An apparatus to protect the tissues, muscles and nerves of the female pelvic floor from trauma during vaginal childbirth, the apparatus having a softly expansible intravaginal component capable of insertion into a vaginal canal and under a fetal head while in either a folded or rolled up configuration and to unfold or unroll into a deployed configuration in the vaginal canal and under the fetal head, and a support component with a handle capable of attachment to the intravaginal component, of deploying and inflating the intravaginal, preferably with pressurized air or liquid, and further sized and shaped to provide support and stabilization to at least one from among a perineal, perianal, and anal region when maintained against a female perineal body and perianal region while attached to the intravaginal device that is deployed beneath the fetal head within the vaginal canal, or, in cases of obstructed vaginal childbirth, being subsequently detached, temporarily leaving in situ within the vagina the deployed, inflated intravaginal component for the purpose of preventing or mitigating the subsequent development of abnormal fistulous communications between the vagina and either the urinary bladder or the rectum or both.

A bipolar electrosurgical instrument includes first and second shafts each having a jaw member extending from its distal end. Each jaw member is adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the jaw members are capable of selectively conducting energy through tissue held therebetween. A knife channel is configured to reciprocate a cutting mechanism therealong. An actuator selectively advances the cutting mechanism. A switch is disposed on the first shaft and is configured to be depressed between a first position and at least one subsequent position upon biasing engagement with a mechanical interface disposed on the second shaft. The first position of the switch relays information to the user corresponding to a desired pressure on tissue and the at least one subsequent position is configured to activate the source of electrosurgical energy to supply electrosurgical energy to the jaw members.

A device comprising a scalpet assembly including a first investing plate and a scalpet array. The scalpet array includes scalpets rotatably coupled to the first investing plate. Each scalpet includes a first thread on a portion of an outside surface, and a distal end configured as a cylindrical scalpel. The device includes a second investing plate comprising apertures corresponding to the scalpet array. Each aperture includes a second thread configured to receive the first thread. The corresponding scalpet is configured to rotate relative to the second thread and move along an axis of the scalpet relative to the second investing plate.

A gearbox assembly and surgical instrument including the same. The gearbox assembly includes a drive gear including a round gear and a lead screw such that a rotational input to the round gear rotates the lead screw. A first hub is threadingly engaged about the lead screw such that rotation of the lead screw translates the first hub. A second hub is spaced-apart from the first hub and engaged with a drive rod. A compression spring is disposed between the hubs. When a force acting against the drive rod is below a threshold, the rotational input translates the first hub, compression spring, second hub, and drive rod. When the force is equal to or above the threshold, the rotational input translates the first hub and compresses the compression spring against the second hub to maintain the second hub and drive rod in position.

A surgical safety system for use in connection with a powered surgical instrument can be a standalone device or can be incorporated into existing electrosurgical instruments and generators. The system employs a controller connected to one or more sensors that are monitoring an aspect of a patient undergoing surgery. The controller is also in electrical communication with the powered surgical instrument and is configured to disable the instrument if movement or impending movement is detected.

An instrument that includes forceps. The forceps include a jaw assembly. The jaw assembly includes a first jaw and a second jaw. The first jaw includes a gripping section, and the second jaw includes a gripping section. The jaw assembly is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The first jaw is electrically conductive, the second jaw is electrically conductive, or both the first jaw and the second jaw are electrically conductive. The first jaw includes a first tissue stop that is centered on a medial plane of the first jaw. The tissue stop extends from the first jaw towards the second jaw. The first tissue stop is adapted to block an anatomical feature from extending beyond a proximal end of the gripping section of the first jaw, a proximal end of the gripping section of the second jaw, or both.

A medical instrument includes a housing, a movable handle, and a spring. The movable handle is configured to move between a first position as an opened position and a second position as a closed position with respect to the housing. The spring is provided between the housing and the movable handle. The spring is configured to apply a biasing force to the housing or the movable handle. The spring is provided to alleviate an increase in the biasing force generated in the spring in response to the movable handle moving from the first position to the second position.

An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a probe having an array transducer, a transmitting unit that transmits an ultrasound beam from the array transducer, an insertion device insertable into a subject and having a photoacoustic wave generation unit, a light source that irradiates the photoacoustic wave generation unit with light to generate a photoacoustic wave, a sequence control unit that performs control so that a photoacoustic wave is received each time the array transducer receives an ultrasound echo along a predetermined number of scan lines, an insertion depth detection unit that detects an insertion depth of the insertion device on the basis of a photoacoustic wave reception signal, and a notification unit that provides a notification to a user in a case where the insertion depth of the insertion device is deeper than a determined depth.

A surgical stapling system is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system comprises a staple cartridge attachment portion, a first staple cartridge configured to be operably attached to the cartridge attachment portion, wherein the first cartridge comprises a plurality of first staples comprising first staple legs, and a second staple cartridge configured to be operably attached to the cartridge attachment portion in lieu of the first cartridge, wherein the second cartridge comprises a plurality of second staples comprising second staple legs, and wherein the second staples are different than the first staples. The system further comprises an anvil comprising a tissue-engaging surface and a plurality of forming pockets defined in the surface, wherein each pocket comprises a first landing zone configured to receive a leg of a first staple of the first cartridge and a second landing zone configured to receive a leg of a second staple of the second cartridge.

A surgical instrument includes a body, an ultrasonic transducer assembly, and a transducer lock having a lock member configured to move between unlocked and locked positions. The transducer assembly is rotatably mounted along a longitudinal axis within the body such that the transducer assembly is configured to selectively rotate about the longitudinal axis. With the lock member in the unlocked position, the transducer assembly is configured to be selectively rotated about the longitudinal axis relative to the body. With the lock member in the locked position, the transducer lock is configured to seize the transducer assembly and inhibit rotation relative to the housing for coupling with an acoustic waveguide. The surgical instrument may also include an integral torque wrench for coupling the acoustic waveguide with a predetermined torque and an integral torque indictor for signaling to a user that the acoustic waveguide is coupled with the predetermined torque.