K981361 · ETHICON, Inc. · GEI · Jul 13, 1998 · General, Plastic Surgery
Device Facts
Record ID
K981361
Device Name
POWERSTAR BIPOLAR SCISSORS
Applicant
ETHICON, Inc.
Product Code
GEI · General, Plastic Surgery
Decision Date
Jul 13, 1998
Decision
SESE
Submission Type
Traditional
Regulation
21 CFR 878.4400
Device Class
Class 2
Attributes
Therapeutic
Indications for Use
The PowerStar Bipolar Scissors are non-sterile, reusable devices intended to facilitate cutting and bipolar coagulation of soft tissue in open surgical procedures such as general, gynecological, oncologic, vascular, plastic, thoracic, ear, nose and throat, urological, and cardiovascular surgeries.
Device Story
PowerStar Bipolar Scissors are limited-life, reusable surgical instruments; designed for use in open surgical procedures. Device connects to bipolar output mode of electrosurgical generators; enables simultaneous cutting and bipolar coagulation of soft tissue. Operated by surgeons in clinical settings (OR). Output is mechanical cutting action combined with electrical coagulation; assists in tissue management during various surgeries (e.g., general, gynecological, oncologic, vascular, plastic, thoracic, ENT, urological, cardiovascular). Benefits include improved efficiency in tissue dissection and hemostasis.
Clinical Evidence
Preclinical laboratory and clinical evaluations were performed. Sufficient data gathered from these evaluations confirm the device performs as clinically intended and meets safety and effectiveness requirements.
Technological Characteristics
Limited-life, reusable bipolar electrosurgical instrument. Dimensions and shapes similar to conventional surgical scissors. Energy source: bipolar electrosurgical generator. Connectivity: connects to electrosurgical generator output. Sterilization: non-sterile (reusable).
Indications for Use
Indicated for cutting and bipolar coagulation of soft tissue in open surgical procedures, including general, gynecological, oncologic, vascular, plastic, thoracic, ENT, urological, and cardiovascular surgeries.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
An electrosurgical cutting and coagulation device and accessories is a device intended to remove tissue and control bleeding by use of high-frequency electrical current.
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|C98136i/
### SECTION 7
JUL 1 3 1998
## SUMMARY OF SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS
510(k) Summary of Safety and Effectiveness
Information supporting claims of substantial equivalence, as defined under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. respecting safety and effectiveness is summarized below. For the convenience of the Reviewer, this summary is formatted in accordance with the Agency's final rule "...510(k) Summaries and 510(k) Statements..." (21 CFR 807) and can be used to provide a substantial equivalence summary to anyone requesting it from the Agency.
MODIFIED DEVICE PowerStar Bipolar Scissors NAME:
EXISTING (legally marketed) DEVICE NAME: PowerStar Bipolar Scissors
### 510(K) SUMMARY
Device Description
Intended Use
The PowerStar Bipolar Scissors are limited-life reusable instruments available in various standard sizes and shapes similar to conventional surgical scissors. These scissors can be connected to the bipolar output mode on electrosurgical generators to facilitate dissection, transection, and bipolar coagulation.
The intended use of the PowerStar Bipolar Scissor is to cut and coagulate soft tissue in open surgical procedures.
Continued on next page
PowerStar Bipolar Scissors ETHICON, Inc.
30
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# SUMMARY OF SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS, Continued
Indications Statement
intended to facilitate cutting and bipolar coagulation of soft tissue in open surgical procedures such as general, gynecological, oncologic, vascular, plastic, thoracic, ear, nose and throat, urological, and cardiovascular surgeries.
The PowerStar Bipolar Scissors are non-sterile, reusable devices
The modified device is technologically the same as the existing device.
Performance Data
Technological
Characteristics
Preclinical laboratory and clinical evaluations were performed to ensure that the device functions as intended. Sufficient data have been gathered from preclinical and clinical testing to assess that the device performs as clinically intended.
Sufficient data has been gathered from pre-clinical and clinical testing to assess the safety and effectiveness characteristics of the modified device.
Conclusions
Contact
Based on the 510(k) summaries and 510(k) statements (21 CFR 807) and the information provided herein, we conclude that the modified device is substantially equivalent to the existing legally marketed device under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Gregory R. Jones Director Regulatory Affairs ETHICON, Inc. Rt. #22 West Somerville, NJ 08876-0151
. Date
PowerStar Bipolar Scissors ETHICON, Inc.
