A device for dividing a fibrous structure comprising an expandable member positioned near the distal end of a catheter and in fluid communication with the lumen of the catheter so that the expandable member can be biased between an inflated state and a deflated state to tension the fibrous structure, and electrosurgical elements situated on or proximate to an outer surface of the expandable member and configured to deliver electrical and thermal energy to the tensioned fibrous structure in a manner that results in division of the tensioned fibrous structure. A method for dividing a fibrous structure comprising positioning proximate the fibrous structure an expandable member having electrosurgical elements, expanding the expandable member outwards to tension the fibrous structure across the electrosurgical elements, and activating the electrosurgical elements to deliver energy to the tensioned fibrous structure to divide the tensioned fibrous structure.

Ultrapolar non-telescopic electrosurgery pencil with argon beam capability which is capable of using monopolar energy in a bipolar mode for cutting and coagulation and which is also capable of using an ionized gas for cutting and coagulation. The ultrapolar non-telescopic electrosurgery pencil with argon beam capability includes a handpiece member, an electrosurgery blade assembly positioned within an end of the handpiece member where the electrosurgery blade assembly includes a blade having a non-conductive sharp cutting edge, a return electrode, and an active electrode, and a non-conductive hollow tube member positioned over a top of the blade and at least a portion of the return electrode, a first conductive hollow tube having at least a portion concentrically contained within the non-conductive hollow tube member of the electrosurgery blade assembly, a flexible non-conductive tube contained within at least a portion of ultrapolar non-telescopic electrosurgery pencil which provides a gas to the first conductive hollow tube, and a plurality of electrical conductors for connecting the return electrode, the active electrode, and the first conductive hollow tube to an RF electrosurgical generator for activating the ultrapolar non-telescopic electrosurgery pencil.

A surgical instrument comprising a motor assembly, a shaft defining a shaft axis, a distal head, a rotary drive member, and a distal head lock member movable between a first position where the distal head is unlocked from the shaft and a second position where the distal head is locked to the shaft is disclosed. The motor assembly comprises a motor and a controller configured to operate the motor in first and second operating modes. The distal head comprises an end effector movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The distal head is rotated about the shaft axis when the distal head lock member is in the first position and the rotary drive member is actuated. The end effector is moved from the open configuration toward the closed configuration when the distal head lock member is in the second position and the rotary drive member is actuated.

Various systems and methods for determining the state of an end effector of an ultrasonic surgical instrument are disclosed. A control circuit can be configured to measure a complex impedance of an ultrasonic electromechanical system including an ultrasonic blade and compare the measured complex impedance to reference complex impedance patterns that each correspond to a state of the end effector. Accordingly, the control circuit can further be configured to determine the state of the end effector according to which of the plurality of reference complex impedance patterns the measured complex impedance corresponds.

An endoscopic system having a shaft, a sheath disposed at least partially inside the shaft having a distal end with a leading surface and an inner surface, the leading surface at the distal end of the sheath having rounded edges so as to be atraumatic, an instrument at least partially inside the sheath and movable relative to the sheath along a longitudinal direction of the sheath, the inner surface being sloped so as to deflect the instrument at a predetermined angle as it is moved into contact with the inner surface and out of the sheath, and the sheath being rotatable relative to the shaft so as to change the direction at which the instrument extends from the sheath.

Various systems and methods for controlling an ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the location of tissue grasped within an end effector are disclosed. A control circuit can be configured to apply varying power levels, via a generator, to an ultrasonic transducer driving an ultrasonic electromechanical system to oscillate an ultrasonic blade. Further, the control circuit can measure impedances of the ultrasonic transducer corresponding to the varying power levels and determine a location of tissue positioned within the end effector according to a difference between the impedances of the ultrasonic transducer relative to a threshold.

A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The clamp arm is movable relative to the ultrasonic blade to transition the end effector between an open configuration and a closed configuration to clamp tissue between the ultrasonic blade and the clamp arm. The surgical instrument further comprises a transducer configured to generate an ultrasonic energy output and a waveguide configured to transmit the ultrasonic energy output to the ultrasonic blade. The surgical instrument further comprises a control circuit configured to monitor a parameter of the surgical instrument, wherein crossing an upper predetermined threshold of the parameter causes the control circuit to effect a first electromechanical system, and wherein crossing a lower predetermined threshold of the parameter causes the control circuit to effect a second electromechanical system different than the first electromechanically system.

A surgical system comprising a generator and a surgical instrument configured to receive power from the generator is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises a housing, a shaft defining a longitudinal axis, an end effector, and an internal charge accumulator. The housing comprises a motor. The end effector is operably responsive to actuations from the electric motor, transitionable between an open and closed configuration, and rotatable about an articulation axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The generator is incapable of supplying a sufficient power directly to the motor to perform the actuations. The internal charge accumulator is in electric communication with the generator and supplies power to the motor. The internal charge accumulator is chargeable by the generator to a threshold value at a charge rate dependent on a charge level of the internal charge accumulator. The charge rate is independent of a charge expenditure by the surgical instrument.

Disclosed is a method including establishing a first communication link between a surgical visualization system outside a sterile field in an operating room and a primary display inside the sterile field, transmitting an image frame from the surgical visualization system to the primary display, establishing a second communication link between a surgical robotic hub in the operating room and the primary display, and transmitting another image frame from the surgical robotic hub to the primary display.

A locator assembly (100) for determining a location of an arrhythmogenic foci (632) in or near a heart (101). The locator assembly (100) includes a device body (112) and a plurality of electrodes (102). The plurality of electrodes (102) receive electrical signals from the heart (101) to determine the location of the arrhythmogenic foci (632). The plurality of electrodes (102) can be coupled to the device body (112). At least two of the plurality of electrodes (102) can positioned circumferentially about the device body (112). The plurality of electrodes (102) can be positionable so that the plurality of electrodes (102) are in electrical communication with the heart (101).