A guide catheter for use in treating sinuses, the catheter including a catheter shaft configured to provide suction about a balloon catheter and a distal portion shaped for navigating body anatomy. In one embodiment, the guide catheter includes a valve for sealing the balloon catheter and a vent for controlling suction.

A surgical instrument includes a housing, an end effector assembly, and a shaft. The end effector assembly includes first and second jaw members each defining a curved configuration. At least one of the jaw members is movable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position. The shaft includes a proximal portion coupled with and extending distally from the housing and a distal portion extending distally from the proximal portion and having the end effector assembly coupled thereto at the distal end thereof. The proximal portion defines a circular cross-sectional configuration to facilitate formation of a fluid-tight seal thereabout. The distal portion defines a rectangular cross-sectional configuration configured to facilitate insertion through a cannula.

The present invention is a group of surgical instruments with improved function and design for dental and craniofacial surgery, especially subperiosteal tunneling and related procedures. The instruments include surgical elevators for vestibular incision or incisions in the gingival sulcus. The instruments have varying angles and shapes to create a mucosal tunnel in any oral or maxillofacial region. The instrument suite also optionally includes specially designed forceps for introduction of graft material inside the subperiosteal tunnel and to assist with suturing of the graft to surrounding tissue.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

An instrument for repairing an atrioventricular heart valve, mitral heart valve or tricuspid heart valve includes a first tube having a tube axis defining an axial direction. A leaflet grabbing structure is arranged at a distal part of the first tube and contiguous to the first tube. The leaflet grabbing structure has a main body and a jaw, the jaw being movable relative to the main body. The jaw has a first proximally facing abutment surface and the main body has a second, distally facing abutment surface. The instrument has a needle that is cannulated and forms an inner tube. The needle is releasable from the first tube and movable relative to the main body in axial directions. The leaflet grabbing structure clamps a leaflet of the heart valve between the first and second abutment surfaces, while the jaw allows the needle to extend therethrough.

A surgical instrument for minimally invasive surgery has an instrument shaft with a distal end and a proximal end. The proximal end is connectable to a signal generator. The surgical instrument has an instrument head which is pivotably connected to the distal end of the instrument shaft via a joint, and an end effector which is mounted rotatably about its longitudinal axis in the instrument head. The instrument further comprises a mechanical coupling element which is arranged at least partially in the instrument shaft and is configured to transmit and/or convert mechanical actuating signals of the signal generator for pivoting and rotating the instrument head, as well as a coil spring which bypasses the joint and connects the end effector to the coupling element to rotate the end effector. The coil spring has portions with different spring constants.

A flexible surgical stapler includes an adapter having a coupling assembly configured for securing the adapter assembly to a handle assembly, an elongate body extending from the coupling assembly, a first drive assembly extending through the elongate body, and a loading unit secured to a distal portion of the elongate body. The loading unit includes a firing assembly operably connected to the first drive assembly. The firing assembly includes a cycloid gear assembly for increasing an input torque from the first drive assembly to actuate the firing assembly. The flexible surgical stapler may include an introducer assembly to facilitate introduction of a stapling portion of the surgical stapler into a body cavity of a patient.

A suturing device includes a curved needle, a suture, an elongate body, an actuator and a curved needle holder. The suture connects with the curved needle. The actuator interacts with the elongate body and is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The curved needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The curved needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip. The curved needle holder includes an inner surface defining a needle passage for holding the needle and a distal opening. The curved needle has a curved needle radius and the curved needle passage has a curved needle passage radius that is different than the curved needle radius and the curved needle frictionally engages the inner surface when the needle is in a retracted position.

A system for improving graft harvesting including a blade guide (320) having a handle (370) and a guide portion with an elongate slot (330). The system may also include a first blade assembly (750) that slides along the elongate slot (330), the blade assembly (750) having a cutting blade (765) rotatably coupled to a handle (780). The cutting blade (765) may include a leading cutting edge and a trailing cutting edge. The blade assembly (350, 750) and blade guide (320) may cooperate to control a depth of blade penetration into a tissue, as the blade slides along the elongate slot (330). The blade guide (320) may include means to stabilize the guide with the tissue.

An atherectomy catheter includes an elongate flexible catheter body, a cutter near the distal end of the catheter body, a drive shaft connected to the cutter and extending within the catheter body, an imaging element near the distal end of the catheter body.