A surgical instrument includes a shaft, an end effector extending distally from the shaft, and a housing extending proximally from the shaft. The housing includes a motor configured to generate at least one motion to effectuate the end effector, and a power source configured to supply power to the surgical instrument, wherein the power source includes a casing, a data storage unit, and a deactivation mechanism configured to interrupt access to data stored in the data storage unit. In addition, the power source includes a battery pack and a deactivation mechanism configured to deactivate the battery pack if the casing is breached.

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.

A depth limiting device includes an axial braking structure; a limited shrinking structure, the limited shrinking structure surrounding a moving object, and being in a home position or a compressed position; and a structure adapted for pushing the limited shrinking structure to the home position. The axial braking structure axially brakes the moving object such that the moving object moves together with the depth limiting device, and when the moving object enters into a subject, the limited shrinking structure is pressed against the subject, moves from the home position to the compressed position, and stops the moving object from entering further into the subject.

A surgical end effector that includes first and second jaws that are selectively movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position relative to each other. At least one expandable tissue stop is located on one of the first and second jaws and is configured to extend between first and second jaw surfaces on the first and second jaws as the first and second jaws move between the fully open and the fully closed positions.

Embodiments of devices for converting continuous rotational motion into oscillating motion are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an oscillation device can include an input shaft that rotates about a first axis, a portion of the input shaft defining an eccentric section that defines a second central axis offset from the first axis, a connector rotatably coupled around the eccentric section, an oscillating shaft offset from the input shaft that rotates about a third axis, and a pin coupled to the oscillating shaft and extending towards the connector. The connector includes a sleeve slidably receiving an end of the pin, and continuous rotation of the input shaft about the first axis causes an eccentric movement of the connector, and the eccentric movement of the connector oscillates the sleeve along the pin and oscillates the pin with respect to the oscillating shaft, thereby oscillating the oscillating shaft about the third axis.

A method for controlling a robotic arm in a robotic surgical system includes defining a reference plane at a predetermined reference location for a robotic arm, where the robotic arm includes a plurality of joints, and driving at least one of the plurality of joints to guide the robotic arm through a series of predetermined poses substantially constrained within the reference plane.

A computer-assisted surgery system for performing a surgical procedure on a patient's anatomy includes a robotic device, a guide coupled to the robotic device, and a computer in communication with the robotic device. The computer is configured to command the robotic device to selectively operate in one of a first mode in which the guide is manually moved by a user or a second mode in which the robotic device autonomously moves the guide. In the first mode, the robotic device is controlled by the computer to constrain motion of the guide to a predefined plane while allowing the guide to be manually moved along the pre-defined plane.

A medical system comprising: a robotic arm, a control unit configured to issue a control signal, a medical device intended to penetrate an anatomical structure, the medical device being configured to emit a warning signal which varies as a function of a variable electrical characteristic of the anatomical structure, said medical device comprising a body with first and second electrodes, an electric generator suitable for applying at least one measurement electric current between the first and second electrodes, and a processing device suitable for determining a measurement parameter related to the electrical characteristic, based on said at least one measurement electric current, and for emitting the warning signal corresponding to the measurement parameter, wherein the control unit is configured to issue the control signal as a function of the warning signal.

A drill for driving a drill bit into a solid object such as bone. The drill includes a rotor with a bore that transmits rotational movement to the drill bit. The drill bit extends through the rotor bore. A probe extends forward from the drill to measure bore depth. The probe is moveably mounted to the drill so as to extend into the rotor bore. As the drill and drill bit advance forward the probe remains static. As a result of the advancement of the drill the rotor extends over the proximal end of the probe.

A calcification treatment device includes an outer body (12) including an inner cavity and at least one outer calcification treatment member (16) facing towards the inner cavity. An inner body (18) is movable into the inner cavity and includes at least one inner calcification treatment member (20) facing towards an inner surface of the outer body. One of the outer and inner calcification treatment members includes an expandable treatment member and one of the outer and inner calcification treatment members includes one or more fracturing elements capable of fracturing a calcification of a valve tissue.