired position to an intermediate position unless the cartridge verification member detects a verification feature on the surgical staple cartridge.

Abstract: An anvil for a surgical end effector is disclosed. The anvil can include a staple-forming surface, wherein pockets are defined in the staple-forming surface. The pockets can be aligned with staples in a staple cartridge. Moreover, the pockets can define a perimeter in the staple-forming surface, and the perimeter of at least one pocket can be nested with the perimeter of at least one other adjacent pocket. For example, an extended landing zone of a first pocket can extend into a receiving peninsula of a second, adjacent pocket.

Abstract: A surgical device comprising a housing, a shaft extending from the housing, an end effector extending from the shaft, a feeder drive, a rotatable clip magazine, and a rotary input is disclosed. The shaft defines a shaft axis and comprises a feeding chamber. The feeder drive is configured to move between a proximal position and a distal position relative the shaft. The rotatable clip magazine is configured to rotate about the shaft axis. The rotary input is selectively engageable with the feeder drive and the rotatable clip magazine. The rotary input is configured to be engaged with the feeder drive and the rotatable clip magazine to consecutively feed a clip from and deliver a clip to the feeding chamber.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a staple parameter of a surgical stapling instrument is disclosed. The method includes determining, by a control circuit of the surgical stapling instrument, a first stroke length for a first staple driver of the surgical stapling instrument to drive a first row of staples of a circular stapling head assembly of the surgical stapling instrument; detecting, by the control circuit, a malformed staple in the first row of staples; adjusting, by the control circuit, the staple parameter, based on the detection of the malformed staple; and determining, by the control circuit, a second stroke length for a second staple driver of the surgical stapling instrument to drive a second row of staples of the circular stapling head assembly.

Abstract: A buttress applier cartridge assembly includes buttress assemblies and a buttress applier cartridge for use with an end effector of a surgical stapler. The buttress assemblies each include a buttress to support a staple formed therein as well an adhesive for adhering to the end effector. The buttress applier cartridge includes a housing and a platform that extends longitudinally and supports the buttress assemblies. The buttress applier cartridge further includes a predefined pocket in the platform between each buttress assembly that allows a curved tip of the end effector to pass through. The platform is thinner along a central axis and becomes progressively thicker in the lateral direction. In some examples the predefined pocket is a slit in the platform.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft, and an end effector that is operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue. The end effector includes a pair of jaws. One of the jaws has a greater thickness than the other. On the thicker jaw is a placement tip that is elastically deformable from a biased curved position when the tip is subject to a force, such as the force exerted when tissue is clamped between the jaws. The placement tip extends distally from the distal end of the jaw to which it is attached. The placement tip can have a variety of shapes. The placement tip is made of a material having a lower stiffness than the material of the jaw from which the placement tip extends.

Abstract: A surgical end effector that includes a channel that is configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein and an anvil that is movable between an open position and a closed position. A rotary driven firing member is configured to move axially between a starting position and an ending position. The rotary driven firing member includes at least one anvil engagement member that is configured to engage the anvil and at least one channel engagement member that is configured to engage the channel. The anvil engagement members may differ in size and length from the channel engagement members. The channel engagement members may have different channel engagement surfaces thereon that are formed at angles relative to each other.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument is disclosed. The surgical stapling instrument includes an anvil configured to clamp a tissue, a circular stapling head assembly comprising a first row of staples and a second row of staples, a first staple driver configured to drive the first row of staples, a second staple driver configured to drive the second row of staples, wherein the first and second staple drivers are independently actuatable. A motor is coupled to the anvil. The motor is configured to move the anvil between a first position and a second position. A control circuit coupled to the motor. The control circuit is configured to set a stroke length for the first and second staple drivers to a first length, detect a malformed staple in the first row of staples, and set the stroke length for the second staple driver to a second length.

Abstract: An end effector is disclosed. The end effector can include a staple cartridge comprising a staple comprising a first leg. The end effector can also include an anvil comprising a tissue compression surface, wherein a plurality of pockets are defined in the tissue compression surface, wherein the plurality of pockets comprises a pocket comprising a first cup configured to form the first leg. The first cup can comprise a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a bottom intermediate the first lateral side and the second lateral side, wherein the bottom defines a depth relative to the tissue compression surface, and wherein the depth varies longitudinally along the length of the bottom. The first cup can further comprise sidewalls extending from the respective lateral sides to the bottom, wherein the sidewalls are defined by entirely-curved surfaces.

Abstract: A surgical instrument system comprising an adaptive control system is disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of controlling velocity of a firing member in a robotic surgical system are disclosed. One method detects an end effector condition during closure, sets a command velocity of a displacement member based on the closure condition, fires the displacement member at the set command velocity, detects an end effector condition during a firing phase, and sets a command velocity based on the firing condition. Another method receives closure force of a closure member, compares the actual closure force to a threshold, determines a set point velocity based on the comparison, and controls the actual velocity of the closure member based on the set point velocity. Another method receives actual closure force of a closure member, receives actual position of a firing member, and sets a new closure force based on the actual closure force applied to the closure member and the actual position of the firing member.

