Ethicon, Gmbh

Cilag International Gmbh

Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Mark A Davison

David C Yates

Chad Paul Boudreaux

Jeffrey David Messerly

Frederick E Shelton, IV

Jason L Harris

Gregory A Trees

Thomas W Huitema

Matthew C Miller

Robert L Koch, Jr

John A Hibner

Barry C Worrell

Jeffrey L Aldridge

Geoffrey S Strobl

Rudolph Henry Nobis

Brian D Bertke

Nicholas G Molitor

Kevin A Larson

Dario Vitali

Scott B Killinger

Jill A Inkrott-Smith

Catherine A Corbett

Jonathan T Batross

Amy M Krumm

Mark E Tebbe

Robert P Fuchs

William Bruce Weisenburgh, Ii

Mark D Overmyer

Eitan T Wiener

Craig N Faller

Gavin Martin Monson

Ryan M Asher

William Eugene Clem

William D Dannaher

Kristen G Denzinger

Jason R Lesko

Joshua D Young

William David Kelly

Craig T Davis

Shan Wan

Eric M Roberson

Eric N Johnson

Christopher A Denzinger

Nathan T Cummings

Joseph Daniel Dennis, Jr

Ellen E Burkart

Jerome E Reckelhoff

Sol A Posada

Robert A Kemerling

Bingshi Wang

William George Saulenas

Kevin Bash

Megan A Broderick

Christina M Hough

Christopher W Birri

Kai Chen

Robert L Koch

Kevin L Houser

Foster B Stulen

Daniel W Price

James R Giordano

Benjamin D Dickerson

David Keith Norvell

Kevin D Felder

John E Brady

Daniel J Abbott

Aaron C Voegele

Robert J Laird

Jeffrey P Wiley

John Eric Hein

Jason Alan Hill

Richard P Fuchs

Joseph Allen Brotz

Tyler N Brehm

Phillip H Clauda

Monica L Rivard

Monica L Zeckel

Jeffrey A Bullock

John Michael Sarley

Christopher A Papa

Nathaniel Francis Barbera

Kristen L D'Uva

Adam Brown

Jeffrey W Bullock

Jeff K Bargemann

Jalen Lee Wize

Adam N Brown

Thomas J Erb

Robert L,jr Koch

Eitan T Weiner

Aspects of the present disclosure are presented for a medical instrument configured to adjust the power level for sealing procedures to account for changes in tissue impedance levels over time. In some aspects, a medical instrument may be configured to apply power according to a power algorithm to seal tissue by applying a gradually lower amount of power over to time as the tissue impedance level begins to rise out of the 'bathtub region,' which is the time period during energy application where the tissue impedance is low enough for electrosurgical energy to be effective for sealing tissue. In some aspects, the power is then cut once the tissue impedance level exceeds the “bathtub region.” By gradually reducing the power, a balance is achieved between still applying an effective level of power for sealing and prolonging the time in which the tissue impedance remains in the “bathtub region.”

Methods and systems for advanced harmonic energy

An apparatus includes a shaft assembly and an end effector, which includes first and second jaws pivotably coupled together. The first jaw includes a first jaw body and a first electrode surface. The second jaw includes a second jaw body and an electrode assembly, which includes a distal end pivotably supported by the distal end of the second jaw body. The electrode assembly further includes a second electrode surface positioned to face the first electrode surface when the first and second jaws are placed in a closed configuration. The first and second electrode surfaces are operable to apply RF energy to tissue. The electrode assembly further includes at least one compressible member interposed between the second electrode surface and the second jaw body. The at least one compressible is being configured to urge a proximal region of the second electrode surface toward a corresponding region of the first electrode surface.

Electrosurgical instrument with floating jaw component

A surgical instrument and method of operating same includes an end effector and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly has proximal and distal shaft portions respectively extending along proximal and distal axes, a first elongate member, and an articulation section. The articulation section extends between the proximal and distal shaft portions and is configured to articulate about a first articulation axis and about a second articulation axis to thereby respectively deflect the end effector along a first plane and a second plane. The articulation section has a first lumen radially offset from the proximal and distal axes that longitudinally intersects the first and second articulation axes. The first lumen movably supports the first elongate member such that the radial spacing of the first elongate member is maintained relative to the proximal and distal axes at each of the first and second articulation axes during deflection of the end effector.

Articulation joint with helical lumen

An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm assembly. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with an acoustic waveguide of the shaft assembly. The clamp arm assembly is pivotable toward and away from the ultrasonic blade. The clamp arm assembly includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The first and second electrodes are operable to cooperate to apply bipolar RF energy to tissue.

End effector for instrument with ultrasonic blade and bipolar clamp arm

Methods and devices for controlling motorized surgical devices are provided. In general, the methods and devices can allow a surgical device to grasp and cut tissue. In some embodiments, the device can include at least one sensor and a motor, and an output of the motor can be configured to be adjusted based at least in part on an output from the at least one sensor. The output of the motor can be configured to provide power for translation of a cutting element along an end effector of the device. Adjusting the motor's output can cause the cutting element to translate through the end effector at different speeds, thereby allowing the cutting element to cut through tissue being grasped by the end effector at different speeds.

Methods and devices for controlling motorized surgical devices

An end effector includes first and second jaws movable between open and closed positions, a guide track defined in the second jaw, and a cutting element extendable into the guide track and longitudinally movable within the guide track. A retention feature is positioned within the guide track and operatively couples the cutting element to a drive rod. The drive rod is actuatable to move the cutting element within the guide track, and the retention feature is larger than a width of an opening to the guide track such that the retention feature is retained within the guide track as the cutting element moves.

