An end effector for use with a surgical instrument includes a first jaw, a second jaw, and a closure ring. The second jaw is pivotable relative to the first jaw. The second jaw has a proximal end with a first ramped surface and a second ramped surface distal of the first ramped surface. The closure ring is coupled with the second jaw to engage the first and second ramped surfaces of the second jaw. The closure ring translates from a proximal position to a distal position to engage the first ramped surface of the second jaw and then the second ramped surface of the second jaw. The camming engagement of the closure ring with the first and second ramped surfaces of the second jaw pivots the second jaw toward the first jaw. The closure ring may also provide camming engagement to pivot the second jaw away from the first jaw.

A stapling assembly comprising a tissue thickness compensator is disclosed. The tissue thickness compensator comprises a body portion comprising a porous material and a plurality of cavities defined in the body portion, wherein the cavities are aligned with forming surfaces of an anvil such that fasteners of a fastener cartridge are configured to at least one of the cavities when the fasteners are ejected from the fastener cartridge or capture the cavities and compress the cavities within the tissue thickness compensator when the fasteners are ejected from the fastener cartridge and formed by forming surfaces of the anvil. The stapling assembly further comprises at least one medicament positioned within each cavity prior to firing the stapler, wherein the medicament is different than the porous material.

Forceps including a housing, a first body, a second body and a drive shaft. The first body has a passageway extending therethrough. The drive shaft extending through the passageway and connected to the first body such that the first body and the drive shaft are slidable with respect to the housing to drive jaws located at a distal portion of the drive shaft between an open position and a closed position. The second body having a second passageway. The drive shaft extending through the second passageway such that the second body is guided by the drive shaft and is slidable relative to the first body and the drive shaft to displace a blade shaft between a retracted position and an extended position.

Surgical devices and related methods are disclosed. An example end effector for a surgical device may include a first jaw, a second jaw, and an articulating mechanism operable to move the first jaw between an open position, an intermediate position, and a closed position. An example articulating mechanism may include a first jaw mount coupled to the first jaw so that movement of the first jaw mount along a path causes rotation and translation of the first jaw mount and the first jaw. A pivotably mounted crank may operably couple an actuator linkage to the first jaw mount so that moving the actuator linkage rotates the crank, and rotation of the crank may move the first jaw mount along the path.

A pair of jaw members for an electrosurgical instrument is manufactured by providing first and second jaw members (2 & 3), each jaw member including a planar sealing surface (5 & 7). The jaw members are assembled with the first and second jaw members in a required orientation such that the planar sealing surface (5) of the first jaw member (2) is at a predetermined orientation with respect to the sealing surface (7) of the second jaw member (3). The first and second jaw members are held in the required orientation, and pivot holes (11 & 12) are formed in the first and second jaw members while they are held in the required orientation. When a pivot pin is inserted through the pivot holes in the first and second jaw members, the first and second jaw members are assembled into a pair of jaws.

A surgical instrument includes a shaft defining an axis, an end effector coupled to a distal portion thereof, a fixed handle coupled to a proximal portion thereof, a drive bar, a movable handle, and a linkage. The drive bar is disposed within the shaft and operably coupled to the end effector. The movable handle is movable relative to the fixed handle between open and closed positions and is coupled to the drive bar via a first pin on the axis. The linkage includes a first end portion coupled to the movable handle via a second pin and a second end portion coupled to the shaft via a third pin on the axis. In the closed position of the movable handle, the second pin is disposed in a near-over-center position relative to the axis to reduce a force necessary to maintain the movable handle in the closed position.

A two-part tissue thickness compensator assembly can include a first tissue thickness compensator configured to be positioned relative to an anvil of a surgical stapler, a second tissue thickness compensator configured to be positioned relative to a staple cartridge of the surgical stapler, and a hinge connecting the first tissue thickness compensator to the second tissue thickness compensator. The first and/or second tissue thickness compensators may include additional engagement features, such as a raised ridge that engages a slot in the anvil and/or the staple cartridge. In certain embodiments, the first and/or second tissue thickness compensators may include an encasement that contains a suitable biologic agent. An end effector assembly may be provided for attachment to a surgical instrument that includes, for example, a staple cartridge, an anvil, a first tissue thickness compensator positioned on the anvil, and a second tissue thickness compensator positioned on the staple cartridge.

A surgical instrument includes a housing that supports an elongated shaft. A selectively movable drive rod extends through the elongated shaft and carries a cam pin in a longitudinal direction. An end effector for surgically treating tissue is supported by the elongated shaft and includes upper and lower jaw members pivotally coupled to one another about a pivot axis. The upper jaw member includes a first pair of laterally spaced flanges, and the lower jaw member includes a second pair of laterally spaced flanges defining a camming slot for engaging the cam pin. The flanges are arranged in an offset configuration where one flange of the upper jaw member is positioned on a laterally exterior side of a corresponding flange of the lower jaw member, and the other flange of the upper jaw member is positioned on a laterally interior side of the other flange of the lower jaw member.

A staple cartridge assembly comprises a staple cartridge, an anvil and a cutter, wherein the cutter comprises a first end and a second end; the staple cartridge assembly also comprises a rotation shaft and an auxiliary closing member which is connected with the rotation shaft; the staple cartridge assembly is also provided with a driving component capable of driving the rotation shaft to rotate; the driving component drives the rotation shaft to drive the auxiliary closing member to move in the process in which the staple cartridge assembly is converted from an original status to a closed status; when at least the staple cartridge assembly is in the closed status, one end surface of the auxiliary closing member abuts against the anvil to apply a force to the anvil for driving the anvil to be closed towards the staple cartridge.

A staple cartridge comprising a tissue thickness compensator is disclosed. The tissue thickness compensator comprises an uncompressed height, a compressed height, an outer encasement, and tubular structures aligned along the longitudinal axis. The tubular structures are configured to collapse when pressure is applied to the tissue thickness compensator by tissue during the firing motion.