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.

The present disclosure provides a heart valve repair method, comprising: advancing a distal end of a suture implanting apparatus from an outside of a body through a transapical approach into a left ventricle or a right ventricle of a heart; holding each leaflet of a heart valve with the distal end of the suture implanting apparatus; implanting at least one suture into the leaflet; withdrawing the suture implanting apparatus from the body; advancing a distal end of a suture locking apparatus from the outside of a body through a transapical approach into the corresponding left ventricle or the corresponding right ventricle; using the suture locking apparatus to lock the plurality of sutures; and withdrawing the suture locking apparatus from the body. The heart valve repair method has a simple surgical procedure, a low degree of patient trauma, and a high success rate of surgery.

A staple cartridge for use with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The staple cartridge comprises an elongate slot, a deck surface, and a row of staple cavities. Each staple cavity comprises proximal and distal ends. The distal end is closer to the elongate slot than the proximal end. A firing member is configured to drive the staple drivers from an unfired position to a fired position. The distal end of the staple cavity is aligned with a first end of a staple driver, and the proximal end of the staple cavity is aligned with a second end of the staple driver. The first end of the staple driver extends a first distance above the deck surface and the second end of the staple driver extends a second distance above the deck surface when the staple driver is in the fired position. The first distance is different than the second distance.

A surgical instrument can comprise a handle, a motor, and a shaft extending from the handle. The handle and/or the shaft can define a longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument can further comprise a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fasteners removably stored therein, an anvil configured to deform the fasteners, a closure drive configured to move the anvil toward and away from the fastener cartridge which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and a firing drive configured to deploy the fasteners from the fastener cartridge which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument can further comprise a transmission comprising a first operating configuration which connects the motor to the closure drive and a second operating configuration which connects the motor to the firing drive.

A safe surgical instrument that allows a surgeon to move a head section by simple manual operation, and having a reduced number of components, comprises a distal tool head and first and second proximal operation sections. The tool head comprises a movable section and a base section. A first connection structure includes a first conversion mechanism, a first shaft, a universal joint provided at the distal and of the first shaft, a second conversion mechanism, and a crank at the distal end of the second conversion mechanism and connected with the proximal end of the movable section. A second connection structure includes a cylindrical shaft having a pinion at its distal section, and an approximately semicircular rack that meshes with the pinion. The intersection of the axes of the pivots of the universal joint is on the axis of rotation of the rack.

A device can pierce and hold tissue and then pass suture through tissue. The device can have a shuttle that can removably attach to a suture and jaws that can be rotatably opened and closed with respect to each other. A method for using the device to repeatedly pass the suture through the tissue without removing the suture or device from the target site is also disclosed.

A surgical instrument can comprise a handle, a motor, and a shaft extending from the handle. The handle and/or the shaft can define a longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument can further comprise a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fasteners removably stored therein, an anvil configured to deform the fasteners, a closure drive configured to move the anvil toward and away from the fastener cartridge which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and a firing drive configured to deploy the fasteners from the fastener cartridge which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument can further comprise a transmission comprising a first operating configuration which connects the motor to the closure drive and a second operating configuration which connects the motor to the firing drive.

A method for operating a surgical instrument is disclosed.

A surgical device comprising: (1) a handpiece having a distal end portion; (2) a tubular member extending from the distal end portion, the tubular member having a lumen therethrough, the lumen comprising: (a) a proximal lumen portion, (b) a distal lumen portion, (c) a first central lumen portion, and (d) a second central lumen portion, the second central portion being located between the proximal lumen portion and the first central lumen portion, wherein the distal lumen portion diverges as the distal lumen portion extends away from the first central lumen portion in a distal direction, and the second central lumen portion diverges as the second central lumen portion extends away from the first central lumen portion in a proximal direction and: wherein the tubular member has wall with a substantially uniform thickness about the first central lumen portion.

An endoscopic surgical instrument has a distal end configured to perform an action on tissue; a proximal end; a beam; a drive rod; and at least one rail supporting at least one bearing, the at least one bearing movable relative to the at least one rail. The distal end of the instrument is configured to receive at least a portion of the beam, the beam movable longitudinally in response to an action on the drive rod. The at least one rail is shaped and configured to contact the beam tangentially to prevent the beam from buckling as the beam is moved longitudinally.