Adapters for use with surgical systems including a surgical forceps, and a surgical clip; and methods for providing clip-applying functionality are disclosed. The adapter is releasably engagable with the end effector assembly of the surgical forceps. The surgical clip is releasably engagable with the adapter. With the surgical clip engaged with the adapter and the adapter engaged with the end effector assembly, the jaw members of the end effector assembly are configured to move from the spaced-apart position towards the approximated position to move the jaw bodies of the adapter towards one another to, in turn, urge the legs of the surgical clip towards one another to form the surgical clip.

Surgical devices are provided having power-assisted or fully powered jaw closure. The devices herein generally include a handle portion, an elongate shaft, and an effector having first and second jaws configured to engage tissue. A motor and one or more compression springs can be operatively coupled, and activation of the motor can compress the spring(s) to reduce the amount of user supplied force to compress tissue between the jaws. In some embodiments, the devices can be configured to regulate an amount of compression applied by the jaws prior to, during, and/or after cutting of the tissue to promote hemostasis. For example, the devices can include sensors, processors, and/or other components that analyze data indicative of tissue type and tissue load. Based on this feedback, the device can automatically adjust the amount of compression or energy applied to the tissue to seal the tissue.

The present invention generally relates to a flexible catheter device capable of being introduced into body passages, withdraw fluids therefrom or introduce fluids thereinto, and which includes electrodes configured to apply electrical signals in the body passage for carrying out thrombus dissolution and/or thrombectomy, wherein one of said electrodes is designed to contact the thrombus material and remove it or dissolve it, and wherein the electrical voltage signals are a unipolar pulsatile voltage signal.

A surgical instrument includes an end effector assembly and a deployment mechanism for deploying a proximal hub associated with an energizable member between proximal and distal positions. The deployment mechanism includes a rotatable shaft, a cord including a proximal end engaged to the rotatable shaft and a distal end engaged to the proximal hub, a biasing member positioned to bias the proximal hub towards the distal position, and a gear assembly operably coupled to the rotatable shaft. The gear assembly is configured to move the proximal hub from the distal position to the proximal position against the bias of the biasing member by rotating the rotatable shaft relative to the cord to at least partially wind-up the cord about the rotatable shaft.

Jaw members of end effector assemblies include sealing plates configured to direct the amount and flow of energy through the sealing plates. The sealing plates may have a height varying from a minimal height to a maximum height along a width or a length of the sealing plate and/or a sealing surface including at least two impedance zones having different impedance values.

A forceps includes first and second shaft members, each having a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. The first and second shaft members are pivotably coupled to one another toward the distal ends thereof and are moveable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position for moving the jaw members between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position. A knife assembly including a handle and a knife extending from the handle is also provided. The knife assembly is selectively translatable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the knife extends between the jaw members. The handle is disposed between the first and second shaft members and is configured to block further closure of the first and second shaft members beyond the closed position, thereby defining a minimum gap distance between the jaw members.

Unitary endoscopic vessel harvesting devices with an elastic force are disclosed. In some embodiments, such devices comprise an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, a tip disposed at the distal end of the elongated body; and cutting unit having an elastic force, a first cutting portion and a second cutting portion, the first cutting portion and the second cutting portion being moveable in a longitudinal direction relative to the elongated body to capture a blood vessel between the first cutting portion and the second cutting portion, and being rotatable relative to one another circumferentially about the tip to cut the captured blood vessel, and a biasing member engaged with the cutting unit to bias at least one cutting portion toward the other cutting portion.

An instrument for therapeutically cytotoxically ablating parathyroidal tissue is disclosed. A substance delivery device with which a quantity of an activator substance that is less than a cytotoxic ablation quantity threshold of a parathyroid gland can be percutaneously introduced into parathyroidal tissue is provided. The activator substance, when introduced, is not activated. An energy source device that includes a selector with which a quantity of an energy that is less than a cytotoxic ablation energy threshold of the parathyroid gland can be selected and an energy production device operable to apply the energy to the activator substance is provided. The activator substance, when introduced, and the energy indicated, when applied to the introduced activator substance, are in combination capable of cytotoxically ablating the parathyroid tissue and transforming the parathyroid gland from overproduction to non-overproduction of the parathyroid hormone in a manner that maintains non-parathyroidal tissue functions and is non-lethal.

A surgical instrument includes a hollow member having a sidewall provided with a window and a closure member movably connected to the hollow member for alternately covering and uncovering the window. The hollow member has a first clamping surface along an edge of the window, while the closure member has a second clamping surface opposing the first clamping surface and disposable substantially adjacent thereto in a clamping or closure configuration of the instrument. The instrument additionally comprises a tissue occlusion component mounted to at least one of the hollow member and the closure member for acting on tissues gripped between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface, to couple the tissues to each other.

A device includes a handle having a trigger in combination with a distal portion, the distal portion including a rigid elongated hollow member which receives tissue therein and a plunger fitted with and configured to slide longitudinally within the hollow member to induce suction at a distal end of the hollow member as the plunger is moved proximally within the hollow member. The trigger is hingedly coupled to the plunger so that pulling the trigger slides the plunger proximally with respect to the hollow member to generate suction to draw the tissue into the distal end of the hollow member. The device further includes a tissue treatment mechanism for encircling the tissue received at the distal end of the hollow member.