Embodiments of the invention include instruments, implants, and methods for surgically treating facet joints of vertebrae. An instrument may be advanced into one or more facet joints to one or both separate vertebrae and remove tissue from one or more articular processes. A stop on the instrument may be used to terminate advancement of the instrument by contacting a vertebra, and one or more implants may be placed into one or more facet joints.

A method for computer-assisted orthopedic feedback of at least one surgical tool relative a pre-operative plan, wherein the surgical tool is moveable relative to an anatomy of a patient during surgery, including providing the pre-operative plan including a planned position and orientation of an implant relative to a virtual model of the anatomy. Further including obtaining a position of the patient structure and at least one surgical tool using a navigation system, and registering the anatomy to the model of the anatomy. Further including tracking a current position and orientation of the at least one surgical tool and the anatomy of the patient using the navigation system, and providing feedback of the current position and orientation of the at least one surgical tool relative to the planned position and orientation of the implant based on the tracked current position and orientation of the at least one surgical tool.

A surgical apparatus and methods for severing and welding tissue, in particular blood vessels. The apparatus includes an elongated shaft having a pair of relatively movable jaws at a distal end thereof. A first heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a first temperature and form a welded region within the tissue, while a second heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a second temperature and sever the tissue within the welded region. The first and second heating elements may be provided on the same or opposite jaws. A control handle provided on the proximal end of the elongated shaft includes controls for opening and closing the jaws, and may include an actuator for sending current through the first and second heating elements. The first and second heating elements may be electrically connected in series, and the first heating element may be bifurcated such that it conducts about one half of the current as the second heating element. A force-limiting mechanism provided either within the control handle, in the elongated shaft, or at the jaws limits the pressure applied to the tissue by the jaws to ensure that the tissue is severed and the ends effectively welded within a short amount of time.

Systems, instruments, and methods for minimally invasive procedures including one or more of fractional resection, fractional lipectomy, fractional skin grafting, and/or fractional scar revision are described. Embodiments include instrumentation comprising a scalpet assembly coupled to a carrier, and the scalpet assembly includes a scalpet array. The scalpet array includes one or more scalpets configured for fractional resection, fractional lipectomy, fractional skin grafting, and/or fractional scar revision. The system includes a vacuum component coupled to the scalpet assembly and configured to evacuate tissue from the a site. The carrier is configured to control application of a rotational force and/or a vacuum force to the scalpet assembly.

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 method of operating a surgical tool includes sending a command signal from a computer system to a motor to drive rotation of a drive shaft mounted within a drive housing of the surgical tool, monitoring one or more operational parameters of the motor with one or more monitoring devices in communication with the computer system, and measuring an unexpected change in the operational parameters of the motor with the monitoring devices. The unexpected change includes a measured operational parameter that is inconsistent with the command signal. The unexpected change is reported to the computer system as a bailout signal, and the surgical tool is disabled once the bailout signal is received at the computer system.

The invention provides an impactor for transmitting an assembly force to a component of an orthopaedic implant. The impactor has first and second telescoping parts which are biased apart by means of a main spring. The main spring is compressed when an assembly force is applied to the parts. An indicator is latched against movement until it is released when the extent of the compression of the main spring by the application of an assembly force exceeds a threshold. The indicator then moves to provide the user with an indication that a minimum assembly force has been applied.

A surgical stapler includes a body portion and a tool assembly. The body portion includes a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion extending distally from the large diameter portion. The large diameter portion supports larger internal components of the device including a lockout assembly adapted to prevent refiring of the stapler to allow the diameter of the small diameter portion of the device to be minimized to facilitate passage of the small diameter portion of the stapler and the tool assembly through an 8 mm trocar.

A retrieval device may include a sheath including a distal end and a proximal end, and an end effector at the distal end. At least a portion of the end effector may be movable relative to the sheath between extended and retracted states. The end effector may include a support member extending from the distal end of the sheath, and a movable member extending from the distal end of the support member. The device may include a handle assembly at the proximal end of the sheath, having an actuation member for transitioning the end effector between the extended and retracted states. The device may include a biasing member coupled to at least one of the actuation member and the sheath that may control a force, exerted by one of the movable members and the support member on the other, generated by relative movement between the movable and support members.

Embodiments of a surgical instrument including an actuation lockout system as well as its method of use are disclosed. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument includes a trigger and a driveshaft coupled to the trigger such that actuation of the trigger causes the driveshaft to move from a first position to a second position, thereby resulting in deployment of a surgical fastener. An actuation lockout system restrains distal movement of the driveshaft until a force greater than or equal to a threshold force is applied to the trigger.