An apparatus includes a shaft assembly, an end effector, and a drive member visualization assembly. The end effector includes a first jaw, a second jaw, a staple cartridge, and a drive member capable of actuating along a firing stroke to fire a plurality of staples out of the staple cartridge or to sever tissue. The drive member visualization assembly provides an electronic indication linked to a physical location of the drive member within the upper jaw and the lower jaw during the firing stroke.

Examples relate to apparatuses, methods and computer programs for controlling a microscope system, and to a corresponding microscope system. An apparatus for controlling a microscope system comprises an interface for communicating with a camera module. The camera module is suitable for providing camera image data of a head of a user of the microscope system. The apparatus comprises a processing module configured to obtain the camera image data from the camera module via the interface. The processing module is configured to process the camera image data to determine information on an angular orientation of the head of the user relative to a display of the microscope system. The processing module is configured to provide a control signal for a robotic adjustment system of the microscope system based on the information on the angular orientation of the head of the user.

Peripheral retinal OCT can be used to generate peripheral retinal OCT images allowing for the peripheral retina to be viewed. A peripheral retinal vision system can determine that a set of fiducial markers is in a field-of-view of at least one camera and record positional data comprising a contact lens position and angle with respect to an OCT imaging system having OCT scanning mirrors in a first position. The system can determine whether a retinal layer is in an OCT scan captured while the set of fiducial markers is in the field-of-view of the at least one camera and the OCT scanning minors are in the first position; and for an OCT scan having he retinal layer and being captured while the set of fiducial markers is in the field-of-view of the at least one camera and the OCT scanning minors are in the first position, store that OCT scan.

A method of operating a robotically controlled surgical instrument that includes an end effector, a driving assembly, and a lockout, the method includes inhibiting actuation of the driving assembly when the lockout is in a locked configuration in response to an unspent staple cartridge being absent from a first jaw of the end effector. The method also includes inserting the unspent staple cartridge into the first jaw of the end effector to switch the lockout to an unlocked configuration. The method also includes actuating the driving assembly to pivot the first jaw, which includes the staple cartridge, toward a second jaw of the end effector to at least one of staple or cut tissue with the end effector when the lockout is in the unlocked configuration.

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for detecting image degradation during a surgical procedure are provided. A method includes receiving images of a surgical instrument; obtaining baseline images of an edge of the surgical instrument; comparing a characteristic of the images of the surgical instrument to a characteristic of the baseline images of the edge of the surgical instrument, the images of the surgical instrument being received subsequent to obtaining the baseline images of the edge of the surgical instrument and being received while the surgical instrument is disposed at a surgical site in a patient; determining whether the images of the surgical instrument are degraded, based on the comparing of the characteristic of the images of the surgical instrument and the characteristic of the baseline images of the surgical instrument; and generating an image degradation notification, in response to a determination that the images of the surgical instrument are degraded.

A method and apparatus for treating tissue are disclosed, including intra-operative mapping of a probe ablation zone. The method uses a system that maps the proximal and distal margins of the probe ablation zone using tools that access the ablation target. In some embodiments, the tools comprise a bone drill, and an introducer assembly, including a cannula and a stylet. The tools have features or markings that cooperate to indicate which probe to use to achieve the desired ablation. The method further facilitates planning probe placement for delivering energy to treat (ablate) a desired ablation volume of a target tissue by using a system that maps both the target tissue and possible probe ablation zones.

A surgical device comprising an elongated body, a tissue penetrating apparatus and a light projector. The elongated body can reach with distal end thereof a surface of an organ within a subject's body. The tissue penetrating apparatus can be extended from the elongated body distal end along a curved penetration path restricted to a chosen penetration plane. The light projector can generate a shaped illumination on the surface of the organ indicative of an intersection of the penetration plane with the surface of the organ.

An inflatable compression device configured to apply a compressive force to a puncture site of a patient's vessel, such as an artery is disclosed. The hemostasis device may comprise a location indicium disposed on an inside surface of an inflatable bladder portion of the device so as to be disposed in close proximity to the skin of the patient to improve alignment of the compression device with the puncture site.

The present invention comprises an apparatus for facilitating the acquisition of a scan during an intraoral scanning procedure using an intraoral scanner, including: an elongate body having an attachment portion configured to attach the elongate body with an implant in a patient's mouth, the implant having a longitudinal axis, whereby the elongate body is adapted to extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the implant when mounted to the implant; the elongate body having a substantially planar upper surface and one or more side walls extending downwardly away from the upper surface; wherein the upper surface and the one or more side walls are observable in a resulting scan when the intraoral scanner scans the apparatus in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface.

The invention extends to a kit including a plurality of items of the apparatus and to a method of performing an intraoral scanning procedure.

An example method includes obtaining, a virtual model of a portion of an anatomy of a patient obtained from a virtual surgical plan for an orthopedic joint repair surgical procedure to attach a prosthetic to the anatomy; identifying, based on data obtained by one or more sensors, positions of one or more physical markers positioned relative to the anatomy of the patient; and registering, based on the identified positions, the virtual model of the portion of the anatomy with a corresponding observed portion of the anatomy.