A surgical retractor for positioning within an incision within a body of a patient is described. The surgical retractor comprises a flexible air-impermeable bag surrounding an interior region and extending from a first end through a central region to a second end. The surgical retractor includes a first port in the central region, the flexible air-impermeable bag surrounding a first channel that extends from the first port towards the first end, a second port in the central region, the flexible air-impermeable bag surrounding a second channel that extends from the second port toward the second end, and a plurality of beads substantially filling the interior region of the flexible air-impermeable bag. The flexible air-impermeable bag is configured to rigidify in response to air being evacuated from the interior region to position and hold intra-incision contents within a surgical working space in a patient.

A tool has a handle and an elongate shaft that extends distally from the handle. A distal portion of the shaft is inserted into a subject during a surgical procedure. An optical fiber delivers laser energy to a tip at the distal portion of the shaft. The tip includes a mechanical cutting mechanism including a moving part that absorbs the laser energy, thermally conducts the absorbed energy to tissue that is disposed between the moving part and another part, and moves with respect to the other part in order to cut tissue that is disposed between the parts using a mechanical force that is lower than a mechanical force that would be required to cut the tissue in the absence of the laser energy. Other embodiments are also described.

The present disclosure relates to an end effector for an electrosurgical instrument, comprising an electrode assembly for delivering a radio-frequency (RF) power signal to a surgical site, the electrode assembly comprising an active electrode, a return electrode, and an insulating element in between the active electrode and the return electrode, the active electrode comprising an aperture which provides access to a suction channel extending through the insulating element to a lumen for carrying fluid from the surgical site, wherein the lumen is at least in part defined by an inner surface of the return electrode, wherein the electrode assembly is configured to conduct electrical current between the active electrode and the return electrode via a first current path through the suction channel when the RF power signal is supplied to the electrodes.

A utility tool device including a handle with a tool recess and a lever arm recess; a rotatable lever arm with a magnet that is configured to fit in the lever arm recess; and a rotatable lever hinge attached to the lever arm and configured to attach to a tool; wherein the tool recess is configured to have a tool fit in the tool recess; and wherein the magnet is configured to lock a tool in place when the lever arm is in the lever arm recess.

An electrosurgical instrument end effector comprises a rotary shaver arrangement, and an active electrode for supplying radio-frequency (RF) power to a surgical site. The rotary shaver arrangement comprises a rotatable shaver blade, and a stator that partially surrounds the rotatable shaver blade. At least part of the stator is electrically non-conductive.

An ultrasonic cutting tool is designed for use in an ultrasonic instrument. The tool is a blade having a flat section manufactured from at least a first blade layer and second blade layer. The first and second blade layer each being a flat metal plate arranged in parallel to one another and bonded to one another.

Embolic coils with detachable segments that are separated by detachment capsules that are thermolytically degradable such that varying lengths of coil may be implanted into a vascular malformation to occlude same. The capsules are radiotransparent when compared to the adjoining coil segments to the location of the segments is easily seen. The capsules further include protruding electrical contacts that make positive contact with terminals on a delivery catheter. The terminals on the delivery catheter serve as markers so the relationship between the detachment capsules and the terminals is easily visible under x-ray.

A left atrial appendage occluder (200) comprises a sealing part (220), a fixing part (210) disposed at one side of the sealing part (220), and a connection part (230) for connecting the sealing part (220) and the fixing part (210). The radial deformation capacity of the sealing part (220) is greater than the radial deformation capacity of the fixing part (210), and/or, the axial deformation capacity of the sealing part (220) is greater than the axial deformation capacity of the fixing part (210). In the left atrial appendage occluder (200), the radial or axial deformation capacity of the sealing part (220) is configured to be greater than the radial or axial deformation capacity of the fixing part (210), thereby avoiding the situation in which the sealing part (220) is not optimally fitted with the opening of the left atrial appendage (10) when the fixing part (210) is placed inside of the left atrial appendage (10), which in turn enhances the occlusion effect. Additionally, the sealing part (220) has great deformation capacity which reduces the risks of the sealing part (220) causing abrasion to the opening of the left atrial appendage, or even damaging the opening of the left atrial appendage. The fixing part (210) not only avoids the risks but also fixes the occluder in the left atrial appendage (10) more effectively, and prevents the occluder (200) from being disengaged from the left atrial appendage.

A fluid management system includes a pump connectable to a fluid source. An inflow line removably connects to a cannula for delivering a fluid flow from the pump into a surgical site, such as a joint cavity. A flow pressure sensor is coupled to measure flow pressure in the inflow line and produce a measured pressure value, A controller is connected to the pump and the flow pressure sensor, and the controller maintains a pressure set point by controlling a pump speed based on a backpressure-adjusted pressure value calculated by subtracting a backpressure value selected from a backpressure table from the measured pressure value. The BAPV is monitored to determine whether the BAPV deviates outside an initial BAPV range, and corrective measure are taken should such deviations occur.

A method of fabricating an ultrasonic medical device is presented. The method includes machining a surgical tool from a flat metal stock, contacting a face of a first transducer with a first face of the surgical tool, and contacting a face of a second transducer with an opposing face of the surgical tool opposite the first transducer. The first and second transducers are configured to operate in a D31 mode with respect to the longitudinal portion of the surgical tool. Upon activation, the first transducer and the second transducer are configured to induce a standing wave in the surgical tool and the induced standing wave comprises a node at a node location in the surgical tool and an antinode at an antinode location in the surgical tool.