A surgical instrument system comprising an elongate shaft is disclosed. The elongate shaft comprises a proximal end, a distal end, a proximal region, a central region, and a distal region. The proximal region comprises a first diameter. The central region comprises a second diameter. The distal region comprises a third diameter. The first diameter is different than the second diameter, and the second diameter is different than the third diameter. The proximal region defines a central longitudinal axis and the central region is centered along the central longitudinal axis. The distal region is laterally offset with respect to the central longitudinal axis.

An end effector assembly for a surgical instrument includes first and second jaw members, each including a jaw frame, spacer, electrically-conductive plate, and outer housing. The jaw frame includes at least one proximal flange and a distal jaw support extending distally therefrom. The spacer defines a body and a wing disposed on either side of the body. The body defines a channel configured to receive the distal jaw support while each wing defines a slot. The plate defines a tissue-contacting portion and first and second legs extending perpendicularly from the tissue-contacting portion. The tissue-contacting portion is configured to sit atop the body of the spacer. Each of the legs is configured for receipt within the slot defined within one of the wings. The outer housing at least partially surrounds the distal jaw support, spacer, and legs and is configured to retain these components in position relative to one another.

A disposable surgical instrument includes an instrument grip forming a receiving housing. A separate handle is mounted in the instrument grip in the manner of a rocker. A shaft tool includes a shaft having at least two relatively axially movable bar or rod components and an instrument head having patient engagement elements which can be actuated by the bar or rod components, of which one bar or rod component is fixed at the proximal end thereof to the instrument grip and the other bar or rod component has an articulation point on which the handle is directly articulated in such way that a manually actuated rocker movement of the handle about the articulation point on the handle side is transformed directly into an axial movement of the other bar or rod component on the articulation point on the shaft side.

A medical manipulator includes a trigger lever operated by hands, a shaft that extends from a body in which the trigger lever is provided, and a tip operating unit that is provided at a tip of the shaft. The tip operating unit includes an end effector to which the operation of the trigger lever is mechanically transmitted and in which the operation is performed, and a detection mechanism that detects an operation state of the first input unit.

An apparatus for operating on tissue includes a body assembly, a shaft assembly, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an articulation control assembly, an end effector, and an articulation lock. A portion of the articulation section encompasses a flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation includes a first member and a second member that is longitudinally translatable relative to the first member. The articulation control assembly is configured to move relative to the shaft assembly in order to longitudinally translate the second member relative to the first member. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The articulation lock is configured to prevent movement of the articulation control assembly relative to the shaft assembly.

A surgical instrument is disclosed. In one form, the surgical instrument comprises an elongate shaft assembly and an end effector that is configured for selective rotation relative to the axis of the elongate shaft assembly. The surgical instrument can include a rotary locking system for locking the surgical end effector in rotary orientations about the shaft axis upon application of axial locking and axial unlocking motions to the rotary locking system. The surgical instrument may further comprise a rotary drive system that is configured to apply rotary control motions to a firing member as well as to apply rotary positioning motions to the surgical end effector.

A handle includes a first operation input body provided on a handle main body and configured to rotate in first and second directions to operate a first end effector; an interlock body rotatable relative to the first operation input body; an engaging portion provided in the interlock body and configured to be engaged with the handle main body and to restrict rotation of the first operation input body in the second direction when the first operation input body is rotated in the first direction; and a second operation input body configured to rotate to operate a second end effector, and disengage the engaging portion from the handle main body by pressing the interlock body.

A coil fastener applier including a housing, a flexible elongated tubular member, a flexible drive member, a fastener assembly and a trigger is disclosed. The housing defines a longitudinal axis and includes a stationary handle affixed thereto. The flexible elongated tubular portion extends distally from the housing. The flexible drive member is rotatably mounted within the flexible elongated tubular portion. The fastener assembly is mounted adjacent a distal portion of the flexible drive member and is configured to releasably mount at least one coil fastener thereon. The trigger is movably mounted on the housing and movement of the trigger rotates the flexible drive member to drive a coil fastener into tissue. The flexible elongated tubular member and the flexible drive member enable off-axis delivery of a coil fastener.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for cutting a strand of suture. The apparatus comprises a solid outer member defining a lumen there-through. An inner member is received at least partially within the lumen, a portion of the inner member defining a curve. The inner member further defines a feature for retaining a strand of suture. At least one of the inner and outer members are moveable with respect to the other of the inner and outer members for cutting the strand of suture.

A deployment mechanism for selectively deploying and retracting an energizable member and/an insulative member relative to an end effector assembly of a surgical instrument includes one or more actuators, a clutch assembly, and a drive assembly. The clutch assembly is configured to couple to the actuator(s) to provide rotational motion in the first direction in response to such rotation of the actuator(s) and to decouple from the actuator(s) in response to rotation thereof in the second direction. The drive assembly is operably coupled to the clutch assembly and is configured to convert the rotational motion provided by the clutch assembly into longitudinal motion to translate the energizable member and/or insulative member from a storage position to a deployed position and to translate the energizable member and/or the insulative member from the deployed position back to the storage position.