An electromechanical surgical system having an instrument housing for connecting with a shaft assembly, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The end effector is an articulating end effector and the system includes a cable tensioning system for tensioning the articulation cables. The system includes a clutch mechanism for preventing slippage of a drive cable.

A surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft extending from the housing, an end effector assembly extending from the shaft and configured to rotate and/or articulate relative to the housing, a motor disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the end effector assembly to rotate and/or articulate of the end effector assembly relative to the housing, and a sensing assembly configured to sense movement of the housing relative to a reference position and to drive the motor to rotate and/or articulate of the end effector assembly relative to the housing based upon the sensed movement. The sensing assembly is configured to operate in each of a standard mode, wherein movement of the housing effects rotation and/or articulation of the end effector assembly in a similar direction, and a reversed mode, wherein movement of the housing effects rotation and/or articulation of the end effector assembly in an opposite direction.

A surgical instrument including an articulating region. An outer tube and an inner tube are axially fixed to one another distal to the articulating region and axially movable relative to one another proximal to the articulating region. Relative movement of the inner and outer tubes provides for articulation of the articulating tube assembly to a curved configuration. A working tool may be removably directed through a central cannula defined by the inner tube. The working tool may include a shaft having a flexible region configured to be arranged within the articulating region. The shaft may rotate within the inner tube with the articulating tube assembly in the curved configuration. The working tool may include a housing hub configured to be coupled with a handle to removably position the flexible region within the articulating region. Multiple working tools may be interchangeably directed through the central cannula.

A surgical instrument and its method of use are disclosed. In one embodiment, the surgical instrument may include a handle and an elongated shaft assembly extending distally from the handle. The elongated shaft assembly may include an articulable portion with an articulation direction. The elongated shaft assembly may also include a tubular member with a flexible portion with a preferential bending direction and a direction of bending resistance. The tubular member may permit articulation of the elongated shaft assembly when the preferential bending direction is aligned with the articulation direction.

An articulated instrument and method of its manufacture includes a plurality of segments connected to one another end-to-end, each having a hollow tubular shape defined by a wall, the wall comprising three or more rectangular panels connected along their respective edges at acute angles. A plurality of tendons extends at least partially through the plurality of segments and is configured to apply tension that selectively causes two adjacent segments from the plurality of tendons to bend relative to one another along a pivot joint disposed between the two adjacent segments. The plurality of segments is formed by staggered rectangular portions of a single sheet of stock material, each rectangular portion being folded to form the hollow tubular shape and connected to an adjacent rectangular portion by a tab, each tab defining a respective pivot joint.

A surgical instrument for accessing an opening in the vaginal wall of a patient. The instrument comprising an elongated main part, an elongated member having a proximal end fixed to a distal end of the elongated main part by means of a first adjustable joint having a pivotal axis, for adjusting a first angle between the main part of the instrument and the elongated member between 0 and 180 degrees. The elongated member has a length allowing the elongated member to be placed such that it extends through the opening in the vaginal wall when the elongated main part is arranged in the vagina of the patient, the length thereby allowing the flexible tip to be placed in a position, wherein it at least partly encloses the rectum or colon of the patient.

A surgical robot includes a surgical tool including a bendable joint portion, and a bending tendon connected to the joint portion and configured to bend the joint portion, a tube connected to the surgical tool and configured to accommodate the bending tendon therein, a base housing configured to rotatably support the tube and accommodate the bending tendon that passes through the tube, a bending driver configured to grasp the bending tendon, and translate in a longitudinal direction parallel to a rotation axis of the tube with respect to the base housing, and a rotation driver configured to rotatably support the tube with respect to the base housing, wherein when the tube rotates, the rotation driver is connected to one portion of the bending driver that grasps the bending tendon, and rotates the tube and the bending tendon together.

A surgical instrument for treating tissue includes an articulating elongated shaft (14), a drive shaft (124) extending through the elongated shaft and configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis defined by the drive shaft, and an end effector assembly 100) coupled to a distal end portion of the elongated shaft. The end effector assembly includes a jaw member (110) and a blade member (112) configured to oscillate in response to a rotation of the drive shaft (124) to treat tissue disposed between the jaw member and the blade member.

An endoscopic instrument for use with a trocar, said endoscopic instrument comprising an elongate shaft body having a proximal end and a distal end; an end effector assembly at said distal end operable by manipulation of actuator mechanism at said proximal end; a substrate core having a first surface and a second surface; at least one sensing element on said first surface, said at least one sensing element located adjacent to said distal end; an electronics module for receiving sensed signals from said at least one sensing element, said electronics module located adjacent to said proximal end; a first conductive layer residing on said first surface, said first conductive layer having first solder mask coated thereon; a second conductive layer residing on said second surface, second conductive layer having a second solder mask coated thereon, and wherein said second conductive layer coupled to said at least one sensing element relays said sensed signals from said at least one sensing element to said electronics module and said a first conductive layer is grounded.

A medical instrument comprises a housing and an elongated sheath configured to be attached to the housing. The elongated sheath includes opposed distal end and proximal end along a longitudinal axis. An end effector is configured to be attached to the distal end of the elongated sheath. The end effector includes a pair of grasps. A direction changer is used to change a direction of the end effector with respect to the distal end of the elongated sheath. A first drive shaft movable in the elongated sheath in ganged relation for opening and closing movement of the pair of grasps. A second drive shaft movable in the elongated sheath in ganged relation for angular movement of the end effector by the direction changer with respect to the elongated sheath. An operating member is configured to actuate the second drive shaft between a bent positions and a neutral position.