A forceps instrument comprises, for the support of at least one pivotally supported branch, a bearing insert which is inserted into a base in order to support at least one pivotable branch. The bearing insert may be inserted transversely with respect to the pivot axis into a corresponding compartment of the base and fixed there in the compartment, due to detent action. The bearing insert comprises two bearing elements, including cylindrical journals, which are arranged on bearing parts of the bearing insert, without being in contact with each other, the bearing parts having the form of plates, that are oriented parallel to each other. The two journals come into engagement with corresponding openings of the branch, in which case the distance remaining between the end sides of the journals can be used for the arrangement of miscellaneous elements, including a cutting knife.

Various embodiments are directed to surgical instruments comprising an end effector, a shaft and a jaw assembly. The end effector may comprise an ultrasonic blade extending distally substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis. The shaft may extend proximally from the end effector along the longitudinal axis. The jaw assembly may comprise first and second jaw members. The jaw assembly may be pivotable about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis from a first position where the first and second jaw members are substantially parallel to the ultrasonic blade to a second position. Additionally, the first and second jaw members may be pivotable about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

A forceps includes a drive assembly and an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members movable between a spaced-apart position, a first approximated position, and a second approximated position. The drive assembly includes a drive housing and a drive bar. The proximal end of the drive bar is coupled to the drive housing, while the distal end of the drive bar is coupled to at least one of the jaw members. The drive housing and the drive bar are selectively movable in conjunction with one another between a first position and a second position to move the jaw members between the spaced-apart position and the first approximated position. The drive assembly is selectively activatable to move the drive bar independent of the drive housing from the second position to a third position to move the jaw members from the first approximated position to the second approximated position.

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.

The disclosed technology is directed to a treatment tool having a blade. The blade includes a treatment surface configured to engage with a treatment target. A heater is configured to be coupled to the blade. The heater includes respective first and second heat generating surfaces each of which extending in a direction transverse to the treatment surface. Respective first and second thermally conductive members each of which is interposed between the respective first and second heat generating surfaces and the blade so as to thermally engage the respective first and second heat generating surfaces and the blade to one another. The respective first and second thermally conductive members includes respective first and second thermal conductivity anisotropies each of which being higher in longitudinal directions of the blade and each of which being lower in widthwise directions of the blade that are transverse to the longitudinal directions.

An electrosurgical instrument includes an elongated first shaft fabricated from thermally-conductive plastic material, an elongated second shaft, and opposing first and second jaw members each having a proximal end portion coupled to a distal end portion of the respective first and second shafts. One or both of the jaw members has a jaw frame and an electrically-conductive tissue sealing structure disposed over the jaw frame. The first shaft has a heat sink disposed therein configured to dissipate heat from the tissue sealing structure toward the thermally-conductive plastic material.

Various embodiments provide an electrosurgical resector tool comprising: a shaft defining a lumen; an energy conveying structure for carrying electromagnetic (EM) energy through the lumen of the shaft; an instrument tip mounted at a distal end of the shaft. The instrument tip comprises: a static portion comprising a first blade element; and a movable portion comprising a second blade element, wherein the movable portion is movable relative to the static portion between a closed position in which the first blade element and second blade element lie alongside each other to an open position in which the second blade element is spaced from the first blade element by a gap for receiving biological tissue. The instrument tip also includes a travel limiting mechanism operable to limit a maximum extent of relative movement between the second blade element and the first blade element in the open position and/or the closed position. The instrument tip further includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a planar dielectric body, the first and second electrodes being spaced apart and electrically isolated from each other by the planar dielectric body, and wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are connected to the energy conveying structure for delivery of the EM energy from the instrument tip. The tool further comprises an actuator for controlling relative movement between the movable portion and the static portion.

An electrosurgical generator configured to generate electrical energy to be applied to biological tissue via electrical communication with an electrosurgical instrument, the electrosurgical generator including a power source configured to activate to output the electrical energy to the electrosurgical instrument, a measurement circuit configured to measure a resistive value associated with an erodible coating deposited on a portion of the electrosurgical instrument, and a control circuit configured to compare a measured resistive value of the erodible coating to a threshold resistive value of the coating, and control activation of the power source based on the comparison between the measured resistive value and the threshold resistive value.

A surgical instrument includes a housing having a first handle and an elongated shaft extending therefrom. An end effector is disposed at a distal end of the elongated shaft and includes first and second jaw members, the first jaw member including a staple cartridge configured to house a series of staples therein. A second handle is operably coupled to the housing and is selectively moveable relative to the first handle to actuate the first and second jaw members between an open position and a closed position for grasping tissue. A first switch is activatable to supply energy to one of the jaw members. A stapler mode switch is actuatable between an unactuated position wherein movement of the second handle moves the jaws to the second position and an actuated position wherein movement of the second handle moves the jaws to the second position and drives the staples through tissue.

A robotic surgical instrument includes a housing having a shaft extending therefrom configured to receive a first end effector including jaw members moveable between a fully open position wherein the jaw members are spaced a maximum distance relative to one another and a closed position wherein a closure pressure between the jaw members is within a predetermined range. A drive rod actuates the first end effector upon translation thereof. The housing includes a spring compression assembly having proximal and distal hubs with the compression spring disposed therebetween. A jaw drive input rotates a drive gear to translate the distal hub relative to the proximal hub to compress the compression spring and actuate the end effector. Once the jaw members are fully open, the jaw drive input rotates a preset number of degrees to compress the compression spring and approximate the jaw members to a closure pressure within the predetermined range.