Covidien LP

Anthony B Ross

Eric Russell Larson

Robert B Stoddard

William H Nau, Jr

Duane E Kerr

William J Dickhans

James S Cunningham

Russell D Hempstead

David J Van Tol

John J Kappus

Arlen K Ward

Joseph D Brannan

Scott E M Frushour

Alexander M Waskiewicz

David S Price

Joe Don Sartor

Scott J Prior

Robert M Sharp

Casey M Ladtkow

William J Peine

Michael B Lyons

Christopher A Deborski

John W Komp

Arvind Rajagopalan Mohan

Ashish Sharma

Stephen Wohlert

Darion R Peterson

Robert B Smith

David Price

Rebecca J Coulson

John A Hammerland, Iii

Thomas W Meiser

Evgeni Kopel

Chad A Pickering

James E Thompson

Rachael L Kabala

Scott David Uhlrich

Kathryn G Thompson

Nick C Ortiz

Scott C Oubre

Claire E Benjamin

Chip G W Bollendonk

William H Nau

Scott EM Frushour

Jr William H Nau

Chip GW Bollendonk

John A Iii Hammerland

Endoluminal robotic systems and corresponding methods include subsystems for visualization, navigation, pressure sensing, platform compatibility, and user interfaces. The user interfaces may be implemented by one or more of a console, haptics, image fusion, voice controls, remote support, and multi-system controls.

Endoluminal robotic (ELR) systems and methods

An endoluminal robotic system includes at least one robotic arm that operates tools to perform suturing procedures. The tools may include at least one of a suture needle driver tool, an endoscope, and a grasping tool. Methods performed by the endoluminal robotic system include driving a suture needle through anterior and posterior sides of a defect using the suture needle driving tool, the end portion of which is rotated after passing through tissue, to form a desired suture pattern. Then, the two ends of the suture thread are pulled and tied together to form a knot. Methods performed by the endoluminal robotic system also include overlaying a suture needle path on an image captured by the endoscope and controlling the at least one robotic arm to operate the driving tool and the suture needle driver tool based on the overlaid suture needle path.

Endoluminal robotic systems and methods for suturing

An endoscopic instrument is provided and includes a housing including an elongated shaft assembly extending distally therefrom. The elongated shaft assembly includes inner and outer shaft members. The inner and outer shaft members are removably coupled to the housing and the outer shaft member is movable with respect to the inner shaft member. An end effector is operably supported at the distal end of the outer shaft member and includes a pair of jaw members configured for treating tissue. A bushing operably couples to the inner and outer shaft members of the shaft assembly and selectively and releasably couples to the housing. The bushing includes one or more mechanical interfaces configured to engage one or more slots defined through the inner shaft member and one or more slots defined through the outer shaft member to release the inner and outer shaft members from the housing.

Endoscopic instrument

Ablation systems and methods detect and address distortion caused by a variety of factors. A method includes measuring a temperature curve at target tissue; applying ablation energy to the target tissue; determining a peak temperature on the temperature curve; if the peak temperature is greater than the predetermined peak temperature, determining a time at which the temperature curve crosses to a lower temperature; and if the determined time is greater than a predetermined time, generating a message indicating that the target tissue was successfully ablated. Another method includes determining a distance between a remote temperature probe and an ablation probe, applying ablation energy to target tissue, measuring temperature at the remote temperature probe, estimating ablation size based on the determined distance and the temperature measured by the remote temperature probe, and determining whether the target tissue is successfully ablated based on the estimated ablation size.

Systems and methods for thermal ablation distortion detection

A forceps includes a handle, a shaft having a proximal end coupled to the handle, and an end effector assembly coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The forceps includes a first jaw member and a second jaw member for grasping tissue therebetween. One or both of the first and second jaw members may include one or more needles extending therefrom. The one or more needles are in fluid communication with a fluid conduit extending along one or both of the first and second jaw members. The fluid conduit couples to a source of contrast agent to enable selective delivery of the contrast agent through the one or more needles.

Mapping vessels for resecting body tissue

A surgical device includes a handle assembly, an elongated portion, an end effector, a visualization device, and a constant horizon mechanism. The elongated portion extends distally from the handle assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The end effector is rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the handle assembly. The visualization device defines a visualization axis. A first portion of the visualization device extends through the elongated portion, and a second portion of the visualization device is disposed at least partially within the handle assembly. The visualization device is rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the handle assembly. The constant horizon mechanism is disposed in operative engagement with the visualization device and is configured to prevent the visualization device from rotating about the visualization axis when the visualization device rotates about the longitudinal axis.

