Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Tyco Healthcare Group LP

Covidien LP

United States Surgical Corporation

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Totom Enterprises, Inc.

Other

Daniel T. Wallace

Scott Manzo

S. Christopher Anderson

Scott E Manzo

Richard D Gresham

William A Burbank

Keith L Milliman

Daniel T Wallace

Russell S Heinrich

S Christopher Anderson

David A Nicholas

Henry Bolanos

Nitish Swarup

Charles R Sherts

Thomas A Pelletier

Nagabhushanam Totakura

David T Green

Ernest Aranyi

Robert J Geiste

Peter W Hinchliffe

Bruce K Jankowski

Thomas G Cooper

Robert C Smith

Keith Ratcliff

Joseph Orban, Iii

Lisa W Heaton

Justin Krom

Stacey Chang

Dustin Williams

Kevin S Sniffin

Henry R Sienkiewicz

Salvatore Castro

Kevin Sniffen

Kenneth L Gong

Gabriel Francis Brisson

Kevin Durant

Ralph M Wadensweiler

Andris D Ramans

Lawrence Kerver

Joseph P Orban

Peter W J Hinchliffe

Ben Schoettgen

John A Nucatola

Thomas A Degasperi

Adam Ross

Paul A Matula

Robert C Reid

Michael V Orton

Dragomir C Marinkovich

Benjamin J Schoettgen

Matt Williams

David A Nicolas

Alan W Peterson

Frank Mestas

Michael Steven Whitlock

Peter Wj Hinchliffe

Joseph P Orban Iii

Christopher S Anderson

An electrically energized medical instrument uses one or more drive cables to both actuate mechanical components of a wrist mechanism or an effector and to electrically energize the effector. Electrical isolation can be achieved using an insulating main tube through which drive cables extend from a backend mechanism to the effector, an insulating end cover that leaves only the desired portions of the effector exposed, and one or more seals to prevent electrically conductive liquid from entering the main tube. Component count and cost may be further reduced using a pair of pulleys that are shared by four drive cables.

Medical instrument electrically energized using drive cables

A surgical instrument comprises a pair of jaw members comprising a first jaw member comprising a groove along a length portion of the first jaw member, the groove extending from a gripping surface of the first jaw member in a first direction, and a slot along the length portion of the first jaw member and extending from the groove in a second direction, the second direction being different than the first direction. The instrument further comprises a cutting element comprising a first edge engaged with the groove and translatable along the groove; and a retaining feature coupled to the first edge of the cutting element and engaged with the slot, the retaining feature remains engaged with the slot throughout a range of translation of the cutting element. The cutting element is translatable along the groove independently from a movement of the pair of jaw members between open and closed positions.

Surgical instrument with retaining feature for cutting element

A surgical instrument having a jaw lock includes first jaw and second jaws that are moveable from an open position to a closed position. At least one of the jaws includes a jaw slot having a jaw closing portion and a jaw locking portion. A pin positioned within the jaw slot is advanced by a blade. The blade includes a cutting edge and a notch defining a first edge configured to advance the pin to move the jaws to, and secure the jaws in, the closed position.

Surgical instruments having a jaw locking mechanism

An electrosurgical end effector for a surgical tool to perform teleoperated surgical operations. The electrosurgical end effector comprises a first end effector jaw; a second end effector jaw coupled to the first end effector jaw; and a coupling pin configured to rotatingly couple the first end effector jaw to the second end effector jaw so as to cooperatively rotate open and close about an axis of rotation. The electrosurgical end effector further comprises an actuation mechanism coupled to an end of the first end effector jaw to rotate the first end effector jaw about the coupling pin; an otomy feature coupled to the second end effector jaw; and a first electrical conductor to electrically couple the otomy feature to a generator. In one embodiment, the otomy feature is electrically activated by contact with a cam portion of the first end effector jaw, when opened beyond a predetermined jaw angle.

Electrosurgical instrument with otomy feature for a teleoperated medical system

A surgical instrument comprises an end effector coupled to a distal end of a shaft. The end effector comprises a pair of jaw members configured to be moved relative to each other between open and closed positions, and a cutting element configured to cut material gripped between the jaw members. The cutting element is further configured to translate between and along a lengthwise direction of the jaw members. The cutting element and a first jaw member comprise complementary retaining features that cooperate to retain the cutting element in a position held by the first jaw member throughout a range of motion of the jaw members between the open and the closed position.

A method of controlling a surgical instrument comprising an end effector may comprise detecting a first signal indicating that an end effector component of a surgical instrument is positioned between a first position and a second position; and automatically controlling operation of the end effector component when a second signal is not detected within a predetermined delayed response time period after detecting the first signal, wherein the second signal indicates that the end effector component is in one of the first position or the second position.

Surgical instrument with control for detected fault condition

A cover for an electrosurgical instrument having a wrist structure and an end effector is provided. The cover includes a hollow elongated structure, which includes a tip cover portion and a base cover portion integrally connected to the tip cover portion. The tip cover portion has a distal end with an opening therethrough sized to receive the end effector of the electrosurgical instrument and is composed of a first, electrically insulative material having a flexibility sufficient to allow the end effector to be manipulated while the end effector is received in the opening. The base cover portion is composed of a second material having a higher tear strength than the first material. The tip cover portion and the base cover portion overlap at an overlap region configured to receive the wrist structure of the electrosurgical instrument when the end effector is received in the opening.

Electrosurgical tool cover

A method of operating an end effector of a surgical instrument includes supplying voltage to a motor disposed in a transmission mechanism of a surgical instrument having a shaft and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft; moving a component of the end effector between a first position and a second position via a drive system coupled to the motor; and placing a limit switch in a first state during moving of the end effector component, and in a second state when the end effector component is at one of the first position or the second position.

Surgical instrument with motor

This application is directed to a surgical stapling device for performing circular anastomoses. The surgical stapling device includes a handle portion, an elongated body portion and a head portion including an anvil assembly and a shell assembly. A tactile indication mechanism is also provided for notifying a surgeon that the device has been fired and for notifying a surgeon that the anvil head has been unapproximated a distance sufficient to permit the anvil head to tilt.

Surgical stapling device for performing circular anastomoses

The present disclosure is directed to devices for approximating body vessels and method for performing the same. In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the device includes an inner member having a first expandable anchor operatively coupled near a distal end thereof, an outer member having a second expandable anchor, and a sleeve disposed about at least a portion of the inner member and the outer member.

Methods and apparatus for anastomosis including expandable anchor

In one embodiment of the invention, a replaceable electrosurgical end effector cartridge is provided to couple to a mechanical wrist of a surgical instrument for a robotic surgical system. The replaceable electrosurgical end effector cartridge includes two end effectors, a fastener to rotatably couple the two end effectors together, and a cam mechanism. At least one of the two end effectors is a moveable end effector having a jaw portion, an off-center portion, and a base portion. The cam mechanism is coupled to the base portion of the at least one moveable end effector to pivot it about the fastener to open and close the jaw portion of the at least one moveable end effector with respect to the other.

Replaceable end-effector cartridges with cam mechanisms

Growing community of inventors

Shelton, CT, United States of America

Scott E Manzo