Abstract: A surgical stapling apparatus. Various embodiments include a rotatable elongated body that extends from a rotatable shroud on handle assembly and has a distal end configured for attachment to a disposable loading unit. The apparatus further includes a lockable rotation system for selectively locking the rotatable shroud to prevent rotation thereof about a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an ultrasonic waveguide extending through a body assembly. An ultrasonic blade connects to the ultrasonic waveguide. A clamp arm assembly of the surgical instrument is able to move from an opened position for receiving a tissue toward a closed position for clamping the tissue. The clamp arm assembly includes a clamp body and a clamp pad facing the ultrasonic blade. A clamp arm actuator of the surgical instrument is able to move from a first position toward a second position to direct the clamp arm assembly from the opened position toward the closed position. A modular coupling of the surgical instrument connects to the clamp pad such that at least the clamp pad can be disconnected relative to the ultrasonic blade for replacement thereof.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus comprises a body, a user input feature, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and a blade cooling system. The end effector comprises a clamp arm and an ultrasonic blade that may be coupled with an ultrasonic transducer. The clamp arm is configured to pivot toward and away from the ultrasonic blade. The cooling system is operable to deliver liquid coolant to the ultrasonic blade to thereby cool the ultrasonic blade. The user input feature is operable to both actuate the clamp arm and actuate the cooling system.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus comprises a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The end effector comprises a clamp arm and an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with an ultrasonic transducer via an acoustic waveguide that extends through the shaft assembly. The clamp arm is configured to pivot about a first pivot point toward and away from the ultrasonic blade along a first angular path from a first position to a second position to thereby provide a tissue sealing mode of operation. The clamp arm is further configured to pivot about a second pivot point toward and away from the ultrasonic blade along second angular path from the second position to a third position to thereby provide a tissue cutting and sealing mode of operation. The second pivot point is proximal to the first pivot point.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to end effectors. An end effector includes an outer shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and an inner shaft partially located within the outer shaft. The end effector may include an ultrasonic blade. The inner shaft may include biased and unbiased portions. The inner shaft and outer shaft may be translatable relative to one another. At one translatable position, the biased portion of the inner shaft may be located within the outer shaft and the unbiased portion may be substantially straight along the longitudinal axis. At another translatable position, the biased portion of the inner shaft may be located outside of and distally positioned from the outer shaft such that the biased portion of the inner shaft is bent away from the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to surgical instruments comprising an end effector, a shaft and a jaw assembly. The end effector may comprise an ultrasonic blade extending distally substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis. The shaft may extend proximally from the end effector along the longitudinal axis. The jaw assembly may comprise first and second jaw members. The jaw assembly may be pivotable about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis from a first position where the first and second jaw members are substantially parallel to the ultrasonic blade to a second position. Additionally, the first and second jaw members may be pivotable about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

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: Examples described herein any include a surgical module for use within the surgical system. The surgical module may include a first port connected to a surgical hub; a second port connected to an additional surgical module; and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive surgical data; determine if the surgical data is a first type of data or a second type of data; and instruct the surgical module to send the surgical data to the first port if the surgical data is the first type of data or to the second port if the surgical data is the second type of data.

