A system for crushing and/or removing body stones, includes a source causing shock waves and/or ultrasonic waves, and a probe, wherein the source and the probe are reversibly connectable to one another via an interface for transmitting the shock waves and/or ultrasonic waves to the probe. The probe includes an identification element for identifying the probe, the identification element being arranged in or on the probe in a sound-protected manner. The identification element is preferably an RFID element.

A catheter assembly including, in some embodiments, a sonic connector at a proximal end of a core wire, a damping mechanism around a proximal end portion of the core wire, and a heat sink connected to the damping mechanism. The sonic connector is configured to couple to an ultrasound-producing mechanism and transmit vibrational energy to the proximal end of the core wire, which core wire includes a distal end portion configured to modify intravascular lesions. The damping mechanism includes a gasket system around the proximal end portion of the core wire in a damping-mechanism bore of the catheter assembly. The damping mechanism is configured to damp the vibrational energy. A system including, in some embodiments, the catheter assembly and the ultrasound-producing mechanism is also disclosed.

An elongate endovascular element for crossing through an obstruction in a blood vessel comprises: a proximal section; a distal tip section of smaller diameter than the proximal section; and a distally-tapering intermediate section extending between the proximal and distal tip sections; wherein the tapered intermediate section has a length that is substantially λ/2 or a multiple of λ/2, where λ is a wavelength of a driving frequency that will produce longitudinal resonance in the element.

A surgical instrument is disclosed including a transducer, an ultrasonic blade, a protective sheath, and a non-vibrating clamp arm assembly. The ultrasonic blade extends along the longitudinal axis coupled to the transducer. The ultrasonic blade comprises a body having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is movable along the longitudinal axis by vibrations produced by the transducer. The protective sheath comprises a proximal end and a distal end and disposed adjacent to the body. The protective sheath further comprises a pad positioned toward the distal end of the protective sheath and located between the body and the distal end of the protective sheath. The non-vibrating clamp arm assembly has a proximal end and a distal end and pivotally positioned adjacent to the body. The clamp arm assembly is pivotally moveable from an open position to a closed position.

A surgical apparatus comprises a body, an ultrasonic transducer, a shaft, and an end effector. The ultrasonic transducer is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The shaft couples the end effector and the body together. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic blade includes a recess region having a plurality of recesses. The recess region is tapered such that the cross-sectional area of the recess region decreases along the length of the recess region. The ultrasonic blade is also curved such that a central longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic blade extends along a curved path. A reference circuit is used to account for voltage drops of unknown values during operation of the surgical apparatus.

A vibration transmitting member transmits ultrasonic vibration generated by an ultrasonic transducer from a proximal side toward a distal side. The vibration transmitting member includes a connection connected to the ultrasonic transducer. When a reference vibration node, which is located most proximally among vibration nodes occurring on the distal side relative to the connection, is defined, while the vibration transmitting member vibrates at a resonance frequency in a predetermined frequency range, a cross-sectional area decreasing part is provided between the connection and the reference vibration node. In the cross-sectional area decreasing part, a cross-sectional area perpendicular to a longitudinal direction gradually decreases from the distal side toward the proximal side.

An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a transducer configured to produce a first mode of ultrasonic energy and a waveguide coupled to the transducer. The waveguide includes a proximal body portion coupled to and extending distally from the transducer. The proximal body portion is configured to receive the first mode of ultrasonic energy from the transducer for transmission therealong. The waveguide further includes a distal body portion, a blade extending distally from the distal body portion, and an articulation portion interconnecting the proximal and distal body portions. The articulation portion is configured to enable articulation of the distal body portion relative to the proximal body portion, to receive the first mode of ultrasonic energy from the proximal body portion, convert the first mode of ultrasonic energy into a second mode of ultrasonic energy, and transmit the second mode of ultrasonic energy along the distal body portion to the blade.

An apparatus comprises a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and an articulation drive assembly. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide comprises a flexible portion. The articulation section is coupled with the shaft. A portion of the articulation section encompasses the flexible portion of the waveguide. The articulation section comprises a plurality of body portions aligned along the longitudinal axis and a flexible locking member. The flexible locking member is operable to secure the body portions in relation to each other and in relation to the shaft. The end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The articulation drive assembly is operable to drive articulation of the articulation section to thereby deflect the end effector from the longitudinal axis.

Each of segments of a vibration transmitting member has a dimension of a half-wave length between mutually neighboring vibration anti-nodes and sets a vibration node as a center. In each of recess segments included in the segments, the vibration node is located in a groove, and an intermediate extension extends from a proximal end to a distal end in the groove in a longitudinal direction. At least two of the recess segments are different from each other with respect to at least one of a dimension in the longitudinal direction of the intermediate extension and a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the intermediate extension.

A surgical instrument includes an ultrasonic waveguide extending through a body assembly. An ultrasonic blade connects to the ultrasonic waveguide. A clamp arm assembly of the surgical instrument is able to move from an opened position for receiving a tissue toward a closed position for clamping the tissue. The clamp arm assembly includes a clamp body and a clamp pad facing the ultrasonic blade. A clamp arm actuator of the surgical instrument is able to move from a first position toward a second position to direct the clamp arm assembly from the opened position toward the closed position. A modular coupling of the surgical instrument connects to the clamp pad such that at least the clamp pad can be disconnected relative to the ultrasonic blade for replacement thereof.