A surgical stapling apparatus. Various embodiments include a rotatable elongated body that extends from a rotatable shroud on handle assembly and has a distal end configured for attachment to a disposable loading unit. The apparatus further includes a lockable rotation system for selectively locking the rotatable shroud to prevent rotation thereof about a longitudinal axis.

A method for characterizing a state of an end effector of an ultrasonic device is disclosed. The ultrasonic device including an electromechanical ultrasonic system defined by a predetermined resonant frequency. The electromechanical ultrasonic system further including an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. The method including applying, by an energy source, a power level to the ultrasonic transducer, measuring, by a control circuit coupled to a memory, an impedance value of the ultrasonic transducer, comparing, by the control circuit, the impedance value to a reference impedance value stored in the memory; classifying, by the control circuit, the impedance value based on the comparison; characterizing, by the control circuit, the state of the electromechanical ultrasonic system based on the classification of the impedance value; and adjusting, by the control circuit, the power level applied to the ultrasonic transducer based on the characterization of the state of the end effector.

An end effector including an elongate shaft with a lumen has an adapter at one end for coupling with a handle assembly of a surgical instrument. A support member has opposed openings defining a passage. The support member is positionable within the lumen. A trocar assembly has a sleeve and a trocar member. The trocar assembly is insertable into the passage. The sleeve includes an orifice extending through a wall of the sleeve. A pin is disposed in the elongate shaft and is slidable in a direction that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft. The pin is insertable into the orifice for retaining the trocar assembly longitudinally stationary relative to the elongate shaft that defines an inserted position of the pin. The support member includes a proximal ramp that is engageable with a head of the pin to maintain the pin in the orifice of the sleeve.

A method for powered surgical stapling instrument rotation adjustment includes measuring a change in position of a first motor shaft of the surgical stapling instrument relative to a stored rotation verification position of the first motor shaft resulting from manual rotation of an adapter assembly of the surgical stapling instrument in relation to a handle assembly of the surgical stapling instrument, determining a distance traveled by a first drive assembly of the adapter assembly of the surgical stapling instrument resulting from the change in position of the first motor shaft, comparing the determined distance traveled to a first stored rotation verification position of the first motor shaft, determining if the compared distance falls into a predetermined acceptable range of rotation positions, and adjusting the position of the drive shaft if the compared distance is not within the predetermined range.

In various embodiments, a tissue thickness compensator can comprise a compressible extracellular matrix and a bioabsorbable material dispersed within the extracellular matrix, wherein the bioapsorption of the bioabsorbable material is configured to leave behind channels in the extracellular matrix. The tissue thickness compensator can also comprise generation means for generating the ingrowth of tissue into the channels. In at least one embodiment, the tissue thickness compensator can comprise dissolvable wicking members which, when dissolved, can leave behind channels in the tissue thickness compensator. In certain embodiments, the tissue thickness compensator can comprise at least one rupturable capsule.

Various exemplary devices and methods are provided for performing surgical procedures. In general, one or more adjuncts can be used in conjunction with surgical instruments. The adjunct(s) can have medicant(s) thereon and/or therein. The medicant(s) can vary depending on the desired effect of the medicant(s) on surrounding tissue. As a non-limiting example, medicant(s) can be provided to influence hemostasis, inflammation, macrophages, and/or fibroblasts. When used in conjunction with a surgical stapler, the adjunct(s) can be disposed between and/or on jaws of the stapler, incorporated into a staple cartridge disposed in the jaws, or otherwise placed in proximity to the staples. When staples are deployed, the adjunct(s) can remain at the treatment site with the staples.

A surgical instrument that includes an elongated shaft that defines defining a central axis. The elongated shaft may have a distal end portion that is configured to operably support a circular staple cartridge therein. A tissue acquisition shaft may be axially movable within the elongated shaft such that a distal end portion of the tissue acquisition shaft may be distally advanced beyond the distal end portion of the elongated shaft. At least one tissue acquisition member may be pivotally attached to the distal end portion of the tissue acquisition shaft such that at least one tissue acquisition member is selectively pivotable about a corresponding acquisition axis that is substantially parallel to the central axis from a retracted position to deployed positions upon application of a deployment motion thereto. Various embodiments include an annular cutting member that is supported by the distal end of the elongated shaft for selective axial travel relative thereto.

A surgical stapling instrument includes a body member having a distal end. The distal end is configured to be fixedly secured to an annular deck member having a plurality of staple openings. The body member is configured to slidably house a staple driver member. The body member includes a radially expandable collar having at least one latching feature. The surgical stapling instrument also includes a shaft assembly, including a proximal sheath portion, a distal sheath portion, and at least one protrusion extending radially outwardly from the distal sheath portion. The at least one protrusion includes at least one abutment surface configured to engage the at least one latching feature of the radially expandable collar for coupling the body member to the shaft assembly.

A surgical stapler, or fastening instrument, may generally comprise a layer, such as a tissue thickness compensator, for example, releasably attached to a fastener cartridge and/or anvil by a flowable attachment portion. The flowable attachment portion may be indefinitely flowable. The flowable attachment portion may be flowable from the time that layer is installed to the fastener cartridge to the time in which the layer is implanted to patient tissue. The flowable attachment portion may comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive. The flowable attachment portion may comprise an adhesive laminate comprising a base layer comprising the tissue thickness compensator and an adhesive layer on at least a portion of a surface of the base layer comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive. Articles of manufacture comprising flowable attachment portion and methods of making and using the flowable attachment portion are also described.

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.