A method is provided for operating a powered surgical stapler having a motor unit, a controller, and a stapling assembly having a plurality of movable members that are actuatable longitudinally by the motor unit to clamp, staple, and cut tissue. The controller determines that a movable member of the stapling assembly is in a first predetermined position, and then executes an actuation algorithm to activate the motor unit to actuate the movable member longitudinally from the first predetermined position toward a second predetermined position. The controller observes an actual longitudinal displacement of the movable member between the first and second predetermined positions. The controller compares the actual longitudinal displacement to an expected longitudinal displacement and determines that the actual longitudinal displacement differs from the expected longitudinal displacement by a difference value. The controller then adjusts the actuation algorithm based on the difference value.

A tool assembly includes a cartridge assembly or a heating assembly along with an anvil assembly, and a drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a working member and a laser probe that is pivotally supported on the working member and emits a laser beam. The laser probe is positioned between the cartridge and anvil assemblies such that the laser beam extends across a tissue gap of the tool assembly when the tool assembly is in the clamped position.

A surgical stapler apparatus or assembly comprises a surgical stapler device having an internal channel extending from a stapler actuating handle to a stapler head of the device and a gas insufflation device having a pressurized gas supply connected to the internal channel of the stapler device via an inlet port at a handle portion intersecting with the channel in order to supply pressurized gas to the channel as the stapler shaft is inserted into the lumen of a colon, rectum or the like. Pressurized gas travels along the channel and out of the stapler head at the distal end of the stapler device in order to inflate the lumen ahead of the advancing stapler head, easing insertion.

A powered handheld electromechanical surgical device includes a motor configured to drive extension and retraction of a drive component, a sensor configured to sense force exerted on the drive component during extension of the drive component, and a controller including a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive the sensed force from the sensor, control a speed of the motor during extension of the drive component in accordance with the sensed force, determine a speed profile or a force profile during extension of the drive component, and control a speed of the motor during retraction of the drive component in accordance with the speed profile or the force profile.

A powered handheld electromechanical surgical device includes a motor configured to drive extension and retraction of a drive component, a sensor configured to sense force exerted on the drive component during extension of the drive component, and a controller including a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive the sensed force from the sensor, control a speed of the motor during extension of the drive component in accordance with the sensed force, determine a speed profile or a force profile during extension of the drive component, and control a speed of the motor during retraction of the drive component in accordance with the speed profile or the force profile.

A surgical suturing tracking system is disclosed. The surgical suturing tracking system is configured to detect and guide a suturing needle during a surgical suturing procedure. The surgical suturing track system comprises a control circuit configured to predict a path of a needle suturing stroke after receiving an input from a clinician, detect an embedded tissue structure, and assess proximity of the predicted path and the detected embedded tissue structure.

A stapling device includes a handle assembly and an adaptor assembly extending from the handle assembly and including a sealed trocar assembly. The trocar assembly includes a trocar housing defining a lumen, an annular seal having an inner annular surface defining an inner opening, and a trocar disposed within the lumen of the trocar housing, through the inner opening of the annular seal, and movable through the lumen of the trocar and the inner opening of the annular seal, and a seal retainer operably coupled to the trocar housing and the annular seal. The trocar includes an elongate body portion having a distal end and a trocar member extending distally from the distal end of the elongate body portion.

A method of creating an anastomosis includes steps of advancing a distal tip of a catheter device through a first blood vessel into a second blood vessel, while simultaneously advancing a proximal base of the device into the first vessel, contacting a wall of the first vessel with a distal blunt surface on the proximal base. A further step is to retract the distal tip so that a proximal blunt base of the distal tip contacts a wall of the second vessel, thereby capturing the two vessel walls between the blunt surfaces of the proximal base and the distal tip. A controlled pressure is applied between the two blunt surfaces to compress and stabilize the captured tissue and approximate the vessel walls. A clip is deployed through the captured tissue to hold the tissue in place during the anastomosis procedure. The anastomosis is created by applying cutting energy to the captured tissue.

A method of creating an anastomosis includes steps of advancing a distal tip of a catheter device through a first blood vessel into a second blood vessel, while simultaneously advancing a proximal base of the device into the first vessel, contacting a wall of the first vessel with a distal blunt surface on the proximal base. A further step is to retract the distal tip so that a proximal blunt base of the distal tip contacts a wall of the second vessel, thereby capturing the two vessel walls between the blunt surfaces of the proximal base and the distal tip. A controlled pressure is applied between the two blunt surfaces to compress and stabilize the captured tissue and approximate the vessel walls. A clip is deployed through the captured tissue to hold the tissue in place during the anastomosis procedure. The anastomosis is created by applying cutting energy to the captured tissue.

A surgical stapling system includes an adapter assembly, a trocar assembly attachable to the adapter assembly, a processor, and memory. The memory includes instructions executable by the processor to cause the trocar assembly to move relative to the adapter assembly and determine whether the trocar assembly is properly attached to the adapter assembly. Such determination is based on an amount of force applied between the trocar assembly and the adapter assembly, an amount of current detected in the surgical stapling system, or an amount of time the trocar assembly moves relative to the adapter assembly without an indication that the amount of force is within a predetermined range.