An ultrasonic device may include an electromechanical ultrasonic system defined by a predetermined resonant frequency and include an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. A method of delivering energy to the device may include applying energy to the blade at a first power level via the transducer coupled to the blade, measuring a complex impedance of the transducer, receiving a complex impedance feedback data point, comparing the complex impedance feedback data point to a reference complex impedance characteristic pattern, and determining that the blade is contacting a vessel based on the comparison. The method may also include disabling the power applied to the transducer and switching to a lower power level. The method may further include generating a warning that the blade is contacting a vessel, such as a light or a sound. An ultrasonic surgical instrument may effect the method.

A surgical robotic arm includes an instrument having a coupler rotatable about a longitudinal axis, the coupler including: a drive screw; a drive nut threadably coupled to the drive screw, the drive nut movable along the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the drive screw; and a drive member coupled to the drive nut and movable in response to movement of the drive nut. The surgical robotic arm also includes an instrument drive unit having: a motor configured to engage the coupler and rotate about the longitudinal axis to rotate the coupler and the drive screw; one or more sensors configured to measure one or more properties of the motor; and a controller coupled to the sensor(s) and the motor. The controller is configured to control the motor based on the property of the motor.

A method of actuating an ultrasonic drive device includes sweeping, by a first control circuit, a frequency at which an ultrasonic transducer oscillates from a predetermined frequency toward a resonant frequency, predicting, by a prediction circuit, whether or not ringing occurs based on a first parameter representing a driving state of the ultrasonic transducer, and if the prediction circuit predicts that the ringing does not occur and if a second parameter representing a frequency at which the ultrasonic transducer is driven satisfies a predetermined condition, resonantly driving, by a second control circuit, the ultrasonic transducer at a resonant frequency by PLL control.

A degradation data generator is used with a scaffold for delivery within a patient. The degradation data generator includes a driving circuit electrically coupled to drive an impedance of the scaffold. A detection circuit generates degradation data based on the impedance of the scaffold or other properties such as RF or lightwave transmission, conductance or absorption. The degradation data indicates an amount of biodegradation of the scaffold. A wireless transmitter is coupled to transmit the degradation data to a wireless degradation data receiver, while the scaffold is within the patient.

An interactive control unit is disclosed. The interactive control unit includes an interactive touchscreen display, an interface configured to couple the control unit to a surgical hub, a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive input commands from the interactive touchscreen display located inside a sterile field and transmit the input commands to the surgical hub to control devices coupled to the surgical hub located outside the sterile field.

A method for producing a surgical instrument is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a handle, wherein the handle comprises a distal end comprising a shaft interface surface and a first set of magnetic elements. The method further comprises obtaining a shaft, wherein the shaft comprises a proximal end comprising a handle interface surface, a second set of magnetic elements, and a third set of magnetic elements. The method further comprises attaching the shaft to the handle, wherein the shaft interface surface is configured to engage the shaft at the handle interface surface, wherein an attractive magnetic force is configured to pull the handle towards the shaft when the first set of magnetic elements interact with the second magnetic elements, and wherein a repulsive magnetic force is configured to repel the handle from the shaft when the first set of magnetic elements interacts with the third set of magnetic elements.

A surgical system includes a surgical instrument and a cooling module. The cooling module includes a fluid reservoir retaining a conductive cooling fluid, a pump configured to pump the conductive cooling fluid along a flowpath, first and second electrodes disposed at first and second positions along the flowpath and configured to sense an electrical property of the conductive cooling fluid at the first and second positions, and a controller configured to determine an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the sensed electrical properties of the first and second electrodes. A method for cooling a surgical instrument includes detecting an electrical property of a conductive cooling fluid at first and second positions along a flowpath and determining an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the detected electrical properties at the first and second positions.

Various surgical systems are disclosed. A surgical system can include a surgical robot and a surgical hub. The surgical robot can include a control unit in signal communication with a control console and a robotic tool. The surgical hub can include a display. The surgical hub can be in signal communication with the control unit. A facility can include a plurality of surgical hubs that communicate data from the surgical robots to a primary server. To alleviate bandwidth competition among the surgical hubs, the surgical hubs can include prioritization protocols for collecting, storing, and/or communicating data to the primary server.

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 surgical clip applier is disclosed which is configured to automatically feed a clip from a clip cartridge once the surgical clip applier is positioned in the patient.