Systems and methods for minimally invasive computer-assisted telesurgery are described. For example, this disclosure provides surgical instruments and instrument drive systems for computer-assisted tele-operated surgery that are structured and operated to negate the effects of cable stretch within the surgical instruments.

Disclosed is a reusable surgical instrument (1) with an articulated end-effector (3), such as a dissector, scissor or grasper, to enhance a surgeon's performance during various surgical procedures. The longitudinal axis of the instrument is defined by a shaft (2), comprising an internal structural element (2″) covered by an external tube (2′), which may be inserted through a surgical incision into the body of a patient, optionally through a trocar. The articulated end-effector (3) is mounted on the distal extremity of the shaft's internal structural element and comprises a plurality of links interconnected by a plurality of joints, whose movements are remotely actuated by the surgeon's hands. This remote actuation is accomplished via mechanical transmission (5, 6, 7), mainly composed of flexible elements, which are able to deliver motion from a set of actuation elements, placed at a proximal extremity of the shaft (2), to the instrument's articulated end-effector (3). The external tube (2′) can be easily and individually detached from the shaft (2) after each procedure, so that the instrument (1) can be more effectively cleaned and sterilized.

Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for initializing a surgical tool are provided. In general, a surgical tool can include an end effector, an elongate shaft, and a wrist that couples the end effector to a distal end of the shaft. The wrist can be configured to facilitate movement of the end effector relative to the shaft. The surgical tool can include multiple flexible members configured to move, either individually or as a group including any plural number of the flexible members, to cause the movement of the end effector relative to the shaft by pivoting at the wrist. The movement of the end effector can include movement between an unarticulated position and an articulated position. The surgical tool can also include one or more homing members configured to be selectively actuated to force the end effector into the unarticulated position.

The present invention relates to a method, such as a surgical method for assisting a surgeon for placing screws in the spine using a robot attached to a passive structure. The present invention also related to a method, such as a surgical method for assisting a surgeon for removing volumes in the body of a patient using a robot attached to a passive structure and to a device to carry out said methods. The present invention further concerns a device suitable to carry out the methods according to the present invention.

A surgical instrument includes a distal portion. A force sensor is operatively mounted on the distal portion. The force sensor includes a wireless package, which wirelessly provides (1) identification information of the surgical instrument and (2) strain data related to the distal portion. A surgical end effector includes a jaw and the distal portion is on a non-contact portion of the jaw. The wireless package includes a surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The wireless package also includes a small folded antenna electrically coupled to the surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The identification information includes an identification of a type of surgical instrument and unique identification of the specific surgical instrument in the type of surgical instrument.

A system and method of maintaining a tool position and orientation for a computer-assisted device include a control unit and an articulated structure coupled to the control unit and including a plurality of joints. The articulated structure is configured to support an instrument. The control unit is configured to determine an error that is introduced to a position of the instrument, an orientation of the instrument, or both the position of the instrument and the orientation of the instrument by movement of a first joint of the plurality of joints; and drive at least a second joint of the plurality of joints to reduce the error.

A surgical instrument that includes first and second jaws that are movably coupled together to move between an open and a closed position. The first jaw includes a first proximal end, a first distal tip, and a first jaw midpoint between the first proximal end and the first distal tip. The second jaw includes a second proximal end and a second distal tip. The first jaw includes a first alignment feature that is distal to the first jaw midpoint and is configured to engage a corresponding portion of the second jaw when the first and second jaws are moved to the closed position to align the first distal tip with the second distal tip.

Embodiments relate to robotic arm assemblies. The robotic arm assembly includes an end-effector assembly. The end-effector assembly includes an instrument assembly. The instrument assembly includes an instrument and instrument driven portion. The elongated body includes an instrument central axis. The instrument driven portion includes a first central axis. The instrument driven portion is secured to a proximal end of the instrument in such a way that, when the instrument driven portion is driven to rotate, the instrument rotates relative to the first central axis. The end-effector assembly includes an instrument drive assembly. The instrument drive assembly includes an instrument drive portion. The instrument drive portion includes a second central axis. The instrument drive portion is configured to drive the instrument driven portion to rotate the distal end of the instrument relative to the first central axis. The second central axis intersects with and orthogonal to the first central axis.

An end effector for a surgical clip applier includes a housing, jaws that include opposed first and second jaw members, each comprising an independent structure movable relative to the other, the first jaw member defining a first inner surface and the second jaw member defining a second inner surface opposite the first inner surface, and an actuation mechanism arranged within the housing and operable to move the jaws between open and closed positions. The actuation mechanism includes an actuation plate longitudinally movable within the housing, and a transition pin extending from the actuation plate and received within corresponding slots defined in each jaw member. Linear movement of the actuation plate drives the transition pin through the corresponding slots and thereby moves the jaws between the open and closed positions.

A surgical robotic system is provided comprising a wrist comprising a surgical instrument and an elongated shaft configured to transmit actuation forces from a drive assembly to the spherical wrist to actuate rotation of the spherical wrist. The surgical instrument is a hinged surgical instrument comprising jaws, wherein the jaws are biased in a normally open position by a resilient biasing element, wherein the surgical instrument is actuatable by the drive assembly towards a closed position by a preloaded string which runs from the drive assembly through the elongated shaft to the surgical instrument and which preloads the surgical instrument.