Patent classifications
A61B2018/00595
END EFFECTOR DRIVE MECHANISMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS SUCH AS FOR USE IN ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEMS
A robotic system includes an electrosurgical instrument having an instrument housing with a shaft and first and second jaw members attached thereto movable to grasp tissue. An input is coupled to a jaw drive rod and is configured to move the jaw members. A strain gauge is coupled to the jaw drive rod and is configured to measure an amount of strain thereon and communicate the amount of strain to a robotic controller. A handle is remotely disposed relative to the instrument housing and is configured to communicate with the input for controlling the jaw members. The handle includes a housing having components therein and a lever operably associated therewith such that movement of the lever relative to the housing correlates to movement of the jaw members. The components are configured to operably regulate the resistance of the lever in response to the amount of strain from the strain gauge.
ENDOSCOPIC VESSEL HARVESTING WITH THERMAL MANAGEMENT AND AUGMENTED REALITY DISPLAY
A vessel harvesting system removes a target vessel from a patient for use as a bypass. An elongated harvesting instrument inserts into a body along a path of a target vessel which includes at least one side branch. The harvesting instrument includes a cutter for applying thermal energy to sever and cauterize the side branch. An endoscopic camera captures visible-light images from a distal tip of the instrument within a dissected tunnel around the target vessel. A thermal camera captures thermograms coinciding with the visible-light images to characterize a temperature present at respective surfaces in the tunnel. An image processor (e.g., an electronic controller) renders a video stream including the visible-light images and an overlay depicting the temperatures present on at least some of the respective surfaces when applying the thermal energy. A display presenting the video stream and overlay to a user can be an augmented-reality display.
Method of hub communication, processing, display, and cloud analytics
A method of displaying an operational parameter of a surgical system is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a cloud computing system of the surgical system, first usage data, from a first subset of surgical hubs of the surgical system; receiving, by the cloud computing system, second usage data, from a second subset of surgical hubs of the surgical system; analyzing, by the cloud computing system, the first and the second usage data to correlate the first and the second usage data with surgical outcome data; determining, by the cloud computing system, based on the correlation, a recommended medical resource usage configuration; and displaying, on respective displays on the first and the second subset of surgical hubs, indications of the recommended medical resource usage configuration.
Quick-release end effectors and related systems and methods
The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to arms or forearms of medical devices that are configured to couple with quick-release end effectors, quick-release end effectors for use with such medical devices, and arms or forearms coupled to such quick-release end effectors. Certain forearms and end effectors have magnetic couplings, while others have mechanical couplings, and further implementations have both magnetic and mechanical couplings.
Engagement features and methods for attaching a drive rod to a knife blade in an articulating surgical instrument
A method for attaching a drive rod to a knife includes: forming a knife having proximal and distal ends; forming an aperture within the proximal end of the knife, the aperture including a series of fins disposed therein; weaving a distal end of a knife rod through the series of fins in an alternating manner; and engaging a cap onto the distal end of the knife drive rod to secure the knife drive rod within the aperture of the knife.
ENERGY-BASED SURGICAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS BASED ON AN ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE LEARNING SYSTEM
The present disclosure relates to energy-based surgical procedures. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, a computer implemented method includes accessing an image of tissue of a patient, accessing control parameter values of a generator configured to provide energy based on control parameters, processing the image of the tissue and the control parameter values by an artificial-intelligence learning system to provide an output relating to configuration of the control parameters, providing an indication to a clinician based on the output where the indication indicates whether to maintain the control parameter values, and providing adjusted control parameter values for the generator based on the output of the artificial-intelligence learning system if the indication indicates not to maintain the control parameter values.
Surgical device having an integral fluid distribution system
An electrosurgical instrument can be provided that includes a pair of opposing jaws, a channel in at least one of the opposing jaws for receiving a reciprocating blade, and a fluid distribution system in communication with the one or more fluid openings located within the channel for delivering a fluid to the jaws.
Apparatus for providing access for a medical procedure
In some embodiments an apparatus for providing access for a medical procedure in a patient's body cavity includes a stem configured for insertion through an opening in a body cavity wall. The stem has a bore and a cap is disposed at a proximal end thereof and includes an entry port in communication with the bore which receives an instrument to be inserted into the body cavity. An inflatable annular seal is disposed on the stem proximate the cap and a conduit extends through the cap providing pressurized gas at a first outlet in fluid communication with the body cavity providing insufflation pressure. A second outlet of the conduit is in fluid communication the seal, which when disposed inside the body cavity proximate the wall and inflated by pressurized gas, bears on an inner surface of the wall urging the cap into contact with an outer surface of the wall while sealing the opening.
Digital image analysis for robotic installation of surgical implants
Computer-implemented digital image analysis methods, apparatuses, and systems for robotic installation of surgical implants are disclosed. A disclosed apparatus plans a route within an anatomy of a patient from an incision site to a surgical implant site for robotic installation of a surgical implant. The apparatus uses digital imaging data to identify less-invasive installation paths and determine the dimensions of the surgical implant components being used. The apparatus segments the surgical implant into surgical implant subcomponents and modifies the surgical implant subcomponents, such that they can be inserted using the identified less-invasive installation paths.
In-the-jaw classifier based on a model
An ultrasonic device may include an electromechanical ultrasonic system defined by a predetermined resonant frequency, in which the system may include an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. A method of estimating a state of an end effector of the ultrasonic device may include applying a drive signal defined by a magnitude and a frequency to the ultrasonic transducer, sweeping the frequency of the drive signal from below a first resonance to above the first resonance of the electromagnetic ultrasonic system, measuring and recording, impedance/admittance circle variables R.sub.e, G.sub.e, X.sub.e, and B.sub.e, comparing, the measured impedance/admittance circle variables R.sub.e, G.sub.e, X.sub.e, and B.sub.e to reference impedance/admittance circle variables R.sub.ref, G.sub.ref, X.sub.ref, and B.sub.ref, and determining, a state or condition of the end effector based on the result of the comparison. An electromechanical ultrasonic system may include a control circuit to effect the method.