A surgical instrument comprising a closure drive, a firing drive, and a lockout is disclosed. The lockout prevents the firing drive from being actuated until the closure drive has been sufficiently actuated.

A medical tool includes a handle, a tubular member, and a bendable shape memory element (SME). The tubular member is attached to and extends from the handle and is configured to be inserted into an orifice of a patient. The tubular member has a distal-end section that is configured to be bent so as to perform a medical procedure in the orifice. The bendable shape memory element (SME) is coupled to the distal-end section of the tubular member, wherein the SME is configured to straighten when heated into a pre-formed shape, thereby straightening the distal-end section.

A surgical instrument including a shaft including a distal portion and an articulatable portion is disclosed. The articulatable portion, positioned proximal to the distal portion, includes a plurality of joint members. A first articulation cable extends through each first channel of each of the plurality of joint members and a second articulation cable extends through each second channel of each of the plurality of joint members to the distal portion. The first and second articulation cables are transitionable between: (i) an unlocked state, where the first and second articulation cables are free to translate distally and proximally and the plurality of joint members are slidable relative to one another to pivot the distal portion away from a longitudinal axis, and (ii) a locked state, where translation of the first and second articulation cables is locked, causing a position of the distal portion relative to the longitudinal axis to be locked.

A surgical apparatus includes a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and a rigidizing member. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide includes a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section includes a first member and a second member. The second member is longitudinally translatable relative to the first member. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The rigidizing member is configured to selectively engage at least a portion of the articulation section to thereby selectively provide rigidity to the articulation section.

A variably-flexible device that comprises a hollow body, a steering element that steers a steerable portion of the hollow body, the steering element being comprised of steering tendons disposed within the hollow body, a torque-transmitting element that extends into the steerable portion of the hollow body, and stiffening element disposed within the hollow body to selectively maintain the hollow body in a relatively stiff condition.

The present invention relates to a therapeutic substance delivery device for delivering a therapeutic substance to a desired site in a bodily duct, characterized in that the therapeutic substance delivery device is provided with: a therapeutic substance loading portion; a connector which is connected to the therapeutic substance loading portion; and a supplying/discharging pipe connected to the connector; and in that the therapeutic substance loading portion includes a main body portion in which a recessed portion is formed, a resilient film, and a connecting pipe; the connector is provided with a joint main body, a flange portion fixed to the other end portion side of the joint main body, and a fixing nut through which the joint main body passes; the joint main body is provided with a tube fastening portion; and at least part of the inner wall of the fixing nut is provided with a thread.

A tool apparatus and a method for actuating a tool apparatus are disclosed. The tool apparatus includes an actuator housing, and an elongate tool manipulator extending outwardly from the actuator housing and having a plurality of control links extending along a length of the tool manipulator. The control links are operable to cause movement of a distal end of the tool manipulator in response to movement of the control links in an actuating direction generally aligned with the length of the tool manipulator. The apparatus also includes a plurality of actuators, each actuator being associated with at least one of the control links and being mounted in the actuator housing to facilitate a range of travel in a transverse direction substantially orthogonal to the actuating direction, and a plurality of linkages. Each linkage is associated with one of the control links and extends between the control link and the respective actuator and is operable to transmit drive forces between the actuator and the control link.

Articulation devices, systems, methods for articulation, and methods for fabricating articulation structures will often include simple balloon arrays, with inflation of the balloons interacting with elongate skeletal support structures so as to locally alter articulation of the skeleton. The skeleton may comprise a simple helical coil or interlocking helical channels, and the array can be used to locally deflect or elongate an axis of the coil under control of a processor. Liquid inflation fluid may be directed so as to pressurize the balloons from an inflation fluid canister, and may vaporize within a plenum or the channels or balloons of the articulation system, with the inflation system preferably including valves controlled by the processor. The articulation structures can be employed in minimally invasive medical catheter systems, and also for industrial robotics, for supporting imaging systems, for entertainment and consumer products, and the like.

Systems and methods for performing surgical procedures. Such a system includes a cannula having a tubular body and a distal end is sized and configured to be inserted into a body cavity. The system further includes a tool passing through a first port at s proximal end of the cannula, extending through the cannula, and protruding from the distal end of the cannula through a second port. The tool has a working element on a distal end of a shaft thereof. The working element is capable of articulation relative to the shaft and rotation relative to the cannula, and the tool is adapted for translation and rotation relative to the cannula. The system further includes a control system and actuator that articulate the tip of the working element relative to the shaft of the tool.

An articulating working channel system for use with a plurality of flexible tools which are adapted to be interleaved in a single surgical procedure, comprising: a working channel subassembly including a hollow flexible shaft; and a surgical tool subassembly including the flexible tool, wherein the flexible tool includes a flexible tube which is adapted to be inserted into the flexible shaft and wherein the flexible shaft is adapted to be articulated and the flexible tube is adapted to be passively articulated therewith.