A surgical stapling device includes a staple reload and a shipping wedge. In embodiments, the shipping wedge is configured to disable the use of a staple reload if the staple reload does not have an actuation sled. In other embodiments, the actuation sled includes a readable identifier that facilitates confirmation of the presence of an actuation sled within a staple reload from a location externally of the staple reload.

A generator, ultrasonic device, and method for controlling a temperature of an ultrasonic blade are disclosed. A control circuit coupled to a memory determines an actual resonant frequency of an ultrasonic electromechanical system comprising an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade by an ultrasonic waveguide. The actual resonant frequency is correlated to an actual temperature of the ultrasonic blade. The control circuit retrieves from the memory a reference resonant frequency of the ultrasonic electromechanical system. The reference resonant frequency is correlated to a reference temperature of the ultrasonic blade. The control circuit then infers the temperature of the ultrasonic blade based on the difference between the actual resonant frequency and the reference resonant frequency. The control circuit controls the temperature of the ultrasonic blade based on the inferred temperature.

A suturing device comprising an elongated member including a cavity formed in a surface thereof, a needle passage, and a vacuum port. When the elongated member is inserted into a body including tissue and a vacuum is applied to the cavity, the tissue is captured by the cavity. A needle pusher is operable to move a needle having a sutured attached thereto through the tissue until a first end of the needle is captured by a needle capturing assembly. A clamp coupled to the elongated member is used to extract the needle from the needle capturing assembly and reposition the needle with suture attached to be re-engaged by the needle pusher. The cavity may include a plurality of cavity portions for capturing multiple contiguous portions of the tissue such that a single pass of the needle and the suture results in the suturing of the multiple portions of the tissue.

A catheter system for ablation of tissue around a blood vessel, e.g., the pulmonary artery, to reduce neural activity of nerves surrounding the blood vessel. The catheter system includes an elongate shaft having a proximal portion coupled to a handle, and a distal portion. The distal portion includes a transducer and an expandable anchor, which may be actuated to transition between a collapsed delivery state and an expanded deployed state where the anchor centralizes the transducer within the blood vessel. The transducer may be actuated to emit energy to reduce neural activity of the nerves surrounding the blood vessel. Systems and method are further provided for confirming that neural activity of the nerves surround the blood vessel has been sufficiently reduced.

Generally, a sterile adapter for use in robotic surgery may include a frame configured to be interposed between a tool driver and a surgical tool, a plate assembly coupled to the frame, and at least one rotatable coupler supported by the plate assembly and configured to communicate torque from an output drive of the tool driver to an input drive of the surgical tool.

An apparatus for preventing deployment failure or damage of a movable portion of a treatment device via a force limiting element in the treatment device.

Surgical tools that can be used in single port laparoscopic procedures can include a low-profile handle assembly to minimize tool interference adjacent the incision site. For example, a handle assembly for a surgical instrument can have a generally in-line configuration extending linearly along a central longitudinal axis of an elongate shaft of the instrument. A linkage mechanism including a trigger, an actuation link, and an actuation shaft can be positioned within the in-line handle. The linkage mechanism can be pivoted between an open position in which end effectors of the instrument are open and a toggle position in which the end effectors are locked closed. A locking mechanism such as a ratchet mechanism can also be used to lock the end effectors. A surgical dissector can include gripping jaws having a curved profile or an angled elongate shaft to minimize tool interference and maximize visibility within a procedure site.

A biopsy probe mechanism includes an elongate sample receiving member having a longitudinal axis and a sample receiving notch. A cutting cannula is arranged coaxially with the elongate sample receiving member. The elongate sample receiving member and the cutting cannula are movable relative to one another along the longitudinal axis between a first relative position and a second relative position. A plurality of echogenic features include a first echogenic feature established on the elongate sample receiving member and a second echogenic feature established on the cutting cannula. The first echogenic feature is in longitudinal alignment with the second echogenic feature when the elongate sample receiving member and the cutting cannula are in the first relative position. The first echogenic feature is out of longitudinal alignment with the second echogenic feature when the elongate sample receiving member and the cutting cannula are in the second relative position.

A surgical instrument comprising an end effector is disclosed. The end effector comprises a surgical dissector. The surgical dissector can apply mechanical and/or electrosurgical energy to treated tissue.

A surgical system includes a control circuit, a surgical instrument, and a user interface is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a plurality of components and a sensor. Each of the plurality of components of the surgical instrument includes a device parameter and is configured to transmit its respective device parameter to the control circuit. The sensor of the surgical instrument is configured to detect a tissue parameter associated with a proposed function of the surgical instrument, and transmit the detected tissue parameter to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to analyze the detected tissue parameter in cooperation with each respective device parameter based on a system-defined constraint. The user interface is configured to indicate whether the surgical instrument comprising the plurality of components is appropriate to perform the proposed function.