Apparatus for blunt dissection, dilation of incisions, and separation of adhesions, the apparatus comprising: a frame; first and second belt supports mounted to the frame, the first and second belt supports being reconfigurable between a closed position and an open position; first and second continuous loop belts movably supported by the first and second belt supports, respectively, wherein the first and second continuous loop belts provide first and second outside surface face portions, respectively, and further wherein the first outside surface face portion is separated from the second outside surface face portion by a first distance when the first and second belt supports are in their closed position, and the first outside surface face portion is separated from the second outside surface face portion by a second, larger distance when the first and second belt supports are in their open position.

A clamping system having a clamp head, forceps, and a mechanical actuator. The clamp head has a first clamp or arm, a second clamp arm, a tubular neck, and a drive shaft that extends through the tubular neck. The first clamp arm is moved relative to the second clamp arm by selectively rotating the drive shaft. The forceps have a jaw section. The jaw section has a ring clamp that is sized to receive and retain the tubular neck on the clamp head. A mechanical actuator attaches to the forceps. The mechanical actuator has an elongated shaft that aligns with the drive shaft of the clamp head when the ring clamp is closed around the tubular neck of the clamp head. The alignment enables the mechanical actuator to engage the drive shaft and turn the drive shaft when the mechanical actuator is manipulated.

A method for adjusting the operation of a surgical instrument using machine learning in a surgical suite is disclosed.

A surgical stapling instrument includes an end effector, an adapter assembly, and a rotation lockout assembly. The end effector includes a staple cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly that are coupled to a proximal housing and movably positioned relative to one another. The staple cartridge assembly has a drive beam and a sled. The sled carries a knife that is rotatably supported on the sled. The drive beam is configured to move the knife relative to the drive beam. The adapter assembly has an elongated shaft that extends distally to an articulating assembly. The articulating assembly includes distal and proximal joint members coupled by a pin to articulate the end effector. The rotation lockout assembly prevents rotation of the end effector during a firing of the surgical stapling instrument.

A force transmission mechanism includes a force adjuster that receives a driving force and that is configured to change a force transmission efficiency, and also includes a driving member that is configured to connect an end effector and the force adjuster via a joint section and transmit the driving force. The force adjuster converts the driving force into a linear force via a rotational force, and increases the conversion efficiency from the driving force to the linear force such that an amount of increase in the force transmission efficiency increases with increasing displacement amount of the driving member when the driving member is displaced in accordance with flexing or curving of the joint section.

A surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft extending from the housing, an end effector assembly extending from the shaft and configured to rotate and/or articulate relative to the housing, a motor disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the end effector assembly to rotate and/or articulate of the end effector assembly relative to the housing, and a sensing assembly configured to sense movement of the housing relative to a reference position and to drive the motor to rotate and/or articulate of the end effector assembly relative to the housing based upon the sensed movement. The sensing assembly is configured to operate in each of a standard mode, wherein movement of the housing effects rotation and/or articulation of the end effector assembly in a similar direction, and a reversed mode, wherein movement of the housing effects rotation and/or articulation of the end effector assembly in an opposite direction.

A surgical stapling instrument comprising a housing, a shaft, an end effector, a first articulation joint configured to permit the end effector to be articulated in a first plane, a second articulation joint configured to permit the end effector to be articulated in a second plane, and a staple firing drive is disclosed. The end effector comprises a distal end, a proximal end, a first jaw, a second jaw rotatable relative to the first iaw, and a staple cartridge. The staple firing drive comprises a firing member and a flexible drive tube extending through the first articulation joint and the second articulation joint. The firing member comprises a first cam, a second cam, and a round attachment aperture. The flexible drive tube comprises a longitudinal length, an outer circumference, a distal end seated in the round attachment aperture, and interlocking cuts in the outer circumference extending longitudinally and circumferentially.

Various embodiments of tool assemblies are provided having at least one rotary input coupling and at least one linear input coupling for allowing either a rotary output or a linear output (e.g., from a tool driver on a surgical robot) to activate at least one mechanism of the tool assembly. For example, mechanisms of the tool assembly can include a clamping assembly, a firing assembly, an articulation assembly, and a roll assembly. The clamping assembly can open and close jaws of an end effector, the firing assembly can translate a knife assembly through the end effector to fire staples and cut tissue, the articulation assembly can articulate the end effector, and the roll assembly can rotate the elongate shaft and/or the end effector.

A surgical tool having an open-close end effector is to be provided. The surgical tool includes: a shaft; a wrist that is connected to the shaft rotatably about a first axis; a first jaw member and a second jaw member, each of which is supported rotatably about a second axis; and an elastic member that applies a repulsive force between the first jaw member and the second jaw member. The surgical tool further includes: a first jaw capstan provided for the first jaw member; a first cable that pulls the first jaw member; a second jaw capstan provided for the second jaw member; and a second cable that pulls the second jaw member.

A treatment tool includes: a sheath extending along a longitudinal axis; a fixed gripping piece protruding from a distal end of the sheath; a movable gripping piece that is movably attached to either the sheath or the fixed gripping piece, the movable gripping piece being configured to grip a living tissue between the movable gripping piece and the fixed gripping piece; and a movement restricting portion configured to allow movement of the movable gripping piece in a first range and restrict movement of the movable gripping piece in a second range different from the first range. The movable gripping piece is attachable to and detachable from either the sheath or the fixed gripping piece at a movement position within the second range.