An example implantable microparticle for delivering therapeutic heat treatment comprises a generally spherical body. The body may be formed from a first material comprising a biodegradable material and a second material comprising a Curie temperature material. The biodegradable material may be a non-Curie temperature material or have a Curie temperature lower than a Curie temperature of the Curie temperature material. The first material and the second material are mixed to form a composite having a Curie temperature in the range of 35° C. and 100° C.

A surgical system comprising a generator and a surgical instrument configured to receive power from the generator is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises a housing, a shaft defining a longitudinal axis, an end effector, and an internal charge accumulator. The housing comprises a motor. The end effector is operably responsive to actuations from the electric motor, transitionable between an open and closed configuration, and rotatable about an articulation axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The generator is incapable of supplying a sufficient power directly to the motor to perform the actuations. The internal charge accumulator is in electric communication with the generator and supplies power to the motor. The internal charge accumulator is chargeable by the generator to a threshold value at a charge rate dependent on a charge level of the internal charge accumulator. The charge rate is independent of a charge expenditure by the surgical instrument.

An electrosurgical instrument comprising a housing, a shaft extending from the housing, an end effector extending from the shaft, an articulation joint rotatably connecting the end effector to the shaft, and a wiring circuit is disclosed. The housing comprises a printed control board. The wiring circuit extends from the printed control board through the shaft and into the end effector. The wiring circuit is configured to monitor a function of the end effector and communicate the monitored function to the printed control board. The wiring circuit comprises a proximal rigid portion fixed to the shaft, a distal rigid portion fixed to the end effector, and an intermediate portion extending from the proximal rigid portion to the distal rigid portion. The intermediate portion comprises a resilient portion and a stretchable portion.

A surgical instrument comprising a motor assembly, a shaft defining a shaft axis, a distal head, a rotary drive member, and a distal head lock member movable between a first position where the distal head is unlocked from the shaft and a second position where the distal head is locked to the shaft is disclosed. The motor assembly comprises a motor and a controller configured to operate the motor in first and second operating modes. The distal head comprises an end effector movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The distal head is rotated about the shaft axis when the distal head lock member is in the first position and the rotary drive member is actuated. The end effector is moved from the open configuration toward the closed configuration when the distal head lock member is in the second position and the rotary drive member is actuated.

A surgical instrument comprising an end effector including a proximal end, a distal end, a first jaw, and a second jaw is disclosed. The first jaw comprises a first electrode. The second jaw comprises a second electrode and a monopolar electrode centrally disposed down a length of the end effector. The first electrode and the second electrode cooperate to deliver bipolar energy to the tissue in a bipolar cycle. The monopolar electrode comprises a wedge shape that graduates in width along the length of the end effector. The monopolar electrode is electrically isolated from the first and second electrodes. The monopolar electrode is configured to employ monopolar energy to cut the tissue in a monopolar cycle.

A surgical end effector for use with an electrosurgical instrument is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw including a first electrode and a second jaw including a second electrode. The end effector is transitionable from an open configuration to a closed configuration to grasp tissue. The second electrode is laterally offset from the first electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are configured to cooperate to deliver a bipolar energy to the tissue. The second jaw further comprises a monopolar electrode configured to deliver a monopolar energy to the tissue and a compliant substrate. The monopolar electrode and the second electrode are fixedly attached onto the compliant substrate in a spaced apart arrangement. The compliant substrate is configured to apply a biasing force to the second electrode and the monopolar electrode toward the first jaw in the closed configuration.

An electrosurgical instrument comprising an end effector including a first jaw and a second jaw. The end effector is transitionable from an open configuration to a closed configuration to grasp tissue. The second jaw comprises a gradually narrowing body extending from a proximal end to a distal end. The gradually narrowing body comprises a conductive material, a first conductive portion extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a second conductive portion defining a tapered electrode protruding from the first conductive portion and extending distally along at least a portion of the gradually narrowing body. The second jaw further comprises an electrically insulative layer configured to electrically insulate the first conductive portion from the tissue but not the second conductive portion. The first conductive portion is configured to transmit an electrical energy to the tissue only through the second conductive portion.

An electrosurgical instrument comprising an end effector is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw. At least one of the first jaw and the second jaw is movable to transition the end effector from an open configuration to a closed configuration to grasp tissue therebetween. The second jaw comprises linear portions cooperating to form an angular profile and a treatment surface comprising segments extending along the angular profile. The segments comprise different geometries and different conductivities. The segments are configured to produce variable energy densities along the treatment surface.

An electrosurgical instrument comprising an end effector including a first jaw, a second jaw, and an electrical circuit is disclosed. The first jaw comprises a first conductive skeleton, a first insulative coating selectively covering portions of the first conductive skeleton, and first-jaw electrodes comprising exposed portions of the first conductive skeleton. The second jaw comprises a second conductive skeleton, a second insulative coating selectively covering portions of the second conductive skeleton, and second-jaw electrodes comprising exposed portions of the second conductive skeleton. The circuit is configured to transmit a bipolar RF energy and a monopolar RF energy to the tissue through the first-jaw electrodes and the second-jaw electrodes. The monopolar RF energy shares a first electrical pathway and a second electrical pathway defined by the electrical circuit for transmission of the bipolar RF energy.

An electrosurgical instrument comprising a jaw configured to define an electrode is disclosed. The jaw comprises a first electrically conductive portion, a second electrically conductive portion, and an electrically insulative layer. The first electrically conductive portion is configured to resist heat transfer therethrough. The second electrically conductive portion is integral with and extending at least partially around the first electrically conductive portion. The second electrically conductive portion is configured to define a heat sink. The electrode is defined by selective application of the electrically insulative layer to an outer surface of the second electrically conductive portion.