Patent classifications
A61B2018/00172
RF ABLATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING AN INTEGRATED CANNULA AND ELECTRODE
An integrated cannula/RF electrode for an RF ablation system includes a cannula including a cannula hub and a shaft extending from the cannula hub, wherein the shaft includes a distal portion; an RF electrode including a distal portion, wherein at least a portion of the RF electrode is permanently disposed within the cannula; and a deployment mechanism coupled to the RF electrode and either coupled to the cannula hub or extending from the cannula hub, wherein the deployment mechanism includes an actuator coupled to the RF electrode and is configured to extend the distal portion of the RF electrode out of the distal portion of the shaft of the cannula by actuation of the actuator.
SEAL FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, a coupling member, and a seal feature. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body and includes a distal end. The coupling member is disposed at the distal end of the shaft assembly to movably couple the end effector to the shaft assembly. The seal feature is engaged with the coupling member and includes a seal body and a plurality of protrusions. The plurality or protrusions extend from the seal body. Each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is configured to slidably receive a respective elongate member associated with the end effector therethrough.
ELECTRICALLY ENHANCED RETRIEVAL OF MATERIAL FROM VESSEL LUMENS
Retrieval of material from vessel lumens can be improved by electrically enhancing attachment of the material to the thrombectomy system. The system can include a manipulation member configured to be electrically coupled to an extracorporeal power supply and an interventional element configured to be mechanically and electrically coupled to the manipulation member via a joining element. A locking element can be positioned within the joining element to facilitate securing the interventional element to the joining element. In some embodiments, the system includes a control member configured to be coupled to a second terminal of the extracorporeal power supply and positioned within a lumen of the locking element.
Ultrasonic forceps
An ultrasonic forceps comprises a housing, an acoustic assembly, and a tine. The housing joins the acoustic assembly and the tine to the forceps and permits the tine to pivot relative to the acoustic assembly. The acoustic assembly comprises a transducer, a waveguide, and ultrasonic blade, and a waveguide sheath. The transducer is configured to generate ultrasonic vibrations directing the ultrasonic vibrations to the waveguide. The waveguide communicates the ultrasonic vibrations distally to the ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic blade is configured to vibrate in response to the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the transducer. When the tine is pivoted relative to the transducer, the tine is configured to move toward the ultrasonic blade. Tissue may be grasped between the tine and the ultrasonic blade. The tissue may be denatured when the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the transducer vibrate the ultrasonic blade, thus resulting in the tissue being cut and/or sealed.
INTERFACE JOINT FOR AN ELECTROSURGICAL APPARATUS
An interface joint with one or both of a needle actuation mechanism or an integrated shaft rotation mechanism. The interface joint comprises a flexible shaft between a housing and an electrosurgical instrument, e.g. for conveying power and/or fluid therebetween. The needle actuation mechanism comprises an actuation rod extending out of the housing and an actuator movably mounted on the housing. The shaft rotation mechanism comprises a rotation actuator rotatably mounted on the housing and operably coupled to the flexible shaft. Providing an integrated shaft rotation mechanism may obviate the need for a separate torque transmission unit. The improved needle actuation mechanism may use a pivoting connection to enable longer needle extension distances to be achieved for a given actuation distance.
Apparatus for removably receiving an end effector for performing surgical operations
A surgical instrument apparatus for removably receiving an end effector coupled to an elongate control link for actuating the end effector to perform surgical operations is disclosed. The apparatus includes an actuator housing and an elongate shaft extending from the actuator housing and having a bore for receiving the control link. The apparatus also includes an actuator mounted within the actuator housing and includes a clamp aperture disposed to receive the control link while the clamp aperture is being urged into an unclamped state by an opening force, the clamp aperture being operably configured to move between the unclamped state and a clamped state in response to the opening force being released, the aperture in the clamped state being operable to restrain the control link within the actuator for movement in a longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the elongate shaft.
SINGLE-PORT SURGICAL PROCEDURE USING IMAGE GUIDED ARTICULATED ROBOT
A robotic surgical system employing a treatment catheter (30) (e.g., a thermoablation catheter or a cyroablation catheter), and an articulated robot (40) including a plurality of linkages and one or more joints interconnecting the linkages for navigating the treatment catheter (30) within an anatomical region. The robotic surgical system further employs a robot controller (41) for controlling a navigation by the articulated robot (40) of the treatment catheter (30) along a intraoperative treatment path within the anatomical region relative to the anatomical structure derived from a planned treatment path within the anatomical region relative to the anatomical structure based on a registration between the articulated robot (40) and a preoperative image (21a) illustrative of the planned treatment path within the anatomical region relative to the anatomical structure.
DETACHABLE SURGICAL TOOL CONFIGURED AS A FINITE STATE MACHINE
Many embodiments of a surgical tool are set forth herein that can be employed for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures and in remote access surgical procedures. The surgical tool has multiple bodies with one or more detachable structural interfaces that can be established between one or more pairs of the bodies. Certain locks, interlocks, and/or joints can be present in the surgical tool and among the bodies in various embodiments in order to provide certain functionalities during use.
Catheter system
A manipulable portion of a catheter system advances out of a lumen of a catheter sheath at a distal end of a shaft, which is also within the lumen of the catheter sheath. The catheter system causes different advancement and retraction trajectories of a manipulable portion out of and into the lumen based at least upon different relative movements between the catheter sheath and the shaft. A projection and a corresponding receiver may be used to control relative positioning of the catheter sheath and the shaft, as well as to control positioning of the manipulable portion. The catheter system may control metering rates of a control element coupled to the manipulable portion during advancement and retraction of the manipulable portion. A control element of the catheter system has varying amounts of length outside a distal end of the catheter sheath during advancement and retraction of the manipulable portion.
AN ABLATION PROBE
An ablation probe (100; 200) comprising: an applicator (102; 202) arranged to apply radiation to heat surrounding tissue; a feeding cable (104; 204) arranged to supply electromagnetic energy to the applicator; a coolant flow path (106, 108) forming a coolant supply circuit; a tubular member (112; 212) housing at least part of the feeding cable (104; 204), wherein a part of the coolant flow path is defined by a space between the feeding cable and the tubular member; and a coupling body (114). The coupling body comprises: a cavity (116) in which the applicator (102; 204) is at least partly encapsulated; a coupling interface (118) at which the coupling body (114) is coupled to the tubular member; and a pointed distal tip (H4a) adapted for piercing tissue.