Surgical instruments with a retention feature that retains a cutting element

An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include a discharge port, an aspiration port, two electrodes, and a diverter formed from a porous material. The diverter includes a matrix having voids to receive fluid from the discharge port. A releasable diverter assembly may include an assembly body configured to receive a pair of electrodes and a diverter composed of a porous material. A shaft assembly of an electrosurgical device may include two electrodes and two fluid cannulae. Each cannula may be disposed proximate to a surface of each of the electrodes. An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include a fluid discharge port, two electrodes, and a diverter disposed therebetween. A proximal edge of the diverter may form a secant line with respect to the end of the discharge port so that fluid emitted by the discharge port is disposed on a surface of the diverter.

Saline contact with electrodes

Various embodiments are directed to an electrosurgical system including an end effector, a jaw closure trigger, and a control circuit. The end effector includes a first jaw and a second jaw. The control circuit is configured to receive an input indicating a repeat mode, apply a first tissue bite algorithm to a first electrode and a second electrode based on an occurrence of a first tissue bite, enter a hold state at a termination of the first tissue bite algorithm, and determine an occurrence of a second tissue bite. The first tissue bite is based on the second jaw moving toward a closed configuration via the jaw closure trigger. Entering the hold state includes maintaining a sub-therapeutic signal. Determining the occurrence of the second tissue bite includes sensing a reduction in impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode via the sub-therapeutic signal.

Controlling impedance rise in electrosurgical medical devices

An apparatus includes a shaft assembly and an end effector. The shaft assembly includes an outer sheath, at least one irrigation conduit, and at least one suction conduit. The end effector includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a web. The electrodes extend distally relative to a distal end of the outer sheath. The electrodes are operable to apply bipolar RF energy to tissue. The web extends laterally between the first and second electrodes. The web is positioned distal to the distal end of the outer sheath.

End effector for electrosurgical instrument with irrigation

An articulable wrist for an end effector includes a distal linkage provided at a distal end of the articulable wrist, a proximal linkage provided at a proximal end of the articulable wrist, and a central channel cooperatively defined by the distal and proximal linkages and extending between the distal and proximal ends. A flexible member is arranged within the central channel and has a first end operatively coupled to the distal linkage and a second end axially movable relative to the proximal linkage. One or more conduits are defined in the flexible member to receive one or more central actuation members extending through the flexible member.

Articulate wrist with flexible central member

Aspects of the present disclosure are presented for a medical instrument configured to adjust the power level for sealing procedures to account for changes in tissue impedance levels over time. In some aspects, a medical instrument may be configured to apply power according to a power algorithm to seal tissue by applying a gradually lower amount of power over to time as the tissue impedance level begins to rise out of the 'bathtub region,' which is the time period during energy application where the tissue impedance is low enough for electrosurgical energy to be effective for sealing tissue. In some aspects, the power is then cut once the tissue impedance level exceeds the 'bathtub region.' By gradually reducing the power, a balance is achieved between still applying an effective level of power for sealing and prolonging the time in which the tissue impedance remains in the &#x201c;bathtub region.&#x201d;

A system for use with a surgical instrument includes an end effector, a memory circuit to store computer-executable instructions, and a processor. The end effector comprises a cutting member and a load cell sensor configured to sense a measure of force used to advance the cutting member through captured tissue. The processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to initiate a first treatment cycle, access the measure of force used during the first treatment cycle to advance the cutting member through the captured tissue, determine that the measure of force exceeds a predetermined threshold, and generate an alert to a user of the surgical instrument based on the determination that a value of the measure of force exceeds the predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is based on an accumulation of biological material on the cutting member and a normal operational parameter of the first treatment cycle.

Software algorithms for electrosurgical instruments

An end effector for a surgical tool includes a first jaw that defines an aperture, a second jaw rotatably coupled to the first jaw, and a spacer pin received within the aperture and protruding from an upper surface of the first jaw. The spacer pin is adjustable within the aperture to define a jaw gap between the first and second jaws when the second jaw is moved to a closed position and engages the spacer pin, and the spacer pin is secured within the aperture to set the jaw gap.

Consistent and repeatable jaw gap for surgical tool end effector

An articulable wrist for an end effector includes a first linkage rotatably coupled to a second linkage at a first articulation joint, a flexible member extending at least partially through a central channel cooperatively defined by the first and second linkages, and a first pair of roller supports arranged at the first articulation joint and laterally offset from each other, each roller support extending parallel to a first pivot axis extending through the first articulation joint. A drive cable extends through a first axially-extending conduit defined in the flexible member and through a gap defined between the first pair of roller supports. The drive cable is supported at the first articulation joint by the first pair of roller supports during articulation and the first pair of roller supports prevents a centerline of the drive cable from moving past the first pivot axis during actuation of the end effector.

Articulable wrist with flexible member and roller supports

A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a circuit configured to deliver RF energy to a cartridge disposed in an end effector configured to receive the cartridge, a closure mechanism configured to transition the end effector between an open position and a closed position, a display, and a control circuit operably coupled to the display. The control circuit configured to determine an amount of RF energy delivered to a tissue through the cartridge, display the amount of RF energy on the display, determine a position of the closure mechanism, and display the position of the closure mechanism on the display.

Systems and methods of displaying surgical instrument status

Growing community of inventors

Mason, OH, United States of America

Mark A Davison