A method for adjusting the operation of a surgical suturing instrument using machine learning in a surgical suite is disclosed. The method comprises gathering data during surgical procedures, wherein the surgical procedures include the use of a surgical suturing instrument comprising a suturing needle configured to be mechanically advanced through a suturing stroke, analyzing the gathered data to determine an appropriate operational adjustment of the surgical suturing instrument, and adjusting the operation of the surgical suturing instrument to improve the operation of the surgical suturing instrument.

A surgical instrument for treating tissue includes an articulating elongated shaft (14), a drive shaft (28) 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 rotate in response to a rotation of the drive shaft to treat tissue disposed between the jaw member and the blade member.

Treatment instrument includes a housing having a fixed handle to be grasped by a user, an end effector for grasping biological tissue by opening and closing, a movable handle which is rotatable with respect to the housing and moves in a direction toward or away from the fixed handle by rotating with respect to the housing, an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the end effector according to the rotation of the movable handle, a first fulcrum serving as a first rotation shaft for rotating the movable handle, a first slot through which the first fulcrum is inserted, a second fulcrum provided at a position different from the first fulcrum and serving as a second rotation shaft for rotating the movable handle, and a second slot through which the second fulcrum is inserted.

The present disclosure is directed to end effectors. An end effector includes an outer shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and an inner shaft partially located within the outer shaft. The end effector may include an ultrasonic blade. The inner shaft may include biased and unbiased portions. The inner shaft and outer shaft may be translatable relative to one another. At one translatable position, the biased portion of the inner shaft may be located within the outer shaft and the unbiased portion may be substantially straight along the longitudinal axis. At another translatable position, the biased portion of the inner shaft may be located outside of and distally positioned from the outer shaft such that the biased portion of the inner shaft is bent away from the longitudinal axis.

A treatment device for treating a target tissue includes a drive source having a transducer configured to convert electrical energy to mechanical vibrations, an instrument having a blade connected to the drive source and configured to apply the mechanical vibrations to the target tissue, and a control unit configured to control a supply of electrical energy to the drive source. The control unit is configured to automatically adjust the supply of electrical energy to the drive source in response to a detection of a change in a resonance frequency of the blade. The change in resonance frequency of the blade occurs after the target tissue has been completely cut by the blade.

An ultrasonic instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide configured to acoustically couple with an ultrasonic transducer. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade, a clamp arm and a clamp pad. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The clamp arm is pivotally coupled with the shaft assembly. The clamp pad is configured to removably couple with the clamp arm while the clamp arm is pivotally coupled to the shaft assembly.

Various embodiments are directed to surgical instruments comprising an end effector, a shaft and a jaw assembly. The end effector may comprise an ultrasonic blade extending distally substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis. The shaft may extend proximally from the end effector along the longitudinal axis. The jaw assembly may comprise first and second jaw members. The jaw assembly may be pivotable about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis from a first position where the first and second jaw members are substantially parallel to the ultrasonic blade to a second position. Additionally, the first and second jaw members may be pivotable about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

A surgical instrument includes an end effector, a shaft assembly, and an axial location feature. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm that can move between an open and closed position. The shaft assembly includes a proximal shaft portion, an acoustic waveguide extending proximally from the ultrasonic blade, a distal shaft portion extending along a distal axis, and an articulation section interposed between the proximal shaft portion and the distal shaft portion. The articulation section can deflect the distal shaft portion and the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis between a non-deflected position and a deflected position. The axial location feature can inhibit the ultrasonic blade from shifting relative to the clamp arm along the distal axis as the end effector is driven between the non-deflected position and the deflected position.

A vibration transmission member includes a main body, a treatment portion that is provided at the distal end of the main body, a first covering formed of a material that has an electrical insulating property and has a thermal conductivity lower than a thermal conductivity of the main body, which covers a part of a surface of the treatment portion, and a second covering formed of a material that has an electrical insulating property and has a thermal conductivity lower than the thermal conductivity of the main body. The second covering is integrally formed with at least a part of the first covering and varies in thickness in a circumferential direction of the main body. The second covering includes a first area and a second area in the circumferential direction, such that a thickness dimension of the first area is smaller than a thickness dimension of the second area.

A treatment tool includes a first grasper and a second grasper. The first grasper includes a treatment portion that includes a treatment surface and an opposing surface, and a holder portion that is mounted on the opposing surface. The holder portion is formed of an elastically deformable material, and includes a first region having a first contact surface, a second region having a second contact surface, and a connection region that is arranged between the first contact surface and the second contact surface and that includes a concave portion. The holder portion is mounted on the opposing surface in an elastically deformed state such that the first contact surface and the second contact surface are in contact with the opposing surface and such that a depth of the concave portion is smaller than a depth of the concave portion is a non-elastically deformed state.