The invention concerns delivering paired magnetic anastomosis devices to either side of tissues to be joined. The magnetic anastomosis devices are coupled to a guide element that facilitates delivery and manipulation of the devices when using minimally-invasive techniques such as endoscopy and laparoscopy. Elongated manipulators and guide tubes ae also disclosed that improve a user's dexterity with the devices during placement.

A surgical instrument comprises a first member including a lateral projection having a locking surface that defines an elongated cavity. The locking surface is engageable with a longitudinal member to fix the longitudinal member with the first member. A second member includes at least one mating element being engageable with a spinal construct. The first member is axially translatable relative to the second member in a first direction to tension the longitudinal member and in a second direction to release tension from the longitudinal member. Systems and methods are disclosed.

A method for deforming a staple comprising a base, a first staple leg, and a second staple leg, wherein the base, the first staple leg, and the second staple leg are positioned within a common plane prior to being deformed, the method comprising positioning the first staple leg within a first cup of a staple pocket, the first cup comprising a first inner surface, applying a first compressive force to the first staple leg to bend the first staple leg toward the base and the second staple leg, contacting the first inner surface with the end of the first staple leg to bend the end of the first staple leg toward a first side of the base, and deforming the first staple leg such that the end of the first staple leg crosses a mid-line of the staple defined between the first staple leg and the second staple leg.

Novel surgical sutures and novel medical devices made from novel semi-crystalline, glycolide-rich A-B-A triblock copolymers of glycolide and lactide, wherein said B-segment is a fully amorphous random copolymer of glycolide and lactide, for long term medical applications are disclosed. The novel polymer compositions are useful for long term absorbable surgical sutures, meshes and other medical devices, especially for patients with compromised healing. The novel sutures have improved properties and improved breaking strength retention, while still substantially absorbing within about a 120-day period post-implantation.

Systems and methods for controlling clinical soil are provided. A system includes a device cover formed of a flexible polymer sheet defining an interior volume for a skin grafting device, and includes at least a first opening configured to receive a portion of the skin grafting device. The system further includes a cincture having a gasket configured to be affixed to a perimeter of the first opening of the device cover and to secure the device cover about the first opening to the skin grafting device to inhibit fluid ingress into the interior volume of the device cover during a skin grafting process performed using the skin grafting device.

Surgical methods involving cutting and sealing tissue include affixing a first adjunct material to tissue at a treatment site, such as by stapling the adjunct to tissue. A second adjunct material is applied to at least a portion of the first adjunct material such that the second adjunct material interacts with the first adjunct material to form a seal in an area of the tissue covered by at least one of the first and the second adjunct material. The resulting tissue sealing structure, which includes a combination of the two adjuncts, is believed to be superior to the sealing properties of either adjunct alone.

According to one aspect, a medical system may include an instrument including an end effector for acting as a monopolar electrode. The end effector may be configured to be positioned in a body of a subject and emit radiofrequency energy towards a target area in the body. The medical system may further include a return electrode. The return electrode may be deliverable within the body proximate the target area and separately from the instrument and the monopolar electrode. The return electrode may be configured to contact tissue in the body proximate the target area and receive radiofrequency energy emitted from the end effector.

An implantable spacer for placement between adjacent spinous processes in a spinal motion segment is provided. The spacer includes a body defining a longitudinal axis and passageway. A first arm and a second arm are connected to the body. Each arm has a pair of extensions and a saddle defining a U-shaped configuration for seating a spinous process therein. Each arm has a proximal earning surface and is capable of rotation with respect to the body. An actuator assembly is disposed inside the passageway and connected to the body. When advanced, a threaded shaft of the actuator assembly contacts the earning surfaces of amls to rotate them from an undeployed configuration to a deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration, the distracted adjacent spinous processes are seated in the U-shaped portion of the arms.

An implantable spacer for placement between adjacent spinous processes in a spinal motion segment is provided. The spacer includes a body defining a longitudinal axis and passageway. A first arm and a second arm are connected to the body. Each arm has a pair of extensions and a saddle defining a U-shaped configuration for seating a spinous process therein. Each arm has a proximal caming surface and is capable of rotation with respect to the body. An actuator assembly is disposed inside the passageway and connected to the body. When advanced, a threaded shaft of the actuator assembly contacts the caming surfaces of arms to rotate them from an undeployed configuration to a deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration, the distracted adjacent spinous processes are seated in the U-shaped portion of the arms.

A device used in conjunction with fixation hardware to provide a two-stage process to address the competing needs of immobilization and re-establishment of normal stress-strain trajectories in grafted bone. A method of determining a patient-specific stress/strain pattern that utilizes a model based on 3D CT data of the relevant structures and cross-sectional data of the three major chewing muscles. The forces on each of the chewing muscles are determined based on the model using predetermined bite forces such that a stiffness of cortical bone in the patient's mandible is determined. Based on the stiffness data, suitable implantation hardware can be designed for the patient by adjusting external topological and internal porous geometries that reduce the stiffness of biocompatible metals to thereby restore normal bite forces of the patient.