A sterile packaging assembly for transporting interventional devices to a robotic surgery site includes a sterile barrier having a hub support portion and configured to enclose a sterile volume; and at least a first interventional device within the sterile volume. The first interventional device includes a hub and an elongate flexible body. The hub includes at least one magnet and at least one roller configured to roll on the hub support portion of the sterile barrier.

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, an actuation assembly, and a bailout mechanism. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The end effector is disposed on a distal end of the shaft assembly and includes a first jaw and a second jaw. The actuation assembly includes a pusher member configured to move relative to the end effector to drive movement of the first jaw, the second jaw, or both the first jaw and the second jaw. The bailout mechanism includes a first elongate actuation element and a second elongate actuation element. A portion of the bailout mechanism is configured to selectively apply tension to the first elongate actuation element and the second elongate actuation element to move the pusher member. The first elongate actuation element is stronger in tension than the second elongate actuation element cable.

A robotically driven interventional device includes an elongate, flexible body, having a proximal end and a distal end; a hub on the proximal end; at least one rotatable roller on a first surface of the hub; and at least one magnet on the first surface of the hub.

An instrument system comprising a flexible shaft having proximal and distal portions, a backend mechanism coupled to the proximal portion, and a plurality of tendons including first and second tendons. The backend mechanism comprises a plurality of capstans including first and second capstans. Each capstan includes a bore for engagement with a drive shaft, and a capstan coupling member adapted to engage a drive shaft coupling member such that rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the capstan, and adapted to disengage from the drive shaft coupling member so rotation of the drive shaft does not cause rotation of the capstan. The first tendon is configured to wrap around the first capstan and the second tendon is configured to wrap around the second capstan. The first and second tendons are coupled to a member disposed at the distal portion and are configured to move the member in opposing directions.

Systems and methods for minimally invasive computer-assisted telesurgery are described. For example, this disclosure provides surgical instruments and instrument drive systems for computer-assisted tele-operated surgery that are structured and operated to negate the effects of cable stretch within the surgical instruments.

Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for initializing a surgical tool are provided. In general, a surgical tool can include an end effector, an elongate shaft, and a wrist that couples the end effector to a distal end of the shaft. The wrist can be configured to facilitate movement of the end effector relative to the shaft. The surgical tool can include multiple flexible members configured to move, either individually or as a group including any plural number of the flexible members, to cause the movement of the end effector relative to the shaft by pivoting at the wrist. The movement of the end effector can include movement between an unarticulated position and an articulated position. The surgical tool can also include one or more homing members configured to be selectively actuated to force the end effector into the unarticulated position.

A surgical instrument that includes first and second jaws that are movably coupled together to move between an open and a closed position. The first jaw includes a first proximal end, a first distal tip, and a first jaw midpoint between the first proximal end and the first distal tip. The second jaw includes a second proximal end and a second distal tip. The first jaw includes a first alignment feature that is distal to the first jaw midpoint and is configured to engage a corresponding portion of the second jaw when the first and second jaws are moved to the closed position to align the first distal tip with the second distal tip.

A system comprises a medical instrument including a rotatable capstan. The rotatable capstan includes a first coupling feature and a drive system including a rotatable drive element. The rotatable drive element includes a second coupling feature. The first and second coupling features have an aligned engagement configuration in which rotation of the rotatable drive element induces rotation of the rotatable capstan and a non-aligned engagement configuration in which rotation of the rotatable drive element does not induce rotation of the rotatable capstan.

A surgical instrument is described that includes a surgical effector moving with N degrees of freedom for manipulation of objects at a surgical site during surgical procedures. The N degrees of freedom are manipulated by N+1 input controllers and a plurality of cables, the controllers and cables coupled to the surgical effector and configured to change the orientation of the surgical effector about the N degrees of freedom when actuated. In some embodiments, the N+1 input controllers and plurality of cables are further coupled to a pantograph, the pantograph configured to move in a reciprocal manner to the surgical effector when the input controllers and cables are actuated.

According to an example of the present disclosure, an apparatus to store slack in a system line for a medical device is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a plurality of slack pockets arranged in series. The system line is configured to form a slack loop into each slack pocket, the plurality of slack pockets isolating the slack loops from each other. The plurality of slack pockets are configured such that when tension is applied to the system line, slack is dispensed by each slack loop straightening from each slack pocket without tangling with another one of the slack loops.