A surgical assembly comprising a distal connector portion, a stapling assembly, and a sensor is disclosed. The stapling assembly comprises an end effector and a proximal connector portion configured to releasably connect to the distal connector portion. The end effector comprises an anvil and an elongate channel adapted to receive a staple cartridge. At least one of the anvil and the elongate channel is movable to a clamped configuration. The proximal connector portion comprises first bayonet-mount lugs and second bayonet-mount lugs. The sensor is configured to detect connections by the proximal connector portion. The surgical assembly further comprises an end-of-life indicator for the stapling assembly based on connections by the proximal connector portion.

The invention relates to surgical gripping forceps with two gripping jaws movable relative to a main body, with each gripping jaw having a stationary pivot axis relative to the main body, and a lever arm, and with the lever arms being articulated via at least one push element. Each gripping jaw has its own pivot axis. The distance between the individual pivot axis and the midline of the main body is at least greater than 38% of the maximum width of the main body or the maximum diameter of the main body. The present invention also provides microsurgical gripping forceps that a substantial clamping force between the gripping jaws with customary force for actuating the forceps.

A shaft assembly for a surgical instrument that includes a movable drive member. In at least one form, the surgical instrument includes a spine assembly that is couplable to the surgical instrument and has a surgical end effector coupled thereto by an articulation joint. The shaft assembly in one form includes a proximal firing member and an intermediate firing member that is coupled to a distal firing member. The distal firing member is configured for selective travel through the surgical end effector. At least one articulation driver is coupled to the surgical end effector to apply articulation motions thereto. A clutch assembly interfaces with the primary and intermediate firing members and the articulation driver such that when in an articulation orientation, movement of the drive member results in movement of the articulation driver and when in a firing orientation, movement of the drive member results in movement of the intermediate and distal firing members. A separate articulation motor may be employed to actuate the articulation driver.

Forceps including a housing, a first body, a second body and a drive shaft. The first body has a passageway extending therethrough. The drive shaft extending through the passageway and connected to the first body such that the first body and the drive shaft are slidable with respect to the housing to drive jaws located at a distal portion of the drive shaft between an open position and a closed position. The second body having a second passageway. The drive shaft extending through the second passageway such that the second body is guided by the drive shaft and is slidable relative to the first body and the drive shaft to displace a blade shaft between a retracted position and an extended position.

A pair of jaw members for an electrosurgical instrument is manufactured by providing first and second jaw members (2 & 3), each jaw member including a planar sealing surface (5 & 7). The jaw members are assembled with the first and second jaw members in a required orientation such that the planar sealing surface (5) of the first jaw member (2) is at a predetermined orientation with respect to the sealing surface (7) of the second jaw member (3). The first and second jaw members are held in the required orientation, and pivot holes (11 & 12) are formed in the first and second jaw members while they are held in the required orientation. When a pivot pin is inserted through the pivot holes in the first and second jaw members, the first and second jaw members are assembled into a pair of jaws.

Surgical instrument is provided. The surgical instrument is capable of being operated manually or automatically for use in laparoscopic surgery or various surgeries and includes a locking device capable of locking and/or unlocking at least one operation.

An apparatus includes a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp assembly. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide operable to transmit ultrasonic vibrations to the blade. The clamp assembly includes a clamp arm pivotable toward and away from the blade about a pivot axis, to clamp tissue between the clamp arm and the blade. A rotation feature may provide rotation of the blade relative to the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis of the waveguide. Alternatively, the rotation feature may provide rotation of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the longitudinal axis. The rotation feature may be driven based on pivotal positioning of the clamp arm relative to the blade about the pivot axis. The rotation feature may selectively lock and unlock the angular position of either the blade or the clamp arm about the longitudinal axis at any of a number of predetermined angular positions.

A forceps having a first jaw and a second jaw, where at least one of the first and second jaws is capable of moving between an open position and a closed positions. The forceps including an inner shaft located within an outer shaft and extending along the longitudinal axis, and a drive bar coupled to and extending distally from the inner shaft. The drive bar including a pair of drive bar struts extending from a distal portion of the inner shaft and positioned laterally inward of at least one of first and second set of flanges of the first and second jaws. A drive pin is securable to the pair of drive bar struts and the drive bar is translatable within the outer shaft to translate the drive pin to move the first jaw and/or the second jaw between open and closed positions.

A jaw member of a surgical instrument includes a structural frame, an insulative spacer supported on the structural frame, an electrically conductive tissue contacting plate supported on the insulative spacer, and a lead wire. The spacer defines a pocket at an upper portion thereof and includes a channel extending from the pocket, through the spacer, to a bottom portion of the spacer. The channel defines a substantially U-shaped configuration having first and second radiused corners at the bottom portion of the spacer. The lead wire is attached to an underside of the plate at an attachment point within the pocket and extends distally from the attachment point into the channel, through the channel, over the first and second radiused corners, and proximally from the jaw member. The lead wire is adapted to connect to a source of energy to energize the plate for treating tissue.

A force transmitting mechanism includes: a force adjusting portion that is disposed between a joint portion of an instrument and a force generating portion and that receives force from the force generating portion; and a driving member that passes through the joint portion, that connects the end effector and the force adjusting portion, and that transmits the force applied from the force adjusting portions to the end effector, wherein, by means of displacement of the driving member associated with flexing or bending of the joint portion, the force adjusting portion increases the force transmission efficiency so that an amount of increase in the force transmission efficiency increases with an increase in a displacement amount of the driving member.