A surgical instrument includes a shaft, an end effector, and an articulation mechanism. The end effector is movable between a first position where the end effector is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the shaft, and a second position where the end effector is disposed at an angled relative to the longitudinal axis. The articulation mechanism includes a proximal gear disposed in mechanical cooperation with the shaft, a distal gear disposed in mechanical cooperation with the end effector, a first lateral gear disposed in contact with the proximal gear and the distal gear, and a second lateral gear disposed in contact with the proximal gear and the distal gear.

In various embodiments, a layer of material can comprise a body, a proximal end portion, and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion can be releasably secured to a staple cartridge of a surgical end effector, and the distal end portion can be releasably secured to an anvil of the surgical end effector. The layer of material can comprise a tissue thickness compensator.

A surgical system includes a robot main body, a slave controller, a display device that displays an endoscopic image, and an manipulation input device. The robot main body includes an entry guide having a plurality of guide bores, an entry guide support device that supports the entry guide, an instrument manipulator that has a surgical instrument provided at a distal end and is inserted into the entry guide, and an endoscope manipulator that has an endoscopic camera provided at a distal end and is inserted into the entry guide. The slave controller operates the robot main body such that the surgical instrument advances from an exit of the entry guide after the endoscopic camera advances from the exit of the entry guide and starts capturing in response to input of a body cavity insertion manipulation received by the manipulation input device.

A surgical access device includes a cannula having a variable length. The cannula may include a shaft assembly including an outer shaft, an intermediate shaft disposed within and longitudinal slidable relative to the outer shaft, and an inner shaft disposed within and longitudinal slidable relative to the intermediate shaft. The shaft assembly is movable between an unextended position, a fully extended position, and a semi-extended position between the unextended and fully extended positions. The cannula may include a shaft having annular folds formed therein. The annular folds are axially movable relative to each other such that the shaft is longitudinally movable between an unextended position and a plurality of extended positions.

Provided is an instrument for surgery and, more specifically, to an instrument for surgery which can be manually operated in order to be used for laparoscopic surgery or various types of surgery.

An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing, and an elongated shaft extending from the housing. The elongated shaft has a proximal end secured to the housing, a distal end spaced from the proximal end, and a first axis extending between the proximal and distal ends of the elongated shaft. Surgical fasteners are disposed in the elongated shaft. The surgical fasteners are stacked at an angle relative to the first axis of the elongated shaft. A distal end cap having a surgical fastener dispensing window is secured to the distal end of the elongated shaft. The applicator instrument has a firing system disposed in the housing, and an actuator coupled with the firing system for activating the firing system to dispense the surgical fasteners through the surgical fastener dispensing window.

An apparatus for controlling an end-effector assembly is provided. The apparatus includes a elongated element configured to engage the end-effector assembly and a drive assembly. A first motion transfer mechanism is disposed at an end of the elongated element. The first motion transfer mechanism is configured to transfer a rotational motion of the elongated element to a motion of the end-effector assembly. A second motion transfer mechanism is disposed at the second end of the elongated element. The second motion transfer mechanism is configured to transfer a motion of the drive assembly to the rotational motion of the elongated element.

A staple cartridge comprising a tissue thickness compensator is disclosed. The tissue thickness compensator comprises an external layer and tubular elements. The tubular elements are interconnected and positioned within the external layer. The tubular elements comprise apertures defined therein and the tubular elements are configured to collapse as pressure is applied to the tissue thickness compensator by tissue during the firing motion. The apertures enable fluids from the tissue to permeate the tissue thickness compensator.

This application provides an endoscopic device having at least one shaft with at least one portion deflectable, and having at least one deflection mechanism, which is configured to deflect the deflectable portion and includes at least one first connection member and at least one second connection member. When the connection members are arranged in a straight position relative to each other, a straight-position spacing exists defined by a shortest connection between a geometric midpoint of the first connection member and a geometric midpoint of the second connection member and, when the connection members are arranged in a deflection position relative to each other, a deflection-position spacing exists which is defined by a shortest connection between a geometric midpoint of the first connection member and a geometric midpoint of the second connection member, and the deflection-position spacing in the deflection position is greater than the straight-position spacing in the straight position.

A steerable instrument for endoscopic and/or invasive type of applications, such as in surgery, which has an elongated tubular body having a proximal end part with a first actuation flexible zone having a first diameter and a distal end part having a first distal flexible zone having a second diameter that is different from the first diameter. A cylindrical diameter adaptation section is arranged to connect the proximal end part to the distal end part such that a flexion in a radial direction relative to a longitudinal center axis of the longitudinal tubular body of the first actuation flexible zone results in an amplified or attenuated flexion of the first distal flexible zone.