Motor-driven surgical cutting and fastening instrument with adaptive user feedback

• US 20070175957A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick, Morgan, Jerome, Ouwerkerk, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/178.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2925 Pistol grips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback

Abstract

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument is disclosed. According to various embodiments, the instrument includes an end effector, a main drive shaft assembly, and a handle. The end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned therein. The handle comprises a motor for actuating the shaft via a gear drive train, a firing trigger, and a run motor sensor for sensing retracting of the firing trigger. When retraction of the firing trigger is sensed by the run motor sensor, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument. The instrument may also include a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument and a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument.

Claims

1. A surgical cutting, and fastening instrument comprising:

an end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned in the end effector;

a main drive shaft assembly connected to the end effector; and

a handle connected to the main drive shaft assembly, wherein the handle comprises;

a motor for actuating the main drive shaft assembly via a gear drive train;

a firing trigger;

a run motor sensor for sensing retracting of the firing trigger, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed by the run motor sensor, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument; and

at least one sensor for sensing a condition indicative of the position of the cutting instrument in the end effector.

2. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument.

3. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument.

4. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes:

a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument; and

a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument.

5. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 4, wherein:

when the reverse motor sensor senses the condition indicative of the end of the cutting stroke, the motor is signaled to reverse rotate to retract the cutting instrument; and

when the stop motor sensor senses the condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument, the motor is signaled to stop rotating.

6. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 4, wherein the run motor sensor comprises a proportional switch such that the rate of rotation of the motor is proportional to the retraction force applied to the firing trigger.

7. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 4 wherein the run motor sensor comprises an on/off switch.

8. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector includes a staple cartridge.

9. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector includes a helical drive screw, such that forward rotation of the helical drive screw causes the cutting instrument to undertake the cutting stroke, and reverse rotation of the helical drive screw causes the cutting instrument to retract.

10. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 4, wherein the firing trigger is geared into the gear drive train.

11. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the main drive shaft assembly includes articulation means for articulating the end effector.

12. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1 further comprising a closure trigger separate from the firing trigger, wherein retraction of the closure trigger causes the end effector to clamp the object positioned in the end effector.

13. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 9 wherein the at least one sensor includes:

a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument; and

a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument.

14. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 4, wherein the firing trigger is configured to trip the reverse motor sensor when the cutting instrument reaches the end of the cutting stroke and to trip the stop motor sensor when the cutting instrument is retracted.

15. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 12, further comprising a mechanical closure system for closing the end effector when the closure trigger is retracted.

16. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 15, wherein the end effector comprises:

an elongate channel for carrying the cutting instrument; and

a clamping member pivotably connected to the elongate channel.

17. A surgical cutting and fastening;

instrument comprising;

an end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned in the end effector;

a main drive shaft assembly connected to the end effector; and

a handle connected to the main drive shaft assembly, wherein the handle comprises;

a motor for actuating the main drive shaft assembly via a gear drive train;

a firing trigger;

a run motor sensor for sensing retracting of the firing trigger, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed by the sensor, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument, wherein the run motor sensor comprises a proportional switch such that the rate of rotation of the motor is proportional to the retraction force applied to the firing trigger;

a reverse motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument such that when the reverse motor sensor senses the condition indicative of the end of the cutting stroke, the motor is signaled to reverse rotate to retract the cutting instrument;

a stop motor sensor for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument such that when the stop motor sensor senses the condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument, the motor is signaled to stop rotating.

18. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 17, wherein the run motor sensor comprises a proportional switch such that the rate of rotation of the motor is proportional to the retraction force applied to the firing trigger.

19. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 18, wherein the end effector comprises:

an elongate channel for carrying the cutting instrument; and

a clamping member pivotably connected to the elongate channel.

20. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

an end effector comprising a cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned in the end effector;

a main drive shaft assembly connected to the end effector; and

a handle connected to the main drive shaft assembly, wherein the handle comprises;

a motor for actuating the shaft via a gear drive train;

a firing trigger;

means for sensing retracting of the firing trigger, wherein, when retraction of the firing trigger is sensed, the motor is signaled to forward rotate to cause cutting of the object positioned in the end effector by the cutting instrument;

means for sensing a condition indicative of an end of a cutting stroke by the cutting instrument such that when the condition indicative of the end of the cutting stroke is sensed, the motor is signaled to reverse rotate to retract the cutting instrument; and

means for sensing a condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument such that when the condition indicative of retraction of the cutting instrument is sensed, the motor is signaled to stop rotating.