System and method for assembling and identifying a surgical tool assembly assembled from multiple components

• US 20040267297A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Malackowski, Don
• Granted Patent: US 8,035,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/162 Chucks or tool parts which are to be held in a chuck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1688 for the sinus or nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8875 Screwdrivers, spanners or wrenches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00464 for use with different instruments with hole for different instruments A61B2017/22072
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/102 Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/256 having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0804 Counting number of instruments used; Instrument detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/40 Apparatus fixed or close to patients specially adapted for providing an aseptic surgical environment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders

Abstract

A surgical tool system comprising a control console, a powered surgical device, an intermediate attachment removably connected to the surgical device and a cutting accessory removably connected to the intermediate attachment. Internal to the cutting accessory is an identification device that contains data specific to the operation of the accessory. The control console, through the transfer of signals through the powered surgical device and the intermediate attachment reads the data in the cutting accessory. Based on these data, the control console selectively actuates the powered surgical device. In some versions of the invention, the identification device may be an RFID chip. Signals are exchanged between the surgical device and the intermediate attachment and between the intermediate attachment and cutting accessory by inductive coupling. An identification device internal to the intermediate attachment provides the control console with data describing the intermediate attachment.

Claims

1. A surgical tool assembly comprising:

a powered surgical device, said powered surgical device having at a one end a signal exchange head; and

an attachment separate from and connected to said powered surgical device, said attachment having;

opposed proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the attachment being connected to said powered surgical device and the distal end configured to receive an accessory;

a first signal exchange head positioned in the proximal end for exchanging signals with said powered surgical device signal exchange head; and

a second signal exchange head positioned in the distal end for exchanging signals with the accessory, said second signal exchange head being connected to said first signal exchange head.

2. The surgical tool assembly of claim 1, further including an identification component disposed in said attachment that contains data specific to said attachment.

3. The surgical tool assembly of claim 1, further including an identification component disposed in said attachment that contains data specific to said attachment, said identification component being connected to said attachment first signal exchange head.

4. The surgical tool assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said attachment first and second signal exchange heads are separate spaced apart components; and

a connector extends through said attachment between said first and second signal exchange heads.

5. The surgical tool assembly of claim 1, wherein said powered surgical device signal exchange head and said first and second attachment signal exchange heads are coils.

6. An intermediate device to attach an accessory to a powered surgical device, said intermediate device comprising:

a body having a proximal end for attachment to the powered surgical device and a distal end configured to receive a receive the accessory;

a communications device located within the body to exchange signals with a complementary device external to the body; and

an identification component associated with the communications device that contains data relative to the intermediate device.

7. The intermediate device of claim 6, wherein:

said communications device includes a first coil integral with said body that is positioned to exchange signals with a complementary coil integral with the powered surgical device and a second coil integral with said body positioned to inductively exchange signals with a complementary coil integral with the accessory; and

the identification component is an RFID chip that contains data unique to said intermediate device.

8. An intermediate device to attach an accessory to a powered surgical device, said intermediate device comprising:

a body having a proximal end for attachment to the powered surgical device and a distal end configured to receive a receive the accessory; and

a communications device located within the body, said communication device having a first head positioned in said body and configured to exchange signals with a complementary head integral with the powered surgical device and a second head connected to said first head and positioned in said body and configured to exchange signals with the accessory.

9. The intermediate device of claim 8, further including an identification component internal that contains data specific to said intermediate device.

10. The intermediate device of claim 8, further including an identification component internal to said body that is connected to said first head and that contains data specific to said intermediate device.

11. The intermediate device of claim 8, wherein:

said first head is a first coil;

said second head is a second coil separate from said first coil; and

a conductor disposed in said body extends between said first and second coils.

12. The intermediate device of claim 8, wherein:

said first and second heads are separate spaced apart components; and

a signal transfer connector extends between said heads to transfer signals between said heads.

13. The intermediate device of claim 8, wherein:

said first head is configured to exchange electrical signals with the powered surgical device head; and

said second head is configured to exchange electrical signals with the accessory.

14. A method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool assembly, said method including the steps of:

connecting a removable intermediate attachment to a powered surgical device;

attaching to the intermediate attachment a removable accessory, the accessory having an identification component that contains data specific to the accessory;

transmitting from the powered surgical device to the intermediate attachment an accessory interrogation signal;

retransmitting the accessory interrogation signal from the intermediate attachment to accessory identification component;

in response receipt of the accessory interrogation signal by the accessory identification component, transmitting from the accessory identification component an accessory identification signal to the intermediate attachment; and

retransmitting the accessory identification signal from the intermediate attachment to the powered surgical device.

15. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool assembly of claim 14, wherein:

an attachment identification component is disposed in the intermediate attachment, the attachment identification component containing data specific to the intermediate attachment;

an attachment interrogation signal is transmitted from the powered surgical device to the attachment identification component; and

in response to receipt of the attachment interrogation signal by the attachment identification component, transmitting from the attachment identification component an attachment identification signal to the powered surgical device.

16. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool assembly of claim 15, wherein said steps of retransmitting the accessory identification signal from the intermediate attachment to the powered surgical device and transmitting the attachment identification signal to the powered surgical device are performed through a common transmitter head in the intermediate attachment.

17. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool of claim 15, further including the steps of:

providing the powered surgical device with a surgical device identification component that contains data specific to the surgical device;

connecting the powered surgical device to a control console;

transmitting from the powered surgical device to the control console;

a signal identifying the powered surgical device based on the data in the surgical device identification component;

a signal identifying the cutting accessory based on the accessory identification signal transmitted to the powered surgical device; and

a signal identifying the intermediate attachment based on the attachment identification signal transmitted to the powered surgical device.

18. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool assembly of claim 14, wherein:

between said step of transmitting the accessory interrogation signal to the intermediate attachment and said step of retransmitting the accessory interrogation signal to the cutting accessory identification device, the accessory interrogation signal is transmitted at least partially through the intermediate attachment; and

between said step of transmitting the accessory identification signal to the intermediate attachment and said step of retransmitting the accessory identification signal to the powered surgical device, the accessory identification signal is transmitted at least partially through said intermediate attachment.

19. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool assembly of claim 14, wherein:

the powered surgical device includes a coil for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the intermediate attachment;

the intermediate attachment includes a first coil positioned to inductively exchange signals with the powered surgical device coil and a second coil connected to the first coil for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the accessory identification component; and

the cutting accessory includes a coil positioned to inductively exchange signals with the intermediate attachment second coil.

20. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool assembly of claim 14, wherein the intermediate attachment has a first signal exchange head that exchanges signals with the powered surgical device and a second signal exchange head separate from and spaced apart from the first signal exchange head that exchanges signals with the accessory identification component and the first and second signal exchange heads exchange signals through a signal transfer connector that extends through the intermediate device.

21. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool of claim 14, wherein:

in said step of transmitting the accessory interrogation signal, the powered surgical device transmits the signal as an electrical signal;

in said step of retransmitting the accessory interrogation signal, the intermediate attachment retransmits the signal as an electrical signal;

in said step of transmitting the accessory identification signal, the accessory identification component transmits the signal as an electrical signal; and

in said step of retransmitting the accessory identification signal, the intermediate attachment transmits the signal as an electrical signal.

22. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool of claim 14, further including the steps of:

providing the powered surgical device with an identification component that contains data specific to the surgical device;

connecting the powered surgical device to a control console;

transmitting from the powered surgical device to the control console;

a signal from the powered surgical device identification component that identifies the powered surgical device; and

a signal identifying the cutting accessory based on the accessory identification signal transmitted to the powered surgical device.

23. A method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool assembly, said method including the steps of:

connecting a removable intermediate attachment to a powered surgical device, the intermediate attachment having an attachment identification component that contains data specific to the intermediate attachment;

attaching to the intermediate attachment a removable accessory;

transmitting from the powered surgical device to the intermediate attachment an attachment interrogation signal;

in response receipt of the attachment interrogation signal by the intermediate attachment, transmitting from the attachment identification component an attachment identification signal to the powered surgical device.

24. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool assembly of claim 23, wherein:

the powered surgical device includes a coil for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the intermediate attachment;

the intermediate attachment includes a coil positioned to inductively exchange signals with the powered surgical device coil.

25. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool of claim 23, wherein:

in said step of transmitting the attachment interrogation signal, the powered surgical device transmits the signal as an electrical signal;

in said step of transmitting the attachment identification signal, the attachment identification component transmits the signal as an electrical signal.

26. The method of assembling and identifying a powered surgical tool of claim 23, further including the steps of:

providing,the powered surgical device with an identification component that contains data specific to the surgical device;

connecting the powered surgical device to a control console;

transmitting from the powered surgical device to the control console;

a signal from powered surgical device identification component identifying the powered surgical device; and

a signal identifying the intermediate attachment based on the attachment identification signal transmitted to the powered surgical device.