A method for adjusting the operation of a surgical suturing instrument using machine learning in a surgical suite is disclosed. The method comprises gathering data during surgical procedures, wherein the surgical procedures include the use of a surgical suturing instrument comprising a suturing needle configured to be mechanically advanced through a suturing stroke, analyzing the gathered data to determine an appropriate operational adjustment of the surgical suturing instrument, and adjusting the operation of the surgical suturing instrument to improve the operation of the surgical suturing instrument.

A surgical instrument includes a body assembly, a shaft assembly extending distally from the body assembly along a shaft axis, and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly. The shaft assembly includes an outer tube configured to rotate relative to the body assembly about the shaft axis. The surgical instrument further includes a slip ring assembly configured to enable electrical communication between the shaft assembly and the body assembly while permitting relative rotation therebetween. The slip ring assembly includes a first electrical contact supported by the outer tube, and a second electrical contact electrically coupled with the first electrical contact and positioned radially outward of the outer tube. The first electrical contact is configured to rotate with the outer tube about the shaft axis relative to the second electrical contact while the first and second electrical contacts remain electrically coupled.

Disclosed herein are reference feet for inserters and method of use thereof. The reference feet can include a body, a tine, a first arm, and a first base. The body can have a longitudinal axis and define an engagement fixture oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis and sized to receive a complementary fixture of an inserter. The tine can extend from the body along the longitudinal axis and including a protuberance sized to engage a stop of the inserter. The first arm can extend from the body. The first base can be attached to the first arm and have a planar surface arranged at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

Apparatus and methods are provided for performing a medical procedure using a stapler apparatus including a reusable handle portion including a shaft include proximal and distal ends, a disposable end effector attached to the distal end of the shaft of the reusable handle carrying one or more staples. For example, the end effector may include first and second jaws movable relative to one another between open and closed positions, the first jaw carrying a cartridge which includes the one or more staples. A Doppler sensor, cutting element, thermal element, and/or grasper may be provided on the end effector. The end effector is introduced into a patient's body, tissue is positioned/locked between the jaws, and a plurality of staples are deployed into the tissue. The Doppler sensor is used to confirm that blood flow has discontinued in the stapled tissue, and the cutting element is actuated to sever the stapled tissue.

An adapter assembly includes a knob housing, an outer tube, an end effector, an articulation link, and a sensor assembly. The end effector is movable from a first position where the end effector is aligned with a longitudinal axis defined by the outer tube, to a second position where the end effector is disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis. Longitudinal translation of the articulation link relative to the outer tube causes the end effector to move from its first position to its second position. The sensor assembly includes a first portion disposed in mechanical cooperation with the articulation link, and a second portion disposed at least partially within the outer tube. The sensor assembly is configured to determine an actual amount of articulation of the end effector based on a distance the articulation link move longitudinally relative to the outer tube.

A surgical apparatus is provided. The surgical apparatus includes a surgical actuating device including a shaft supporting a first coupling member. The first coupling member includes one or more pairs of apertures. The reload includes a second coupling member including a locking assembly. The second coupling member includes a pair of spring pins positionable within the pair of apertures. The spring pins being movable from an inward position to a radial outward position. The locking assembly includes a lock plate that is moveable from a first position located between the spring pins to a second position spaced from the spring pins. In the radial outward position, the spring pins are received within the apertures of the first coupling member to secure the reload to the surgical actuating member and when the lock plate is in the first position, the reload cannot be separated from the surgical actuating device.

An orthopaedic joint replacement system is shown and described. The system includes a number of prosthetic components configured to be implanted into a patient's knee. The system also includes a number of surgical instruments configured for use in preparing the bones of the patient's knee to receive the implants. A method or technique for using the surgical instruments to prepare the bones is also disclosed.

A surgical instrument that includes a shaft assembly that defines a shaft axis and includes a proximal articulation joint that defines a first articulation axis that is transverse to the shaft axis and a distal articulation joint that defines a second articulation axis that is transverse to the shaft axis and the first articulation axis. The instrument further includes an anvil that is non-removably attached to the shaft assembly and a channel that is removably attachable to the shaft assembly and configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge.

A powered handheld electromechanical surgical device includes a motor configured to drive extension and retraction of a drive component, a sensor configured to sense force exerted on the drive component during extension of the drive component, and a controller including a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive the sensed force from the sensor, control a speed of the motor during extension of the drive component in accordance with the sensed force, determine a speed profile or a force profile during extension of the drive component, and control a speed of the motor during retraction of the drive component in accordance with the speed profile or the force profile.

A surgical instrument comprising a handle, an elongate shaft, an end effector, an articulation joint, an articulation knob, an articulation member, and an articulation lock is disclosed. The end effector is rotatably coupled to the elongate shaft by the articulation joint. The articulation knob is rotatable between an un-rotated position and rotated positions. The articulation lock comprises a lock member configured to move between a locked position where the lock member is engaged with a detent of the end effector and an unlocked position where the lock member is disengaged from the end effector. The lock member is movable between the locked position and the unlocked position by the articulation knob. The articulation member is moved from a proximal position toward a distal position to articulate the end effector when the articulation knob is moved from the un-rotated position toward a rotated position.