Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Ethicon, Gmbh

Cilag International Gmbh

Hasbro, Inc.

Paul T Franer

Thomas A Gilker

David Keith Norvell

Mark S Zeiner

Daniel J Mumaw

Cesar E Moreno, Jr

Michael S Cropper

Aaron C Voegele

Mark Tsonton

Brian James Thompson

Chester O Baxter

Cesar E Moreno

Chester O Baxter, Iii

John V Hunt

John B Schulte

Daniel J Abbott

Patrick J Minnelli

Randall J Tanguay

Jeffrey P Wiley

Rebecca J Mollere

Danius P Silkaitis

Brian J Thompson

Kevin L Houser

Jeffrey David Messerly

Daniel W Price

Timothy G Dietz

Craig N Faller

David A Witt

Geoffrey C Hueil

Prasanna Malaviya

Kevin D Felder

Craig T Davis

Robert J Beetel, Iii

John A Weed, Iii

Douglas J Turner

Rosemarie Elefante

Frederick E Shelton, IV

Jerome R Morgan

David C Yates

Richard William Timm

Andrew T Beckman

Thomas W Huitema

Geoffrey S Strobl

Bret William Smith

Gregory A Trees

Zhifan F Huang

Patrick A Weizman

Catherine A Corbett

Michael D Cronin

Kip M Rupp

Daniel H Duke

Mark J Bookbinder

Timothy P Lessek

Victor C Moreno

Gregory L Gerold

George Mark Pomeroy

Mark L Holthaus

Karl A Christopherson

Cropper S Michael

Joseph J Khan

Mark Holthaus

Chester O Iii Baxter

Iii Chester O Baxter

A trocar comprising an alignment channel and an instrument seal comprising a bending portion and a base portion. The bending and base portions of the instrument seal are spaced relative the alignment channel such that when a surgical instrument is retracted the bending portion inverts and the lip does not enter the alignment channel.

Trocar seal with retraction induced image

An end effector for operating on tissue comprises an upper jaw, a lower jaw, a flexible member, and a pair of conductive members. The upper jaw and the lower jaw are configured to receive tissue when in an open position and the upper jaw is movable toward the lower jaw. The flexible member is coupled to either the upper jaw or the lower jaw, and is configured to deform in response to compression of tissue between the jaws. One of the conductive members is associated with the flexible member and is configured to move with the flexible member in response to compression of tissue between the jaws. The end effector may be configured to manipulate the position of muscle within tissue in response to compression of tissue between the jaws.

Electrosurgical instrument end effector with compliant electrode

A trocar seal comprising an elastomeric membrane having an opening adapted to receive a surgical instrument. The membrane is configured with a plurality of pleats circumscribing the opening and extending laterally from opening. The pleats comprise a plurality of pleat walls increasing in height as the pleats extend laterally from the opening. In one embodiment, the pleats are conically arranged.

Pleated trocar seal

An end effector of a surgical instrument may generally comprise a blade, and a clamp arm assembly comprising a clamp arm movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the blade, and at least one camming member rotationally attached to the clamp arm, wherein the at least one camming member is configured to rotate relative to the blade as the clamp arm moves from the open position to the closed position.

End effector with a clamp arm assembly and blade

A trocar for performing a procedure on a patient. The trocar has a hollow cannula with a distal end and a proximal end. The trocar also has a housing with a distal end attached to the proximal end of the cannula and a proximal end having a wall attached thereto. The wall has an aperture therethrough. The trocar further includes a seal assembly disposed within the housing. The seal assembly includes a first substantially rigid ring, a second substantially rigid ring, and a plurality of layered elastomeric members compressed therebetween. The first ring has a plurality of distally extending protrusions extending from a distal surface thereof, and the second ring has a plurality of proximally extending protrusions extending from a proximal surface thereof.

Trocar seal assembly

The present invention generally provides methods and devices for removing fluid from a surgical instrument. Surgical access devices and seal systems are generally provided having one or more valves or seal assemblies to create a closed system between the outside environment and the environment in which the surgical access device is being inserted. In one embodiment, a seal assembly is provided and can include a seal having an opening configured to receive a surgical instrument therethrough and a fluid remover in the form of an absorbent element, a scraper element, a wicking element, or any combination thereof can be associated with the seal and configured to remove fluid from the opening and/or a surgical instrument.

