Abstract: A sphincter augmentation device includes a plurality of bodies and a linking structure linking the plurality of bodies together to form an annular array. Each body includes a housing and magnets positioned within the housing. The magnets magnetically bias the bodies toward one another and are movable within the housing. The annular array is sized to be positioned around a human lower esophageal sphincter so that the bodies and the linking structure bear inwardly against the lower esophageal sphincter. The annular array is configured to transition between a radially expanded state and a radially contracted state to constrict the lower esophageal sphincter. The magnets are configured to move relative to the housing of each body between a first position and a second position. In the first position the magnets are magnetically aligned with each other. In the second position the magnets are aligned with an externally applied magnetic field.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of beads and a linking assembly joining the beads together. The beads and the linking assembly are arranged in an annular arrangement and sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop may move between a contracted and expanded configuration. The loop is magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads. The beads each include a housing defining a magnet chamber and a magnet assembly disposed within the magnet chamber. The magnet assembly includes at least one annular magnet and an encasement surrounding the at least one annular magnet to provide a seal between the at least one annular magnet and the magnet chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first shaft extending distally from a proximal end to a distal end. The first shaft is sized to fit within an esophagus of a patient. The first shaft includes a first shaft lumen extending distally to the distal end. The apparatus further includes a second shaft slidably positioned within the first shaft lumen. The second shaft is sized to fit within the shaft lumen and extend through the transverse bore. The second shaft is configured to receive a guide element and a sphincter augmentation device so that the sphincter augmentation device may be deployed through an interior of the esophagus to an exterior of the esophagus.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of links and a plurality of beads interconnected together using the plurality of links. Each link of the plurality of links defines a chord length. The plurality of beads is configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement. Each bead of the plurality of beads includes at least one magnet configured to emit a magnetic field. The annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop in the expanded configuration is configured to permit fluid flow through the anatomical structure. Adjacent magnetic fields of adjacent magnets of the adjacent beads are configured to interact until separated past a minimum threshold in response the annular arrangement moving from the contracted configuration to the expanded configuration. The minimum threshold is based on the chord length of the links.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one link and a plurality of beads. The plurality of beads is joined using the at least one link and is configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement. The annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. Each bead includes a magnet configured to emit a magnetic field and a non-magnetic feature disposed between the adjacent magnets. The magnetic fields of adjacent magnets of adjacent beads of the plurality of beads are configured to proportionately change based on a distance between the adjacent beads. The magnet of each of the beads is configured to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration. The non-magnetic feature is configured to create a temporary magnetic braking force by temporarily altering the proportionate change of the magnetic fields once the adjacent beads are in a close proximity state.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one link and a plurality of beads. The plurality of beads is joined using the at least one link and is configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement. The annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The annular arrangement is configured to move between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration. The loop in the contracted configuration is configured to prevent fluid flow through the anatomical structure. Each bead includes a housing, a magnet contained within the housing, and a secondary element that is different from the magnet. The magnet is configured to emit a magnetic field. The magnets of the plurality of beads are configured to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration. The secondary element is contained within the housing and is configured to increase the magnetic field of the magnet.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of beads a linking assembly joining the beads together. The beads and the linking assembly are arranged in an annular arrangement and sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop may move between a contracted and expanded configuration. The loop is magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads. Each bead includes a housing having a first piece and a second piece that together define a magnetic chamber. A magnetic is within the magnetic chamber. A weld joins the first piece and the second piece while hermetically sealing the magnet chamber. The first piece of the housing includes a mounting feature integrated with a surface of the first piece. The mounting feature mates with a fixture to constrain the first piece of the housing as the weld is formed.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of beads and a plurality of interconnection elements. Each bead includes a housing and a magnet. Each interconnection element includes a main body extending between a pair of ends, and a pair of heads each positioned at a respective end and received within a bead. The beads and interconnection elements are sized and configured to form a loop configured to transition between constricted and expanded configurations. The apparatus is configured such that, when the loop is in the expanded configuration, a first head of a first interconnection element is received within a first bead and is spaced apart from a first centerline of the first bead by a first distance, and a second head of a second interconnection element is received within a second bead and is spaced apart from a second centerline of the second bead by a second distance.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of beads, and a linking assembly. Each bead in the plurality of beads includes at least one magnet and a unibody housing encasing and sealing the at least one magnet. The unibody housing includes a magnetically inert material being formed of a particulate powder composition. The linking assembly joins the bedad together such that the beads and the linking assembly in arranged in an annular arrangement sized to form a loop around an anatomical structure of a patient. The loop may transition between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration while being magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration by a magnetic bias of the beads.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one link and a plurality of beads. The plurality of beads is joined using the at least one link. The housing includes a magnet chamber. The magnet is configured to emit a magnetic field to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration. The magnet is sized and configured to move within the magnet chamber. A consistent angular orientation of adjacent housings is determined by at least one of the following adjustment parameters: a magnitude of the magnetic fields of adjacent magnets disposed in the adjacent housings by altering a distance between the adjacent housings, a directionality of the adjacent magnets within adjacent magnet chambers by allowing for twist of the magnet within the magnet chamber, or a freedom of the adjacent magnets to move within the adjacent magnet chambers by allowing the magnets to move laterally within the respective magnet chambers.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of beads each defining a first opening and a second opening, a linking assembly, and a 3D printed magnetic element housed within a first bead of the plurality of beads. The linking assembly extends through the first opening and the second opening of each bead such that the beads and the linking assembly may be arranged in an annular arrangement to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. The loop moves between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration and is magnetically biased toward the contracted configuration. The 3D printed magnetic element is housed within a first bead of the plurality of beads. The 3D printed magnetic element include a composite of magnetic granules combined to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field is generated by the 3D printed element and is configured to contribute toward the magnetic bias.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of links and a plurality of beads. The plurality of beads is joined using the plurality of links and is configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement. The annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. Each bead includes a housing, a passageway extending through the housing, and at least one annular magnet disposed around the passageway of the bead. The at least one annular magnet includes an aperture defining a magnet axis. The at least one annular magnet of each of the beads is configured to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration. For at least one of the plurality of beads, the at least one annular magnet includes a feature configured to concentrate or diffuse a magnetic field interaction of adjacent beads of the plurality of beads toward the magnet axis.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one link and a plurality of beads. The plurality of beads are joined using the at least one link and configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement. Each bead includes at least one magnet. The annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient. Adjacent beads are magnetically attracted together at a plurality of magnetic interfaces that include first and second magnetic interfaces. The first magnetic interface has a first magnetic field strength. The second magnetic interface has a second magnetic field strength that is less than the first magnetic field strength so that the beads forming the second interface are configured to separate prior to the beads forming the first interface when the loop moves from the contracted configuration to the expanded configuration, thereby providing uniform radial expansion of the loop.

