Patent ID: 9393037
Filing Date: 2016-07-19
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. An articulatable surgical instrument comprising: an end effector to treat tissue, wherein the end effector comprises an ultrasonic blade; a shaft extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis wherein the shaft comprises a flexible shaft portion; a waveguide acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade and extending proximally through the shaft, wherein the waveguide comprises a bendable waveguide portion at about the flexible shaft portion, and wherein the waveguide comprises: an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the waveguide and positioned proximally from the waveguide; and a first control member coupled to the first flange and extending proximally through the second flange and the shaft, such that proximal translation of the first control member pulls the first flange proximally, causing the shaft and the waveguide to pivot away from the longitudinal axis towards the first control member, wherein at least a portion of the first control member is positioned distally from the ultrasonic transducer.