An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modelled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.

A treatment device equipped with high frequency capability includes a pair of clasping jaws that serves as bipolar electrodes. Another treatment device equipped with high frequency capability includes a high-frequency knife that serves as monopolar electrode. An anti-fouling coating that minimizes or prevents adhesion of cauterized tissues is incorporated on the electrode surfaces. Durability and functioning of the anti-fouling coating is improved by one or a combination of increased coating thickness, increased density of the coating, and incorporation of glass and/or high molecular weight PFPE into the coating. The anti-fouling coating can be applied to different locations of the treatment portion, e.g., an insulated portion and a recess of an electrode, an insulated portion and a boundary portion with an electrode.

A side-firing laser system with a standoff catheter includes an optical fiber configured to emit therapeutic laser radiation in a direction generally transverse to an axis of the fiber; and a catheter through which the optical fiber is inserted during a surgical procedure. The catheter includes a transparent end section through which the therapeutic laser radiation passes to vaporize tissue outside the catheter, an open distal end to permit exit of irrigation fluid from the catheter, and an opening in a side of the end section, the opening having dimensions that are approximately equal to or less than cross-sectional dimensions of the therapeutic laser radiation. When the fiber is moved to a position at which the therapeutic laser radiation passes through the opening, the laser radiation causes coagulation or vaporization of tissues.

An apparatus comprises a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and an articulation drive assembly. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section comprises a plurality of body portions aligned along the longitudinal axis and a flexible locking member. The flexible locking member is operable to secure the body portions in relation to each other and in relation to the shaft. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The articulation drive assembly is operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis.

An electrosurgical generator configured to generate electrical energy to be applied to biological tissue via electrical communication with an electrosurgical instrument, the electrosurgical generator including a power source configured to activate to output the electrical energy to the electrosurgical instrument, a measurement circuit configured to measure a resistive value associated with an erodible coating deposited on a portion of the electrosurgical instrument, and a control circuit configured to compare a measured resistive value of the erodible coating to a threshold resistive value of the coating, and control activation of the power source based on the comparison between the measured resistive value and the threshold resistive value.

An electrosurgical instrument has a hollow shaft portion defining a plurality of fluid ports configured for suction and/or irrigation. The electrosurgical instrument also includes a plurality of different electrode tips configured to detachably couple to the shaft portion. Each of the electrode tips have an active electrode and a return electrode to provide bipolar electrosurgical energy therebetween.

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.

Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for positioning electrodes within a body. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus for slidably moving multiple features relative to a sheath insertable into a body and positionable relative to a reference point includes a primary actuator configured to move a primary electrode to a first position. A secondary actuator is configured to move a secondary electrode to a second position. A shrouding device is configured to selectively prevent access to the secondary actuator until the primary actuator has been manipulated to extend the primary electrode to the first position.

A surgical instrument comprising a rotatable and translatable firing member is disclosed.

A robotic surgical instrument includes a housing having a shaft extending therefrom configured to receive a first end effector including jaw members moveable between a fully open position wherein the jaw members are spaced a maximum distance relative to one another and a closed position wherein a closure pressure between the jaw members is within a predetermined range. A drive rod actuates the first end effector upon translation thereof. The housing includes a spring compression assembly having proximal and distal hubs with the compression spring disposed therebetween. A jaw drive input rotates a drive gear to translate the distal hub relative to the proximal hub to compress the compression spring and actuate the end effector. Once the jaw members are fully open, the jaw drive input rotates a preset number of degrees to compress the compression spring and approximate the jaw members to a closure pressure within the predetermined range.