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.

A surgical instrument includes a housing including an actuator disposed thereon and an elongated shaft extending therefrom. The elongated shaft includes an end effector assembly including a pair of opposing jaw members including a knife channel defined therein. An articulation section is disposed between the housing and the end effector assembly and is configured to articulate the end effector assembly upon actuation of the actuator, the articulating section and a proximal end of the knife channel defining a first distance therebetween. A knife assembly includes a knife having a length, the proximal end including an engagement feature disposed thereon. A knife drive rod is configured to engage the engagement feature to secure the knife drive rod to the knife such that the distal end of the knife extends beyond the engagement feature and wherein the knife length is less than the length of the first distance.

A discectomy tool comprising: a) a cannula having an outer surface having a longitudinal bore therein, a proximal end and a distal end; b) a steering wire disposed in the longitudinal bore; c) a flexible, hollow transmission shaft disposed in the cannula, the shaft having a throughbore, a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and an outer surface having a thread extending therefrom; d) an irrigation source fluidly connected to the throughbore; e) a cutting tip attached to the distal end portion of the transmission shaft.

A basket apparatus is described that assists in removing objects from within a patient. The apparatus includes a number of pull wires, each pull wire physically coupled to a different capstan that individually actuates one of the pull wires. The apparatus also includes an outer support shaft itself including a number of channels through which the pull wires traverse. The portions of the pull wires extending out of the outer support shaft form a basket of adjustable size, shape, and position. The pull wires are attached together at a tip located at a distal end of the basket apparatus. By controlling the actuation of the various pull wires, the basket's shape, position size can be manipulated to reposition the basket around an object located within a patient, independent of or in conjunction with motion of the remainder of the apparatus or an associated endoscope.

A device for the retraction of soft tissue in a patient undergoing arthroscopic surgery, comprising a pulling element extending in its own main direction between a first end and a second end, the latter being fitted with a hooking body configured to pass through the soft tissue of a patient and engage in the soft tissue following the traction of the pulling element towards the first end. The device further comprises a presser body suitable to press on the skin of the patient and connectable to the pulling element in at least one operating position placed at a fixed distance from the second end, wherein the fixed distance is such as to define a housing for the layers of soft tissue of the patient engaged by the hooking body.

An articulating working channel system for use with a plurality of flexible tools which are adapted to be interleaved in a single surgical procedure, comprising: a working channel subassembly including a hollow flexible shaft; and a surgical tool subassembly including the flexible tool, wherein the flexible tool includes a flexible tube which is adapted to be inserted into the flexible shaft and wherein the flexible shaft is adapted to be articulated and the flexible tube is adapted to be passively articulated therewith.

This application provides an endoscopic device having at least one shaft with at least one portion deflectable, and having at least one deflection mechanism, which is configured to deflect the deflectable portion and includes at least one first connection member and at least one second connection member. When the connection members are arranged in a straight position relative to each other, a straight-position spacing exists defined by a shortest connection between a geometric midpoint of the first connection member and a geometric midpoint of the second connection member and, when the connection members are arranged in a deflection position relative to each other, a deflection-position spacing exists which is defined by a shortest connection between a geometric midpoint of the first connection member and a geometric midpoint of the second connection member, and the deflection-position spacing in the deflection position is greater than the straight-position spacing in the straight position.

A steerable instrument for endoscopic and/or invasive type of applications, such as in surgery, which has an elongated tubular body having a proximal end part with a first actuation flexible zone having a first diameter and a distal end part having a first distal flexible zone having a second diameter that is different from the first diameter. A cylindrical diameter adaptation section is arranged to connect the proximal end part to the distal end part such that a flexion in a radial direction relative to a longitudinal center axis of the longitudinal tubular body of the first actuation flexible zone results in an amplified or attenuated flexion of the first distal flexible zone.

A parallel kinematic mechanism apparatus includes a frame, a handle and an input joint that connects having at least two independent and functionally parallel paths for transmission of motion coupling the handle to the frame. A first path includes a first intermediate body connected to the frame by a first connector and to the handle by a third connector while the second path that is independent from the first path includes a second intermediate body that is connected to the frame by a second connector and to the handle by a fourth connector. The first connector and the fourth connector both allow rotation in a first rotational direction and restrict rotation in a second rotational direction and the second and third connectors allow rotation in the second rotational direction and restrict rotation in the first rotational direction.

A steering joint comprises a first tubular member and a second tubular member. The first tubular member and the second tubular member include a plurality of cuts to facilitate bending. One end of the first tubular member has an accommodation portion for accommodating an endoscopic image module, and the other end has a first joint portion. One end of the second tubular member has a second joint portion which is joined to the first joint portion of the first tubular member. The tubular member of the steering joint is easy to injection mold and can reduce the accumulated tolerance. An endoscope including the abovementioned steering joint is also disclosed.