Cilag International Gmbh

Ethicon, Gmbh

Joseph E Hollo

Brian D Black

Ryan M Asher

Tylor C Muhlenkamp

Craig N Faller

John B Schulte

Barry C Worrell

Gregory W Johnson

Matthew C Miller

Benjamin D Dickerson

Kristen G Denzinger

Stephen M Leuck

Frederick L Estera

David Alexander Monroe

Timothy S Holland

Jason R Sullivan

Jeffrey David Messerly

Richard William Timm

Jacob Spencer Gee

John E Brady

Rafael J Ruiz Ortiz

Ion V Nicolaescu

Joseph Daniel Dennis, Jr

Bryce Loring Heitman

William Bruce Weisenburgh, Ii

Cory G Kimball

Sarah Alexandra Worthington

David James Cagle

Jason R Lesko

Richard C Smith

Craig T Davis

Shawn C Snyder

Amy M Krumm

Matthew S Schneider

Andrew Kolpitcke

Fajian Zhang

Geni M Giannotti

Cara Shapiro

Kristen L D'Uva

David C Yates

Jeffrey S Swayze

Charles J Scheib

Chad Paul Boudreaux

John A Hibner

Foster B Stulen

Jeffrey L Aldridge

Geoffrey S Strobl

Daniel J Mumaw

Rudolph Henry Nobis

Gregory A Trees

David T Martin

Ashvani K Madan

Michael R Lamping

Disha V Labhasetwar

Benjamin J Danziger

Shan Wan

William A Olson

Monica L Rivard

Jeffrey A Bullock

William B Weisenburgh

Christina M Hough

Stephen J Balek

Benjamin M Boyd

Nathan T Cummings

Tony C Siebel

Monica L Zeckel

Joseph Isosaki

Kristen L Pirozzi

Ii William B Weisenburgh

Cara L Shapiro

A surgical apparatus includes a body assembly, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and a rigidizing member. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The acoustic waveguide includes 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 includes a first member and a second member. The second member is longitudinally translatable relative to the first member. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the waveguide. The rigidizing member is configured to selectively engage at least a portion of the articulation section to thereby selectively provide rigidity to the articulation section.

Ultrasonic surgical instrument with movable rigidizing member

A surgical instrument, has an end effector that includes an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp arm that moves relative to the ultrasonic blade from an opened position toward an intermediate position and a closed position. The clamp arm is offset from the ultrasonic blade to define a predetermined gap in the intermediate position between the opened position and the closed position. A clamp arm actuator connects to the clamp arm and moves from an opened configuration to a closed configuration to direct the clamp arm from the opened position toward the intermediate position and the closed position. A spacer connects with the clamp arm to inhibit movement of the clamp arm from the intermediate position toward the closed position for maintaining the predetermined gap between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.

Surgical instrument with selectively actuated gap-setting features for end effector

Systems, devices, and methods are operable to track usage of a surgical instrument and modify the performance of the surgical instrument based on the prior usage of the surgical instrument. Some surgical instruments are designed to have a limited service life beginning at their first use, or a limit to their overall usage in order to ensure safe use of the sensitive instruments. However, a lack of ability to track usage characteristics when the instrument is separated from an external power supply allows for user abuse and avoidance of such safety mechanisms. Adding a battery or capacitor to the instrument may allow for an ability to track usage when the instrument is separated from an external power supply. Implementing special user prompts, device use ratios, and device use half-life upon powering down of an instrument may additionally be used to prevent circumvention of safety features.

System and method to track usage of surgical instrument

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.

Method of operating an articulating ultrasonic surgical instrument

An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft, an ultrasonic transducer, a waveguide, and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft. A rotation knob is rotatably coupled to the body and is configured to rotate the shaft, the waveguide, and the end effector together relative to the body. A torque transfer structure is positioned radially outwardly of and in direct contact with the waveguide at an acoustic node thereof. The torque transfer structure is rotationally fixed relative to the waveguide and is configured to rotationally couple the waveguide with the shaft and the rotation knob. The waveguide includes a first axial constraining feature defining a distally facing surface, and the torque transfer structure includes a second axial constraining feature defining a proximally facing surface configured to abut the distally facing surface to constrain the waveguide axially relative to the torque transfer structure and the body.

Acoustic drivetrain with external collar at nodal position

A surgical apparatus comprises a body, an ultrasonic transducer, a shaft, an acoustic waveguide, an articulation section, an end effector, and a rigidizing member. The ultrasonic transducer is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The shaft couples the end effector and the body together. The acoustic waveguide is coupled with the transducer. The articulation section is operable to flex to thereby deflect the end effector from a longitudinal axis defined by the shaft. The rigidizing member is operable to selectively rigidize the articulation section and thereby prevent deflection of the end effector by preventing flexibility of the articulation section. Such rigidization includes removing any 'play' or other small movement that might otherwise be provided by the articulation section due to manufacturing tolerances and/or looseness between parts.

Ultrasonic surgical instrument with articulation joint having integral stiffening members

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Liberty Township, OH, United States of America

Joseph E Hollo