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Image /page/2/Picture/1 description: The image is a black and white logo for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The logo consists of a circular border with the text "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES • USA" arranged around the perimeter. Inside the circle is a stylized emblem that resembles a human figure or a bird in flight, composed of curved lines and shapes.
Food and Drug Administration 9200 Corporate Boulevard Rockville MD 20850
Jul 1 3 1998
Mr. Gregory R. Jones Director Regulatory Affairs Ethicon, Inc. A Johnson & Johnson Company P.O. Box 151 Somerville, New Jersey 08876
Re: K981361 Trade Name: PowerStar Bipolar Scissors Regulatory Class: II Product Code: GEI Dated: April 10, 1998 Received: April 14, 1998
Dear Mr. Jones:
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) notification of intent to market the devices referenced above and we have determined the devices are substantially equivalent (for the indications for use stated in the enclosure) to devices marketed in interstate commerce prior to May 28, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or to devices that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Act). You may, therefore, market the devices, subject to the general controls provisions of the Act. The general controls provisions of the Act include requirements for annual registration, listing of devices, good manufacturing practice, labeling, and prohibitions against misbranding and adulteration.
If your devices are classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (Premarket Approval), they may be subject to such additional controls. Existing major regulations affecting your devices can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Parts 800 to 895. A substantially equivalent determination assumes compliance with the current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements , as set forth in the Quality System Regulation (OS) for Medical Devices: General regulation (21 CFR Part 820) and that, through periodic (QS) inspections, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will verify such assumptions. In addition, FDA may publish further announcements concerning your devices in the Federal Register. Please note: this response to your premarket notification
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Page 2 - Mr. Gregory R. Jones
submissions does not affect any obligation you might have under sections 531 through 542 of the Act for devices under the Electronic Product Radiation Control provisions, or other Federal laws or regulations.
This letter will allow you to begin marketing your devices as described in your 510(k) premarket notification. The FDA finding of substantial equivalence of your devices to a legally marketed predicate device results in a classification for your devices and thus, permits your devices to proceed to the market.
If you desire specific advice for your devices on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801 and additionally 809.10 for in vitro diagnostic devices), please contact the Office of Compliance at (301) 594-4648. Additionally, for questions on the promotion and advertising of your devices, please contact the Office of Compliance at (301) 594-4639. Also, please note the regulation entitled, "Misbranding by reference to premarket notification" (21 CFR 807.97). Other general information on your responsibilities under the Act may be obtained from the Division of Small Manufacturers Assistance at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 443-6597 or at its internet address "http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsmamain.html".
Sincerely yours,
Celia M. Witten, Ph.D., M.D. Director Division of General and Restorative Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Enclosure
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K981361
510(k) Number (if known):
Device Name:
Indications for Use:
## INDICATION FOR USE
## PowerStar Bipolar Scissors
"The PowerStar Bipolar Scissors are non-sterile, reusable devices intended to facilitate cutting and bipolar coagulation of soft tissue in open surgical procedures such as general, gynecological, oncologic, vascular, plastic, thoracic, ear, nose and throat, urological, and cardiovascular surgeries".
Surgical procedures would include, among others, the following:
General Surgery Bowel Breast Biopsies Hernia Repair Lysis of Adhesions Upper GI GI (other) Cholecystectomy Thyroid Splenectomy
OB/GYN Surgery Hysterectomy
Myomectomy
Endometriosis
Salpingo-oophrectomy
Ovariohysterectomy
Oncological Surgery Mastectomy Axillary Node Dissection
Plastic Surgery Mammoplasty Blepharoplasty Rhytidectomy Panniculectomy Forearm Pedicle Flap Facial
Urological Surgery Nephrectomy Prostatectomy Cystotomy
Ear. Nose & Throat Surgery Neck Mass Mastoidectomy
Tympanoplasty Tonsillectomy
Cardiovascular/Thoracic_Surgery Femoral Popliteal Bypass Internal Mammary Artery (IMA) Harvesting Pericardial Window Biopsy of the Thymus
(PLEASE DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE - CONTINUE ON ANOTHER PAGE IF NEEDED)
| Concurrence of CDRH, Office of Device Evaluation (ODE) | |
|--------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Prescription Use (Per 21 CFR 801.109) | X |
| OR | Over-The Counter Use _______ (Optional Format 1-2-9G) |
PowerStar Bipolar Scissors
ETHICON, Inc.
| (Division Sign-Off) | <img alt="Signature" src="signature.jpg"/> |
|-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| Division of General Restorative Devices | |
| 510(k) Number | |
iii
And And Andrew States
Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.