Surgical instrument having recording capabilities

• US 20070175964A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Timperman, Eugene, Shelton, Frederick, Ouwerkerk, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,845,537 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/180.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00353 one mechanical instrument performing multiple functions, e.g. cutting and grasping channel for multiple instruments A61B2017/3445; instrument channel A61B2017/22072; replaceable heads A61B2017/2931; suction A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0042 with special provisions for gripping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 : characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 : characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/033 : Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 : for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 : for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/069 : using a plummet or weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 : Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 : for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 : Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/74 : Manipulators with manual electric input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 : Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 : Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence

Abstract

A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument has an end effector and a trigger in communication with the end effector. The surgical instrument also has a first sensor and an externally accessible memory device in communication with the first sensor. The first sensor has an output that represents a first condition of either the trigger or the end effector. The memory device is configured to record the output of the first sensor. In various embodiments, memory device may include an output port and/or a removable storage medium.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

an end effector;

a trigger in communication with the end effector;

a first sensor having an output representing a first condition of at least one of the group consisting of the trigger and the end effector; and

an externally accessible memory device i communication with the first sensor, wherein the memory device is configured to record the output of the first sensor.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the memory device comprises an output port.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the memory device comprises a removable medium.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a second sensor in communication with the memory device, the second sensor having an output representing a second condition of at least one of the group consisting of the trigger and the end effector, wherein the memory device is further configured to record the output of the second sensor.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the memory device is configured to record the output of the first sensor and the output of the second sensor when the first condition changes and when the second condition changes.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first condition indicates whether an anvil of the end effector is in an open position or a closed position.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first condition indicates at least one of the group consisting of a position of a knife within the end effector, a position of the trigger, a pressure exerted on the trigger, and a pressure exerted by the end effector.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a motorized drive system in communication with the trigger and the end effector.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical drive system in communication with the trigger and the end effector.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the memory device comprises at least one of the group consisting of a microcontroller and an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a binary sensor.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is an analog sensor.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12, wherein the surgical instrument further comprises an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the first sensor and the memory device.

14. A surgical instrument comprising:

an end effector;

a trigger in communication with the end effector;

a first sensor having an output representing a condition of the end effector;

a second sensor having an output representing a condition of the trigger; and

a memory device in communication with the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein the memory device is configured to record the output of the first sensor and the output of the second sensor.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the memory device comprises at least one of an output port and a removable storage medium.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the condition of the end effector indicates at least one of the group consisting of a position of a knife of the end effector, a position of an anvil of the end effector, the presence of a staple cartridge in the end effector, a force exerted by the end effector, and the status of the staple cartridge in the end effector.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the condition of the trigger indicates at least one of the group consisting of a position of the trigger and a force exerted on the trigger.

18. A method of recording the state of a surgical instrument, the method comprising:

monitoring outputs of a plurality of sensors, wherein the outputs represent conditions of the surgical instrument; and

recording the outputs of the plurality of sensors to a memory device when at least one of the conditions of the surgical instrument changes.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing the recorded outputs of the plurality of sensors to an outside device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the recorded outputs of the plurality of sensors to an outside device further comprises at least one of providing the outputs of the plurality of sensors to an output port of the memory device and providing the outputs of the plurality of sensors to a removable storage medium.