Cilag International Gmbh

Ethicon, Gmbh

Timothy S Holland

Ryan M Asher

Brian D Black

Chad Paul Boudreaux

Jason R Lesko

Ion V Nicolaescu

Amy M Krumm

Geni M Giannotti

Jacob Spencer Gee

Craig T Davis

Shan Wan

Joseph E Hollo

Kevin L Houser

Gregory W Johnson

Matthew C Miller

William D Dannaher

John B Schulte

Kristen G Denzinger

Sarah Alexandra Worthington

John E Brady

Stephen M Leuck

Tylor C Muhlenkamp

Richard C Smith

Frederick L Estera

Eric M Roberson

Shawn C Snyder

Rafael J Ruiz Ortiz

David Alexander Monroe

Nathan T Cummings

Joseph Daniel Dennis, Jr

Matthew S Schneider

Bryce Loring Heitman

Candice Otrembiak

Andrew Kolpitcke

Monica L Rivard

Fajian Zhang

Amelia Pierce

Glenn W Ellison

David C Yates

Richard William Timm

Jeffrey L Aldridge

Cory G Kimball

Daniel J Mumaw

Craig N Faller

Benjamin D Dickerson

Ashvani K Madan

Patrick J Minnelli

Wei Guo

Monica L Zeckel

Jeffrey A Bullock

Christina M Hough

Qinlin Gu

Yachuan Yu

William Bruce Weisenburgh, Ii

Phillip H Clauda

Amy L Benchek

Amelia A Pierce

Ii William B Weisenburgh

William B Weisenburgh Ii

Kristen B Denzinger

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

An ultrasonic instrument includes a housing, an ultrasonic transducer support by the housing, and an integrated usage indicator. The housing is configured to removably connect to a shaft assembly. The ultrasonic transducer is configured to be acoustically connected to a waveguide and operated a predetermined number of use cycles. The integrated usage indicator is operatively connected to the housing and includes a used state indicator. The used state indicator is configured to indicate to a clinician in a used state when the ultrasonic transducer has been operated at least the predetermined number of use cycles for limiting usage of the ultrasonic transducer to the predetermined number of use cycles.

Surgical instrument use indicator

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

A surgical instrument has an ultrasonic blade that connects to a distal end of an ultrasonic waveguide. A clamp arm assembly is moveable from an opened position for receiving a tissue, toward a closed position for clamping the tissue. A clamp arm actuator connected to the clamp arm assembly directs the clamp arm assembly from the opened position toward the closed position. An outer sheath surrounds at least a portion of the ultrasonic waveguide. The outer sheath includes a cover removably received against a sheath body, and a sheath securement feature able to detachably couple the cover to the sheath body such that the cover can be detached from the sheath body for accessing the ultrasonic waveguide within the outer sheath.

Surgical instrument with removable portion to facilitate cleaning

A surgical instrument includes a body, an ultrasonic blade, a clamp arm, and a resilient member. The body includes an electrical conductor and defines a longitudinal axis. The clamp arm is pivotably coupled with the body at a pivot assembly. The clamp arm is operable to compress tissue against the ultrasonic blade. The clamp arm includes an electrode operable to apply RF energy to tissue, wherein the clamp arm is configured to be loaded onto and removed from the body at the pivot assembly along a path that is transverse to the longitudinal axis defined by the body. The resilient member is located within the pivot assembly. The resilient member is configured to provide electrical continuity between the electrode of the clamp arm and the electrical conductor of the body.

Surgical instrument with dual mode end effector and side-loaded clamp arm assembly

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Timothy S Holland