In a surgical method, an elongate probe is inserted into a spinal disc exemplarily into a nucleus pulposus thereof in a direction generally parallel to vertebral end faces adjacent to the spinal disc. During the inserting of the elongate probe, the probe is ultrasonically vibrated. Thereafter, while ultrasonically vibrating the elongate probe, one moves the elongate probe to sever a prismatic portion of the spinal disc including a prismatic section of the nucleus pulposus. The prismatic portion of the spinal disc is removed from a remaining portion of the spinal disc.

A surgical apparatus comprises a body assembly, an ultrasonic transducer, a shaft assembly, a motor, and a locking feature. The ultrasonic transducer is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The shaft assembly comprises a waveguide operable to transmit ultrasonic vibrations. The motor is operable to rotate the ultrasonic transducer to thereby selectively couple the ultrasonic transducer with the waveguide. The locking feature is configured to selectively prevent rotation of at least a portion of the shaft assembly relative to the body assembly. The locking feature and the motor may be activated automatically in response to an operator positioning a proximal portion of the shaft assembly in a distal portion of the body assembly. The surgical apparatus may include a feature configured to alert a user when the waveguide has been adequately secured to the ultrasonic transducer.

A personal care appliance includes a housing having a first end and a second end located opposite and distal the first end, a treatment head member coupled to the first end of the housing, a sonic motor provided in the housing and being structured to oscillate the head member, and a drainage system comprising a pump provided in the housing, a first conduit fluidly coupled to the pump and the head member, and a second conduit fluidly coupled to the pump and the second end of the housing.

A surgical instrument is disclosed including a transducer configured to provide vibrations along a longitudinal axis, an end effector operably coupled to the transducer, and a stationary lower jaw extending parallel to the end effector. The end effector extends along the longitudinal axis. The end effector comprises a blade. The stationary lower jaw comprises a clamp face positioned distal to the blade. The end effector is movable relative to the stationary lower jaw to drive the blade distally towards the clamp face. The end effector comprises a hollow lumen. The end effector further comprises at least one member extended across a portion of the hollow lumen.

A surgical instrument includes an ultrasonic transducer supported by a housing and an elongated assembly extending distally therefrom. The elongated assembly includes a jaw and a waveguide coupled to the transducer and defining a blade having upper and lower tissue-contacting surface and first and second lateral surfaces disposed therebetween that are coated with a material. The jaw is pivotable relative to the blade and includes a structural base having a backspan and first and second uprights extending from the backspan. The jaw further includes a jaw liner supported within the structural base and positioned to oppose the upper tissue-contacting surface with the first and second uprights disposed on either side of the blade. In an ultrasonic mode, ultrasonic energy produced by the transducer is transmitted along the waveguide to the blade. In an electrosurgical mode, electrosurgical energy is conducted between the blade and the first and second uprights.

Piezoelectric osteotomy devices and corresponding systems and methods for removing an acetabular cup or shell from a patient's acetabulum are disclosed. In one embodiment, the piezoelectric osteotomy device includes a piezoelectric element to actuate a cutting tip on an armature. In some such embodiments, the cutting tip may be extended and/or retracted to facilitate cutting of bone around an acetabular cup. The armature may include a fluid output port located proximate the cutting tip to mitigate heat generated by the cutting tip. In one embodiment, the piezoelectric osteotomy device is arranged and configured to provide constant current adjustment.

An insert assembly, insertable in a handpiece of a medical device, has an insert having an insert metal tang, a ferromagnetic layer in contact with the insert metal tang, a dielectric layer in contact with the ferromagnetic layer, an insert antenna in contact with the dielectric layer, having an insert antenna metal element and configured to receive and transmit electromagnetic fields, and an identification chip operatively connected to the insert antenna and configured to transmit information about the insert assembly. The ferromagnetic layer reduces or cancels attenuation and/or distortion phenomena of an electromagnetic field caused by parasitic effects due to interaction of a transmitted or received electromagnetic field with metal parts of the insert metal tang, liquids present in the insert, and the insert antenna metal element. The ferromagnetic layer dielectric layer and insert antenna form a transceiver device putting the identification chip in communication with a handpiece antenna.

A vibrating tissue separator suitable for use in separating a lenticule established by a femtosecond laser during a smile procedure may include a surgical implement such as a blunt spatula mounted on a handle that carries a haptic actuator for applying vibratory motion to the surgical implement. A damping arrangement may be provided to isolate the surgeons hand from the vibrations which would otherwise be transmitted through the handle. The actuator may apply a linear vibration along the axis of the handle which applies a lifting and chopping motion to the tip of a surgical implement having a bend. The tip may be suitable to the tissue being separated. For example, for SMILE lenticule separation, a blunt or semi-sharp spatula, blunted wire or loop may be used. The direction of vibration at the tip may be changed by rotating the implement in a plane other than the plane of the bend or by rotating an actuator such as an LRA with respect to the handle.

An apparatus for harvesting a vessel from a body, includes: a cannula having a dissector for advancing along the vessel to create a tunnel, the dissector having a transparent portion; and an energy tool moveably coupled to the cannula, wherein the energy tool is configured to separate a pediculated vessel having at least a segment of the vessel and a pedicle around the segment of the vessel from surrounding tissue, and wherein at least a part of the energy tool is visible through the transparent portion of the dissector during use of the energy tool.

An ultrasonic cutting tool for use in an ultrasonic instrument, the tool being a blade manufactured from a tubular blank by flattening a section of the blank. The blade includes a flat section designed to be used for cutting, a tubular section, and a transition section joining the flat section to the tubular section. The tubular section is joined to or includes an attachment section for attaching the blade to an ultrasonic generator and serving as a conduit to bring a cooling fluid to the distal end or to suck particles into the hand tool.