Surgical apparatus including surgical buttress

A surgical stapling apparatus includes a housing, an end effector, fasteners, and one or more surgical buttresses. The end effector is secured to the housing and has first and second jaw assemblies. The first jaw assembly defines slots and the second jaw assembly defines pockets. One or both of the first and second jaw assemblies define recesses. The fasteners are disposed in the slots of the first jaw assembly and are formed by the pockets of the second jaw assembly. The one or more surgical buttresses have a body that includes plugs that are integrally formed with the body for insertion into the recesses to secure the surgical buttress(es) to one or both of the first and second jaw assemblies. The body substantially overlies at least some of the slots of the first jaw assembly and/or at least some of the pockets of the second jaw assembly.

Tissue thickness compensator configured to redistribute compressive forces

A tissue thickness compensator may generally comprise a compressible core comprising a plurality of movable particles, and a wrap surrounding the compressible core. The plurality of movable particles may comprise at least one medicament. A tissue thickness compensator may generally comprise a compressible core comprising a plurality of crushable particles, and a wrap surrounding the compressible core. The plurality of crushable particles may comprise at least one medicament. The compressible core may comprise a material selected from a group consisting of a biocompatible material. The wrap may comprise a material selected from a group consisting of a biocompatible material. Articles of manufacture comprising the tissue thickness compensator and methods of making and using the tissue thickness compensator are also described.

Surgical instrument having a feedback system

A surgical instrument comprises an articulable end effector; a drive shaft connected to the end effector that drives the end effector; an electric motor connected to the drive shaft that drives the drive shaft; a battery unit for supplying power to the electric motor; at least one sensor for sensing a status of the instrument; and an alphanumeric display located on the instrument and in communication with the at least one sensor. The alphanumeric display is for displaying alphanumeric characters that display visually to a user of the instrument a status of the instrument based on an input from the at least one sensor.

Intelligent adapter assembly for use with an electromechanical surgical system

An adapter assembly is provided and includes a housing for connection with a surgical device and for operative communication with at least one rotatable drive shaft of the surgical device; an outer tube having a proximal end supported by the housing and a distal end for connection with a selected end effector, wherein the distal end of the outer tube is in operative communication with each of the at least one force receiving drive member of the end effector; at least one drive transmitting/converting assembly for interconnecting a respective one of the at least one rotatable drive shaft of the surgical device and one of the at least one force receiving drive member of the end effector; and a circuit board supported in the housing and storing at least one of operating parameters and life cycle information which are unique to the adapter assembly.

Surgical instrument and cartridge members for use therewith

A surgical kit is disclosed. The kit comprises a surgical instrument, a loading unit, and a plurality of cartridge members. The surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, and an elongated portion extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis. The loading unit is configured for selective engagement with a distal portion of the elongated portion. The loading unit including an anvil assembly and a cartridge channel. Each cartridge member includes a plurality of retention slots with at least some of the slots including fasteners therein. Each cartridge member is configured for selective mechanical engagement with the cartridge channel, and includes a longitudinal length and a working length. The working length is the longitudinal distance along retention slots having fasteners therein. The longitudinal length of each cartridge member is substantially the same, and the working length of at least two of the plurality of cartridge members is different.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH SELECTABLE INTEGRAL OR EXTERNAL POWER SOURCE

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft, and an end effector. The shaft extends distally from the body. The end effector is located at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector includes an active feature configured to operate on tissue. The body includes a drive feature operable to drive the active feature of the end effector. The body is operable to selectively couple with a variety of power sources such that the drive feature may receive electrical power form a battery or from a corded power source, based on a user's preference. The body may include a handpiece that has a socket configured to receive a battery or cable adapter. The body may removably receive various kinds of shaft assemblies to provide various operating modalities. The shaft assemblies may include user interface features.

System and method for instant VoIP messaging

Methods, systems and programs for instant voice messaging over a packet-switched network are provided. A method for instant voice messaging may comprise receiving an instant voice message having one or more recipients, delivering the instant voice message to the one or more recipients over a packet-switched network, temporarily storing the instant voice message if a recipient is unavailable; and delivering the stored instant voice message to the recipient once the recipient becomes available.

Interactive advisory system

A method for providing information to a plurality of vendors located remotely from a broadcast network. A plurality of user-defined parameters are received by a user input database with at least one of the user-defined parameters including a user profile. Each of the user profiles includes a user identifier code identifying a communicator device associated with a particular user. Real-time data indicative of the spatial locations of the communicator devices is received by a communicator location database. Search information is received independently from a plurality of vendors and a data set is generated for each vendor.

Adapter load button lockout

A surgical device is provided. The surgical device includes: a jaw assembly comprising a first jaw and a second jaw moveable relative to the first jaw and an elongated body removably coupled to a proximal end of the jaw assembly. The elongated body includes an actuation bar movable upon engagement of the jaw assembly with the elongated body to secure the jaw assembly thereto; a release button coupled to the actuation bar such that the release button is movable by the actuation bar upon engagement of the jaw assembly with the elongated body and the release button is configured to move the actuation bar to allow for removal of the jaw assembly from the elongated body; and a lockout button in mechanical cooperation with the release button, the lockout button configured to prevent actuation of the release button.

Fan-out package structure and methods for forming the same

A package includes a device die including a first plurality of metal pillars at a top surface of the device die. The package further includes a die stack including a plurality of dies bonded together, and a second plurality of metal pillars at a top surface of the die stack. A polymer region includes first portions encircling the device die and the die stack, wherein a bottom surface of the polymer region is substantially level with a bottom surface of the device die and a bottom surface of the die stack. A top surface of the polymer region is level with top ends of the first plurality of metal pillars and top ends of the second plurality of metal pillars. Redistribution lines are formed over and electrically coupled to the first and the second plurality of metal pillars.