Stryker Corporation

Stryker European Holdings I LLC

Stryker European Operations Holdings LLC

University College Cork

Stryker European Operations Limited

Gerard Nunan

James G Walen

Bryan G Deeny

David M Goldenberg

Kevin Manley

Peter Andrew O'Brien

Matthieu Francois Gabriel Duperron

Ray Burke

Cormac James Eason

Lorena Monzon

Thomas Stritch

Neels Pretorius

Kevin Buckley

A surgical tool including an inelastic and elastic cable to impart a bend to a shaft. A steering assembly is coupled to the shaft and configured to cause longitudinal displacement of the shaft relative to the body to tension the cables to bend the shaft bendable section in a direction of the flexible inelastic cable. The surgical tool may include an active tip with one of the cables being configured to supply energy to the active tip. The surgical tool may be a shaver that includes a shaver shaft having a flexible section configured to be aligned with a shaft bendable section with the motor of the shaver supported on a cradle of a body. The shaft bendable section may be formed by links with the flexible inelastic cable being arcuately spaced apart from tabs within sockets that engage adjacent links.

Surgical tool including an inelastic and elastic cable to be tensioned to impart a bend

A surgical instrument including an articulating region. An outer tube and an inner tube are axially fixed to one another distal to the articulating region and axially movable relative to one another proximal to the articulating region. Relative movement of the inner and outer tubes provides for articulation of the articulating tube assembly to a curved configuration. A working tool may be removably directed through a central cannula defined by the inner tube. The working tool may include a shaft having a flexible region configured to be arranged within the articulating region. The shaft may rotate within the inner tube with the articulating tube assembly in the curved configuration. The working tool may include a housing hub configured to be coupled with a handle to removably position the flexible region within the articulating region. Multiple working tools may be interchangeably directed through the central cannula.

Surgical instrument with articulating region

A surgical system comprising a steering tool and a powered tool. The steering tool includes a shaft defining a bore with a bendable section, an inelastic cable, and an elastic cable. The elastic cable may be arcuately spaced from the inelastic cable. The powered tool comprising a tube assembly with a tube flexible section, a working head, and a motor. The tube assembly is configured to be removably disposed through the shaft such that the tube flexible section is seated within the bore of the bendable section of the steering tool. The elastic cable is configured to be placed in tension, and the inelastic cable causes the shaft bendable section and the tube flexible section to bend towards the inelastic cable while the inelastic cable and the elastic cable remaining in tension to resist radial loading on the working head. Methods for using the surgical system are also disclosed.

Surgical system including a powered tool and a steering tool having inelastic and elastic cables to be tensioned to impart a bend and resist side or radial loading

A surgical system for penetrating and determining a characteristic of tissue. An instrument generates rotational torque, and a drill bit tool body extends along an axis between a distal end to engage tissue and a proximal end to couple to the instrument. An emitter operatively coupled to the instrument emits light. A detector operatively coupled to the instrument detects light. An emission lightguide within the tool body transmits light emitted by the emitter toward the tissue as the instrument rotates the tool body. A detection lightguide within the tool body is spaced from the emission lightguide and transmit light reflected by the tissue toward the detector as the instrument rotates the tool body. The emitter emits light into the emission lightguide along the axis, and the detector detects light reflected from the tissue exiting the detection lightguide transverse to the axis when the tool body is coupled to the instrument.

Tissue penetrating surgical systems and methods

A surgical saw blade cartridge includes a bar, a blade and a drive link. The bar includes a first plate and an opposed second plate defining a space therebetween, and an opening in at least one of the plates for releasable connection to a saw. The blade includes a base moveably disposed in the space between the plates and a head integral with the base located outside of the bar. The head has teeth at least as wide as a portion of the bar adjacent the head. The drive link extends through the bar and is moveable therein with a proximal end configured for attachment to a drive component of the saw and a distal end connected to either the base of the blade or a pivot link. The bar includes a structural member adjacent the head that extends forward of the head.

Surgical blade cartridge with a guide bar

A tip is formed for use with an ultrasonic handpiece. The handpiece, when actuated, is capable of causing the tip to go into ultrasonic vibrations. The tip has a shaft from which a head extends. Teeth extend from the head. At least the teeth have a case hardened outer layer. The case hardened outer layer reduces the wearing of the teeth when the teeth are vibrated against hard tissue.

Tip for an ultrasonic surgical tool with case hardened cutting edges and method of making same

A surgical instrument () includes an articulating tube assembly () having a proximal end and a distal end, an articulating region () disposed between the proximal end and the distal end, and a proximal axis axially extending from the proximal end to the articulating region (). The articulating tube assembly () includes an inner tube () and an outer tube () each having the articulating region (). The inner tube () and the outer tube () being movable relative to each other proximal to the articulating region () and fixed axially relative one another distal to the articulating region (). The surgical instrument () also includes an actuation assembly () coupled to the articulating tube assembly () for moving the inner tube () and the outer tube () axially relative to each other for articulating the articulating region () of the articulating tube assembly () between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the articulating region () is rigid in the first configuration and the second configuration.

Surgical instrument with articulation region

A blade cartridge for use with a surgical saw includes a bar and a rack. The bar includes a first holding feature for removably holding the bar static to the saw. The rack includes a base moveably disposed in the bar and has cutting teeth defining extending beyond the bar. A drive link extends from the base, providing a second holding feature for releasably engaging a reciprocating drive integral with the saw. One of the base and the bar includes a guide slot. The other of the base and the bar includes a static member extending into the guide slot. The guide slot and the static member allow the rack to reciprocally move from proximal to distal to proximal along a longitudinal axis of the bar. The bar includes two plates and a spacer between the plates. The base is located between the plates.

Surgical blade cartridge with a guide bar having features to control the depth of the cut formed with the cartridge

A surgical tool with a bendable shaft. At least one inelastic cable and at least one elastic cable extend along the shaft. The shaft moves relative to the body to which the shaft is attached. When the shaft is so displaced, the shat bends around the inelastic cable. The inelastic and elastic cables cooperate to hold the bendable section of the shaft in compression so the bendable section of the shaft resists deformation.

Growing community of inventors

Ballincolig, Ireland

Gerard Nunan