A61B 17/00
Surgical instruments, devices or methods
Official title: Surgical instruments, devices or methods (A61B18/00 takes precedence; dental tools A61C3/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/20)
A61B17/00 (Surgical instruments, devices or methods) appears on 119,653 US grants and 141,740 published applications in this corpus.
Search patents in A61B- Granted patents
- 119,653
- Published applications
- 141,740
- Assignees
- 18,893
- Inventors
- 104,569
- Latest grant
- 6 Oct 2026
Filings by year
| Year | Granted patents | Published applications |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 155 | 0 |
| 1977 | 151 | 0 |
| 1978 | 133 | 0 |
| 1979 | 101 | 0 |
| 1980 | 163 | 0 |
| 1981 | 187 | 0 |
| 1982 | 160 | 0 |
| 1983 | 171 | 0 |
| 1984 | 273 | 0 |
| 1985 | 278 | 0 |
| 1986 | 413 | 0 |
| 1987 | 420 | 0 |
| 1988 | 434 | 0 |
| 1989 | 524 | 0 |
| 1990 | 607 | 0 |
| 1991 | 698 | 0 |
| 1992 | 859 | 0 |
| 1993 | 970 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1280 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1323 | 0 |
| 1996 | 1374 | 0 |
| 1997 | 1555 | 0 |
| 1998 | 1960 | 0 |
| 1999 | 2035 | 0 |
| 2000 | 1923 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1866 | 703 |
| 2002 | 1705 | 2436 |
| 2003 | 2111 | 2867 |
| 2004 | 1616 | 3646 |
| 2005 | 1229 | 4130 |
| 2006 | 1485 | 4145 |
| 2007 | 1352 | 4462 |
| 2008 | 1161 | 5081 |
| 2009 | 1552 | 4712 |
| 2010 | 2765 | 5197 |
| 2011 | 3277 | 5278 |
| 2012 | 4037 | 5711 |
| 2013 | 4664 | 5976 |
| 2014 | 4947 | 6930 |
| 2015 | 5139 | 6439 |
| 2016 | 5322 | 6810 |
| 2017 | 5544 | 7086 |
| 2018 | 5199 | 6736 |
| 2019 | 6428 | 7730 |
| 2020 | 6342 | 7568 |
| 2021 | 5974 | 7555 |
| 2022 | 5786 | 7191 |
| 2023 | 5799 | 6648 |
| 2024 | 6137 | 6421 |
| 2025 | 6068 | 6015 |
| 2026 | 4001 | 4267 |
By publication year. Applications have been published since 2001. 2026 runs to 8 Oct.
Subgroups
Granted patents
- A61B 17/56Surgical instruments or methods for treatment of bones or joints26,979
- A61B 17/00234Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for minimally invasive surgery19,769
- A61B 17/32Surgical cutting instruments18,914
- A61B 17/34Trocars16,182
- A61B 2017/00017Electrical control of surgical instrumentsIndexing code14,552
- A61B 17/16Instruments for performing osteoclasis14,042
- A61B 2017/00831Material propertiesIndexing code13,590
- A61B 17/28Surgical forceps13,367
All 41 subgroupsShow fewer
- A61B 17/04Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for suturing wounds13,085
- A61B 17/22Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on inner organs of the11,531
- A61B 17/12Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts11,198
- A61B 17/068Surgical staplers9,406
- A61B 2017/00477CouplingIndexing code8,506
- A61B 17/02Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for holding wounds open8,403
- A61B 2017/00367Details of actuation of instrumentsIndexing code8,265
- A61B 2017/0046Surgical instruments, devices or methods: with a releasable handleIndexing code6,914
- A61B 2017/00743Type of operationIndexing code6,680
- A61B 2017/00681Aspects not otherwise provided forIndexing code6,128
- A61B 17/11Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for performing anastomosis5,608
- A61B 17/064Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue5,587
- A61B 2017/00526Methods of manufacturingIndexing code4,709
- A61B 17/0057Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or4,344
- A61B 2017/00535Pneumatically or hydraulically operatedIndexing code4,230
- A61B 17/14Surgical saws3,629
- A61B 2017/00004Absorbable, resorbable or resorptiveIndexing code3,426
- A61B 17/30Surgical pincettes, i.e. surgical tweezers without pivotal connections2,846
- A61B 17/10Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for applying or removing wound clamps2,706
- A61B 2017/0042Surgical instruments, devices or methods: with special provisions for grippingIndexing code2,439
- A61B 17/00491Surgical glue applicators2,390
- A61B 17/42Gynaecological or obstetrical instruments or methods2,173
- A61B 17/08Wound clamps or clips, i.e. not or only partly penetrating the tissue2,141
- A61B 17/24Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for use in the oral cavity, larynx1,551
- A61B 2017/00982General structural featuresIndexing code1,264
- A61B 2017/0023DisposableIndexing code1,198
- A61B 2017/00973Pedal-operatedIndexing code1,092
- A61B 2017/00969Used for transplantationIndexing code706
- A61B 17/00008Vein tendon strippers510
- A61B 17/20Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for vaccinating or cleaning the skin previous440
- A61B 17/50Instruments , other than pincettes or toothpicks, for removing foreign bodies from435
- A61B 17/54Chiropodists' instruments417
- A61B 17/076Surgical instruments, devices or methods: for removing surgical staples or wound clamps106
Recent patents
- Ultrasound visualization device6 Oct 2026US 12,751,688 B2The Regents of the University of California
- Medical systems, devices, and related methods thereof6 Oct 2026US 12,751,703 B2Boston Scientific Medical Device Limited
- Retractor system6 Oct 2026US 12,751,704 B2Thompson Surgical Instruments, Inc.
- Device and method for providing a volume in a lumen6 Oct 2026US 12,751,705 B2Nanyang Technological University
- Medical systems, devices, and related methods for traction in tissue removal6 Oct 2026US 12,751,706 B2Boston Scientific Medical Device Limited
- Device for automatically inserting and manipulating a medical tool into and within a bodily lumen8 Oct 2026US 2026/0305918 A1Microbot Medical Ltd.
- Robotic manipulation of a surgical tool handle8 Oct 2026US 2026/0305919 A1Microbot Medical Ltd.
- Insertion instrument8 Oct 2026US 2026/0305926 A1Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
- Implantable devices and methods to treat benign prostate hyperplasia (bph) and associated lower urinary tract symptoms (luts)8 Oct 2026US 2026/0305930 A1Prodeon Medical Corporation
- Laparoscope drive system, laparoscope installation detection method, and surgical robot8 Oct 2026US 2026/0305932 A1Ronovo (Shanghai) Medical Science and Technology Ltd.
Most cited
By later US patents
- Electrosurgical hemostatic device4,011US 5,403,312 AEthicon, Inc. · 1995
- Robotic surgical tool with ultrasound cauterizing and cutting instrument3,961US 6,783,524 B2Intuitive Surgical, Inc. · 2004
- Articulation assembly for surgical instruments3,515US 5,704,534 AEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. · 1998
- Self contained gas powered surgical apparatus3,418US 5,312,023 AUnited States Surgical Corporation · 1994
- Surgical stapling instrument having a single lockout mechanism for prevention of firing3,405US 7,380,695 B2Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. · 2008