A knife assembly for use with a surgical instrument includes a knife having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end including an aperture defined therein having a series of spaced apart fins extending thereacross. A knife drive rod is included and is configured to operably engage the fins to secure the knife drive rod to the knife. A retention mechanism is operably disposed at a distal end of the knife drive rod and is configured to secure the knife drive rod in engagement between the fins.

Medical apparatus includes an insertion tube configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient and an expandable assembly connected distally to the insertion tube and comprising electrodes, which are configured to apply electrical energy to tissue within the body cavity. A flexible porous sheath is fitted over the expandable assembly and configured to contact the tissue within the body cavity so that the electrical energy is applied from the electrodes through the sheath to the tissue.

A self-contained, battery powered transseptal crossing system is disclosed. An elongate, flexible electrically conductive needle body has a proximal end and a distal end. An insulation layer surrounds the sidewall and leaves exposed a distal electrode tip. A generator is configured to deliver RF energy to the electrode tip, and includes a processor configured to take impedance measurements at the tip to confirm contact with the intra atrial septum and/or confirm entry into the left atrium.

A conductive coating may be adhered to a structure comprising a hydrophobic and/or adhesion-resistant surface. The conductive coating may have a polymer backbone with conductive particles suspended in the backbone. In some embodiments, the conductive coating may be applied directly to the surface. In other embodiments, the conductive coating may be indirectly applied by first applying a primer adhesive to the outer surface, and then applying the conductive coating over the primer adhesive. An example structure may be a catheter of an endoscopic medical device, such as a bipolar sphincterotome, where the conductive coating functions as a return electrode.

Methods and devices are disclosed for puncturing tissue, comprising a puncture device for puncturing tissue and a supporting member for supporting the puncture device. The puncture device is capable of being insertable within the supporting member and being selectively usable in co-operation therewith during a portion of a procedure for puncturing tissue and wherein the puncture device is usable independently therefrom during another portion of the procedure. The puncture device comprises visual or tactile markers for determining the relative positioning between puncture device and supporting member.

A novel cardiac ablation catheter is based on the principle that the field gradient near the electrode surface is reduced by a truncated dome shape which reduces the ratio of the current magnitude near the electrode-tissue interface to that in the tissue. Thus, for a given power, a deeper lesion can be created at a lower applied power reducing the risk of steam pop and overheating of the surrounding blood pool. The result is a reduction in spurious current which does not contribute to tissue ablation but undesirably increases heating of the blood pool near the ablation site. Methods of use are also described.

The embodiments herein provide a method and system for building a family tree through a social network. The method includes receiving login credentials from a first person, providing access to a profile of the first person in the social network based on the login credentials, receiving a first triggering event from the first person; wherein the first triggering event occurs when the first person actuates first web element, providing a user interface for building a family tree on receiving the first triggering event from the first person, receiving a second triggering event from the first person; wherein the second triggering event occurs when the first person actuates second web element in the profile of the first person, saving the changes related to the family tree on receiving the second triggering event from the first person, and displaying the family tree on the user interface of the social network.

Methods and devices are disclosed for puncturing tissue, comprising an assembly for puncturing a target tissue. The puncture device of the assembly has a distal tip configured to puncture the target tissue and at least one proximal marker, formed on the proximal portion of the puncture device. The supporting member of the assembly includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen for receiving the puncture device. The puncture device is configured to enable advancement and withdrawal of the supporting member overtop of the puncture device. Alignment of the proximal end of the supporting member and the at least one proximal marker of the puncture device occurs when the distal tip of the puncture device protrudes from the distal end of the supporting member.

An electrosurgical instrument includes an elongated first shaft fabricated from thermally-conductive plastic material, an elongated second shaft, and opposing first and second jaw members each having a proximal end portion coupled to a distal end portion of the respective first and second shafts. One or both of the jaw members has a jaw frame and an electrically-conductive tissue sealing structure disposed over the jaw frame. The first shaft has a heat sink disposed therein configured to dissipate heat from the tissue sealing structure toward the thermally-conductive plastic material.

A knife assembly for use with a surgical instrument includes a knife having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end including an aperture defined therein having a series of spaced apart fins extending thereacross. A knife drive rod is included and is configured to operably engage the fins to secure the knife drive rod to the knife. A retention mechanism is operably disposed at a distal end of the knife drive rod and is configured to secure the knife drive rod in engagement between the fins.