Surgical cutting instrument that analyzes tissue thickness

A surgical instrument with a tissue-clamping end effector, where actuation of the instrument is locked out when the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector is not within a specified thickness range. The end effector may comprise a tissue thickness module that senses the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector. The surgical instrument also comprises a control circuit in communication with the tissue thickness module. The control circuit prevents actuation of a working portion of the end effector when the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector is not within the specified thickness range.

Motor-driven surgical cutting instrument with electric actuator directional control assembly

A motor-driven surgical instrument having a control assembly for controlling a switch of the instrument. The surgical instrument may comprise a motor control circuit, a drive member, and a slider. The drive member comprises a first shoulder at a first position and a second shoulder at a second position. A first portion of the slider interfaces the drive member such that the slider is moveable in a direction of movement of the drive member when either the first shoulder or the second shoulder of the drive member engages the first portion of the slider. A second portion of the slider actuates a switch of the motor control circuit when the drive member moves the slider to a first position relative to the first switch. In various embodiments, the switches of the control circuit are not embodied as a part of an IC.

Dampening device for endoscopic surgical stapler

A surgical instrument including a shaft and an end effector. The end effector may comprise a first jaw and a second jaw. The first jaw may be movable relative to the second jaw between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The surgical instrument may comprise a closure assembly which may be operably engaged with the first jaw. The closure assembly may comprise a closure trigger and a dampening system. The closure trigger may be configured to be actuated from a first position to a second position to close the first jaw. The dampening system may be configured to retard the opening of the closure trigger. The dampening system may comprise an aperture configured to receive the projection at a first end of the aperture and a seal configured to form a fluid seal between said projection and said aperture sidewall.

Accessing data stored in a memory of surgical instrument

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument having an end effector including a housing for holding staples and a sled having a camming surface for ejecting the staples. The instrument has a main drive shaft assembly for pushing the sled through the housing to eject the staples. Also included is a motor operatively coupled to the actuation shaft. The motor includes a drive assembly. The instrument further includes a sensor in the drive assembly to measure an actuation load. The instrument further includes a sensor for measuring a power output of the motor. The instrument further includes a console for remote control of the motor, the console comprising hand manipulated controls. The instrument further includes a means for providing proportionate feedback from the sensors to the hand manipulated controls.

Staple cartridge

A surgical stapling instrument can include a staple cartridge, wherein the staple cartridge includes a cartridge body, a plurality of staples, a cutting member stored therein, and means for covering, enclosing, encasing, and/or protecting the cutting member. In various embodiments, the staple cartridge body can include a housing which can extend around and/or over the cutting member when the cutting member is in an unfired position. In various circumstances, the housing can protect a clinician as they assemble the staple cartridge to the surgical stapling instrument.

Surgical instrument having a multiple rate directional switching mechanism

A surgical instrument having a remotely controllable user interface, and a firing drive configured to generate a rotary firing motion upon a first actuation of the remotely controllable user interface and a rotary refraction motion upon an other actuation of remotely controllable user interface. The instrument is such that when the remotely controllable user interface operates a first drive member, the first actuation advances a cutting member a first distance, wherein, when the remotely controllable user interface operates a second drive member, the other actuation retracts the cutting member a second distance, and wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

Indicators for surgical staplers

A surgical stapler including one or more visual indicators is provided. The surgical stapler includes a body and a stapling assembly positioned at a distal portion of the body. The stapling assembly includes a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly. An alignment pin is mounted on the stapling assembly and configured to engage the anvil assembly. A visual indicator of engagement of the alignment pin with the anvil assembly, clamping and/or stapling can be provided.

Indicator for surgical stapler

A surgical stapler for visually indicating to a user the stage of operation of the stapler. The surgical stapler includes a body, a stapling assembly positioned on a distal end of the body including a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly, and a thrust bar slidably disposed within the body. The thrust bar is configured to advance distally from a retracted position to a first advanced position during approximation of the cartridge assembly towards the anvil assembly and advance further to a second advanced position to cause the release of staples from the cartridge assembly. An indicator member is connected to the thrust bar and configured to provide visual indication to a user upon complete approximation of the cartridge assembly and upon release of staples from the cartridge assembly.

Digital counting of individual molecules by stochastic attachment of diverse labels

Compositions, methods and kits are disclosed for high-sensitivity single molecule digital counting by the stochastic labeling of a collection of identical molecules by attachment of a diverse set of labels. Each copy of a molecule randomly chooses from a non-depleting reservoir of diverse labels. Detection may be by a variety of methods including hybridization based or sequencing. Molecules that would otherwise be identical in information content can be labeled to create a separately detectable product that is unique or approximately unique in a collection. This stochastic transformation relaxes the problem of counting molecules from one of locating and identifying identical molecules to a series of binary digital questions detecting whether preprogrammed labels are present. The methods may be used, for example, to estimate the number of separate molecules of a given type or types within a sample.

HIGH-FREQUENCY SURGICAL APPARATUS AND MEDICAL INSTRUMENT OPERATING METHOD

A high frequency surgery apparatus includes a high frequency current generation section that generates a high frequency current to be transmitted to a living tissue to be operated on, a high frequency probe that transmits the high frequency current to the living tissue and is provided with electrodes to perform treatment with the high frequency current, a time measuring section that measures an output time of the high frequency current, an impedance detection section that detects an electric impedance of the living tissue and an output control section that performs control so as to stop the output of the high frequency current upon detecting that the output time exceeds a first threshold and detecting that the electric impedance value exceeds a second threshold.