Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for articulating medical instruments. In one aspect, the instrument includes a wrist having at least two degrees of freedom of movement, and an end effector coupled to the wrist. The end effector can include an upper jaw, a lower jaw, and a firing mechanism configured to form staples in tissue. Actuation of the firing mechanism can be decoupled from the movement of the wrist in the at least two degrees of freedom.

A method for controlling an articulating surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument includes a manipulator and a positioner actuable to position a distal segment within an instrument workspace. The manipulator is attached to the distal segment and includes a distal end configured for mounting an operational tool for performing an operation within the instrument workspace, the manipulator being actuable to manipulate the distal end of the manipulator. The method involves receiving input including position input signals representing a position within an input workspace and orientation input signals representing an orientation within the input workspace and causing generating position control signals for actuating the positioner to move the distal segment within the instrument workspace to a physical position represented by the position input signal and generating manipulation control signals based on the orientation input signals for actuating the manipulator to orient the distal end within the instrument workspace.

A surgical instrument (10), comprising: a surgical execution component (100), a linkage part (200), and a manipulation component (300), the distal end of the linkage part (200) being connected to the surgical execution component (100) and the proximal end of the linkage part (200) being connected to the manipulation component (300). The surgical instrument (10) uses the linkage part (200) having two rotational degrees of freedom, such that when the manipulation component (300) drives, by means of the linkage part (200), the surgical execution component (100) to rotate at a fifth rotational degree of freedom (R5) and/or a sixth rotational degree of freedom (R6), the swing directions of the surgical execution component (100) and the manipulation component (300) at a first rotational degree of freedom (R1) and a second rotational degree of freedom (R2) are consistent. Therefore, the surgical instruction (10) implements technical effects of improving the moving direction accuracy of the surgical execution component (100), improving the accuracy of the action of the surgical instruction (10), and facilitating surgical operations.

The present invention provides transseptal puncture devices configured to access structures on the left side of the heart from the right side of the heart without requiring open-heart surgery. The devices have adjustable stiffness to enter the vasculature in a flexible, atraumatic fashion, then become rigid once in place to provide a stable platform for penetration of the fossa ovalis. The devices are further configured to controllably and stably extend a needle to puncture the FO. The devices include an indwelling blunt stylus that can extend perpendicularly from the device to increase the accuracy of placement near the fossa ovalis.

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises an end effector that has a shaft coupled thereto that is coupled to a robotic system. A tool mounting portion includes an electric, DC motor connected to a drive train in the shaft for powering the drive train. A power pack that comprises at least one charge-accumulating device connected to the DC motor for powering the DC motor is provided.

Various exemplary steerable needles, methods of using steerable needles, and methods of manufacturing steerable needles are provided. In general, a needle configured to be advanced through soft tissue can be configured to be passively steered in a desired direction through the soft tissue. The needle can include a distal tip configured to facilitate the steering. The needle's distal tip can include a beveled or chamfered edge on one side thereof. The distal tip of the needle can be configured to bend relative to a remainder of the needle in a direction opposite to the side of the distal tip that includes the chamfered edge. The soft tissue can provide resistance to the distal tip being advanced therein such that the distal tip automatically bends in a direction away from the chamfered edge. The needle can also include a bendable portion that is proximal to the distal tip.

Connectors for connecting or linking one instrument or object to one or more other instruments or objects are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a connector can include a first arm with a first attachment feature for attaching to a first object, such as a surgical access device, and a second arm with a second attachment feature for attaching to a second object, such as a support. The connector can have an unlocked state, in which the position and orientation of the access device can be adjusted relative to the support, and a locked state in which movement of the access device relative to the support is prevented or limited. Locking the connector can also be effective to clamp or otherwise attach the connector to the access device and the support, or said attachment can be independent of the locking of the connector.

A surgical instrument includes a shaft, an end effector, and an articulation mechanism. The end effector is movable between a first position where the end effector is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the shaft, and a second position where the end effector is disposed at an angled relative to the longitudinal axis. The articulation mechanism includes a proximal gear disposed in mechanical cooperation with the shaft, a distal gear disposed in mechanical cooperation with the end effector, a first lateral gear disposed in contact with the proximal gear and the distal gear, and a second lateral gear disposed in contact with the proximal gear and the distal gear.

A method, apparatus and computer readable medium for schematically representing a spatial position of an instrument used in a robotic surgery system is disclosed. The instrument includes an end effector coupled to a positioning device for spatially positioning the end effector in a surgical workspace in response to input signals generated by movement of a hand controller of an input device in an input device workspace. The method involves causing a processor circuit to calculate a current three-dimensional spatial position of the instrument within the surgical workspace for current input signals received from the input device. The method also involves causing the processor circuit to generate display signals for displaying a graphical depiction of the surgical workspace on a display in communication with the processor circuit, the graphical depiction including a planar representation includes an instrument movement region having a boundary indicating limitations to transverse movement of the instrument within the surgical workspace, and a two-dimensional projection of the current spatial position of the positioning device and the end effector onto the planar representation.

A hooked surgery camera for use in surgical robotic systems includes a hook coupled to a side or end of a camera body, for attaching the camera to tissue during a surgery. The camera also includes a lens on another end of the camera body, and electronic components inside the camera body. The electronic components include a battery, a digital camera module and a wireless data transmitter. The hooked surgery camera provides a supplementary view of the surgical site, that is from a different perspective than the view provided by an endoscope, during laparoscopic surgeries. Other aspects are also described and claimed.