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.

Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone while maintaining suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture.

Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply a precise amount of tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone, preferably while maintaining the requisite pre-determined suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture. Particularly preferred embodiments allow for the one-handed operation. To that end, embodiments in which relative axial movement between the inner tensioning device and outer driver device is optionally physically constrained, for example by means of cooperating and/or compressive elements disposed in the respective hub and handle portions, are described herein.

A device for acoustic calculi fracture can include an acoustically-transmissive elongated probe body extending between a distal portion and a proximal portion and an acoustically-transmissive probe tip that can be selectively user-interchangeable with the probe body. The probe body can have a lumen longitudinally therethrough. A method of fracturing calculi can include interchanging a probe tip with a probe body by a user without requiring an additional tool and transmitting acoustic energy via the probe body and the probe tip to a calculus to at least partially fracture the calculus.

Disclosed embodiments include devices and methods for shaping, bending, and/or volumetrically reducing rigid cartilaginous structures, such as hyaline cartilage in the septum. In the case of septal cartilage, shaping, bending, or reducing the cartilage would be useful for reducing nasal obstruction or to improve the cosmetic appearance of the nose.

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 medical device includes an elongated sleeve having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end. A cutting member having sharp edges formed from a wear-resistant ceramic material is carried at the distal end of the elongated sleeve. A motor drive is coupled to the proximal end of the elongated sleeve to rotate the sleeve at cutting member at high speed to cut bone and other hard tissue. An electrode is carried in a surface portion of ceramic cutting member for cautery or radiofrequency ablation of tissue when the sleeve and cutting member are is a stationary position.

A surgical apparatus includes an end effector having an ultrasonic blade, a clamp arm, and a clamp pad. The end effector applies ultrasonic energy at the blade. The clamp arm pivots relative to the blade. The clamp pad is positioned on the clamp arm adjacent to the blade. The clamp arm includes a latching feature to retain the clamp pad relative to the clamp arm to prevent the clamp pad from moving laterally, longitudinally, and perpendicularly relative to the clamp arm.

A medical device includes an elongated sleeve having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end. A cutting member having a plurality of sharp edges is formed from a wear-resistant ceramic material is carried at the distal end of the elongated sleeve. A motor drive is coupled to the proximal end of the elongated sleeve to rotate the sleeve at cutting member at high RPMs to cut bone and other hard tissue. An electrode is carried in a distal portion of ceramic cutting member for RF ablation of tissue when the sleeve and cutting member are is a stationary position. In methods of use, (i) the ceramic member can be engaged against bone and then rotated at high speed to cut bone tissue, and (ii) the ceramic member can be held in a stationary (non-rotating) position to engage tissue and RF energy can be delivered to the electrode to create a plasma that ablates tissue.

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.