A surgical system includes an attaching device having an end effector disposed at the distal end thereof. The end effector includes a support member, a wrist pivot pivotably coupling the end effector to the attaching device, and first and second jaw members pivotably coupled to one another and the support member. A first cable is operably coupled to the wrist pivot and configured to articulate the end effector relative to the attaching device. Second and third cables are operably coupled to the jaw members and configured to pivot the jaw members relative to the support member. A first actuation of the second and third cables collectively pivots the first and second jaw members relative to the support member. A second actuation of the second and third cables pivots the first and second jaw members relative to one another and the support member between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position.

A surgical instrument end effector assembly includes a first jaw member defining an insulative tissue-contacting surface and first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces disposed on either side of the insulative surface. A second jaw member of the end effector assembly includes an ultrasonic blade body positioned to oppose the insulative surface of the first jaw member, and first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces disposed on either side of the ultrasonic blade body and positioned to oppose the first and second electrically-conductive surfaces, respectively, of the first jaw member. The first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween. The first and second electrically-conductive surfaces of the second jaw member are movable, independent of the first jaw member, relative to the first jaw member and the ultrasonic blade body between a retracted position and an extended position.

A surgical system includes a robot main body, a slave controller, a display device that displays an endoscopic image, and an manipulation input device. The robot main body includes an entry guide having a plurality of guide bores, an entry guide support device that supports the entry guide, an instrument manipulator that has a surgical instrument provided at a distal end and is inserted into the entry guide, and an endoscope manipulator that has an endoscopic camera provided at a distal end and is inserted into the entry guide. The slave controller operates the robot main body such that the surgical instrument advances from an exit of the entry guide after the endoscopic camera advances from the exit of the entry guide and starts capturing in response to input of a body cavity insertion manipulation received by the manipulation input device.

A surgical instrument configured for both grasping and cutting operations has a shaft with a push rod extending through it. An end effector on the shaft has a grasping jaw, a cutting jaw, and an intermediate jaw. The grasping jaw forms a grasping device with the intermediate jaw, and the cutting jaw forming a cutting device with the intermediate member. A segment of the shaft proximal to the end effector is axially rotatable between a first position, in which the push rod can advance through the segment to actuate the cutting device, and a second position in which the push rod can advance through the segment to actuate the grasping device

Disclosed is a four-jawed combinational scissor-grasper surgical tool for use in laparoscopy. Cutting and grasping functionalities are respectively enabled via movement of a pair of such specially contoured jaw members sliding against or splaying apart from the other pair. Also disclosed are means for achieving selectable interlocking of jaw members and mechanical linkage for their actuation by human user.

A surgical instrument assembly is provided. In some embodiments, an example surgical instrument assembly includes a surgical instrument configured to pass through a guide tube having a proximal end and a distal end. The surgical instrument can include one or more arms configured to extend from the intermediate position, each arm having one or more joints positioned along the arm and an end effector attached at the distal end of each arm. The surgical instrument assembly can include a control assembly positioned at the proximal end and configured to control the movement of the joints and the end effectors.

A robotic surgical instrument comprising a shaft and end effector element connected by an articulation. The articulation comprises a first joint driveable by a first pair of driving elements. The first joint permits the end effector element to rotate about a first axis transverse to a longitudinal axis of the shaft, the rotation of the end effector element about the first axis bounded by an extreme rotation angle relative to the longitudinal axis. A second joint is driveable by a second pair of driving elements. A pulley arrangement constrains the second pair of driving elements, and comprises a first set of pulleys rotatable about the first axis, and a second set of pulleys located relative to the first set of pulleys such that at the extreme rotation angle the second pair of driving elements is retained in contact with both the first and second sets of pulleys.

A medical device includes a link, a first tool member, a second tool member and a third tool member, which each have a proximal end portion movably coupled to the link and a distal end portion. The distal end portion of the first tool member can engage a first object and be associated with a first medical function, the distal end portion of the second tool member can engage a second object and be associated with a second medical function, and the distal end portion of the third tool member can engage the first object or the second object and be associated with the first and/or second medical function. Each of the first, second and third tool members can move relative to the link independent of movement of the each of the other tool members.

A robotic surgical instrument, comprising: a shaft; an end effector element; an articulation at a distal end of the shaft for articulating the end effector element, the articulation comprising: a first and second joint permitting the end effector element to adopt a range of configurations relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft, the first joint being driveable by a first pair of driving elements having a first positional accuracy requirement and the second joint being driveable by a second pair of driving elements having a second positional accuracy requirement lower than the positional accuracy requirement of the first pair of driving elements; and an instrument interface at a proximal end of the shaft, comprising: a chassis formed from the attachment of a first chassis portion to a second chassis portion, the first chassis portion comprising a mounting surface to which the shaft is mounted; wherein the first pair of driving elements are secured relative to the first chassis portion.

A gear arrangement including two drive units (210, 220, 310, 320, 410), and two translatory transmission elements (151, 152, 251, 252, 351, 352), to each of which a rotationally movable function unit (141, 142) of a distally arranged two-part end effector (140) can be coupled. The first drive unit (210, 310, 410) has at least one proximally arranged rotation element (311, 411) or a thrust element (210) for opening or closing the end effector (140) by rotation of at least one function unit (141, 142). The second drive unit (220, 320), with which the translatory transmission elements (151, 152, 251, 252, 351, 352) are movable in opposite directions, has at least one proximally arranged rotation element (224, 320, 421) for simultaneous and unidirectional pivoting of the function units (141, 142) of the end effector (140). A surgical instrument includes the gear arrangement (200, 300, 400) in the handle (180).