A surgical instrument is disclosed which comprises a staple firing system and a tissue cutting system. In various instances, the instrument is configured to prevent the tissue cutting system from being operated before the staple firing system has been fully actuated. In certain instances, the instrument is configured to prevent the tissue cutting system from being operated before the staple firing system has been actuated to sufficiently deform the staples.

A surgical instrument system is disclosed which comprises a distal end and a staple cartridge assembly comprising staples removably stored therein. The instrument system further comprises a firing drive including an electric motor and a firing member operably couplable with the electric motor. The electric motor is operable to advance the firing member toward the distal end during a staple firing stroke to eject the staples from the staple cartridge. The electric motor is operable to retract the firing member away from the distal end during a retraction stroke. The surgical instrument system further comprises a manually-operated bailout mechanism operable to perform the retraction stroke in lieu of the electric motor, a controller, and a display in communication with the controller. The controller is configured to display the progress of the retraction stroke when the firing member is being manually retracted by the bailout mechanism.

A trigger mechanism for a surgical instrument, particularly, a surgical stapling instrument provides significant mechanical advantages by increasing the length of the firing stroke of the surgical instrument while reducing the degree of movement of the trigger associated with the trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism also reduces the forces required to actuate the trigger thereby enhancing usability and minimizing operator fatigue.

A surgical stapling attachment configured to clamp, staple, and cut tissue is disclosed. The surgical stapling attachment comprises an attachment portion, a shaft assembly, an articulation joint, and an end effector assembly. The end effector assembly comprises a firing system configured to cut tissue only after the tissue has been stapled.

A surgical instrument system is disclosed which comprises a distal end and a staple cartridge assembly comprising staples removably stored therein. The instrument system further comprises a firing drive including an electric motor and a firing member operably couplable with the electric motor. The electric motor is operable to advance the firing member toward the distal end during a staple firing stroke to eject the staples from the staple cartridge. The electric motor is operable to retract the firing member away from the distal end during a retraction stroke. The surgical instrument system further comprises a manually-operated bailout mechanism operable to perform the retraction stroke in lieu of the electric motor, a controller, and a display in communication with the controller. The controller is configured to display the progress of the retraction stroke when the firing member is being manually retracted by the bailout mechanism.

A handle assembly for actuating an end effector is provided. The handle assembly includes an actuation mechanism with a linkage assembly configured to maximize the output force. The linkage assembly includes first, second, and third linkage members operably disposed between a trigger and a drive member.

A trigger mechanism for a surgical instrument, particularly, a surgical stapling instrument provides significant mechanical advantages by increasing the length of the firing stroke of the surgical instrument while reducing the degree of movement of the trigger associated with the trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism also reduces the forces required to actuate the trigger thereby enhancing usability and minimizing operator fatigue.

A reposable surgical clip applier includes a handle assembly, a shaft assembly engagable with the handle assembly, and a clip cartridge assembly including surgical clips engagable within the shaft assembly. The handle assembly includes a trigger, a drive bar coupled to the trigger and including a rack, a pawl configured to engage the rack upon movement of the drive bar, and a release mechanism operable to move the pawl to disengage the pawl from the rack. The shaft assembly includes an outer tube having a pair of jaws supported at a distal end portion thereof and a drive assembly slidably disposed therein. When the shaft assembly is engaged with the handle assembly and the clip cartridge assembly is engaged within the shaft assembly, actuation of the trigger loads a clip into the jaws and cams the jaws towards one another to form the clip about tissue.

A rotation knob assembly, handle assembly including the same, and surgical instrument including the same are disclosed. The rotation knob assembly includes an outer knob defining a lumen and at least one groove configured to receive an indexing protrusion of an elongated assembly to rotationally fix the elongated assembly relative to the outer knob. An inner collar is disposed within a proximal lumen portion of the outer knob and rotatably engaged therewith. A plurality of ball bearing assemblies protrude radially inwardly into the proximal lumen portion of the outer knob. Each ball bearing assembly includes a head and a ball bearing captured within the head. Each ball bearing is received within a waist of the inner collar such that, upon rotation of the outer knob relative to the inner collar, the ball bearings roll about a floor of the waist of the inner collar.

A surgical instrument can comprise a handle, a motor, and a shaft extending from the handle. The handle and/or the shaft can define a longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument can further comprise a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fasteners removably stored therein, an anvil configured to deform the fasteners, a closure drive configured to move the anvil toward and away from the fastener cartridge which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and a firing drive configured to deploy the fasteners from the fastener cartridge which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument can further comprise a transmission comprising a first operating configuration which connects the motor to the closure drive and a second operating configuration which connects the motor to the firing drive.