A surgical instrument with improved end-effector gripping force. The instrument comprises a shaft, which may be inserted into a body of a patient. The articulated end-effector is mounted on the distal extremity of the instrument shaft and comprises a plurality of links interconnected by a plurality of joints, whose movements are remotely actuated by the surgeon's hands. This remote actuation is accomplished through mechanical transmission, mainly along flexible elements, which are able to deliver motion from a set of actuation elements, placed at a proximal extremity of the shaft, to the instrument's articulated end-effector. The articulated end-effector further comprises one or more cam-and-follower mechanisms that are able to amplify the force transmitted by the flexible elements so that the actuation force at the instrument jaws is maximized and the tension on the transmission elements minimized, thus increasing the fatigue resistance and life of the instrument.

The present invention relates to an extraction device (10) for extracting foreign bodies from a patient, comprising a flexible extractor (11), a stiffening device (12) and connection means (13) for connecting the flexible extractor (11) to said stiffening device (12).

A steerable laser probe may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, a flexible housing tube having a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end, an actuation mechanism control of the handle, and an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and within the flexible housing tube. An actuation of the actuation mechanism control may be configured to gradually curve the flexible housing tube. A gradual curving of the flexible housing tube may be configured to gradually curve the optic fiber. An actuation of the actuation mechanism control may be configured to gradually straighten the flexible housing tube. A gradual straightening of the flexible housing tube may be configured to gradually straighten the optic fiber.

Medical devices and methods of using medical devices are disclosed. An example tissue engagement device includes a first actuation member including a body coupled to a first jaw and a second jaw at a pivot point, wherein the body is designed to shift between a first configuration and a first compressed configuration and a second actuation member coupled to the first actuation member at the pivot point and at a fixation point, wherein the second actuation member is designed to shift between a second configuration and a second compressed configuration. Further, shifting the first actuation member from the first configuration to the first compressed configuration, shifting the second actuation member from the second configuration to the second compressed configuration, or both, shifts the first jaw and the second jaw between a closed configuration and an open configuration.

A membrane aggregating forceps may include a blank, a membrane aggregating forceps tip of the blank, a hypodermic tube, and an actuation structure. The blank may be disposed in the hypodermic tube and the actuation structure wherein a compression of the actuation structure is configured to close the membrane aggregating forceps tip and wherein a decompression of the actuation structure is configured to open the membrane aggregating forceps tip. The membrane aggregating forceps tip may include a first membrane aggregating forceps jaw having a first curved medial projection and a second membrane aggregating forceps jaw having a second curved medial projection. The first curved medial projection may include a first membrane socket, a first membrane aggregating fillet, and a first blunt edge. The second curved medial projection may include a second membrane socket, a second membrane aggregating filled, and a second blunt edge.

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.

Improved tissue fasteners are disclosed that can be inserted into (and optionally through) tissue structures underlying a tissue surface for affixing overlapping tissues and tissue planes together, and the like. In some embodiments, an elongate anvil body may protrude distally and/or laterally from a fastener support disposed along the base. The anvil body may have a sharpened end and be configured to penetrate into the tissue, with the elongate anvil body optionally having a bend from a more distal orientation adjacent the clip support to a more lateral orientation adjacent the sharpened end during at least a portion of the deployment. The first leg can be driven through a desired location on the surface of the first tissue and against a receptacle of the anvil body so as to deform the fastener and affix it to the first tissue.

An ultrasonic instrument for use during a surgical procedure includes a body, a shaft assembly, an ultrasonic blade, and an actuation assembly. The body is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer for selectively generating an oscillation at a first or a second predetermined power level. The shaft assembly projects from the body and includes an acoustic waveguide connected to the ultrasonic blade. The actuation assembly includes a selector collar generally surrounding the body and a plurality of activation buttons disposed radially about the body proximate to the selector collar. The selector collar is selectively movable along the body between a first position and a second position for selecting between the first and second predetermined power levels. The plurality of activation buttons are configured to direct the ultrasonic blade to oscillate with the selected first or second predetermined power levels.

An ultrasonic instrument includes a body, an actuation assembly, a shaft assembly, and an ultrasonic blade. The body defines a longitudinal axis and is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer. The actuation assembly includes at least one annular activation member and at least one circuit. The at least one annular activation member extends angularly about the body along a 360 degree angular range. The at least one annular activation member is configured to move laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the body. The at least one circuit corresponds to the at least one annular activation member. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide. The at least one activation circuit is configured to activate the ultrasonic blade in response to lateral movement of the activation member relative to the longitudinal axis of the body.

An actuation member for transmitting force from a drive mechanism to an end effector of a surgical instrument includes an electrically conductive distal flexible portion configured to be operably coupled with an end effector of a surgical instrument and an electrically conductive proximal rod portion connected to the flexible distal portion. The proximal rod portion is configured to be operably coupled to a drive mechanism. An electrically insulating material surrounds at least a portion of a length of the distal flexible portion and at least a portion of a length of the proximal rod portion. The electrically insulating material extends at least over a location where the distal flexible portion and the proximal rod portion connect. Surgical instruments include such actuation members. Methods relate to configuring actuation members.