US Patent 11696777 Compact system used to determine tissue or artifact characteristics

A surgical system includes a tubular shaft having a wall defining an outer surface and an inner surface disposed about an inner space, the tubular shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. The surgical system also includes at least one light emitter and at least one light sensor disposed at the distal end of the tubular shaft, and one or more leads or conductors electrically coupled to the at least one light emitter or the at least one light sensor. The one or more leads may be disposed in clearances defined by first and second jaws. Alternatively or in addition, the one or more conductors may be formed on a flexible substrate, and the flexible substrate may have a deformed state in which the substrate is disposed in the inner space.