Surgical instruments with sensors for detecting tissue properties, and system using such instruments

A system is provided that furnishes expert procedural guidance based upon patient-specific data gained from surgical instruments incorporating sensors on the instrument's working surface, one or more reference sensors placed about the patient, sensors implanted before, during or after the procedure, the patient's personal medical history, and patient status monitoring equipment. Embodiments include a system having a surgical instrument with a sensor for generating a signal indicative of a property of a subject tissue of the patient, which signal is converted into a current dataset and stored. A processor compares the current dataset with other previously stored datasets, and uses the comparison to assess a physical condition of the subject tissue and/or to guide a procedure being performed on the tissue.

Structure containing wound treatment material

The present disclosure describes an anvil assembly for a circular stapling apparatus. The anvil assembly includes an anvil head configured to support an anvil plate thereon; a shaft extending from the anvil head and configured to selectively engage a connection member of the circular stapling apparatus; an anvil plate operatively connected to the anvil head, the anvil plate defining a plurality of staple forming pockets therein; and a wound treatment material disposed in each staple forming pocket of the anvil plate. The wound treatment material is at least one of an adhesive, a sealant, a hemostat and a medicament.

Surgical stapling device

A surgical device is disclosed which includes a handle portion, a central body portion and a SULU. The SULU includes a proximal body portion, an intermediate pivot member and a tool assembly. The intermediate pivot member is pivotally secured to the proximal body portion about a first pivot axis and the tool assembly is pivotally secured to the intermediate pivot member about a second pivot axis which is orthogonal to the first pivot axis. The SULU includes a plurality of articulation links which are operably connected to the tool assembly by non-rigid links. The articulation links are adapted to releasably engage articulation links positioned in the central body portion. The body portion articulation links are connected to an articulation actuator which is supported for omni-directional movement to effect articulation of the tool assembly about the first and second axes. The handle portion includes a spindle and barrel assembly drive mechanism for advancing and retracting a drive member positioned in the tool assembly. In one embodiment, the tool assembly includes a cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples and an anvil assembly.

Endoscopic surgical devices

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an endoscopic surgical device is provided and includes a handle assembly; a tube assembly operatively supported on and extending from the handle assembly, the tube assembly defining a longitudinal axis; an articulation assembly operatively supported on and extending from a distal end of the tube assembly; and a tool assembly operatively supported on and extending from a distal end of the articulation assembly. In use, a rotation of the handle assembly about the longitudinal axis results in a concomitant rotation of the tool assembly; an actuation of the handle assembly in a particular manner results in a concomitant actuation of the tool assembly; and a pivoting of the handle assembly in any off-axis direction relative to the longitudinal axis results in a concomitant articulation of the tool assembly via the articulation assembly.

Working mechanism for medical manipulator

A working unit of a manipulator includes a hollow joint shaft, wires disposed as power transmitting members in the hollow joint shaft, and a distal-end working unit mounted on an end of the hollow joint shaft and movable by the wires. The wires are wound around respective tubular members in the distal-end working unit. The hollow joint shaft has a pair of visual checking holes defined in respective side walls thereof near the distal end thereof for allowing the wires to be visually checked therethrough. The visual checking holes are positioned to expose the tubular members therethrough.

Nut having at least two parts

A nut includes an internal thread and at least two parts, each of the parts having a section of the internal thread which can be pushed onto an external thread in the radial direction. The parts may have connecting elements which interact and permit a relative displacement of the parts in a direction running radially to the axis of the internal thread into a position of use. The connecting elements may have guide surfaces which are inclined at an angle to the plane running radially to the axis of the internal thread and guide the parts in a rotational movement about an axis of rotation running transversely to the axis. A part may have a locking arm with a guide surface only on one side which produces the rotational movement during the displacement of the parts and bears against a complementary guide surface of the other part.

Human monoclonal antibodies to programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)

The present disclosure provides isolated monoclonal antibodies, particularly human monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to PD-L1 with high affinity. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the antibodies of this disclosure, expression vectors, host cells and methods for expressing the antibodies of this disclosure are also provided. Immunoconjugates, bispecific molecules and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the antibodies of the invention are also provided. The disclosure also provides methods for detecting PD-L1, as well as methods for treating various diseases, including cancer and infectious diseases, using anti-PD-L1 antibodies.

Wireless physiological sensor patches and systems

The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for wireless physiological sensor patches and systems which incorporate these patches. The systems and methods utilize a structure where the processing is distributed asymmetrically on the two or more types of ASIC chips that are designed to work together. The invention also relates to systems comprising two or more ASIC chips designed for use in physiological sensing wherein the ASIC chips are designed to work together to achieve high wireless link reliability/security, low power dissipation, compactness, low cost and support a variety of sensors for sensing various physiological parameters.

Repositionable heart valve and method

A method for percutaneously replacing a heart valve of a patient. In some embodiments the method includes the steps of percutaneously delivering a replacement valve and an expandable anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve in an unexpanded configuration; expanding the anchor to a deployed configuration in which the anchor contacts tissue at a first anchor site; repositioning the anchor to a second anchor site; and deploying the anchor at the second anchor site.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REPRESENTATION OF ELECTRONIC MAIL USERS USING AVATARS

There is disclosed a system and method for graphically representing an email user. In an embodiment, the method may comprise: at a sending communication device, sending an accompanying avatar or avatar identifier with an email message; at a receiving communication device, scanning an email message for an accompanying avatar or avatar identifier, and if an accompanying avatar is found, displaying the avatar with the email message in a message list user interface; if an accompanying avatar identifier is found, searching for an avatar locally stored at the receiving communication device, and displaying the locally stored avatar if found. The method further comprises sending and receiving a mood avatar or mood avatar identifier indicative of the mood of the user. The mood avatar may be selected at the sending communication device using a mood analyzer, or receiving a mood input from a user.