Abstract: An ultrasonic medical instrument having a handpiece and medical ultrasonic blade assembly including a vibration antinode, a handpiece, and a medical ultrasonic blade. The blade is threadably engaged by the handpiece proximate the vibration antinode. The blade is in ultrasound-transmitting physical contact with the handpiece proximate the vibration antinode and apart from where the medical ultrasonic blade is threadably engaged by the handpiece. A medical-instrument connection assembly for transmitting ultrasonic vibrations includes first, second, and third connecting members. The first connecting member is adapted to be ultrasonically vibrated and has a longitudinal axis. The second connecting member is capable of being positioned to be substantially coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis and in ultrasound-transmitting physical contact with the first connecting member.

Abstract: Described is a fingertip electrosurgical medical device useful for tissue grasping and tissue cutting, coagulating, welding and ablating in open and laparoscopic surgery applications. The electrosurgical medical device has a finger cuff assembly that attaches to the distal end of a surgeon's finger. An electrode is attached to, or is intrinsically part of, the finger cuff assembly. This electrode is connected to at least one electrically conductive wire that is adapted to transmit electric current to the electrode. The electrode may take any number of shapes depending upon the surgical procedure. Generally, two finger cuff assemblies are used in an opposable relationship to facilitate energy transfer or tissue grasping functions performed by the surgeon.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade, and an instrument, having a gain step. The blade body has, in any half wave length of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body, a first vibration antinode, a vibration node, a second vibration antinode, and a gain step. The gain step is located between the second vibration antinode and the first vibration antinode. The gain step is spaced apart from the vibration node by a gain-step distance greater than 5% of the distance between the second vibration antinode and the first vibration antinode. The instrument includes the blade, a handpiece having an ultrasonic transducer, and an ultrasonic transmission rod whose proximal end is operatively connected to the ultrasonic transducer and whose distal end activates the blade. In one option, the first vibration antinode is the distal tip, and the gain step is located between the vibration node and the distal tip, resulting in an increased active length of the blade.

Abstract: A method for calculating the capacitance of a transducer (C0) without knowing the exact resonance frequency of a transducer/blade combination is achieved by sweeping across a broad frequency range which contains resonant and non-resonant frequencies where C0 can be measured. A pre-defined frequency range is set independently of the resonance frequency of a specific transducer/blade combination. C0 of the transducer/blade is measured at several different frequencies within the pre-defined frequency range to ensure that invalid C0 measurements are disregarded, and the temperature of the transducer is calculated based on valid C0 measurements. The determined transducer temperature, based on C0 measurements, can be used to optimize performance and/or provide a safety shutdown mechanism for the generator.

