Abstract: A waste bag holder pivotably coupled to an outdoor cooking station. The waste bag holder is a rod structure with multiple bends along its length to define a u-shaped portion and first and second engaging portions. The u-shaped portion is configured to support a waste bag. The first and second engaging portions are sized and configured to couple to coupling structure to facilitate the waste bag holder to be pivotably moveable between a use position and a stowed position.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an end effector having a clamp arm pivotable relative to an ultrasonic blade, an articulation section configured to deflect the end effector, an acoustic waveguide having a distal portion extending along an axis, a clamp arm closure assembly comprising a body configured to actuate in order to drive the pivoting of the clamp arm, and a clamp arm clocking assembly. The clamp arm clocking assembly is capable of driving rotation of the clamp arm about the axis relative to the ultrasonic blade between a first clocked position and a second clocked position. The clamp arm clocking assembly includes a rotating body pivotally coupled with the clamp arm, a translating drive extending through the articulation section, and a rotation driver assembly. The rotation driver is in communication with the translating driver in order to convert translational motion of the translating driver into rotational motion of the rotating body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a shaft assembly, an end effector, and a clamp arm driver. The shaft assembly includes a shaft portion extending along a first longitudinal axis, an articulation assembly, a distal shaft portion, and an ultrasonic waveguide extending through the proximal shaft portion, the articulation assembly, and the distal shaft portion. The articulation section is configured to deflect the end effector toward and away from the first longitudinal axis between a straight and articulated configuration. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade defining a second longitudinal axis and a clamp arm configured to move between an open and closed configuration in order to grasp tissue. The clamp arm drive is configured to rotate the clamp arm relative to the ultrasonic blade about the second longitudinal axis and actuate the clamp arm between the open and closed configuration while the end effector is in the articulated configuration.

Abstract: A catheter has a two-piece tip electrode with a shell and a support structure that are secured to each other by multiple redundant mechanisms in order to reduce the risk of tip detachment during a procedure. The tip electrode includes at least two different welds attaching the shell to the support structure to provide a dual failure mode. One weld includes a seam weld and another weld includes a penetration weld.

Abstract: A surgical tool includes an elongate shaft, an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft and including opposing jaws, and an articulable wrist interposing the end effector and the shaft and comprising a plurality of articulation links arranged in series along a longitudinal length of the wrist. A closure redirect mechanism includes first and second rigid links arranged proximal to the wrist, first and second transfer mechanisms pivotably mounted to the first and second rigid links, respectively, first and second transfer links interposing the end effector and the wrist, and first and second tension members extending distally from the first and second transfer mechanisms, respectively, and being secured to the first and second transfer links, respectively. Moving the first rigid link relative to the second rigid link, and vice versa, causes the first and second transfer links to correspondingly move and thereby open or close the jaws.

Abstract: A catheter has a two-piece tip electrode with a shell and a support structure that are secured to each other by multiple redundant mechanisms in order to reduce the risk of tip detachment during a procedure. The tip electrode includes at least two different welds attaching the shell to the support structure to provide a dual failure mode. One weld includes a seam weld and another weld includes a penetration weld.

Abstract: A surgical instrument and method of compressing tissue includes an end effector and a shaft assembly. The end effector has a jaw and a clamp arm movable between open and closed positions. The shafts assembly includes a clamp actuator having a proximal actuator portion, a distal actuator portion, and a force limiter. The force limiter is longitudinally connected between the proximal and distal actuator portions and configured to transfer movement from the proximal actuator portion to the distal actuator portion up to transferring a predetermined force therethrough. At least a portion of the force limiter is configured to deflect upon exceeding the predetermined force such that the proximal actuator portion is configured to longitudinally move relative to the distal actuator portion and thereby limit a clamping force between the jaw and the clamp arm.

Abstract: An electrophysiology catheter is disclosed having a balloon with a membrane. Electrodes may be disposed on the membrane. Each electrode may include a radiopaque marker. The markers may have different forms, e.g., alphanumeric or polygonal, to facilitate visualization of the electrodes using a bi-stable image and allow for selection of the appropriate electrodes to be energized during ablation of tissue. The inventive subject matter allows for proper orientation of electrodes on the balloon under a two-dimensional imaging system. This allows the operator or physician to determine if certain electrodes are adjacent or contiguous to the posterior surface of the left atrium and ablate such posterior surface for shorter duration or at a lower power to create an effective transmural lesion on the posterior wall of the left atrium while reducing the chances of damaging the adjacent anatomical structures.

Abstract: A control handle for a surgical tool, e.g., an irrigated ablation catheter for use with a fluid side arm, has a housing defining an interior cavity and having a port through which the component can extend into the interior cavity. The housing has a detachable plug covering at least a portion of the port and being at least partially surrounded by a recessed groove to facilitate detachment of the plug from the housing. The recessed groove may be formed on an outer surface of the housing and there may be a second recessed groove on an inner surface of the housing generally tracing the first groove. The plug may also include a hinge to allow the plug to be arranged at an angled position relative to the housing without being fully detached from the housing.

Abstract: A catheter carries a position sensor in a distal, on-axis position in an irrigated ablation tip electrode. The tip electrode has a shell wall that defines a cavity through which fluid flows and exits via fluid ports formed in the shell wall. The cavity is sealed by an internal member extends into the cavity with a baffle portion and a distal portion. The distal portion safely houses the position sensor and the baffle portion diffuses and disperses fluid entering the tip electrode for a more uniform flow through the cavity. The distal portion is configured to provide an annular region that runs along the length of the tip electrode to better feed fluid to the more distal fluid ports on the tip electrode for more uniform cooling at all locations on the tip electrode.

