An apparatus comprises a body and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly is configured to couple with the body such that the shaft assembly extends distally relative to the body. The shaft assembly comprises a tubular member, an acoustic waveguide, and a guiding member. The acoustic waveguide is operable to selectively couple with an ultrasonic transducer assembly. The tubular member is configured to insertingly receive the acoustic waveguide. The acoustic waveguide comprises a guide feature. The guiding member is configured to engage the guide feature of the acoustic waveguide and thereby orient the acoustic waveguide in relation to the tubular member.

An ultrasonic forceps comprises a housing, an acoustic assembly, and a tine. The housing joins the acoustic assembly and the tine to the forceps and permits the tine to pivot relative to the acoustic assembly. The acoustic assembly comprises a transducer, a waveguide, and ultrasonic blade, and a waveguide sheath. The transducer is configured to generate ultrasonic vibrations directing the ultrasonic vibrations to the waveguide. The waveguide communicates the ultrasonic vibrations distally to the ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic blade is configured to vibrate in response to the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the transducer. When the tine is pivoted relative to the transducer, the tine is configured to move toward the ultrasonic blade. Tissue may be grasped between the tine and the ultrasonic blade. The tissue may be denatured when the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the transducer vibrate the ultrasonic blade, thus resulting in the tissue being cut and/or sealed.

An irrigating bipolar forceps may include a first forceps arm, a conductor tip of the first forceps arm, a second forceps arm, a conductor tip of the second forceps arm, an input conductor isolation mechanism, and irrigation tubing. A proximal end of the first forceps arm may be disposed within the input conductor isolation mechanism and a proximal end of the second forceps arm may be disposed within the input conductor isolation mechanism. An application of a force to a lateral portion of the forceps arms may be configured to close the forceps arms. A reduction of a force applied to a lateral portion of the forceps arms may be configured to open the forceps arms. The irrigation tubing may transport a fluid from an irrigation supply system to a surgical site.

The present teachings provide for a device with a membrane and an underlying switch, an underlying switch actuator, or both that has a unique tactile pattern that is felt through the membrane when the membrane is aligned with the switch, switch actuator, or both, corresponding to the electrical state of the device. The membrane, the switch, the switch actuator or a combination thereof can be repositioned from a first position to a second position so that a different tactile feel is present through the membrane corresponding to a second electrical state.

A surgical forceps comprising: a first working arm and a second working arm configured to move towards and away from each other; and an electromagnetic latching system; wherein the electromagnetic latching system is configured to create a force that is in a direction aligned with closing of the forceps or opposite to the closing of the forceps when an electromagnetic activation button is depressed.

An electrosurgical apparatus is provided having a shaft, a handle, and at least one porous electrode. The shaft is coupled to the handle and the at least one porous electrode is coupled to a distal tip of the shaft. The at least one porous electrode conducts energy provided to the distal tip and enables fluid provided to the distal tip to pass or flow through the porous structure of the at least one electrode, such that the electrosurgical energy and the fluid are simultaneously applied to patient tissue adjacent to the at least one porous electrode. The shaft is rotatable relative to the handle of the electrosurgical apparatus to change the orientation of the at least one porous electrode relative to the handle. The shaft is extendable or retractable relative to the handle to increase or decrease the distance between the at least one porous electrode and the handle

An electrosurgical system including an electrosurgical generator and an adapter connected to the electrosurgical generator. The adapter is configured to selectively transmit one or more energy outputs from the electrosurgical generator to an end effect device. At least one of the electrosurgical generator and the adapter are configured to be controlled by one or more control device. An electrosurgical system can include a control device connected to an electrosurgical generator. The control device can be configured to selectively transmit control instructions to the electrosurgical generator. The control device can be configured to receive a control signal from a user. An electrosurgical apparatus can include a pair of blades configured to deliver at least mechanical and electrical energy to tissue. Each blade can include a portion configured to protrude to the other side of a central plane. An electrosurgical apparatus can include a first tip comprising a first tip central plane and a second tip comprising a second tip central plane, wherein the electrosurgical apparatus has a first configuration wherein the first and second tips operate as forceps, and wherein the electrosurgical apparatus has a second configuration wherein the first and second tips operate as scissors. The electrosurgical apparatus can have restricted movement in the forceps configuration and limited shearing movement in the scissors configuration.

The present invention relates to a connecting device and to a monopolar cable for surgical instruments operable in a monopolar and bipolar manner, especially for high-frequency surgery, and a corresponding surgical instrument and surgical system. An electrical terminal of the connecting device is designed to be connectable either to a monopolar cable for monopolar operation or to a bipolar cable for bipolar operation. A first contact and a second contact of the electrical terminal are electrically connected to an accessory coupling of the connecting device and are designed with insulation such that an accessory coupled by the accessory coupling is operable either in a monopolar or bipolar manner via the two contacts. The present invention further relates to a monopolar cable for such a connecting device, to a surgical instrument comprising such a connecting device and to a surgical system comprising such a surgical instrument and such a monopolar cable.

A disposable electrosurgical tool comprises a tool portion with a handle portion enabling one-handed manipulation of the tool to place an electrode at a distal end of the handle portion in contact with tissue to apply electrical current introduced to the tool portion. A switch body integrally mounted to the proximal end of the tool handle includes a push-button switch that is electrically connected to the electrode. An actuator body, removably connected to the switch body, mounts an actuator lever arm rotated by a finger of the user's hand holding the tool to close the switch. A power cord integrally connected to the switch body connects the switch to an electrical generator to introduce electrical current to the electrode when the switch is closed. The tool portion, switch body, and power cord comprise an easily sterilized, single-use, unitary electrosurgical tool.

A method of treating a soft palate in a patient may involve advancing a tissue treatment portion of a soft palate treatment device through the patient's mouth, contacting a treatment surface of the tissue treatment portion with mucosal tissue of the soft palate, and delivering energy from the tissue treatment portion through the mucosal tissue to a target tissue in the soft palate beneath to the mucosal tissue, to change at least one property of the target tissue. The method may further involve cooling the mucosal tissue with a cooling member on the treatment surface of the tissue treatment portion and removing the tissue treatment portion from the mouth.