Shield for surgical stapler and method of use

A surgical stapler that may have a head assembly, a stapling assembly, a shield, a base head, a handle assembly, and a shaft assembly. A head assembly may have an anvil and anvil shaft, as well as a stapling assembly. A stapling assembly may have a trocar that can be removeably detachable with the anvil, a cannula extension, and a plurality of staples. A shield may be configured to retract from a first extended position where the shield generally covers the stapling assembly or the head assembly, to a second retracted position where the shield generally exposes the stapling assembly or the head assembly. The shield may be integral with the stapler, or provided after-market as an add-on. A surgical stapler may additionally or alternatively include an air or gas pump assembly that can be used to insufflate the rectum and intestinal tract during insertion and advancement of the stapler.

Obtaining force information in a minimally invasive surgical procedure

Methods of and a system for providing force information for a robotic surgical system. The method includes storing first kinematic position information and first actual position information for a first position of an end effector; moving the end effector via the robotic surgical system from the first position to a second position; storing second kinematic position information and second actual position information for the second position; and providing force information regarding force applied to the end effector at the second position utilizing the first actual position information, the second actual position information, the first kinematic position information, and the second kinematic position information. Visual force feedback is also provided via superimposing an estimated position of an end effector without force over an image of the actual position of the end effector. Similarly, tissue elasticity visual displays may be shown.

Devices and methods for treating morbid obesity

A surgical method of treating morbid obesity via bariatric procedures, carried out endoluminally and transluminally using endoscopic devices that are introduced through natural body openings without the necessity of creating any incisions in the abdominal wall.

Wireless energy transfer using variable size resonators and system monitoring

Described herein are improved configurations for a wireless power transfer system with at least one adjustable magnetic resonator that may include a first magnetic resonator with a plurality of differently sized inductive elements, at least one power and control circuit configured to selectively connect to at least one of the plurality of differently sized inductive elements, one or more additional magnetic resonators separated from the first magnetic resonator, and measurement circuitry to measure at least one parameter of a wireless power transfer between the first magnetic resonator and the one or more additional magnetic resonators. One or more connections between the plurality of differently sized inductive elements and the at least one power and control circuit may be configured to change an effective size of the first magnetic resonator according to the at least one parameter measured by the measurement circuitry.

Prosthetic heart valves

A prosthetic heart valve (10) (e.g., a prosthetic aortic valve) is designed to be somewhat circumferentially collapsible and then re-expandable. The collapsed condition may be used for less invasive delivery of the valve into a patient. When the valve reaches the implant site in the patient, it re-expands to normal operating size, and also to engage surrounding tissue of the patient. The valve includes a stent portion (200) and a ring portion (100) that is substantially concentric with the stent portion but downstream from the stent portion in the direction of blood flow through the implanted valve. When the valve is implanted, the stent portion engages the patient's tissue at or near the native valve annulus, while the ring portion engages tissue downstream from the native valve site (e.g., the aorta).

SURGICAL OPERATION APPARATUS

A surgical operation apparatus includes a probe to which ultrasonic vibration is transmitted, and a flat plate-like blade which is formed at a distal end part of the probe, and can simultaneously output ultrasonic vibration and a high-frequency current, wherein the blade includes a contact area reduction part for reducing an area of contact with the living tissue to thereby increase a current density of the high-frequency current.

System and methods for processing analyte sensor data for sensor calibration

Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data are disclosed, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. The sensor can be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. Reference data resulting from benchtop testing an analyte sensor prior to its insertion can be used to provide initial calibration of the sensor data. Reference data from a short term continuous analyte sensor implanted in a user can be used to initially calibrate or update sensor data from a long term continuous analyte sensor.

Methods and apparatus for distributed dynamic network provisioning

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a device identifier associated with a virtual resource, determining a configuration template identifier based on the device identifier, and selecting a configuration template from a library of configuration templates based on the configuration template identifier. The receiving, determining, and selecting are at a network device. The virtual resource is hosted by a host device. The device identifier is received from the host device.

Visual force feedback in a minimally invasive surgical procedure

Methods of and a system for providing a visual representation of force information in a robotic surgical system. A real position of a surgical end effector is determined. A projected position of the surgical end effector if no force were applied against the end effector is also determined. Images representing the real and projected positions are output superimposed on a display. The offset between the two images provides a visual indication of a force applied to the end effector or to the kinematic chain that supports the end effector. In addition, tissue deformation information is determined and displayed.

Apparatus for concentrating and diluting specific gas and method for concentrating and diluting specific gas

One ozone concentrating chamber is provided therein with a part of a cooling temperature range where ozone can be selectively condensed or an oxygen gas can be selectively removed by transmission from an ozonized oxygen gas, and a part of a temperature range where condensed ozone can be vaporized, and condensed ozone is vaporized by moving condensed ozone with flow of a fluid or by gravitation to the part where condensed ozone can be vaporized, whereby the ozonized oxygen gas can be increased in concentration. Such a constitution is provided that a particle material 13 for condensation and vaporization filled in the ozone concentrating chambers 11 and 12 has a spherical shape of a special shape with multifaceted planes on side surfaces, or an oxygen transmission membrane 130 capable of selectively transmitting an oxygen gas in an ozone gas is provided.