A device to assist in securing a holding a portion of a suture during an intra-abdominal suturing procedure, the device including an elongated tubular body, a handle, an inner member element, and a push button. The inner member element may include at least one grasping element that expands as the at least one grasping element is extended beyond a distal end of the elongated tubular. The device may include a spring disposed between a portion of the push button and a proximal portion of the inner member element to allow the at least one grasping element to retract into the elongated tubular body in a proximal direction.

A surgical tool including an inelastic and elastic cable to impart a bend to a shaft. A steering assembly is coupled to the shaft and configured to cause longitudinal displacement of the shaft relative to the body to tension the cables to bend the shaft bendable section in a direction of the flexible inelastic cable. The surgical tool may include an active tip with one of the cables being configured to supply energy to the active tip. The surgical tool may be a shaver that includes a shaver shaft having a flexible section configured to be aligned with a shaft bendable section with the motor of the shaver supported on a cradle of a body. The shaft bendable section may be formed by links with the flexible inelastic cable being arcuately spaced apart from tabs within sockets that engage adjacent links.

A surgical instrument, and methods for its use, is described that includes clamp heads that can be nestled within or extended from a tubular sheath by longitudinal movement of the clamp heads' tines with respect to the tubular sheath. One of the tines includes an arch that slides against a mouth and inside wall of the tubular sheath, causing the clamp heads to open or close. The clamp heads close lightly, to within a predetermined (or zero) distance from one another, gently grasp an ultrathin polymer substrate seeded with cells, and pulls it within the sheath such that the substrate curls and folds to protect the cells.

An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and a shield member. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The end effector is located at a distal end of the shaft assembly. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The ultrasonic blade is configured to vibrate at an ultrasonic frequency. The clamp arm is movable toward the ultrasonic blade to compress tissue against the ultrasonic blade. The shield member is selectively movable from a first position to a second position in response to movement of the clamp arm toward the ultrasonic blade. The shield member is configured cover at least a first portion of the ultrasonic blade in the first position. The shield member is configured to uncover the first portion of the ultrasonic blade in the second position.

A surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft extending therefrom, an end effector assembly supported by the shaft, a movable handle, and a drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a translatable drive member for actuating the end effector assembly, and a torsion spring including first and second legs. The first leg is configured to translate through the housing in response to movement of the movable handle relative to the housing. The second leg is configured to translate through the housing in cooperation with the first leg to move the drive member longitudinally when a force acting on the drive member is less than a threshold force, and to remain in fixed position, thereby tensioning the torsion spring and retaining the drive member in fixed position when the force acting on the drive member is equal to or exceeds the threshold force.

An arthroscopic cutting probe includes a shaft assembly having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis. A distal cutting member is rotatably attached at the distal end of the shaft assembly, and at least a portion of an exterior surface of the distal cutting member is electrically insulated. One or more burr elements extend radially outwardly from the electrically insulated portion of the exterior surface of the distal cutting member, wherein the burr element is electrically conductive to form an active electrode.

A powered surgical cutting and stapling instrument is disclosed. The instrument includes at least one sensor to measure at least one parameter associated with the instrument, at least one processor, and a memory operatively associated with the processor. The memory includes machine executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to monitor the at least one sensor over a predetermined time period and determine a rate of change of the measured parameter.

Circular stapling instruments and anvil assemblies. The anvil assemblies may have collapsible anvil support members that may be inserted through an opening in a patient and then expanded to be attached to an anvil plate assembly that has a staple-forming surface thereon. The anvil support member is attachable to the anvil plate assembly in such a way that when the anvil assembly is coupled to the stapling head of a circular stapler, the staple-forming surface is in substantial registry with the staples supported in the stapling head. A variety of different anvil support members and anvil plate assemblies are disclosed.

Various systems and methods may guide, support, and/or house instruments. One exemplary system includes a guide tube having a manipulation section and mated with rails carrying instrument control members. Moving the rails with respect to the guide tube, or another point of reference, can control movement of the manipulation section.

A surgical system comprising a steering tool and a powered tool. The steering tool includes a shaft defining a bore with a bendable section, an inelastic cable, and an elastic cable. The elastic cable may be arcuately spaced from the inelastic cable. The powered tool comprising a tube assembly with a tube flexible section, a working head, and a motor. The tube assembly is configured to be removably disposed through the shaft such that the tube flexible section is seated within the bore of the bendable section of the steering tool. The elastic cable is configured to be placed in tension, and the inelastic cable causes the shaft bendable section and the tube flexible section to bend towards the inelastic cable while the inelastic cable and the elastic cable remaining in tension to resist radial loading on the working head. Methods for using the surgical system are also disclosed.