A one-piece handle assembly and a method of assembling the one-piece handle assembly. The one-piece handle assembly includes an outer tube connected to a fixed jaw and an inner tube connected to a moveable jaw. The inner tube is installed within the outer tube. The surgical instrument assembly further includes a handle body overmolded onto the outer tube and a handle grip connected to the handle body. The handle grip controls movement of the moveable jaw along an axis about defined through the outer tube. The one-piece handle assembly further includes a knife plunger for controlling activation of a knife rod assembly. The one-piece handle assembly is void of any welds, adhesives, or fasteners to complete the final assembly of the one-piece handle assembly.

A surgical instrument includes a gripping assembly, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and a pivoting member. The gripping assembly defines a first opening for receiving a finger or a thumb of a user. The gripping assembly includes a first deformable feature that is configured to be moved in order to increase or decrease a cross-sectional area of the first opening. The shaft assembly extends distally from the gripping assembly. The end effector is positioned at a distal end of the shaft assembly and includes a first member. The pivoting member is pivotably coupled with the shaft assembly. The pivoting member is pivotable with respect to the first member of the end effector between an open position and a closed position to thereby clamp tissue between the first member and the pivoting member.

A surgical instrument includes a housing and an elongated shaft operably coupled to an actuating mechanism moveable between an actuated position and an unactuated position. An end effector includes a pair of opposing first and second jaw members. One or more drive surfaces are disposed on the actuating mechanism and configured to compress a spring upon movement of the actuating mechanism to the actuated position. The spring imparts a spring force in a distal direction to bias the actuating mechanism to the unactuated position. An electrically conductive tissue sealing surface extends along a length of one or both of the jaw members and is adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy.

A surgical instrument comprising a shiftable transmission is disclosed. The transmission comprises a mechanism for assuring that the transmission is in one of a plurality of predefined configurations.

A method for producing a medical hand-held instrument having two grip elements, pivotable relative to each other, and a spring element, with the method steps to be performed in the following sequence: providing the two grip elements each with a pivot-pin receiver eyelet formed thereon, at their one end portion and an articulation eyelet for the spring element formed thereon, providing the spring element with pivot pins arranged at or formed integrally with each spring end, inserting the pivot pins of the spring element into the articulation eyelets of the grip elements not yet pivotally coupled to each other, and bringing together the grip elements in the region of their pivot pin receiver eyelets and pivotally coupling the grip elements by inserting a pivot pin into the overlapping pivot pin receiver eyelets.

Apparatus for performing a minimally-invasive procedure, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end, wherein the shaft comprises a flexible portion and an articulating portion, wherein the flexible portion extends distally from the handle assembly and the articulating portion extends distally from the flexible portion, and further wherein the articulating portion is configured to articulate relative to the flexible portion; a handle assembly attached to the proximal end of the shaft; and an end effector attached to the distal end of the shaft; wherein a plurality of articulation cables extends from the handle assembly to the articulating portion, such that when tension is applied to at least one of the plurality of articulation cables, the articulating portion bends relative to the flexible portion of the shaft; wherein the plurality of articulation cables are mounted to the handle assembly such that moving the handle assembly to angle the handle assembly relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft applies tension to at least one of the plurality of articulation cables, whereby to articulate the articulating portion of the shaft relative to the flexible portion of the shaft.

An ophthalmic surgical instrument for cataract removal surgery includes a helical coil structure including a wire or elongated structure coiled in a plurality essentially similar diameter coils of 360-degree turns in a corkscrew having a coil diameter sufficiently small to fit within an incision of a human ocular lens capsule for entering the human ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery. A pointed sharp end pierces and grasps a human ocular lens under the control of a surgeon upon being inserted in a human ocular lens capsule within said ocular lens capsule during a cataract removal surgery. The corkscrew structure firmly holds the human ocular lens and controls the position and movement of the human ocular lens during said cataract removal surgery.

A medical instrument includes a hollow shaft (2) with a proximal end (3) connected to a handle (4) and a distal end (5) with a tool (6) arranged with one jaw part (8) pivotable relative to another jaw part (7). A distal end region of the shaft as a tool tip (10) deflects relative to a longitudinal axis (9) via an axially displaceable first actuation element (11) connected to the handle. The pivotable jaw part is adjustable via a second actuation element (13) mounted axially displaceably in the hollow shaft and connected to the handle. The first actuation element and the second actuation element are parallel to each other in the longitudinal axis direction of the shaft and mounted to be guided on each other. One of the two actuation elements is mounted on the inner side. The mutual axial mounting is effected via a pin-and-slot control (19).

A tissue approximation device for wound closure having a first arm having a proximal end and a distal end, a second arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the second arm connected to the first arm. A first rake member is connected to the distal end of the first arm and has a first plurality of tissue engaging members extending therefrom to engage tissue. A second rake member is attached to the distal end of the second arm, the second rake member having a second plurality of tissue engaging members extending therefrom to engage tissue. A transverse bar can extend through the first and second rake members such that the first and second rake members movable along the transverse bar. Systems and methods for wound closure are also disclosed.

An apparatus for removing a hook embedded within a tissue is presented. The hook has a barb extending from a point section of the hook. The apparatus includes a clamping device configured to secure the hook. A probe is coupled to the clamping device. The probe has a tip portion configured to fit within a space between the barb and the point section of the hook to allow the hook to be removed from the tissue.