Intuitive announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the company’s fully wristed, 8 mm SureForm 30 Curved-Tip Stapler and reloads (gray, white, and blue) for use in general, thoracic, gynecologic, urologic, and pediatric surgery. The 8 mm SureForm 30 stapler is expected to launch in the U.S. in 2022, with other countries to follow. It has been designed to help surgeons better visualize and reach anatomy through a combination of the 8 mm diameter instrument shaft and jaws, 120-degree cone of wristed articulation, and the curved tip. As it fits through the 8 mm da Vinci surgical system instrument cannula, the stapler allows different angles for surgeons to approach patient anatomy. As with the other SureForm staplers, the 8 mm SureForm 30 Curved-Tip Stapler integrates SmartFire technology - software that optimizes staple line performance by measuring tissue compression before and during staple firing. The SmartFire technology makes automatic adjustments to the firing process as staples are formed and the transection is made. The technology makes more than 1,000 measurements per second, helping achieve a consistent staple line.