Wicking fluid management in a surgical access device

An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft, an end effector, and a firing beam. The shaft extends distally from the body. The end effector is positioned at the distal end of the shaft. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, with the first jaw being pivotable toward the second jaw. The firing beam is operable to translate relative to the end effector to thereby drive the first jaw toward the second jaw. The firing beam includes a deformable portion operable to deform in response to a stress imposed by the end effector on the firing beam as the jaws clamp on dense or thick tissue. The deformable portion is defined in part by a cutout. A compliance restriction feature restricts deformation in the firing beam. A resilient member biases the firing beam to a non-deformed configuration.

Surgical instrument with blade compliant along vertical cutting edge plane

A nested trigger assembly for a surgical instrument may generally comprise a first trigger and a second trigger, wherein the first trigger and the second trigger are movable together on a first stroke of the nested trigger assembly, wherein the second trigger is configured to be biased away from the first trigger after the first stroke and before a second stroke, and wherein the second trigger is configured to be moved toward to the first trigger during the second stroke. A surgical instrument may generally comprise a shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, a handle extending from the proximal end, wherein the handle comprises a gripping portion, and a nested trigger assembly extending from the handle. The nested trigger assemble may comprise one of a separable trigger assembly and a divisible trigger assembly.

Surgical instrument with multiple clamping mechanisms

An insertion device configured to provide access to a treatment site within a body cavity (e.g., an abdominal cavity) is provided herein. In general, the device includes any type of elongate sleeve (e.g., a trocar) having an inner lumen. Further, the device includes a tissue retraction mechanism configured to extend from a distal end of the sleeve wherein the tissue retraction mechanism is configured to securely engage a cavity wall such that in response to a retraction force the mechanism can pull the cavity wall over the distal end of the sleeve thereby positioning the sleeve across the cavity wall. Additionally, various embodiments of a method for providing access to a body cavity are also provided herein.

Insertion device and method of use

Seal assemblies, generally for use in trocar assemblies, are provided for selectively promoting movement of fluid away from a central portion of the seal assemblies. In one exemplary embodiment, an inner surface of a seal body of the seal assembly is configured to selectively promote such movement of fluid away from the central portion of the seal body toward a peripheral portion of the seal body. While various configurations, geometries, and dimensions are discussed, one example of such a configuration includes locating a central portion of the seal body at a more proximal position than a peripheral portion of the seal body.

Duckbill seal with fluid drainage feature

Seal assemblies or valves, generally for use in trocar assemblies, are provided for reducing the amount of contact between an instrument being passed into and out of a trocar assembly and an inner surface of a sealing wall of such seal assemblies or valves. In one exemplary embodiment a valve includes an activation extension that is formed on the inner surface of the sealing wall of the valve and is configured such that a distal end of the sealing wall is moved to the open position by an instrument contacting the activation extension. In one embodiment the instrument does not come into contact with the inner surface of the sealing wall during the procedure. In another embodiment a distal-most end of the activation extension can be closer to a longitudinal axis extending through the flange than the inner surface of the sealing wall.

Trocar seal with reduced contact area

Introducers for introducing a surgical circular stapler into a patient. Various embodiments comprise a hollow flexible sheath that has a distal end and an open proximal end that is sized to receive a stapling head portion of the circular stapler therein. A rigid cap assembly is attached to the distal end of the hollow flexible sheath. The rigid cap assembly may be configured to selectively move between a closed position wherein a distal face of the stapling head is covered when inserted therein and an open position wherein the cap assembly may be withdrawn from around the stapling head and elongated shaft. A release arrangement interfaces with the rigid cap assembly such that upon an application of a release motion thereto, the rigid cap is movable from the closed position to the open position.

Circular stapler introducer with rigid distal end portion

Absorbing fluids in a surgical access device

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Paul T Franer