Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Medtronic, Inc.

Barosense, Inc.

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals (us), Inc.

Ventrica, Inc.

Samuel T Crews

David H Cole

Daniel J Balbierz

John P Lunsford

Andrew C Smith

Bretton Mark Swope

Harsukhdeep Singh Ratia

Nicole Kernbaum

Darin Charles Gittings

John Ryan Steger

Justen Deering England

J Greg Stine

Brett Swope

Richard S Stack

William L Athas

Kevin H Van Bladel

Fiona Maria Sander

Shuji Uemura

Ashik A Mohan

A Adam Sharkawy

Mark J Foley

Adam Kessler

Michael Lawrence Reo

Dean F Carson

Lawrence Kerver

Keke Lepulu

Robert H Hawes

Dave Cole

Theodore W Rogers

David Michael Cole

Craig R Gerbi

Edward P Donlon

Craig A Purdy

Charles E Swinehart

Carlos Castro

Pablo R Hambly

Jason S Stewart

Peling G Lee

Kenneth L Gong

Stephen L Olson

Andrew Smith

Robert T Hawes

Andrew Crews

Karnarnadakala D Krishnanand

Melanie L Harris

David Cole

Craig Arthur Purdy

Justen England

An instrument includes a movable end effector component coupled to a shaft; a force transmission mechanism; and an actuation mechanism coupled to the force transmission mechanism and the end effector, the actuation mechanism comprising a first actuation member segment and a second actuation member segment. The force transmission mechanism comprises: a first pulley coupled to a rotatable drive input and having a first axis of rotation, and a second pulley having a second axis of rotation non-parallel to the first axis of rotation of the first pulley. The first actuation member segment is routed over the first pulley. In response to rotation of the rotatable drive input, at least a portion of the first actuation member segment is wound onto the first pulley and unwound from the second pulley, and the second actuation member segment is translated along the shaft to actuate the movable end effector component.

Force transmission mechanism for surgical instrument, and related devices, systems, and methods

A surgical instrument includes a shaft, a force transmission mechanism disposed at a first end of the shaft, an end effector disposed at a second end of the shaft, an actuation element that extends along the shaft from the force transmission mechanism to the end effector, and an actuation element guide extending along the shaft. The actuation element guide defines a lumen in which the actuation element guide is received. The actuation element guide is compressed into a pre-compressed state along at least a portion of an axial length of the shaft. The actuation element guide can be compressed between first and second blocks of the instrument. The instrument can include a flush tube configured to receive a cleaning fluid, with the actuation element guide being in flow communication with the flush tube to receive the cleaning fluid in the lumen of the actuation element guide.

Surgical instrument with flexible shaft and actuation element guide

Devices and methods for acquiring and fastening tissues folds within an internal organ, such as the stomach, and for applying the methods and devices to producing reductions in organ volume or repair of bariatric procedures, are disclosed. An exemplary method for forming a continuous laterally extending tissue fold involves forming a succession of laterally extending folds having adjacent overlapping fold portions. One exemplary tissue-acquisition device has an open-end roller-and-arm structure that allows individual tissue folds to be formed and fastened, then advanced to an adjacent region within the stomach, for capture of a new fold that will form an extension of the existing fold(s).

Tissue-acquisition and fastening devices and methods

A force transmission mechanism for a teleoperated surgical instrument includes a drive pulley, a drive cable operably coupled with the drive pulley, a driven pulley operably coupled with the drive cable, and an actuation member operably coupled to the driven pulley. The actuation member is configured to transmit force to actuate an end effector of the surgical instrument. Rotational motion of the driven pulley causes translational movement of the actuation element to actuate the end effector. Methods relate to operating a force transmission mechanism.

A surgical instrument includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and end effector coupled to the distal end of the shaft. An electrical transmission conduit extends along the shaft from the proximal end to the distal end and is configured to deliver electrical energy to energize the end effector. A connector assembly electrically couples the electrical transmission conduit to the end effector, and the end effector is pivotably coupled to the connector assembly. In another aspect, a surgical instrument includes a pin, an electrically conductive connector including a contact portion and an attachment, the contact portion surrounding the pin. An electrical conduit is electrically coupled to the attachment of the connector. An electrically conductive jaw including an aperture is pivotable around the contact portion, and the contact portion electrically contacts the jaw at the aperture of the jaw.

