Aspects of the present disclosure are presented for a surgical instrument having one or more sensors at or a near an end effector and configured to aide in the detection of tissues and other materials and structures at a surgical site. The detections may then be used to aide in the placement of the end effector and to confirm which objects to operate on, or alternatively, to avoid. Examples of sensors include laser sensors used to employ Doppler shift principles to detect movement of objects at the surgical site, such as blood cells; resistance sensors to detect the presence of metal; monochromatic light sources that allow for different levels of absorption from different types of substances present at the surgical site, and near infrared spectrometers with small form factors.

A medical instrument has an elongated channel configured to support a staple cartridge, the staple cartridge comprising a plurality of staples. The medical instrument also has an anvil mechanically coupled to the elongated channel, wherein the anvil comprises an exterior surface extending between a proximal end and a distal end. In addition, the medical instrument has at least one electrical circuit at least partially positioned on the exterior surface of the anvil, an indicator system comprising at least one indicator, and a logic circuit electrically in electrical communication with the at least one electrical circuit and the indicator system, wherein the logic circuit is configured to activate the at least one indicator when an electrical continuity of the at least one electrical circuit is interrupted.

A surgical stapler includes a handle assembly, an end effector, a firing rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the end effector, a drive motor coupled to the firing rod, a sensor, and a controller. The end effector includes a first and second jaw member moveable relative to one another. The first jaw member includes a surgical fastener and the second jaw member includes an anvil. The drive motor is configured to advance the firing rod to cause the first and second jaw members to clamp tissue and to eject a surgical fastener. The surgical stapler includes a sensor that is configured measure a clamping force exerted on tissue by the first and second jaw members. The controller control a speed of the drive motor based on the measured clamping force.

A medical apparatus includes a laser light source for blood vessel sensing configured to irradiate illumination light for detecting a blood vessel, a photodetector configured to detect return light of the illumination light, an optical-characteristic processing circuit configured to calculate, based on a detection result of the return light, at least one of information concerning scattering of blood cells in the blood vessel and information concerning absorption by blood, a blood-vessel-characteristic determination circuit configured to determine a characteristic of the blood vessel based on an optical characteristic calculation result, and a laser light source for guide configured to irradiate, based on the determined characteristic of the blood vessel, notification light on an irradiation near region including an irradiation region.

Embodiments of present disclosure relates to method and device for controlled emission of radiation. Device comprises probe unit, sensor unit and switch unit. Probe unit is configured to emit radiation on surface of object. Probe unit is supported, via an elastic, to supporting structure of device. Sensor unit is placed at predefined distance from probe unit, along supporting structure, to establish contact with surface. Sensor unit comprises flexible material, mounted to supporting structure, with cavity and first force sensing unit placed in cavity of flexible material. First force sensing unit is configured to detect first force transferred from surface sensor unit. Switch unit is configured to control emission of radiation on surface, based on first force detected by first force sensing unit, upon contact of sensor unit with surface and identification of probe unit to be one of in contact with surface or at minimal distance from surface.

A surgical stapling system including a shaft assembly transmits actuation motions from an actuator and an end effector compresses and staples tissue. The end effector comprises an elongated channel; an anvil having a staple forming surface is moveable relative to the elongated channel between an open position and a closed position; and a staple cartridge removably positioned within the elongated channel. The staple cartridge comprises a body having a tissue contacting surface in a confronting relationship with the staple forming surface; a plurality of staple drivers within the cartridge body each supporting a staple; and a tissue thickness compensator positionable between the anvil and the cartridge, the tissue thickness compensator is captured by the staples and assumes different compressed heights within the different staples. The tissue compensator comprises first conductive elements. The system determines properties of tissue compressed between the anvil and the cartridge.

A system for measuring real-time tissue reflection spectral characteristics during ablation includes a catheter for collecting light reflected from tissue undergoing ablation, a detection component for separating constituent wavelengths of the collected light, a quantification apparatus for generating measured light intensity data of the collected light, and a processor for analyzing the data in relation to time. A method for monitoring formation of steam pop during ablation includes delivering light to tissue, delivering ablative energy to the tissue, measuring the reflectance spectral intensity of the tissue, and observing whether the measured reflectance spectral instensity (MRSI) initially increases in a specified time period followed by a decrease at a specified rate. If the MRSI does not decrease, delivery of ablation energy continues. If the MRSI decreases within the specified time at the specified rate, formation of a steam pocket is inferred and delivery of ablative energy is decreased or discontinued.

A surgical stapling instrument comprising an end effector, an RFID tag, and a control circuit is disclosed. The end effector comprises an anvil, a staple cartridge, and a contact assembly configured to contact tissue. The staple cartridge comprises staples removably stored therein. The anvil and the staple cartridge are configurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The RFID tag is configured to store information about the staple cartridge. The control circuit is operably coupled to the contact assembly. The control circuit is configured to interrogate the RFID tag to determine the information about the staple cartridge, transmit an electrical signal to tissue contacting the contact assembly, determine a characteristic of the tissue contacting the contact assembly based on the electrical signal, and change an operational parameter of the surgical stapling instrument based on the characteristic of the tissue.

A system for working biological tissue, the system comprising: a tool comprising a laser operable to perform at least one action of work; positioning means for positioning the tool relative to the biological tissue to perform the at least one action of work; a controller; storage storing electronic program instructions for controlling the controller; and an input means; wherein the controller is operable, under control of the electronic program instructions, to: receive input via the input means; process the input and, on the basis of the processing, control the positioning means and the tool to work the biological tissue.

Various examples disclosed relate to temperature monitoring of medical probes. The present disclosure includes a medical device including a medical probe and one or more luminescent marks. The medical probe can include a distal portion configured for at least partial insertion into a patient. The one or more luminescent marks can be located on the distal portion of the probe and have a luminescent characteristic correlative to temperature, when illuminated. The luminescent characteristic can provide an indication of the temperature at an internal site of the patient.