A staple cartridge is adapted to enhance cell migration towards a wound site when staples are placed in tissue. In order to enhance cell migration, the staple cartridge is adapted to create an electrical potential within the tissue in the area of a wound or cut line. In embodiments, the electrical potential is created within the tissue by using staples in spaced rows formed of dissimilar metals having different anodic indexes to create a voltage gradient in the tissue to enhance cell migration toward the cut line.

A surgical stapling instrument includes an anvil assembly, a shell assembly, and an adapter assembly. The anvil assembly includes an anvil head and an anvil center rod. The shell assembly includes an annular staple cartridge including a plurality of staples. The adapter assembly includes a tubular shaft supporting the shell assembly at a distal portion of the tubular shaft, a trocar assembly, a cable assembly, and a switch. The trocar assembly includes a trocar detachably supporting the anvil center rod thereon, a lead screw adapted to be coupled to an actuator for rotational input, and a first member rotatably supporting the lead screw. The cable assembly includes a cable operatively coupled to the actuator and a coupling member secured with the cable for concomitant rotation therewith. The coupling member detachably engages the lead screw. The switch is transitionable to a closed state when the first member engages the switch.

Surgical visualization systems and related methods are disclosed herein, e.g., for providing visualization during surgical procedures. Systems and methods herein can be used in a wide range of surgical procedures, including spinal surgeries such as minimally-invasive fusion or discectomy procedures. Systems and methods herein can include various features for enhancing end user experience, improving clinical outcomes, or reducing the invasiveness of a surgery. Exemplary features can include access port integration, hands-free operation, active and/or passive lens cleaning, adjustable camera depth, and many others.

A suture anchor suitable for being fixed in a hard tissue opening with the aid of a material having thermoplastic properties and energy transmitted to the suture anchor for in situ liquefaction of at least part of the material having thermoplastic properties. The suture anchor includes an anchor foot and a thermoplastic sleeve, and the anchor foot includes a system of channels and/or grooves with a mouth in a proximal face of the anchor foot. The thermoplastic sleeve is arranged coaxially to the mouth. The anchor foot also includes a locking element for securing the suture in a non-slideable manner relative to the hard tissue or a securing sleeve for securing the suture. The locking element or the securing element may be secured relative to the anchor foot when the anchor foot is in a fixed state.

A suture anchor includes a material having thermoplastic properties and is fixated in a hard tissue opening by liquefying at least part of this material and letting it penetrate into walls of the hard tissue opening. During the named fixation and preferably towards the end of it, the suture being held in a distal suture conduit is locked relative to the hard tissue by being clamped between the suture anchor and the wall of the hard tissue opening or by being clamped or braked through collapse of the suture conduit.

A medical device including a handle portion connected to an operative portion at a proximal end thereof, the handle portion having a hollow cross-section and an open distal end, an illumination assembly comprising at least one light source, a switch assembly for energizing the light source, and at least one battery for powering the light source, an end cap assembly configured to attach to the open distal end of the handle portion, the end cap assembly accommodating the switch assembly and being configured to hold the at least one battery within the handle and to partially enclose the at least one battery, and a smoke evacuation channel in communication with the hollow cross-section of the handle, wherein a portion of the switch assembly extends through an opening in the end cap assembly and the at least one battery is held by the end cap assembly to overlap with the switch assembly and to overlap with the opening in the end cap assembly, and wherein the end cap assembly includes a vacuum port configured to couple to a vacuum source and to provide suction to the smoke evacuation channel through the handle.

A method for providing a temperature sensitive element surrounding a surgical instrument to provide a visual indication of tip temperature to an operator of the instrument. Change in color of the element is an indication to the operator to be aware of the generated heat and reduce power to the instrument accordingly. When the tip of a surgical instrument heats up to a certain threshold that would cause harm, a reversible thermochromic property of the element may change colors in direct relation to the rise and fall of temperature.

An internal intramedullary fixation device for the stabilization of bone in arthrodesis and fractures of the foot and hand is disclosed. During implantation in medullary canals of bones, the device grasps the edges of the canals, stabilizing the bones, internally, during a healing process. The intramedullary fixation device comprises arrow-shaped proximal and distal heads comprising tips and a pairs of wings, the heads being sized to fit within an intramedullary canal of a bone. The intramedullary fixation device also comprises a rigid body defining a longitudinal axis connecting the proximal and distal heads. The rigid body comprises an intermediate portion, a distal neck portion connecting the rigid body to the distal head, and a proximal neck portion connecting the rigid body to the proximal head, the neck portions having a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-section area of the intermediate portion.

Circular and curved surgical stapling instruments are disclosed comprising a circular and curved stapling configurations. A circular staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples arranged in an inner row, an intermediate row, and an outer row. Staples in certain rows can vary in crown width to overlap gaps defined between staples in certain other rows which provide a stretch zone.

A surgical stapling assembly comprising a staple cartridge, a sled movable during a firing stroke between a proximal unfired position and a distal fired position, and a plurality of staples removably stored within the staple cartridge is disclosed. The staples are configured to be ejected from the staple cartridge by the sled. Each staple comprises a proximal staple leg comprising a proximal piercing tip, a distal staple leg comprising a distal piercing tip, and an integral staple driver base portion. The proximal staple leg and the distal staple leg extend from the integral staple driver base portion. The integral staple driver base portion comprises a body portion, a ramp surface configured to be contacted by the sled, and a starter guide feature configured to assist sled driving contact between the sled and the ramp surface.