A surgical clip applier comprising an electric motor system is disclosed. The electric motor system is configured to drive one or more drive systems of the surgical clip applier. The surgical clip applier comprises a control system configured to control the electric motor system. The control system is configured to monitor a parameter of the electric motor system to assess the operation of the one or more drive systems. In at least one instance, the control system monitors the electric current drawn by an electric motor and adapts the operation of the electric motor based on the electric current being drawn by the motor. The control system slows the electric motor down when the electric current drawn by the electric motor exceeds a threshold. The control system modulates the width, or duration, of voltage pulses applied to the electric motor to control the speed of the electric motor.

Various surgical devices and methods are provided for monitoring and regulating tissue compression and cutting to improve tissue effect. In general, these devices include a handle portion, an elongate shaft, and an effector disposed at a distal end of the shaft and configured to engage tissue. In one embodiment, one or more sensors can be positioned at various locations on the device and can determine a force applied to tissue engaged by the end effector. When the force exceeds a threshold, a notification signal can be issued to a user. In another embodiment, a sensor can determine an amount of current moving between jaws of the end effector and a controller can slow a speed of the cutting element when the sensed current exceeds a threshold amount.

A surgical instrument system is disclosed comprising a plurality of outputs driven by an input. The input is selectively engaged with the outputs by a shifting system.

Surgical clip appliers are disclosed comprising a plurality of clips which are stored in a compressed state. When a stored clip is moved into the crimping chamber of the surgical clip applier, the clip can assume a configuration which is different than its stored configuration before it is crimped.

An instrument port includes an elongated shaft, a bendable shaft, a steerable tip, an offset balloon, and a handle. The bendable shaft has a proximal end attached to the distal end of the elongated shaft along a shaft axis, the bendable shaft configured to bend only within a pivot plane that is defined by the shaft axis and a pivot axis that is orthogonal to the shaft axis. The steerable tip is attached to a distal end of the bendable shaft and includes a camera and a light emitter. The offset balloon is attached to the external surface of the elongated shaft and has an internal volume in fluid communication with a fluid port in the elongated shaft. The handle includes at least one lever in mechanical communication with the bendable shaft to adjust a customizable angle of the steerable tip measured between the shaft axis and the tip axis.

An instrument port includes an elongated shaft, a flexible shaft, a steerable tip, a handle, and a working tube. The elongated shaft extends along a shaft axis. The flexible shaft is attached to a distal end of the elongated shaft, the flexible shaft configured to bend only within a pivot plane that is defined by the shaft axis and a pivot axis that is orthogonal to the shaft axis. The steerable tip is attached to the distal end of the shaft, the steerable tip extending along a tip axis. The handle is attached to a proximal end of the elongated shaft, the handle including a lever in mechanical communication with the flexible shaft to adjust a customizable angle of the steerable tip measured between the shaft axis and the tip axis. The working tube is disposed in the elongated shaft and flexible shaft.

An instrument port includes an elongated shaft, a steerable tip, an offset balloon, and a working tube. The elongated shaft has proximal and distal ends and extending along a shaft axis, the elongated shaft having a fluid port defined in an external surface at the distal end of the elongated shaft. The steerable tip is attached to the distal end of the shaft. The offset balloon is attached to the external surface of the elongated shaft, the offset balloon having an internal volume in fluid communication with the fluid port, the offset balloon having an inflated state and a deflated state, wherein in the inflated state the offset balloon is radially asymmetrically inflated with respect to the shaft axis. The working tube is disposed in the elongated shaft, the working tube forming a working channel to receive a medical instrument.

A method for controlling an epicardial ablation procedure comprises (a) inserting an instrument port comprising an ablation tool, an optical camera and an optical light emitter into an epicardial cavity proximal to a target region; (b) providing optical light into said epicardial cavity through said optical light emitter to illuminate said target region; (c) obtaining a first image of said target region using said optical camera; (d) steering a tip of said ablation tool towards said target region; (e) applying an ablation energy to said target region using the ablation tool so as to form a lesion in or on said target region; (f) obtaining a second image of said target region using said optical camera; and (g) processing at least one of said first and second images in an image processor so as to determine a characteristic of said lesion.

An auditory guidance system and method for medical systems and procedures are disclosed. A method for providing auditory guidance during a medical procedure includes selecting a song for playing during the medical procedure. At least a portion of the song is assigned to the medical procedure. Parameter information for at least one parameter associated with the medical procedure is obtained during the medical procedure. The obtained parameter information is compared against predetermined thresholds for each parameter. The portion of the song associated with the parameter information is modified in accordance with the comparison and the modified portion of the song is played to provide auditory guidance during the medical procedure.

An exemplary treatment system can be provided which can include a laser system configured to emit at least one laser beam, and an optical system configured to focus the laser beam(s) to a focal region at a selected distance from a surface of a tissue. The focal region can be configured to illuminate at least a portion of a target. The optical system can cause an irradiation energy transferred to the focal region of the laser beam(s) to (i) generate a plasma in a first region of the tissue adjacent to the target, and (ii) avoid a generation of a plasma in a second region of the tissue. The optical system has a numerical aperture that is in the range of about 0.5 to about 0.9. An exemplary method can also be provided to control such treatment system.