A tool has a handle and an elongate shaft that extends distally from the handle. A distal portion of the shaft is inserted into a subject during a surgical procedure. An optical fiber delivers laser energy to a tip at the distal portion of the shaft. The tip includes a mechanical cutting mechanism including a moving part that absorbs the laser energy, thermally conducts the absorbed energy to tissue that is disposed between the moving part and another part, and moves with respect to the other part in order to cut tissue that is disposed between the parts using a mechanical force that is lower than a mechanical force that would be required to cut the tissue in the absence of the laser energy. Other embodiments are also described.

A waveguide configured for use with an ultrasonic surgical instrument includes an elongated body having a first engagement member at a proximal end thereof. The first engagement member engages the elongated body with an ultrasonic transducer to enable transmission of ultrasonic energy from the ultrasonic transducer along the elongated body. The elongated body being formed from titanium or a titanium alloy. A blade is fixedly engaged to a distal end of the elongated body, and distally extends from the distal end of the elongated body in order to receive ultrasonic energy from the elongated body for treating tissue in contact with the blade. The blade being formed from an amorphous material.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

An occluder support and a preparation method thereof are disclosed. The occluder support includes a mesh body and a trailing structure connected to the mesh body. The trailing structure is inwardly folded into a blunt shape.

Medical devices, systems and methods for occluding a left atrial appendage of a heart are provided. In one embodiment, the medical device includes an occluder portion and an anchor portion that are pivotably coupled to each other with hinge components. The hinge components each include a base with arms extending from the base such that the arms of each one of the hinge components extend through and capture a first eyelet of the occluder portion and a second eyelet of the anchor portion to facilitate pivotably coupling the anchor portion to the occluder portion.

A method for treating tissue using a surgical instrument including at least one electrode and a staple cartridge is disclosed. The method includes causing the at least one electrode to deliver a therapeutic energy to the tissue in a first phase of a surgical treatment by the surgical instrument, deploying staples from the staple cartridge into the tissue in a second phase of the surgical treatment, monitoring a first tissue property in the first phase of the surgical treatment, switching from the first phase to the second phase if at least one of two conditions is met, setting a parameter of the second phase of the surgical treatment based on at least one measurement of the first tissue property determined in the first phase of the surgical treatment, and monitoring a second tissue property, different from the first tissue property, in the second phase of the surgical treatment.

A surgical instrument is disclosed herein. The surgical instrument includes a handheld device and an adapter assembly. The handheld device includes a first drive assembly and a power source. The adapter assembly includes an outer housing that defines an internal cavity configured to accommodate a handheld device. The adapter assembly is configured to establish a sterile barrier around the handheld device. The surgical instrument includes an energy management system configured to extract energy dissipated by the handheld device from the internal cavity without disrupting the sterile barrier. In some aspects, the surgical instrument further includes a plurality of interchangeable end effectors and the adapter assembly includes a drive interface assembly. The plurality of interchangeable end effectors can include different drive interfaces and operating modes, and the drive interface assembly can connect the first drive assembly of the handheld device to each end effector of the plurality of interchangeable end effectors.

Some embodiments relate to a pedicle screw implant construct kit, comprising: at least one pedicle screw including a head; an embracing structure shaped and sized for embracing at least a portion of the screw head; an upper fastener for mounting onto the embracing structure, the upper fastener having a polygonal profile at least on a face of the upper fastener facing a direction opposite the screw.

A trans-anastomotic insertion device includes a body having a distal portion, a proximal portion, and a central portion. The distal portion has a blunt distal end, a width that decreases from its distal end to its proximal end, and longitudinal ribs that provide rigidity to the distal portion. The central portion has a circular configuration and includes a proximally facing surface that includes protrusions that are positioned to be received within staple pockets of a reload assembly of a stapling device. The proximal portion includes a central post that includes splines that are received between splines on a shell housing of a stapling device. The configuration of the insertion device provides added strength to the insertion device to resist high torsional forces that may be applied to the insertion device during insertion of a surgical device through an incision into a body cavity.

A degradable occluder, which comprises a first disc-shaped mesh, a tubular mesh, and a second disc-shaped mesh, which are sequentially connected, wherein both ends of the tubular mesh are respectively connected to the first disc-shaped mesh and the second disc-shaped mesh, wherein the first disc-shaped mesh, the tubular mesh, and the second disc-shaped mesh are integrally formed. The second disc-shaped mesh is provided with a connector used for closing the mesh surface wherein the connector is formed by heat-melting the mesh body of the second disc-shaped mesh, wherein the materials of the first disc-shaped mesh, the tubular mesh, the second disc-shaped mesh and the connector are all degradable materials. The closing structure of the occluder by closing line increases the support and resilience of the occluder, wherein it reduces manufacturing difficulty and cost.