Surgical instrument drive element, and related devices, systems, and methods

A cannula includes a bowl portion with at least one depression in its outer surface, a tube portion, and a plurality of welds located at the at least one depression and joining the bowl portion to the tube portion. The plurality of welds may be discrete welds spaced from one another along a circumferential direction of the cannula. The weld joining a cannula bowl portion and a tube portion may be spaced from the distal end of the bowl portion. Various exemplary embodiments further contemplate methods of manufacturing a cannula by welding a tube portion and a bowl portion. Welding may occur, for example, in at least one depression of the bowl portion to form discrete welds spaced from one another along a circumferential direction of the cannula. In another example, welding may occur at a location spaced from and proximal to a distal end of the bowl portion.

Surgical cannulas and methods of manufacturing surgical cannulas

A surgical instrument may include a shaft, a force transmission mechanism, and an end effector. The shaft may have a proximal end and a distal end. The force transmission mechanism may be coupled to the proximal end of the shaft. The end effector may be coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The shaft may include a body having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface may surround a lumen configured to receive a drive member that extends through the lumen. The outer surface of the body may form an outer surface of the shaft. The body may be made of a single material from the inner surface of the body to the outer surface of the body.

Surgical instrument shaft

Disclosed is a system for endoscopically implanting a medical implant, including an anchor, within a body cavity such as adjacent the gastroesophageal junction in a human stomach. The system includes one or more anchors positionable within one or more openings formed in tissue within the body cavity, such as cutouts formed in plicated body tissue. Tools are disclosed for positioning the anchors within the openings, and for coupling a food restrictor to the anchors.

Endoscopic implant system and method

Described herein are endoscopic plicators passed transorally into the stomach and used to plicate stomach tissue by engaging tissue from inside of the stomach and drawing it inwardly. In the disclosed embodiments, the tissue is drawn inwardly into a vacuum chamber, causing sections of serosal tissue on the exterior of the stomach to be positioned facing one another. The disclosed plicators allow the opposed sections of tissue to be moved into contact with one another, and preferably deliver sutures, staples or other means for maintaining contact between the tissue sections at least until serosal bonds form between them. Each of these steps may be performed wholly from the inside of the stomach and thus can eliminate the need for any surgical or laparoscopic intervention. After one or more plications is formed, medical devices may be coupled to the plication(s) for retention within the stomach.

Endoscopic plication devices and methods

The present application describes an implant system useable for positioning an implant device such as a device useful for restricting passage of ingested food into the stomach. In one embodiment, the disclosed system includes a plurality of anchors that may be coupled to tissue within the stomach, or to a tissue tunnel formed by plicating stomach wall tissue. The anchor includes a loop. During use, the implant device is inserted through the loop and expanded such that it retains its position within the loop until removed. Instruments for implanting and explanting the implant device are also described.

Systems and methods related to gastro-esophageal implants

A surgical apparatus includes a cannula and a surgical instrument. The cannula includes a curved longitudinal axis along at least a portion of its length. The surgical instrument includes an elongated shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, and an end effector coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft. At least a portion of the end effector is configured to contact an inner surface of the cannula during insertion of the surgical instrument into the curved cannula. A threshold galling stress between the portion of the end effector and an inner surface of the curved cannula is at least 10,000 pounds per square inch.

Surgical instruments having improved wear resistance, and methods of making the same

This application describes an overtube device that gives diagnostic and/or therapeutic access to body cavities using natural orifices of the body. The overtube includes an elongate flexible body having a distal portion deflectable in response to activation of a control cable. Proximal features of the overtube include an insufflations port and seals for minimizing loss of insufflations pressure around the shafts of instruments passed through the tube. In some embodiments, retractor elements are including on the distal portion of the overtube.

Overtube introducer for use in endoscopic bariatric surgery

Growing community of inventors

Woodside, CA, United States of America

Samuel T Crews