A bipolar forceps includes a mechanical forceps including first and second shafts each having a jaw member extending from a distal end thereof and a handle disposed at a proximal end thereof for effecting movement of the jaw members relative to one another about a pivot. A disposable housing is configured to releasably couple to at least one of the shafts and an electrode assembly is configured to releasably couple to the disposable housing. The electrode assembly includes electrodes releasably coupleable to the jaw members. At least one of the electrodes includes a knife channel configured to receive a knife blade therethrough to cut tissue grasped between the jaw members. An actuation mechanism is configured to selectively advance the knife blade through the knife channel to cut tissue.

A surgical instrument includes an ultrasonic transducer, a shaft defining a longitudinal axis, and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade driven by the ultrasonic transducer to treat tissue with ultrasonic energy. A tissue treatment portion of the ultrasonic blade includes a linear blade region extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, a curved blade region extending distally from the linear blade region along a curved path that deflects laterally from the longitudinal axis, an upper treatment side, a lower treatment side, a first lateral side having a first sweeping side surface, and a second lateral side having a second sweeping side surface. The sweeping side surfaces define respective first and second side edges of a transverse cross-section of the tissue treatment portion, and are configured such that the first and second side edges are parallel to one another.

A uterine manipulator includes a shaft defining a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, a handle operably coupled to the proximal end portion of the shaft, and a distal assembly operably coupled to the distal end portion of the shaft. The distal assembly includes a colpotomy cup and an elongated tip extending distally from the colpotomy cup. At least a portion of the distal assembly is releasable from the distal end portion of the shaft and configured to engage tissue and to operably couple to a surgical tool to enable the surgical tool to perform at least one surgical task on tissue engaged by the at least a portion of the distal assembly.

A surgical system for ablating a tissue, the system comprising: (a) an ablation mechanism comprising a first electrode and an opposed second electrode, wherein the ablation mechanism is configured to receive a tissue between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is movable to allow the first electrode and the second electrode to accommodate variable tissue thicknesses therebetween; and (b) a clamping mechanism configured to release and apply clamping pressure to the tissue between the first electrode and the second electrode, where the ablation mechanism is configured to automatically individually adjust at least one of an ablation energy output of the first electrode and an ablation energy output of the second electrode to accommodate variable tissue thicknesses between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Provided is a catheter including a shaft having a distal end and a loop disposed near the distal end and configured to curl around a tissue and receive, via the shaft, energy to denervate at least a portion of the tissue. The loop includes: a first film capable of bending to curl around the tissue; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the first film and arranged in parallel to each other with a predetermined distance; a sensor disposed at a position corresponding to a position between the plurality of electrodes.

An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm assembly. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with an acoustic waveguide of the shaft assembly. The clamp arm assembly is pivotable toward and away from the ultrasonic blade. The clamp arm assembly includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The first and second electrodes are operable to cooperate to apply bipolar RF energy to tissue.

A laparoscopic ultrapolar electrosurgery device having both active and return electrodes that reduces potential injury to patients during laparoscopic surgery by eliminating capacitive coupling when employing an electrosurgical handpiece device for cutting and/or coagulating tissue.

A surgical system comprising a generator and a surgical instrument configured to receive power from the generator is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises a housing, a shaft defining a longitudinal axis, an end effector, and an internal charge accumulator. The housing comprises a motor. The end effector is operably responsive to actuations from the electric motor, transitionable between an open and closed configuration, and rotatable about an articulation axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The generator is incapable of supplying a sufficient power directly to the motor to perform the actuations. The internal charge accumulator is in electric communication with the generator and supplies power to the motor. The internal charge accumulator is chargeable by the generator to a threshold value at a charge rate dependent on a charge level of the internal charge accumulator. The charge rate is independent of a charge expenditure by the surgical instrument.

An applicator includes at least one RF electrode coupled to an RF generator. The at least one RF electrode has protrusions each with a curvature radius which is equal to or greater than a curvature radius of an outer edge of the at least one RF electrode.

The invention may be applied to selectively heat a diseased area in the lung while minimizing heating to the healthy area and surrounding tissue. This can be done by exposing the lung to an electromagnetic field causing dielectric or eddy current heating. The invention is particularly useful for treating emphysema as the diseased areas in emphysema patients have reduced blood flow. The diseased area will heat up rapidly while the healthy tissue will be cooled by the blood flow. This is particularly effective for treating emphysema because of the low mass of the lungs and the high blood flow. To avoid heating of surrounding organs the direction of the electromagnetic energy may be switched in a way it always passes through lungs but only intermittently passes through adjacent organs.