Conventional vasectomy techniques suffer from a number of potential complications, including, for example, a substantial risk for the development of hematomas, and swelling, and post-surgical pain, a potential for spontaneous duct reconnection and undesired resumption of fertility, a need for a highly skilled surgical professional, as well as a long recovery period, accompanied by severe limitations on post-surgical activity. The vasectomy methods of the present invention reduce and/or minimize contact with sensory nerves located on the distal side of the vas deferens, particularly the distal region of the outer vas deferens sheath, so as to minimize nerve damage and the post-surgical pain associated therewith. In addition, the methods of the present invention overcome the disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art, resulting in a rapid, reliable, minimally-invasive male sterilization procedure that may be readily, reliably and successfully performed by minimally skilled personnel around the world in a variety of medical settings.

The present disclosure provides a clamp composed of four distinct components. The ability to deconstruct the provided clamp into four components as compared to a typical two-part clamp may allow for greater ease in cleaning and sterilization. The provided clamp may include a first arm, a second arm, a cannula block, and a rotary cannula. In some instances, the provided clamp may include a locking feature for locking the rotary cannula to, and releasing it from, the cannula block. The present disclosure also provides a clamp including a scale for bone size determination, a clamp including a scale for determining how much compression force is being applied to a bone between the clamp's jaws, a system including a bushing and a set screw in which the set screw is self-locking, and a drill component system for preparing an opening in bone for a fixation component.

Surgical instruments suitable for use during surgical procedures. The surgical instruments include first and second halves coupled together at a pivot so that the halves define a handle and functional portions at proximal and distal ends of the instrument, respectively. The functional portion terminates at a blunt distal end and includes scissors, a base section disposed between the scissors and blunt distal end and having a first clamping feature, a tapering section disposed between the first clamping feature and blunt distal end and having gripping features, and opposing tips disposed between the tapering section and distal end of the instrument and having second clamping features.

A laparoscopic instrument includes a handgrip and an articulated lever. A shank is attached to the handgrip at its closer end, and tissue acting actuators are installed at the further end of the shank. A string moves the actuators. A further end of the string is connected to the actuators, and a closer end is connected to the lever. The movement of the lever is coupled with movement of the actuators. The instrument has an integrated latching mechanism, which includes a toothed bar and a latch, holding the actuators in the operating position, and a locking and releasing mechanism equipped with a switching lever for holding and disengaging the latching mechanism. The switching lever is rotatably mounted on the handgrip and has a pushback element which, in the release position of the switching lever, disengages the latching mechanism move the toothed bar away from the latch.

Devices, methods, and systems are provided for placing an implant into a patient and removing it therefrom.

Devices, systems and methods for minimally open orthopedic spine surgery are disclosed. A first flexible screw-based retractor is designed to be coupled to each pedicle screw inserted into adjacent vertebral bodies. A retractor system is provided in which a first retractor blade is mounted to one of the screws and a second movable retractor blade is moved away from the first blade, in a medial direction, to create a working channel through which the disc space may be accessed for passing instruments and implants. Light may be incorporated into the device to illuminate the surgical field. One or all of the retractor blades may be made of a sterilizable plastic or metal and be disposable or reusable.

Conventional vasectomy techniques suffer from a number of potential complications, including, for example, a substantial risk for the development of hematomas, and swelling, and post-surgical pain, a potential for spontaneous duct reconnection and undesired resumption of fertility, a need for a highly skilled surgical professional, as well as a long recovery period, accompanied by severe limitations on post-surgical activity. The vasectomy methods of the present invention reduce and/or minimize contact with sensory nerves located on the distal side of the vas deferens, particularly the distal region of the outer vas deferens sheath, so as to minimize nerve damage and the post-surgical pain associated therewith. In addition, the methods of the present invention overcome the disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art, resulting in a rapid, reliable, minimally-invasive male sterilization procedure that may be readily, reliably and successfully performed by minimally skilled personnel around the world in a variety of medical settings.

A method of performing an operation, e.g. a spinal operation, on a patient using a retractor comprising a pair of blade assemblies which are adapted to open about a set of axes that are not parallel to a third spatial axis, and further comprising a pair of arms, which are adapted to move the pair of blade assemblies apart from one another in the third spatial axis. In the method, the blade assemblies are closed to assume a low profile, inserted into a relatively small incision, and stretched apart from each other, thereby stretching the skin about the incision to form an aperture longer than the incision. The blade assemblies are then opened by rotating the blades about the set of axes, stretching the skin around the incision in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction (i.e. the direction of the incision.)

An orthopedic clamp to assist in reducing the displacement between bone ends of a fracture, and to position a fixation device, during open fracture reduction surgery is described. The clamp includes a holder to hold the fixation device against the bone. The clamp may also swivel in relation to the holder while the position of the fixation device remains unchanged.