Abstract: An ultrasonic clamp coagulator assembly that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue during surgical procedures. An elongated portion of the instrument can be configured for endoscopic applications and has an outside diameter of less than 6 mm. The construction includes a clamping mechanism, including a clamp arm pivotally mounted at the distal portion of the instrument, which is specifically configured to create a desired level of tissue clamping forces, exceeding 4 pounds when the trigger is fully closed. The clamping mechanism includes a two-piece pad design and pad material that enables the higher tissue clamping forces and a force-limiting mechanism that effectively smooths out abusive tissue forces. The assembly also features hand activation configured to provide an ergonomical grip and operation for the surgeon. Hand switches are placed in the range of the natural swing of the surgeon's thumb, whether gripping the surgical instrument right-handed or left handed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic clamp coagulator assembly that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue during surgical procedures. An elongated portion of the instrument can be configured for endoscopic applications and has an outside diameter of less than 6 mm. The construction includes a clamping mechanism, including a clamp arm pivotally mounted at the distal portion of the instrument, which is specifically configured to create a desired level of tissue clamping forces, exceeding 4 pounds when the trigger is fully closed. The clamping mechanism includes a two-piece pad design and pad material that enables the higher tissue clamping forces and a force-limiting mechanism that effectively smooths out abusive tissue forces. The assembly also features hand activation configured to provide an ergonomical grip and operation for the surgeon. Hand switches are placed in the range of the natural swing of the surgeon's thumb, whether gripping the surgical instrument right-handed or left handed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic clamp coagulator assembly that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue during surgical procedures. An elongated portion of the instrument can be configured for endoscopic applications and has an outside diameter of less than 6 mm. The construction includes a clamping mechanism, including a clamp arm pivotally mounted at the distal portion of the instrument, which is specifically configured to create a desired level of tissue clamping forces, exceeding 4 pounds when the trigger is fully closed. The clamping mechanism includes a two-piece pad design and pad material that enables the higher tissue clamping forces and a force-limiting mechanism that effectively smooths out abusive tissue forces. The assembly also features hand activation configured to provide an ergonomical grip and operation for the surgeon. Hand switches are placed in the range of the natural swing of the surgeon's thumb, whether gripping the surgical instrument right-handed or left handed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic clamp coagulator assembly that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue during surgical procedures. An elongated portion of the instrument can be configured for endoscopic applications and has an outside diameter of less than 6 mm. The construction includes a clamping mechanism, including a clamp arm pivotally mounted at the distal portion of the instrument, which is specifically configured to create a desired level of tissue clamping forces, exceeding 4 pounds when the trigger is fully closed. The clamping mechanism includes a two-piece pad design and pad material that enables the higher tissue clamping forces and a force-limiting mechanism that effectively smooths out abusive tissue forces. The assembly also features hand activation configured to provide an ergonomical grip and operation for the surgeon. Hand switches are placed in the range of the natural swing of the surgeon's thumb, whether gripping the surgical instrument right-handed or left handed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic clamp coagulator assembly that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue during surgical procedures. An elongated portion of the instrument can be configured for endoscopic applications and has an outside diameter of less than 6 mm. The construction includes a clamping mechanism, including a clamp arm pivotally mounted at the distal portion of the instrument, which is specifically configured to create a desired level of tissue clamping forces, exceeding 4 pounds when the trigger is fully closed. The clamping mechanism includes a two-piece pad design and pad material that enables the higher tissue clamping forces and a force-limiting mechanism that effectively smooths out abusive tissue forces. The assembly also features hand activation configured to provide an ergonomical grip and operation for the surgeon. Hand switches are placed in the range of the natural swing of the surgeon's thumb, whether gripping the surgical instrument right-handed or left handed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic clamp coagulator assembly that is configured to permit selective cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue during surgical procedures. An elongated portion of the instrument can be configured for endoscopic applications and has an outside diameter of less than 6 mm. The construction includes a clamping mechanism, including a clamp arm pivotally mounted at the distal portion of the instrument, which is specifically configured to create a desired level of tissue clamping forces, exceeding 4 pounds when the trigger is fully closed. The clamping mechanism includes a two-piece pad design and pad material that enables the higher tissue clamping forces and a force-limiting mechanism that effectively smooths out abusive tissue forces. The assembly also features hand activation configured to provide an ergonomical grip and operation for the surgeon. Hand switches are placed in the range of the natural swing of the surgeon's thumb, whether gripping the surgical instrument right-handed or left handed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical clamp coagulator apparatus is configured to effect cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue by cooperation of a clamping mechanism of the apparatus with an associated ultrasonic end-effector. The clamping mechanism includes a pivotal clamp arm, which cooperates with the end-effector for gripping tissue. The clamp arm is provided with a clamp tissue pad that has at least one raised portion to achieve the desired cutting and coagulation effect on the tissue.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade includes an ultrasonic-surgical-blade body having a longitudinal axis, a distal tip, a proximal end adapted for longitudinal ultrasonic vibrational excitation, a most-distal longitudinal vibration node, a treatment portion extending from the distal tip toward the most-distal longitudinal vibration node, and a functional asymmetry. The functional asymmetry is asymmetric about the longitudinal axis and translates longitudinal ultrasonic vibrational movement of the proximal end into a combination of a longitudinal ultrasonic vibration and a transverse ultrasonic vibration in at least some of the treatment portion of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body. An amplitude of the transverse ultrasonic vibration at the distal tip is less than substantially ten percent of a maximum amplitude of the transverse ultrasonic vibration of the treatment portion of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical shears includes an ultrasonic surgical blade, a clamping arm operable to open and close toward the blade, and a tissue pad attached to the clamping arm. A method for sealing a blood vessel of a patient includes obtaining an ultrasonic surgical shears and positioning the blood vessel between the blade and the tissue pad. The clamping arm is operated to exert an average coaptation pressure on the blood vessel between and including 60 psi and 210 psi. The blade is ultrasonically vibrated to transect and seal the blood vessel.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical shears has a bifurcated ultrasonic surgical blade, a clamping arm and a substantially “T”-shaped tissue pad. An alternate ultrasonic surgical shears has an ultrasonic surgical blade, a clamping arm, and a tissue pad having first and second transverse outer portions and a movable transverse central portion. An ultrasonic surgical instrument has an ultrasonic surgical clamp including an ultrasonic member adapted to ultrasonically vibrate and has a surgical cutter distinct from the ultrasonic member. A method for sealing a blood vessel of a patient includes obtaining an ultrasonic surgical clamp, sealing the blood vessel with the ultrasonic member, and transecting the sealed blood vessel using the surgical cutter. An alternate method similarly transects patient tissue and seals a blood vessel therein. An ultrasonic-surgical-shears tissue pad includes first and second transverse outer portions which are more resiliently flexible than is a transverse central portion.