Abstract: Examples described herein may include a surgical computing device that directs data communications to surgical networks. The surgical computing device may include a processor that is configured to determine a present network locus, wherein the present network locus is any of a first surgical network or a second surgical network; identify a data communications session; determine a surgical data type of the data communication session, wherein the surgical data type is any of a first type of surgical data or a second type of surgical data, and direct the data communications session to the first surgical network if the surgical data type is the first type of surgical data or to the second surgical network if the surgical data type is the second type of surgical data.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for selectively controlling the activation of an ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the presence of tissue within an end effector are disclosed. A control circuit can be configured to determine whether tissue is present within the end effector and permit activation of the ultrasonic transducer at a power level according to whether tissue is present within the end effector. In some aspects, the control circuit can be configured to automatically activate the ultrasonic transducer in response to tissue being detected within the end effector.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface. The distal end is movable relative to a longitudinal axis in accordance with ultrasonic vibrations applied to the proximal end. At least a portion of the outer surface of the body comprises a lubricious coating adhered thereto. The lubricious coating has a coefficient of friction that is less than the coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes an inner tube, an outer tube, an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp member pivotably moveable relative to the ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic blade is acoustically coupled to an ultrasonic transducer. The clamp member pivotably movable relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open configuration and an approximated configuration with respect to the ultrasonic blade, wherein the clamp member is pivotably coupled to the inner tube, wherein the clamp member is pivotably coupled to the outer tube, and wherein movement of the outer tube relative to the inner tube between the first position and the second position transitions the clamp member between the open configuration and the approximate configuration.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and system and methods for using surgical instruments are disclosed. A surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade and clamp arm, an ultrasonic transducer, and a control circuit. The ultrasonic transducer ultrasonically oscillates the ultrasonic blade in response to a drive signal from a generator. The end effector receives electrosurgical energy to weld tissue. The control circuit determines a resonant frequency measure indicative of a thermally induced change in resonant frequency and a electrical continuity measure; calculates a weld focal point based on the determined measures, controls closure of the clamp arm to vary a pressure applied by the clamp arm to provide a threshold control pressure to the tissue loaded into the end effector, and maintains a gap between the ultrasonic blade and clamp arm at a point proximal to the proximal end of the tissue. Pressure is varied based on corresponding weld focal point.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp assembly. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide operable to transmit ultrasonic vibrations to the blade. The clamp assembly includes a clamp arm pivotable toward and away from the blade about a pivot axis, to clamp tissue between the clamp arm and the blade. A rotation feature may provide rotation of the blade relative to the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis of the waveguide. Alternatively, the rotation feature may provide rotation of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the longitudinal axis. The rotation feature may be driven based on pivotal positioning of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the pivot axis. The rotation feature may selectively lock and unlock the angular position of either the blade or the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis at any of a number of predetermined angular positions.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes delivering staples from a surgical staple cartridge of a surgical instrument to a first tissue during a first procedure; removing the surgical staple cartridge from the surgical instrument; and delivering radio-frequency energy from a radio-frequency cartridge of the surgical instrument to a second tissue during a second procedure.

Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide configured to acoustically couple with an ultrasonic transducer. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade, a clamp arm and a clamp pad. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The clamp arm is pivotally coupled with the shaft assembly. The clamp pad is configured to removably couple with the clamp arm while the clamp arm is pivotally coupled to the shaft assembly.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an ultrasonic medical device is presented. The method includes machining a surgical tool from a flat metal stock, contacting a face of a first transducer with a first face of the surgical tool, and contacting a face of a second transducer with an opposing face of the surgical tool opposite the first transducer. The first and second transducers are configured to operate in a D31 mode with respect to the longitudinal portion of the surgical tool. Upon activation, the first transducer and the second transducer are configured to induce a standing wave in the surgical tool and the induced standing wave comprises a node at a node location in the surgical tool and an antinode at an antinode location in the surgical tool.

Abstract: A loading unit coupleable to a surgical stapling system is disclosed. The loading unit comprises an end effector, a firing system, and a shaft assembly extending proximally from the end effector. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw between an open position and a clamped position. The firing system comprises a firing assembly and an indicator. The firing assembly is movable toward a distal position through the end effector in response to a firing motion from the surgical stapling system. The indicator is configured to visually communicate a position of the firing assembly to a user of the surgical stapling system. The shaft assembly is removably couplable with the surgical stapling system and comprises an open slot region aligned with the firing assembly. The open slot region extends proximally with respect to the second jaw.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and an articulation drive assembly. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section comprises a plurality of body portions aligned along the longitudinal axis and a flexible locking member. The flexible locking member is operable to secure the body portions in relation to each other and in relation to the shaft. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The articulation drive assembly is operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to an electrosurgical system including an end effector, a jaw closure trigger, and a control circuit. The end effector includes a first jaw and a second jaw. The control circuit is configured to receive an input indicating a repeat mode, apply a first tissue bite algorithm to a first electrode and a second electrode based on an occurrence of a first tissue bite, enter a hold state at a termination of the first tissue bite algorithm, and determine an occurrence of a second tissue bite. The first tissue bite is based on the second jaw moving toward a closed configuration via the jaw closure trigger. Entering the hold state includes maintaining a sub-therapeutic signal. Determining the occurrence of the second tissue bite includes sensing a reduction in impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode via the sub-therapeutic signal.