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.

Ultrasonic surgical instruments including a handle housing, a switch frame, and a switch assembly are disclosed. The switch assembly may include a first switch arrangement movably supported on a distal portion of the handle housing and selectively movable relative to a first switch contact supported by the switch frame. The switch assembly may further include a second switch arrangement including a right switch button movably supported on a right side of the handle housing and selectively movable relative to a right switch contact supported by the switch frame, and a left switch button movably supported on a left side of the handle housing and selectively movable relative to a left switch contact supported by the switch frame. The first and second switch arrangements may be configured to be selectively actuatable by a single hand supporting the handle housing.

A forceps includes a drive assembly and an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members movable between a spaced-apart position, a first approximated position, and a second approximated position. The drive assembly includes a drive housing and a drive bar. The proximal end of the drive bar is coupled to the drive housing, while the distal end of the drive bar is coupled to at least one of the jaw members. The drive housing and the drive bar are selectively movable in conjunction with one another between a first position and a second position to move the jaw members between the spaced-apart position and the first approximated position. The drive assembly is selectively activatable to move the drive bar independent of the drive housing from the second position to a third position to move the jaw members from the first approximated position to the second approximated position.

A surgical instrument includes a housing, an end effector, a movable handle, and a drive assembly. The movable handle includes first and second cantilever spring arms and is movable relative to the housing between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position. The first cantilever spring arm is flexed upon movement of the movable handle from the spaced-apart position towards the approximated position to bias the movable handle towards the spaced-apart position. The drive assembly is operably coupled between the movable handle and the end effector such that movement of the movable handle from the spaced-apart position towards the approximated position moves the end effector from an open position towards a clamping position for clamping tissue. The second cantilever spring arm is flexed upon application of a threshold pressure to tissue clamped by the end effector to control an amount of pressure applied to tissue clamped by the end effector.

A method of compressing tissue during a surgical procedure is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a surgical instrument comprising an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, establishing a communication pathway between the surgical instrument and a surgical hub, and inserting the surgical instrument into a surgical site. The method further comprises compressing tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw, determining a location of the compressed tissue with respect to at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw, communicating the determined location of the compressed tissue to the surgical hub, and displaying the determined location of the compressed tissue on a visual feedback device.

A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes an end effector that comprises a staple channel and an anvil that is movably translatable relative to the staple channel. A tool mounting portion is configured to interface with a robotic system and operably communicate with the end effector. The instrument further includes a first sensor that has an output that represents a first condition of a portion of the robotic system. A second sensor has an output that represents a position of the anvil. A third sensor has an output that represents a position of a reciprocating knife within the end effector. An externally accessible memory device communicates with the first, second and third sensors.

An apparatus comprises a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and an articulation drive assembly. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section comprises a plurality of body portions aligned along the longitudinal axis and a flexible locking member. The flexible locking member is operable to secure the body portions in relation to each other and in relation to the shaft. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The articulation drive assembly is operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis.

Various systems and methods for determining the composition of tissue via an ultrasonic surgical instrument are disclosed. A control circuit can be configured to monitor the change in resonant frequency of an ultrasonic electromechanical system of the ultrasonic surgical instrument as the ultrasonic blade oscillates against a tissue and determine the composition of the tissue accordingly. In some aspects, the control circuit can be configured to modify the operation of the ultrasonic electromechanical system or other operational parameters of the ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the detected tissue composition.

A method for characterizing a state of an end effector of an ultrasonic device is disclosed. The ultrasonic device including an electromechanical ultrasonic system defined by a predetermined resonant frequency. The electromechanical ultrasonic system further including an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. The method including applying, by an energy source, a power level to the ultrasonic transducer, measuring, by a control circuit coupled to a memory, an impedance value of the ultrasonic transducer, comparing, by the control circuit, the impedance value to a reference impedance value stored in the memory; classifying, by the control circuit, the impedance value based on the comparison; characterizing, by the control circuit, the state of the electromechanical ultrasonic system based on the classification of the impedance value; and adjusting, by the control circuit, the power level applied to the ultrasonic transducer based on the characterization of the state of the end effector.

A surgical instrument is disclosed including a transducer configured to provide vibrations along a longitudinal axis, an end effector operably coupled to the transducer, and a stationary lower jaw extending parallel to the end effector. The end effector extends along the longitudinal axis. The end effector comprises a blade. The stationary lower jaw comprises a clamp face positioned distal to the blade. The end effector is movable relative to the stationary lower jaw to drive the blade distally towards the clamp face. The end effector comprises a hollow lumen. The end effector further comprises at least one member extended across a portion of the hollow lumen.