A method of forming an access opening through a psoas muscle to a patient's spine includes laterally inserting a stimulating dilator into the psoas muscle. The stimulating dilator has a stimulation channel formed in an outer surface thereof. An electrical pulse is transmitted into the stimulating dilator to locate a position of a nerve in the patient's psoas muscle. The stimulating dilator is laterally inserted through the psoas muscle and toward the patient's spine in a way that avoids the nerve. A stimulating probe is inserted into the stimulation channel along the outer surface of the stimulating dilator while transmitting an electrical pulse into the stimulating probe to verify the position of the nerve.

A modular signal interface system for providing electrical communication with a surgical instrument when the surgical instrument is inserted into a cannula of a trocar. The system includes a signal interface adapter and an instrument connector. The signal interface adapter is provided on, or adapted to be mounted on a trocar, and includes central aperture extending therethrough and a proximal face having a plurality of conductive contacts. The instrument connector is provided on or adapted to be mounted on a shaft of a surgical instrument, and includes a central aperture extending therethrough and a distal face having a plurality of conductive contacts. The signal interface adapter and the instrument connector are adapted for mating engagement such that, when matingly engaged, their central apertures are axially aligned and predetermined ones of the plurality of contacts of the signal interface adapter are in conductive contact with predetermined ones of the plurality of contacts of the instrument connector.

The present disclosure relates to adapter assemblies for use with and to electrically and mechanically interconnect electromechanical surgical devices and surgical reloads, and to surgical systems including handheld electromechanical surgical devices and adapter assemblies for connecting surgical reloads to the handheld electromechanical surgical devices.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a minimally-invasive surgical system and methods of use which can mimic a mosquito proboscis to efficiently penetrate tissue. The delivery system can utilize a plurality of modular strut instruments to create a working tissue canopy and apply any number of surgical actions to a target tissue.

The present application provides a docking device, a surgical holding device having such a docking device, and a method for connecting a surgical instrument to a holding arm of a surgical holding device. The docking device has a two-part adapter device connected at a proximal end to the holding arm and at a distal end to the surgical instrument, a first adapter with an elongated portion with a longitudinal axis and a connecting body present at a distal end of the first adapter, and a first engagement element with a terminal connection surface. The adapter device has a second adapter on the shaft of the surgical instrument and an engagement element facing the terminal connection surface in the docking situation. The terminal connection surface of the first adapter is inclined at a predetermined first angle in relation to its longitudinal axis, which is in a range from 30° to 90°.

An adapter assembly includes a sleeve, a trocar assembly releasably securable within the sleeve, and a retaining mechanism configured to releasably secure the trocar assembly within the sleeve. The retaining mechanism includes a retaining block, a cam wire moveably positioned relative to the retaining block between a lock position and a release position, a retaining block extension for maintaining the cam wire relative to the retaining block, a button member in operable engagement with the cam wire, and a pair of retaining members. The button member includes a center beam moveable from an unflexed position in engagement with a stop tab of the retaining block extension to prevent movement of the button member to a flexed position out of alignment with the stop tab to permit movement of the button member.

A trocar for insertion into an organ of a patient includes a cannula having a distal opening, a channel inside the cannula, and an optical assembly including a camera. The optical assembly is disposed at a distal end of the channel and is configured to provide camera images of the distal opening with a field-of-view (FOV) that is tilted relative to a longitudinal axis of the cannula.

Methods and devices are disclosed for the formation of a communication between the aorta and left atrium. The method includes introducing a puncturing device, positioning the device at a location along the aorta, and advancing the puncturing device to create a pathway. The method may include: a. via an inferior artery, advancing a perforating tip of the puncturing device towards the aorta; b. positioning the perforating tip adjacent a wall of the aorta, proximate the left atrium; and c. advancing the perforating tip to perforate through the wall of the aorta and then through a wall of the left atrium, to create a pathway between the aorta and the left atrium, wherein the creation of the pathway can be confirmed with at least one of fluoroscopy, electro-anatomical mapping, pressure measurement, contrast injection, and echocardiograph.

An apparatus for penetrating bone and accessing bone marrow is provided. The apparatus may include a penetrator assembly and a powered drill. The penetrator assembly may include an inner penetrator having a stylet. The penetrator assembly may also include an outer penetrator having a hollow cannula and a luer lock attachment. The powered drill may include a housing enclosing a motor and a power supply and associated circuitry. The powered drill may also include a connector receptacle for receiving a penetrator assembly connector of the penetrator assembly. The powered drill may include a magnetic connection which releasably locks the penetrator assembly connector into place with the powered drill. The power supply may include a rechargeable battery within the housing for supplying power to the motor. A battery indicator may be provided to indicate a level of the battery.

A minimally invasive surgery system including a robot, a cannula assembly and a computer system. The robot has at least one movable robot arm and the cannula assembly is detachably mounted to the robot arm. The cannula assembly includes a cannula and a pattern generating member. The cannula has a distal end and a proximal end with a flange portion and an elongate cannula shaft portion extending from the proximal end to the distal end and an access port through the elongate cannula shaft portion. The pattern generating member includes a pattern light source and a projector temporarily or permanently fixed to the cannula shaft portion. The pattern light source is operatively connected to the projector for projecting a light pattern. The computer system is configured for in real time receiving image data representing light pattern reflections from a surgical surface and for determining a real-time spatial position of the cannula assembly relative to the surgical surface.