Medical devices, systems and methods for occluding a left atrial appendage of a heart with an implant are provided. In one embodiment, a medical device system includes a sheath for delivering the implant. The sheath includes, at a distal portion of the sheath, first and second deflectable portions that are each independently deflectable relative to first and second pivot locations, respectively. With this arrangement, at least one of the first and second pivot locations are adjustable along a longitudinal length of the distal portion of the sheath.

A robotic catheter can include bi-stable concentric tubes and a torsional spring mechanism that can provide torque at the proximal extremity of one or more tubes. The robotic catheter can compensate for the energy that may be released by the tubes snapping from on stable-equilibrium position to another by using the energy stored in the torsional spring mechanism. The energy released by the tubes upon snapping from one stable-equilibrium position to the other can be compensated by the energy stored in the torsional spring at the base, thereby resulting in the first, energy-free, zero stiffness catheter system that (1) synchronizes with the motion of the heart and (2) naturally results in optimal, pseudo-constant contact force with the tissue.

The disclosure provides a surgical apparatus comprising: a steerable member that is bendable and comprises a plurality of bending segments with channels therein; and a plurality of bending actuation wires that are arranged to pass through the steerable member and cause the steerable member to bend, the steerable member comprising at least one outwardly opening lumen through which the bending actuation wires pass.

In one aspect, the present invention is an articulation joint for use in a low cost medical device such as an endoscope intended for a single use. In one embodiment, the articulation joint comprises a plurality of interconnected segments. In another embodiment, the articulation joint comprises an elongated tubular body. In another aspect, the present invention provides methods of manufacturing an articulation joint for use in a medical device.

Described herein is a simplified placement system and method for a tissue graft anchor by which a surgeon may introduce one or more sutures into a hole in a boney tissue, apply tension to the sutures to advance a soft tissue graft to a desired location, and then advance the anchor into the bone while maintaining suture tension and without introducing spin to the suture.

A wall (39) of a catheter (38) (a) includes a braided portion (41) having an outer surface (45), an inner surface (47), and a braided interior (53) between the outer and inner surfaces (45, 47), and (b) is shaped to define first and second longitudinally-running channels (27a, 27b) therethrough. A distal portion of the catheter (38) is shaped to define first and second lateral openings (26a, 26b). An angle between (a) a first line (76) running between the first and second lateral openings (26a, 26b), and (b) a second line (78) that is parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the catheter (38) when the catheter (38) is straight, is between 30 and 150 degrees. A flexible longitudinal member (14) passes from a proximal portion of the catheter (38) to the distal portion via the first channel (27a), out of the first channel (27a) via the first lateral opening (26a), into the second channel (27b) via the second lateral opening (26b), and from the distal portion to the proximal portion via the second channel (27b).

A flexible tubular portion of an endoscope includes a spiral tube portion. The spiral tube portion includes a closely wound portion to at least a part of which an initial tension is applied, and a sparsely wound portion provided at least at one end of the closely wound portion.

Various embodiments are directed to surgical instruments for use in handheld applications or with robotic surgical systems. The surgical instruments may comprise an end effector to treat tissue and a shaft extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis. Some embodiments may be usable with an instrument mounting portion of a robotic surgical instrument. For example, the shaft may extend proximally to the instrument mounting portion.

A surgical instrument comprising a lockout is disclosed.

A surgical instrument comprising an end effector is disclosed. The end effector comprises a staple cartridge including a cartridge body comprising an annular array of staple cavities, staples removably stored in the staple cavities, a firing drive configured to eject the staples from the staple cavities, and a cutting member circumscribed by the staple cavities. The end effector further comprises an anvil including a tissue compression surface, forming surfaces configured to deform the staples and a tissue block. The anvil is movable toward the cartridge body to compress tissue between the cartridge body and the tissue block and the cutting member is configured to incise the tissue and the tissue block during a cutting stroke of the cutting member.