Abstract: A cloud based analytics medical system comprises a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, an input/output interface to access data from medical hub communication devices, each coupled to a surgical instrument, and a database to store the data. The processor aggregates medical resource usage data from the medical hubs. The medical resource usage data comprises data pertaining to medical products and indication of efficiency based on usage, disposal records, and location data describing which medical facility the medical product was allocated to and patient outcome data pertaining to a procedure that utilized the medical product. The processor can determine a correlation between positive outcomes from the outcome data and location data of the medical product, generate a medical recommendation to change a medical resource usage practice based on the correlation, and display the medical recommendation to a medical hub at the local facility.

Abstract: Devices and methods are used to modify a metabolic pathway of a digestive system by creating a pathway within the intestinal tract through an anastomosis between a proximal location within the intestinal tract and a distal location within the intestinal tract. In some examples, the small intestine has a first initial length and the created pathway defines a second length of the intestinal tract that is approximately ten to seventy percent of the first initial length of the small intestine.

Abstract: A shaft assembly is disclosed comprising a shaft including a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and an outer housing comprising a shaft radius defined with respect to the longitudinal axis. The shaft assembly further comprises an end effector comprising an end effector frame rotatably coupled to the shaft about a fixed articulation axis positioned laterally offset with respect to the longitudinal axis. The shaft assembly further comprises an articulation driver coupled to the end effector frame at an attachment location, wherein a lateral moment arm is defined between the attachment location and the fixed articulation axis, wherein the lateral moment arm is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the shaft assembly is configured such that a ratio of the shaft radius to the lateral moment arm is minimized.

Abstract: A surgical stapling anvil is disclosed comprising an anvil body including a tissue-facing surface, a plurality of staple forming pockets, and a longitudinal slot. The longitudinal slot comprises a first portion configured to receive a cutting edge of a firing member therethrough and a second portion configured to receive an anvil-camming portion of the firing member therethrough. The anvil further comprises an anvil cap welded to the anvil body, wherein the anvil cap comprises a welded portion and a non-welded portion, wherein the non-welded portion comprises a non-welded width, and wherein the non-welded width is less than or equal to about 105% of the width of the second portion.

Abstract: A cloud based analytics medical system is disclosed. The system includes a processor, a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, an input/output interface configured for accessing data from a plurality of surgical hubs and a database residing in the memory and configured to store the data. The surgical hub is communicatively coupled to the surgical instrument and the processor. The memory is configured to store instructions executable by the processor to receive critical data from the surgical hub as determined by the surgical hub based on screening criteria, determine a priority status of the critical data, route the critical data to a cloud storage location residing within the memory, and determine a response to the critical data based on an operational characteristic indicated by the critical data. A time component of the response is determined based on the priority status.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a sled and an end effector. The end effector includes a first jaw, a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw, an anvil, and a cartridge channel. The staple cartridge includes a proximal end, a distal end, a cartridge body, and staples supported in the cartridge body, wherein the sled is movable to deploy the staples from the cartridge body against tissue captured between the staple cartridge and the anvil. The cartridge channel is configured to removably retain the staple cartridge, wherein a load is required to remove the staple cartridge from the cartridge channel, and wherein the sled is configured to reduce the cartridge removal load.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an anvil, a closure assembly, a firing assembly, and a casing assembly. The firing assembly includes a staple driver and an annular array of staples. The casing assembly includes a first section and a second section. The first section includes a first handle portion, a first shaft portion, and a tubular casing. The tubular casing slidably houses the staple driver. The first section defines a homogenous continuum of material along the length of the first handle portion, the first shaft portion, and the tubular casing. The second section includes a second handle portion and a second shaft portion. The second handle portion is laterally coupled with the first handle portion. The second shaft portion is laterally coupled with the first shaft portion. The second section defines a homogenous continuum of material along the length of the second handle portion and the second shaft portion.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising an end effector, a shaft, and an articulation joint is disclosed. The shaft comprises a frame defining a longitudinal shaft axis and, in addition, a closure actuator translatable relative to the frame. The closure actuator comprises a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a link rotatably connected to the proximal and distal portions about proximal and distal link axes, wherein the proximal and distal link axes define a longitudinal link axis therebetween. The end effector is rotatably connected to the shaft about an articulation axis defined by the articulation joint, wherein the end effector is articulable between an unarticulated position and an articulated position, wherein the articulation axis is offset from the longitudinal shaft axis, and wherein the longitudinal link axis is not collinear with the longitudinal shaft axis when the end effector is in either the unarticulated position or the articulated position.

Abstract: A method is used to manufacture an end effector of a surgical instrument. The end effector includes first and second opposing jaws. The first jaw includes a body and an elongate cap. The method includes providing the elongate cap and the body of the first jaw of the end effector. The body includes an elongate channel and at least one alignment feature. The method also includes aligning the elongate cap with the elongate channel that extends completely through the body using the at least one alignment feature of the body that is disposed adjacent the elongate channel. The method also includes welding the elongate cap onto the body to at least partially enclose the elongate channel.