Syringe plunger rods comprising an elongate body formed from a composition comprising one or more of virgin material, a sterilization-stable recycled resin and a biobased compositions are described. Plunger rods comprising a plurality of ribs, some of which may have a plurality of openings, are also described. The plunger rods requiring less material while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to function properly.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck, wherein the staples are deployable into tissue captured against the compressible adjunct, and wherein the compressible adjunct comprises a first biocompatible layer comprising a first portion, a second biocompatible layer comprising a second portion, and crossed spacer fibers extending between the first portion and the second portion.

A stress dispersing device includes an attachment section forming a first zone, a common section forming a second zone, and a plurality of rays extending from the common section in different directions and forming a third zone, wherein the first zone has a first stiffness, the second zone has a second stiffness and the third zone has a third stiffness, the first stiffness being greater than the second stiffness, and the second stiffness being greater than the third stiffness.

Surgical methods involving cutting and sealing tissue include affixing a first adjunct material to tissue at a treatment site, such as by stapling the adjunct to tissue. A second adjunct material is applied to at least a portion of the first adjunct material such that the second adjunct material interacts with the first adjunct material to form a seal in an area of the tissue covered by at least one of the first and the second adjunct material. The resulting tissue sealing structure, which includes a combination of the two adjuncts, is believed to be superior to the sealing properties of either adjunct alone.

A distal tip of a surgical tool includes a tip body and an expandable member that extends around the tip body. The tip body defines an end portion that defines an attachment surface and an elongate member that is configured to be inserted within a tubular shaft of the surgical tool. The elongate member also defines a recessed channel that terminates at the end portion. The expandable member is secured to the attachment surface with a chemical bond and is adjustable between an expanded configuration in which at least a portion of the expandable member extends radially outward from the tip body and a collapsed configuration in which at least the portion of the expandable member is oriented substantially parallel to the tip body.

A bone fixation plate comprises a main body formed of a first material and a support member formed of a second, different material and attached to the main body. The main body defines a first set of openings and the support member defines a second set of openings aligned with the first set of openings. For each opening of the first set of openings, a main body circumferential surface is disposed adjacent and continuous with a support member circumferential surface of the second set of openings to define an opening circumferential surface that bounds an opening of the first set of openings and an opening of the second set of openings.

A spinal implant assembly includes a set screw having a central opening that extends from a first end of the set screw toward a second end of the set screw. The second end of the set screw includes a bottom bore portion, and the set screw is configured to engage with an anchoring member. The spinal implant assembly includes a capacitive assembly having an integrated circuit located within an internal portion the capacitive assembly, and a plurality of capacitive plates positioned on an outside bottom surface of the capacitive assembly. Each of the capacitive plates is in operable communication with the integrated circuit, and the capacitive assembly is configured to be received within the central opening of the set screw, such that the plurality of capacitive plates are positioned above the bottom bore portion.

A collapsible detection antenna (10) to detect electromagnetic tags (12) of surgical articles (14) in an operating room (16) includes an antenna assembly (18) configured to detect the electromagnetic tags (12). The antenna assembly (18) is configured to move between a deployed configuration and a collapsed configuration. In the deployed configuration, the antenna assembly forms an antenna loop (20) configured to detect the electromagnetic tags (12). The antenna assembly (18) has a greater detection range in the deployed configuration than in the collapsed configuration. The deployed configuration corresponds to a tuned shape of the antenna assembly (18) sufficient to detect the electromagnetic tags (12) in the deployed configuration.

Surgical methods involving cutting and sealing tissue include affixing a first adjunct material to tissue at a treatment site, such as by stapling the adjunct to tissue. A second adjunct material is applied to at least a portion of the first adjunct material such that the second adjunct material interacts with the first adjunct material to form a seal in an area of the tissue covered by at least one of the first and the second adjunct material. The resulting tissue sealing structure, which includes a combination of the two adjuncts, is believed to be superior to the sealing properties of either adjunct alone.

An implant system that is designed to be fastened to a posterior side of a spinal column. The implant system includes an implant body, for example a plate, and a plurality of fasteners. The implant body has a fastening structure for each fastener. Each fastener extends between a proximal end and a distal end and includes a thermoplastic material in a solid state, the thermoplastic material being liquefiable by energy impinging on the fastener, in an anchoring process, in which the fastener is pressed against bone tissue by a pressing force acting from a proximal side, and in which energy is coupled into the fastener to at least partially liquefy the thermoplastic material, wherein a flow portion of the thermoplastic material is pressed into bone tissue and, after re-solidification, anchors the fastener in the bone tissue.