Abstract: A catheter comprises an elongated catheter body, a control handle, and a hollow tip electrode having a radially-symmetrical shell defining a cavity surrounding a center inner location from which light is emitted to pass through a plurality of openings formed in the shell for interaction with tissue and/or fluid, such as blood, outside of and in contact with the shell. Light interacting with tissue is reflected back into the cavity for collection whereas light interacting with fluid, such as blood, is absorbed. By analyzing the light collected in the cavity, a determination is made as to a ratio of light reflected by tissue versus light absorbed by fluid for indicating the amount of contact between the tip electrode and tissue. Alternatively, fluorescence may similarly be employed (light is emitted at one wavelength and detected at one or more different wavelengths) since tissue and blood have different fluorescence properties at various wavelengths.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an end effector having a clamp arm pivotable relative to an ultrasonic blade, an articulation section configured to deflect the end effector, an acoustic waveguide having a distal portion extending along an axis, a clamp arm closure assembly comprising a body configured to actuate in order to drive the pivoting of the clamp arm, and a clamp arm clocking assembly. The clamp arm clocking assembly is capable of driving rotation of the clamp arm about the axis relative to the ultrasonic blade between a first clocked position and a second clocked position. The clamp arm clocking assembly includes a rotating body pivotally coupled with the clamp arm, a translating drive extending through the articulation section, and a rotation driver assembly. The rotation driver is in communication with the translating driver in order to convert translational motion of the translating driver into rotational motion of the rotating body.

Abstract: A catheter carries a position sensor in a distal, on-axis position in an irrigated ablation tip electrode. The tip electrode has a shell wall that defines a cavity through which fluid flows and exits via fluid ports formed in the shell wall. The cavity is sealed by an internal member extends into the cavity with a baffle portion and a distal portion. The distal portion safely houses the position sensor and the baffle portion diffuses and disperses fluid entering the tip electrode for a more uniform flow through the cavity. The distal portion is configured to provide an annular region that runs along the length of the tip electrode to better feed fluid to the more distal fluid ports on the tip electrode for more uniform cooling at all locations on the tip electrode.

Abstract: A catheter is responsive to external and internal magnetic field generators for generating position data of the catheter position and pressure data to determine pressured exerted on a distal end of the catheter when engaged with tissue, with a reduced number of sensing coils and reduced number of sensing coil leads for minimizing lead breakage and failure. The catheter includes a distal section adapted for engagement with patient tissue, where the distal section has a proximal portion, a distal portion and a flexible joint with a resilient member adapted to allow axial displacement and angular deflection between the proximal and distal portions of the distal section. The catheter may have three or less sensing coils with three or less leads, each transmitting signals between a respective sensing coil and the signal processor.

Abstract: A catheter is responsive to external and internal magnetic field generators for generating signals representing position and pressure data, with a reduced number of sensing coil leads for minimizing lead breakage and failure. The catheter includes a flexible joint with pressure sensing and position coils, at least pair of a pressure sensing coil and a position coil are serially connected. Methods of calibrating a catheter for position and pressure sensing, and detecting magnetic field interference with one catheter by another catheter or other metal or ferrous object advantageously use signals between two sets of sensors as a “back up” or “error check”.

Abstract: A catheter is responsive to external and internal magnetic field generators for generating position data of the catheter position and pressure data to determine pressured exerted on a distal end of the catheter when engaged with tissue, with a reduced number of sensing coils and reduced number of sensing coil leads for minimizing lead breakage and failure. The catheter includes a distal section adapted for engagement with patient tissue, where the distal section has a proximal portion, a distal portion and a flexible joint with a resilient member adapted to allow axial displacement and angular deflection between the proximal and distal portions of the distal section. The catheter may have three or less sensing coils with three or less leads, each transmitting signals between a respective sensing coil and the signal processor.

Abstract: A catheter is responsive to external and internal magnetic field generators for generating signals representing position and pressure data, with a reduced number of sensing coil leads for minimizing lead breakage and failure. The catheter includes a flexible joint with pressure sensing and position coils, at least pair of a pressure sensing coil and a position coil are serially connected. Methods of calibrating a catheter for position and pressure sensing, and detecting magnetic field interference with one catheter by another catheter or other metal or ferrous object advantageously use signals between two sets of sensors as a “back up” or “error check”.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a handle, a catheter, an end effector, and a deflection drive assembly. The end effector includes at least one electrode. The deflection drive assembly includes an input member, a translating assembly coupled to the end effector, and a rack and pinion assembly. The rack and pinion assembly is configured to drive the translating assembly to deflect the end effector away at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis and consists of a rack and a pinion. The rack and pinion assembly is configured to either transfer rotational motion of the pinion from the input member into linear motion of the rack to push distally or pull proximally the translating member; or transfer linear motion of the rack from the input member into rotational motion of the pinion to move a first end of the translating member proximally and a second end of the translating member distally.

Abstract: An irrigated ablation catheter includes a tip electrode with a thin shell and a plug to provide a plenum chamber. The tip electrode has an inlet of a predetermined size and noncircular shape, and outlets in the form of fluid ports formed in the thin shell wall. The plurality of the fluid ports is predetermined, as is their diameter. Each fluid port has a tapered configuration, for example, a frustoconical configuration, with a smaller inlet diameter and a larger outlet diameter.

Abstract: A catheter has a two-piece tip electrode with a shell and a support structure that are secured to each other by multiple redundant mechanisms in order to reduce the risk of tip detachment during a procedure. The tip electrode includes at least two different welds attaching the shell to the support structure to provide a dual failure mode. One weld includes a seam weld and another weld includes a penetration weld.