A pressure monitoring device used to monitor for leaks in a tool such as a medical endoscope. The device includes a housing having an internal volume fluidically coupled with an internal volume of the tool to form a combined internal volume. A pump changes the pressure inside the combined internal volume thereby establishing a baseline pressure at a pressure differential from the ambient environment. During operation of the tool, the pressure inside the combined internal volume is monitored for a change exceeding a predefined limit and such a change results in the device issuing an alarm signal indicating a leak has occurred in the tool. The device housing can be directly mounted to the tool, located remotely and connected with a coupling hose, or integrated with an accessory device connected to the tool. Preferably, the pressure differential is negative relative to ambient when the tool is a medical endoscope.

A surgical instrument is disclosed comprising a housing and a control circuit mounted to and/or embedded in the housing.

A method of conducting preventative maintenance on a robotic surgical system is provided. The method includes sensing an audio output generated by one or more components of a robotic surgical system with a sensor coupled to the robotic surgical system, converting the audio output into audio output data, comparing the audio output data to a predefined audio data stored in a memory device that is coupled to the robotic surgical system, and selectively outputting a preventative maintenance signal based on a comparison of the audio output data and the predefined audio data.

A computer-implemented method for controlling a surgical stapling instrument for stapling tissue includes advancing an anvil assembly in relation to a staple cartridge to a first position defining a tissue gap between the staple cartridge and the anvil assembly and clamping tissue, the clamped tissue including a suture, measuring a first force of tissue compression of the tissue clamped within the tissue gap with the anvil assembly at a first time point, determining whether the measured first force is greater than a threshold, measuring a second force of tissue compression of the tissue clamped within the tissue gap at a second time point in response to the determination that the first force is greater than the threshold, determining whether the suture failed based on the measured second force being an amount less than the measured first force, and stopping the advancing of the anvil assembly based on the determined suture failure.

Orthopedic systems and methods are provided for use in preparing joints for implants. Specifically, hip preparation systems and methods are disclosed which can include a surgical orientation device. The hip preparation systems and methods can be used, for example, to orient the hip during the procedure, determine the orientation of an anatomical plane or planes, and orient a prosthetic component or components.

An apparatus to determine if a constituent member has been damaged. The constituent member can be a medical product comprising a coating, or a substance kneaded into the product, which emits a fluorescence in the near-infrared region. The apparatus to determine if this constituent member has been damaged includes an irradiation light source, an optical filter, an imaging unit, a display unit and a control unit connected to the light source, the optical filter and the imaging unit to determine and inform that damage has occurred in the constituent member.

Various systems and methods for controlling an ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the location of tissue grasped within an end effector are disclosed. A control circuit can be configured to apply varying power levels, via a generator, to an ultrasonic transducer driving an ultrasonic electromechanical system to oscillate an ultrasonic blade. Further, the control circuit can measure impedances of the ultrasonic transducer corresponding to the varying power levels and determine a location of tissue positioned within the end effector according to a difference between the impedances of the ultrasonic transducer relative to a threshold.

A surgical apparatus includes an end effector configured to interact with a tissue during a plurality of zones of operation. The surgical apparatus further includes at least one drive mechanism operable to effect at least one motion in the end effector during each of the zones of operation. The surgical apparatus also includes one or more vibration sensors configured to record vibrations generated by the at least one drive mechanism during the zones of operation, wherein the one or more vibration sensors are configured to generate an output signal based on the sensed vibrations, and wherein the output signal is employed to determine a status of the surgical apparatus based on predetermined threshold values that are unique to each of the zones of operation.

A method for assessing performance of a surgical instrument including one or more drivetrains is disclosed. The method includes sensing via one or more vibration sensors vibrations generated during operation of the one or more drivetrains of the surgical instrument, generating an output signal based on the sensed vibrations, filtering the output signal to generate a filtered signal of the sensed vibrations from the one or more drivetrains, processing the filtered signal to generate a processed signal of the sensed vibrations from the one or more drivetrains, and comparing predetermined threshold values for each of an acceptable status, a marginal status, and a critical status of the surgical instrument to corresponding values of the processed signal.

Provided are robotic systems and methods for navigation of luminal network that can improve strain-based shape sensing. In one aspect, the system can compare strain-based shape data to shape data determined based on robotic data (e.g., kinematic model data, torque measurements, mechanical model data, command data, etc.) and adjust the strain-based shape data as necessary. Any portion of the strain-based shape data can be adjusted, weighted differently, or discarded based on the comparison. For example, data from trustworthy sources may indicate that the shape of an instrument exhibits or should exhibit one or more characteristics. If the system determines that any portion of the strain-based shape data is not in agreement with such characteristics, the system may adjust the portion of the strain-based shape data such that the adjusted strain-based shape data is in agreement with the characteristics of the instrument.