Abstract: An ultrasonic-surgical-shears tissue pad has a tissue-pad body including a base material and at least one filler material. An alternate ultrasonic-surgical-shears tissue pad has a tissue-pad body having adjoining first and second regions, wherein the first region includes a first material and wherein the second region includes a second material. An ultrasonic surgical shears includes an ultrasonic surgical blade and a clamping arm which is operable to open and close toward the blade and which has a transversely and resiliently flexible distal tip. An alternate ultrasonic surgical shears includes an ultrasonic surgical blade, a clamping arm operable to open and close toward the blade, and a tissue pad attached to the clamping arm and having a clamping surface, wherein at least a portion of the tissue pad is resiliently flexible in a direction substantially perpendicular to the clamping surface.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical blade, and an instrument, having a gain step. The blade body has, in any half wave length of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body, a first vibration antinode, a vibration node, a second vibration antinode, and a gain step. The gain step is located between the second vibration antinode and the first vibration antinode. The gain step is spaced apart from the vibration node by a gain-step distance greater than 5% of the distance between the second vibration antinode and the first vibration antinode. The instrument includes the blade, a handpiece having an ultrasonic transducer, and an ultrasonic transmission rod whose proximal end is operatively connected to the ultrasonic transducer and whose distal end activates the blade. In one option, the first vibration antinode is the distal tip, and the gain step is located between the vibration node and the distal tip, resulting in an increased active length of the blade.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical clamp coagulator apparatus is configured to effect cutting, coagulation and clamping of tissue by cooperation of a clamping mechanism of the apparatus with an associated ultrasonic end-effector. The clamping mechanism includes a pivotal clamp arm, which cooperates with the end-effector for gripping tissue. The clamp arm is provided with a clamp tissue pad that has at least one raised portion to achieve the desired cutting and coagulation effect on the tissue.

Abstract: A method for calculating the capacitance of a transducer (C0) without knowing the exact resonance frequency of a transducer/blade combination is achieved by sweeping across a broad frequency range which contains resonant and non-resonant frequencies where C0 can be measured. A pre-defined frequency range is set independently of the resonance frequency of a specific transducer/blade combination. C0 of the transducer/blade is measured at several different frequencies within the pre-defined frequency range to ensure that invalid C0 measurements are disregarded, and the temperature of the transducer is calculated based on valid C0 measurements. The determined transducer temperature, based on C0 measurements, can be used to optimize performance and/or provide a safety shutdown mechanism for the generator.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical clamp coagulator apparatus is configured to effect cutting, coagulation, and clamping of tissue by cooperation of a clamping mechanism of the apparatus with an associated ultrasonic end-effector. Selective articulational positioning of the end-effector is achieved by the provision of an articulating mechanism incorporated into the clamp coagulator apparatus. The arrangement permits an elongated portion of the apparatus to be selectively articulatably positioned with respect to an apparatus housing.

Abstract: A reducer seal which fits within the cannula handle of the trocar. Contained on the reducer seal there is a seal retainer. Contained on the seal retainer there is a track and movable on the track there is a slide. The reducer track is attached to the trocar housing. The reducer seal retainer is attached to the slide and holds the reducer seal in place. The reducer slide then snaps onto the reducer track. In an "open" position the reducer slide is held away from an opening in the reducer. Detents on the reducer track hold the reducer in this position. Transverse motion moves the reducer into an active or "closed" position. The reducer seal slides into frictional engagement on the sealing surface of the reducer track. The reducer has a smaller diameter opening than the trocar cannula.