Visualization devices and methods for use in surgical procedures

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, and a second jaw member positioned including an ultrasonic blade body and defining at least one electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface. 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 second jaw member is movable relative to the first jaw member between a first configuration, to facilitate transmission of ultrasonic energy to tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members, and a second configuration, to facilitate conduction of electrosurgical energy through tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members.

Surgical instruments incorporating ultrasonic and electrosurgical functionality

A surgical instrument end effector assembly includes a first jaw member and a second jaw member. The second jaw member includes an ultrasonic blade body and first and second electrodes disposed on either side of the ultrasonic blade body and extending longitudinally along a majority of a length of the ultrasonic blade body. The ultrasonic blade body is adapted to receive ultrasonic energy from an ultrasonic waveguide. The first and second electrodes taper in width proximally to distally and are adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy. The first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween.

A method for ultrasonically treating tissue includes accessing a surgical site with an ultrasonic surgical instrument, dissecting tissue with a first portion of the blade, and sealing tissue with a second portion of the blade. The instrument includes a blade that defines a longitudinal axis. The blade is configured to oscillate along the longitudinal axis to ultrasonically treat tissue.

Ultrasonic dissector and sealer

A surgical instrument includes a housing, an end effector assembly, and a shaft. The end effector assembly includes first and second jaw members each defining a curved configuration. At least one of the jaw members is movable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position. The shaft includes a proximal portion coupled with and extending distally from the housing and a distal portion extending distally from the proximal portion and having the end effector assembly coupled thereto at the distal end thereof. The proximal portion defines a circular cross-sectional configuration to facilitate formation of a fluid-tight seal thereabout. The distal portion defines a rectangular cross-sectional configuration configured to facilitate insertion through a cannula.

Surgical instrument for grasping, treating, and/or dividing tissue

An ultrasonic surgical system includes an ultrasonic generator configured to output a drive signal, an ultrasonic transducer configured to receive the drive signal and output mechanical motion, a waveguide configured to transmit the mechanical motion to a blade disposed at a distal end portion thereof, a sensor, and a controller. The blade is configured to oscillate in response to receipt of the mechanical motion and defines a displacement when oscillating. The sensor is configured to sense a property indicative of tension on tissue and the controller is configured to adjust the drive signal to thereby adjust the displacement based upon the sensed property. A method of treating tissue includes applying a drive signal to an ultrasonic transducer to oscillate an ultrasonic blade, sensing a property indicative of a tension on the tissue, and adjusting the drive signal based upon the sensed property to thereby adjust the displacement of the blade.

Ultrasonic surgical instruments and methods for sealing and/or cutting tissue

An ultrasonic surgical apparatus including a first signal generator outputting a drive signal at a predetermined voltage and frequency, a first oscillating structure receiving the drive signal and oscillating at the frequency of the drive signal, and a bridge circuit, detecting the mechanical motion of the first oscillating structure and outputting a signal representative of the mechanical motion. The apparatus also includes a second oscillating structure integrally formed within a portion of the first oscillating structure, the second oscillating structure outputting an electrical signal, and a microcontroller receiving the signal output by the bridge circuit and output by the second oscillating structure, the microcontroller determining an instantaneous frequency at which the first oscillating structure is oscillating based on the received signal, comparing the electrical signal from the second oscillating structure with a known signal value and determining the temperature of the second oscillating structure based on a the comparison.

Temperature estimation and tissue detection of an ultrasonic dissector from frequency response monitoring

The present disclosure is directed to a fluid cooled ultrasonic surgical instrument and related systems and methods of use therefor. In some embodiments, the disclosed ultrasonic surgical instrument is adapted for used within an insufflated cavity or pneumoperitoneum of a patient. The instrument includes a housing having an elongate shaft, a waveguide disposed at a distal end of the shaft, a coolant inlet port defined in an outer surface of the housing, and a coolant pump disposed within the housing and configured to move coolant from the coolant inlet port to the waveguide. During use, insufflation gas from within the pneumoperitoneum is drawn into the instrument shaft by the coolant pump, and blown over the waveguide to provide cooling. The delivery of ultrasonic energy and activation of the pump may be controlled by a processor in response to user input and waveguide temperature.

Ultrasonic surgical system having a fluid cooled blade and related cooling methods therefor

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Anthony B Ross