Surgical systems and methods are provided for controlling actuation and movement of various surgical devices.

An ultrasonic surgical instrument and method of deflecting an end effector include an acoustic waveguide with a proximal waveguide body portion defining a longitudinal axis, a distal waveguide body portion having an ultrasonic blade distally projecting therefrom, and an articulation body portion extending between the proximal and distal waveguide body portions. The articulation body portion of the acoustic waveguide is configured to flex a first direction to thereby deflect the ultrasonic blade relative to the longitudinal axis and through a first plane. In addition, the articulation body portion of the acoustic waveguide is further configured to flex a second direction to thereby deflect the ultrasonic blade relative to the longitudinal axis and through a second plane. The second direction is different than the first direction such that the second plane is different than the first plane for multiplanar deflection of the ultrasonic blade relative to the longitudinal axis.

Surgical systems and methods are provided for controlling actuation and movement of various surgical devices.

A surgical instrument including a shaft including a distal portion and an articulatable portion is disclosed. The articulatable portion, positioned proximal to the distal portion, includes a plurality of joint members. A first articulation cable extends through each first channel of each of the plurality of joint members and a second articulation cable extends through each second channel of each of the plurality of joint members to the distal portion. The first and second articulation cables are transitionable between: (i) an unlocked state, where the first and second articulation cables are free to translate distally and proximally and the plurality of joint members are slidable relative to one another to pivot the distal portion away from a longitudinal axis, and (ii) a locked state, where translation of the first and second articulation cables is locked, causing a position of the distal portion relative to the longitudinal axis to be locked.

A surgical instrument includes a housing having an elongated body extending distally therefrom. The elongated body defines a first articulating portion and a second articulating portion. The elongated body defines a lumen therein. An end effector is supported at a distal end portion of the elongated body. A flexible waveguide extends through the lumen of the elongated body. A proximal end portion of the flexible waveguide connects to an ultrasonic transducer. A distal end portion of the flexible waveguide is connected with the end effector. the flexible waveguide defines a first articulating portion having a narrower thickness than a thickness of other portions of the flexible waveguide and a second articulating portion having a narrower thickness than a thickness of other portions of the flexible waveguide.

A transducer for an ultrasonic scalpel, which comprises, from distal end to proximal end of a connecting feature, a fixing feature, a horn, a piezoelectric converting body, a rear-end ring, and a connecting member. By following a design principle of constraints in the parameter relationships between the piezoelectric converting body and the horn in the transducer, a transducer having both appropriate gain and stable performance can be achieved.

A vibrating body unit includes a vibration generator, a vibration transmitter and first amplitude enlarger. The vibration generator generates ultrasonic vibration whose amplitude has a predetermined correlation with a frequency. The vibration transmitter has a proximal end and a distal end while the vibration generator is attached from a proximal side, and transmits the ultrasonic vibration to a distal side in a longitudinal axis direction. At least one first amplitude enlarger is provided in the vibration transmitter, and enlarges the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration at a first amplitude enlargement rate in a direction of transmission of the ultrasonic vibration, the first amplitude enlargement rate having a correlation with the frequency opposite to the predetermined correlation.

This disclosure disclosed an ultrasonic needle and apparatus used for removal of the vitreous body and other tissues. An ultrasonic vitrectomy needle, comprising: a connector, a connected inner needle, and an outer sheath. The length of the outer sheath at the distal end is slightly longer than that of the inner needle; the sheath distal end is of blind with smooth surface, but there is an open cut at the side of the distal end used for aspirating the vitreous body. The benefits of this disclosure: due to the difficulty if not impossible in the prior arts making a slim long center bore needle for ultrasonic surgical system, this disclosure clears the way to make the ultrasonic vitrectomy a practical reality; the ultrasonic vibration inherent advantages of the quietness, minuscule displacement, liquid repulsion and viscosity reduction improve safety of the surgery; the possibility of integrating ultrasonic vitrectomy and ultrasonic phaco emulsification procedures simplifies the complexity from prior arts, thus brings ease to the ophthalmic surgeries and reduces the cost.

An apparatus comprises a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and an articulation drive assembly. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section comprises a plurality of body portions aligned along the longitudinal axis and a flexible locking member. The flexible locking member is operable to secure the body portions in relation to each other and in relation to the shaft. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The articulation drive assembly is operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis.

Various embodiments are directed to articulatable surgical instruments and surgical systems comprising articulatable surgical instruments. Some embodiments comprise an end effector to comprising an ultrasonic blade. A hollow shaft may extend proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis. The hollow shaft may comprise a rigid portion and a flexible portion at a first position on the longitudinal axis distal from the rigid portion. A waveguide may extend through the shaft and may be acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade. The waveguide may comprise a flexible portion at the first position on the longitudinal axis such that the end effector is pivotable away from the longitudinal axis from the first position.