Abstract: A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling instrument is disclosed. The loading unit comprises a shaft and an end effector extending from the shaft. The end effector comprises a first jaw that comprising an anvil, and a second jaw. At least one of the first jaw and the second jaw is movable relative to the other to grasp tissue. The second jaw comprises an elongated channel comprising retaining features, and a staple cartridge insertable into the elongated channel for assembly therewith. The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge pan, and a sled translatable relative to the cartridge pan from a first position toward a second position. The retaining features are configured to resist a movement by the sled beyond the first position up to a predetermined force.

Abstract: A surgical instrument is disclosed including an end effector operable to treat tissue, a shaft extending proximally from the end effector, and a housing assembly extending proximally from the shaft. The housing assembly includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner and a motor-assembly compartment including a motor assembly interchangeably retained by the motor-assembly compartment in an assembled configuration. The motor assembly is movable relative to the motor-assembly compartment between the assembled configuration and an unassembled configuration. The motor assembly includes a motor configured to drive the end effector to treat the tissue and an RFID tag detectable by the RFID scanner in the assembled configuration. The RFID tag stores motor-assembly information.

Abstract: A surgical instrument system that comprises a shaft and a handle assembly releasably couplable to the shaft. The handle assembly comprises a disposable outer housing defining a sterile barrier. The disposable outer housing is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The handle assembly further comprises a control inner core receivable inside the disposable outer housing in the open configuration. The disposable outer housing is configured to isolate the control inner core within the sterile barrier in the closed configuration. The surgical instrument system further comprises an end effector releasably couplable to the shaft and an electrical interface assembly configured to transmit data and power between the control inner core and the end effector. The electrical interface assembly comprises a first interface portion on a first side of the sterile barrier, and a second interface portion on a second side of the sterile barrier opposite the first side.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for use with a staple cartridge including a sled and staples is disclosed. The surgical stapling instrument comprises a firing system. The firing system comprising a motor and a driving member operably coupled to the motor. The motor is configured to cause the driving member to advance the sled to deploy the staples into tissue grasped by the surgical stapling instrument. The driving member is movable by the motor along a predefined firing path. The surgical stapling instrument further comprises a control circuit that is configured to detect a location of the sled along the firing path, and adjust a motor control program based on the location of the sled.

Abstract: A modular surgical instrument system that comprises modular components and a control circuit electrically couplable to the modular components. The modular components comprise a shaft and a handle assembly. The handle assembly comprises a disposable outer housing. The disposable outer housing is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The handle assembly further comprises a control inner core receivable inside the disposable outer housing in the open configuration. The disposable outer housing is configured to isolate the control inner core in the closed configuration. The modular components further comprise a loading unit releasably couplable to the shaft and a staple cartridge releasably couplable to an end effector. The loading unit comprises the end effector.

Abstract: In general, devices, systems, and methods for multi-source imaging are provided.

Abstract: In general, devices, systems, and methods for multi-source imaging are provided.