This disclosure presents a polyaxial pedicle screw system. The system may comprise one or more of a screw body, a screw insert, a head component, a bushing, and/or other components. The screw body may have a major diameter. The screw insert may comprise a spherical head having a head diameter. The head component may have an axial bore forming an interior surface which defines a bore diameter of the axial bore. The interior surface may define a narrowest part of the bore diameter of the axial bore at a first end of the head component. The head diameter of the spherical head of the screw insert and/or the major diameter of the screw body may be larger than the narrowest part of bore diameter of the axial bore.

A method of manufacturing a catheter tip by electroplating a conductive material over an insert comprising a negative to a domelike shape thereby forming a shape of the catheter tip comprising a dome with the domelike shape, selectively positioning a plurality of irrigation holes between outer and inner surfaces of the catheter tip, removing the insert thereby leaving the catheter tip and the plurality of irrigation holes, and electropolishing the catheter tip. In other examples, the insert is not removed and instead the step of electroplating causes the insert to be encapsulated with the conductive material thereby forming the catheter tip.

Methods for operating a surgical instrument are disclosed. In various instances, the methods include preventing the operation of the surgical instrument in some capacity if an unspent staple cartridge is not seated in the surgical instrument. Moreover, in various instances, the methods include preventing the operation of the surgical instrument in some capacity if the surgical instrument cannot identify and/or authenticate the staple cartridge seated in the surgical instrument.

A medical instrument, for example an impact instrument, and a method for producing a medical instrument. The medical instrument includes a proximal end and a distal end. A handle and a striking face facing in a proximal direction are arranged or formed on the proximal end. A tool instrument is arranged or formed on the distal end. An instrument shaft of the instrument extends from the proximal end to the tool element. The handle is configured in the form of a hollow handle.

A method is provided for determining the shape of a surgical linking device that is to be attached to a bony body structure such as the spinal column based on digitized locations of a plurality of attachment elements engaged to the bony structure. The method is implemented by a computer system through a GUI to generate an initial bend curve to mate with the plurality of attachment elements. The initial bend curve may be simplified based on user input to the GUI to reduce the number of bends necessary to produce a well-fitting linking device and may be altered to help obtain the goals of surgery.

The present invention provides a method for generating a bone fixation implant and related preoperative planning. The method comprises a first step of determining at least the orientation and the position of the fixation means, based on a 3D model of the bone fragments. The method may include a second step of defining the shape of one or more bone plates, based on the output of the first step. The method may further include a third step determining tools for applying fixation means during surgery, according the optimized configuration defined in the first step and applying the bone plates from the second step. The method may even further include a fourth step, quantifying construct stability for a given patient following surgery, thereby allowing early weightbearing.

A staple driver actuator for a surgical stapler includes a base having at least one bottom surface. The bottom surface defines a plane and is configured to slide longitudinally relative to a jaw of the surgical stapler. The base also has at least one top surface parallel to the plane. The staple driver actuator further includes at least one rail extending upwardly from the base. The rail includes at least one first cam surface. The first cam surface is inclined relative to the plane, and the first cam surface is longitudinally aligned with at least a portion of the at least one top surface.

The present invention provides a braided implant with a retractable dual proximal layer and methods for administering the braided implant to treat aneurysms. The implant can include a tubular braid that can be set into a predetermined shape, compressed for delivery through a microcatheter, and implanted in at least one implanted position that is based on the predetermined shape and the geometry of the aneurysm in which the braid is implanted. The implant can also have a retractable dual layer at the proximal end of the device made of the same braid to provide additional coverage at the neck of the aneurysm. The dual layer can be pressed distally into a first implanted portion of the tubular braid, moving the first portion of the tubular braid towards the distal portion of an aneurysm wall so that the implant can partially or completely occlude an aneurysm neck.

A device for occluding a vasculature of a patient including a micrograft having an absorbent polymeric structure with a lumen of transporting blood. The micrograft has a series of peaks and valleys formed by crimping. The occluding device is sufficiently small and flexible to be tracked on a guidewire and/or pushed through a microcatheter to a site within the vasculature of the patient. Delivery systems for delivering the micrografts are also disclosed.

A steerable instrument for endoscopic and/or invasive type of applications includes an elongated tubular body and at least one actuation means at a proximal side of the steerable instrument and at least one bendable zone at a distal side of the steerable instrument, the at least one actuation means being arranged to control bending of the at least one bendable zone by means of longitudinal elements. The instrument further includes first, second and third cylindrical elements; at least one tangential spacer; and at least one lip shaped portion formed on at least one of the first cylindrical element or the third cylindrical element.