A61B2018/1253

Surgical Simulation System With Coordinated Imagining

An interactive and dynamic surgical simulation system may be used in the context of a computer-implemented interactive surgical system. The surgical simulation system may provide coordinated surgical imagining. A processor may be configured to execute a simulation of a surgical procedure. The surgical procedure may be simulated in a simulated surgical environment. The processor may generate a first visual representation and a second visual representation. The first visual representation may be of a first portion of the simulated surgical environment. The second visual representation may also be of the first portion of the simulated surgical environment. The processor may coordinate generation of the first visual representation and the second visual representation such that the first visual representation and the second visual representation correspond to a common event in the surgical procedure. And the processor may present the first visual representation and the second visual representation for user interaction within the simulated surgical environment.

Medical instruments for performing minimally-invasive procedures

Apparatus for performing a minimally-invasive procedure, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; a handle attached to the proximal end of the shaft; and an end effector attached to the distal end of the shaft; wherein the shaft comprises a flexible portion, a first articulating portion and a second articulating portion, wherein the flexible portion extends distally from the handle, the first articulating portion extends distally from the flexible portion, and the second articulating portion extends distally from the first articulating portion; wherein at least one articulation cable extends from the handle to the first articulating portion, such that when tension is applied to the at least one articulation cable, the first articulating portion deflects; wherein a plurality of articulation cables extend from the handle to the second articulating portion, such that when tension is applied to at least one of the plurality of articulation cables, the second articulating portion deflects.

Electrosurgical plug for energy activation of surgical instruments

A surgical system includes an active terminal, a return terminal, an active electrode, a return electrode, an active plug configured to connect to the active terminal, and a return plug configured to connect to the return terminal. The return plug is coupled to the return electrode and coupled between the active plug and the active electrode. The return plug is configured to break an electrical connection between the active plug and the active electrode when the return plug is not connected to the return terminal and to establish an electrical connection between the active plug and the active electrode when the return plug is connected to the return terminal.

Method of hub communication with surgical instrument systems

A method for adjusting the operation of a surgical suturing instrument using machine learning in a surgical suite is disclosed. The method comprises gathering data during surgical procedures, wherein the surgical procedures include the use of a surgical suturing instrument comprising a suturing needle configured to be mechanically advanced through a suturing stroke, analyzing the gathered data to determine an appropriate operational adjustment of the surgical suturing instrument, and adjusting the operation of the surgical suturing instrument to improve the operation of the surgical suturing instrument.

METHOD FOR ENERGY DISTRIBUTION IN A SURGICAL MODULAR ENERGY SYSTEM

A method of operating a modular surgical system including a control module, a first surgical module, and a second surgical module is disclosed. The method includes detachably connecting the first surgical module to the control module by stacking the first surgical module with the control module in a stack configuration, detachably connecting the second surgical module to the first surgical module by stacking the second surgical module with the control module and the first surgical module in the stack configuration, powering up the modular surgical system, and monitoring distribution of power from a power supply of the control module to the first surgical module and the second surgical module.

OPTICAL-GUIDED ABLATION SYSTEM FOR USE WITH PULSED FIELDS OR OTHER ENERGY SOURCES

Described herein is a system including a catheter, an optical circuit, a pulsed field ablation energy source, and a processing device. The catheter includes a proximal section, a distal section, and a shaft coupled between the proximal section and the distal section. The optical circuit is configured to transport light at least partially from the proximal section to the distal section and back. The pulsed field ablation energy source is coupled to the catheter and configured to transmit pulsed electrical signals to a tissue sample. The processing device is configured to analyze one or more optical signals received from the optical circuit to determine changes in polarization or phase retardation of light reflected or scattered by the tissue sample, and determine changes in a birefringence of the tissue sample based on the changes in polarization or phase retardation.

System and method for controlling operation of an electrosurgical system

An electrosurgical system including or connected to an output circuitry comprising an electrosurgical device and an electrical cable is modelled during a cable interrogation phase using a transfer matrix in order to determine a leakage capacitance in the electrosurgical system. After the leakage capacitance is assigned or set to a virtual capacitor in the transfer matrix, an output parameter of the electrosurgical system, such as output voltage, output current, output impedance or output electrical power, may be determined by applying an actual input voltage to the output circuitry and measuring a resulting input current, and multiplying the input voltage and measured current by the transfer matrix.

Systems and methods for thermal ablation distortion detection

Ablation systems and methods detect and address distortion caused by a variety of factors. A method includes measuring a temperature curve at target tissue; applying ablation energy to the target tissue; determining a peak temperature on the temperature curve; if the peak temperature is greater than the predetermined peak temperature, determining a time at which the temperature curve crosses to a lower temperature; and if the determined time is greater than a predetermined time, generating a message indicating that the target tissue was successfully ablated. Another method includes determining a distance between a remote temperature probe and an ablation probe, applying ablation energy to target tissue, measuring temperature at the remote temperature probe, estimating ablation size based on the determined distance and the temperature measured by the remote temperature probe, and determining whether the target tissue is successfully ablated based on the estimated ablation size.

Methods of assessing contact between an electrode and tissue using complex impedance measurements

A system and method measures impedance across a plurality of electrodes and assesses proximity or contact between electrodes of a medical device and patient tissue. Contact is assessed between individual electrodes and cardiac tissue using bipolar electrode complex impedance measurements. Initially, baseline impedance values are established for each of the individual electrodes based on the responses of the electrodes to the applied drive signals. After establishing the baseline impedance values a series of subsequent impedance values are measured for each electrode. For each electrode, each subsequent impedance value may be compared to a previous baseline impedance value for that electrode. If a subsequent impedance value is less than the baseline impedance value for a given electrode, the baseline impedance value may be reset to the subsequent impedance value. Such systems and method are particularly applicable to medical devices having numerous electrodes.