An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The end effector assembly comprises a staple cartridge jaw, a threaded rod, and a replaceable staple cartridge configured to be seated in the staple cartridge jaw. The replaceable staple cartridge comprises a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal slot extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a driver configured to support a staple, wherein the driver comprises a surface facing the threaded rod, wherein the surface comprises a clearance, and wherein at least a portion of the threaded rod is configured to be received in the clearance when the replaceable staple cartridge is seated in the staple cartridge jaw.

A surgical instrument that includes a surgical end effector that is articulatable relative to a proximal shaft segment of the surgical instrument. The surgical end effector is attached to the proximal shaft segment by an articulation joint that comprises a plurality of movably interconnected links that interface with a centrally disposed drive member to apply articulation motions thereto and which serve to provide improved lateral stability to the articulation joint.

A device and system for and methods of using an ultrasound probe housing containing ultrasound probes configured to produce images inside the body of a patient for procedures requiring needle or probe insertion. The ultrasound probe housing can be configured with a guide channel cut-out or aperture between the ambient side and body side of a patient. A needle guide assembly may be pivotally connect internal to the guide channel cut-out or aperture of the ultrasound probe housing at a pivot point such that during use the needle enters the patient through the needle guide assembly within the ultrasonic probe housing so that the needle can be visualized by the ultrasonic probes in real time. The ultrasound probe housing may also provide an adhesion or suction quality to the body side of the device to facilitate aspects of the invention.

An apparatus includes a body and a shaft assembly. The body includes a rotary drive output, a linear drive output, and a control module. The shaft assembly includes a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end includes a type of end effector configured to operate on tissue. The proximal end is configured to removably couple with the body assembly. The proximal end includes one or both of a rotary drive input configured to couple with the rotary drive output or a linear drive input configured to couple with the linear drive input. The shaft assembly is configured to actuate the end effector in response to movement of one or both of the rotary drive input or the linear drive input. The control module is configured to selectively actuate the rotary drive output or the linear drive output based on the type of end effector of the shaft assembly.

A method for controlling a powered surgical stapler that includes an end effector with jaws that are movable between an open and a closed position and a firing member that is movable between a starting position and an ending position within the end effector. The jaws and firing member are controlled by separate rotary systems and the end effector includes a firing member lockout system that prevents axial movement of the firing member unless the surgical staple cartridge is in ready to fire condition.

A surgical saw assembly that is adapted for cutting an anatomy. The surgical saw assembly includes a blade guard that supports a saw blade prevent deflection or skiving of the saw blade. The blade guard is rotatably moveable and has a front edge profile that interacts with a surface of the anatomy. The front edge profile has a geometry that is at least partially curved and/or follows a non-linear path of movement to provide a smooth interaction between the blade guard and the surface of the anatomy during rotational cuts that are not directly normal to the anatomical surface.

A method of controlling a function of a surgical instrument of a surgical robot with a input of a user interface includes selecting a function of a surgical instrument to link a input of the user interface with the function of the surgical instrument, actuating the input to activate the function of the surgical instrument, and delinking the input from the surgical instrument in response to an event of the surgical robot or the user interface.

A system for controlling a robotic end-effector is disclosed. The system includes a robotic arm, a surgical tool including an end-effector with articulatable arm and a clamp jaw. A tool driver is coupled to the surgical tool and a motor is coupled to the tool driver and is configured to drive the surgical tool. A sensor is configured to sense external forces applied to the end-effector. A central control circuit is configured to control the tool driver. The central control circuit is configured to receive a sensed parameter from the sensor, receive a sensed motor current (I) from the motor, and control the tool driver based on the sensed parameter and the motor current (I).

A position and tracking system for radio-based localization in an operating room, includes a receiver, a mobile cart, a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor. The mobile cart includes a robotic arm and a transmitter in operable communication with the receiver. The memory has instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to receive, from the transmitter, a signal including a position of the mobile carts in a 3D space based on the signal communicated by the transmitter and determine a spatial pose of the mobile carts based on the received signal.

A distraction system can include a distraction implant comprising a magnetic element and a distraction mechanism configured to expand the distraction implant in response to rotation of the magnetic element. The distraction system can include an external device comprising a motor configured to rotate a driver magnet while in a powered state, the driver magnet configured to rotate the magnetic element, a computing device configured. The computing device can be configured to measure an electrical current drawn by the motor during rotation of the driver magnet. The computing device can be configured to maintain the motor in the powered state in response to a mean value of the electrical current being greater than or equal to a mean value threshold, and a standard deviation value of the electrical current being less than or equal to a standard deviation threshold.