A posterior spinal fusion system may include a plurality of cannulas that mate with cages polyaxially coupled to pedicle screws. The cannulas maintain access to the pedicle screws to facilitate percutaneous insertion of a fusion rod into engagement with the cages. Each cannula has a pair of blades that may be held together by an abutment member that at least partially encircles the blades. Each abutment member abuts the skin to define a variable subcutaneous length of the corresponding cannula. Each abutment members is also lockably removable from the corresponding blades to enable the blades to pivot with respect to the connecting element to a position in which they can be withdrawn from the connecting element. The blades of each cannula are spaced apart to provide first and second slots of each cannula, through which the fusion rod can be percutaneously inserted.

A torque detection vascular therapy system employing a vascular therapy device (101) and a torque detection controller (130). The vascular therapy device (101) is operable to be transitioned from a pre-deployed state to a post-deployed state, and includes a matrix of imageable markers representative of a geometry of the vascular therapy device (101). The torque detection controller (130) controls a detection of a non-torsional deployment or a torsional deployment of the vascular therapy device (101) subsequent to a transition of the vascular therapy device (101) from the pre-deployed state to the post-deployed state by deriving a vector indication of the non-torsional deployment or the torsional deployment of the vascular therapy device (101) from a matrix orientation similarity or a matrix orientation dissimilarity between a baseline device geometry of the vascular therapy device (101) represented by the matrix of the imageable markers and an imaged device geometry of the vascular therapy device (101) represented by the matrix of imageable markers.

An ultrasonic device may include an electromechanical ultrasonic system defined by a predetermined resonant frequency, in which the system may include an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. A method of estimating a state of an end effector of the ultrasonic device may include applying a drive signal defined by a magnitude and a frequency to the ultrasonic transducer, sweeping the frequency of the drive signal from below a first resonance to above the first resonance of the electromagnetic ultrasonic system, measuring and recording, impedance/admittance circle variables R.sub.e, G.sub.e, X.sub.e, and B.sub.e, comparing, the measured impedance/admittance circle variables R.sub.e, G.sub.e, X.sub.e, and B.sub.e to reference impedance/admittance circle variables R.sub.ref, G.sub.ref, X.sub.ref, and B.sub.ref, and determining, a state or condition of the end effector based on the result of the comparison. An electromechanical ultrasonic system may include a control circuit to effect the method.

A heart size measuring tool includes a tubular body, a flexible measuring cord having length indicia, a measuring cord support mechanism movable between retracted and extended states with respect to the body, and an actuating mechanism to move the measuring cord support mechanism. When in the retracted state the measuring cord support mechanism is positioned within the tubular body with the measuring cord in a collapsed position. When the measuring cord support mechanism is in the extended state the measuring cord extends around a portion of a heart to be measured. A scale on the body can be used in connection with the indicia on the measurement cord to provide a reading of the heart size.

A surgical instrument system includes a surgical instrument, a power supply, and an accessory. The surgical instrument has a first induction device positioned therein. The power supply is electrically coupled to the first induction device. The accessory is selectively operably couplable to the surgical instrument. The accessory includes a second induction device that is inductively coupled with the first induction device when the accessory is operably coupled to the surgical instrument such that the power supply provides power to the accessory.

A surgical instrument for use with a robotic system that has a control unit and a shaft portion that includes an electrically conductive elongated member that is attached to a portion of the robotic system. The elongated member is configured to transmit control motions from the robotic system to an end effector.

A steerable laser probe may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, an actuation control of the handle, a housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end, a first housing tube portion having a first stiffness, a second housing tube portion having a second stiffness, an optic fiber disposed within an inner portion of the handle and the housing tube, and a cable disposed within the housing tube and the actuation control. A rotation of the actuation control may be configured to gradually curve the housing tube and the optic fiber. A rotation of the actuation control may be configured to gradually straighten the housing tube and the optic fiber.

A sterile interface for a surgical platform is provided, optionally to be used with a mechanical telemanipulator. The sterile interface is configured to allow for transmission of motion without dimensional inconsistencies between a non-sterile surgical platform and a sterile surgical instrument that are related to one another in a master-slave configuration. The sterile interface is configured to allow for multiple changes of sterile surgical instruments during a surgical procedure without contaminating the sterile field. The sterile interface allows for interchangeable sterile articulated surgical instruments to be attached to the surgical platform without coming into contact with non-sterile portions of the surgical platform.

A docking system for a mechanical telemaniplator is provided, optionally to be used with a mechanical telemanipulator with a master-slave configuration. The docking system is configured to allow for safe and secure immobilization of a handle or master manipulator of a mechanical telemanipulator with a master-slave configuration so as to prevent movement of a slave manipulator or instrument. While the docking element can be deployed on any mechanical telemanipulator, it can advantageously be used on a surgical platform comprising a mechanical telemanipulator with a master-slave configuration. In this context, the docking system can be used to secure the handle portion or master manipulator of the surgical platform to safely prevent undesirable movement of a slave manipulator or surgical instrument.

Medical device for transcatheter heart valve repair comprising a grasping tweezer (1) and a plicating tweezer (2), said grasping tweezer (1) being adapted to grasp a leaflet rim (3) and said plicating tweezer (2) comprising two rotatable flaps (4,5) and a central shaft (6) around which said flaps (4,5) may rotate in a “butterfly manner”, in such a way that the plicating tweezer (2) may adopt a closed or an open configuration. The invention also relates to a method for using this medical device.