ACCESSING DATA STORED IN A MEMORY OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

• US 20090076534A1
• Filed: 09/23/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• 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: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Yates, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,161,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/170
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• 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 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00994 combining two or more different kinds of non-mechanical energy or combining one or more non-mechanical energies with ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• 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 2090/0811 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 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 : Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags

Abstract

A process and system are disclosed for downloading sensor data, stored in a memory device of a surgical cutting and fastening instrument, to an external or remote computer device. The process may involve storing data from one or more sensors of a surgical cutting and fastening instrument in a memory device of a control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument during a surgical procedure involving the surgical cutting and fastening instrument. Next, after the surgical procedure, a data link between the control unit and the remote computer device is established. Then, the sensor data can be downloaded from the control unit to the remote computer device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing data from at least one sensor of a surgical cutting and fastening instrument in a memory device of a control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument during a surgical procedure involving the surgical cutting and fastening instrument;

establishing, after the surgical procedure, a data link between the control unit and a remote computer device; and

downloading the data from the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument to the remote computer device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data link comprises a wired data link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data link comprises a wireless data link.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting the data prior to storing the data in the memory device; and

decrypting the data after downloading the data to the remote computer device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises:

a handle;

a shaft connected to the handle; and

an end effector connected to the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises first and second pivotably connected, opposing jaw members.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the handle comprises a firing trigger; and

the end effector comprises a cutting instrument that traverses longitudinally the end effector when the firing trigger is actuated.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the handle further comprises a closure trigger, separate from the firing trigger, for causing the first and second jaw members to clamp tissue between the first and second jaw members when the closure trigger is actuated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises an anvil closure sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the anvil closure sensor senses closure of the second jaw member; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the anvil closure sensor.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a closure trigger sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the closure trigger sensor senses actuation of the closure trigger; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the closure trigger sensor.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises an anvil closure load sensor located in the first jaw member and in communication with the control unit, wherein the anvil closure load sensor senses a load on the first jaw member due to closure of the second jaw member; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the anvil closure load sensor.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a firing trigger sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the firing trigger sensor senses actuation of the firing trigger; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the firing trigger sensor.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a cutting instrument position sensor in the end effector and in communication with the control unit, wherein the cutting instrument position sensor senses a position of the cutting instrument in the end effector; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the cutting instrument position sensor.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the first jaw member comprises a channel for carrying a replaceable staple cartridge.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a cartridge present sensor in the end effector and in communication with the control unit, wherein the cartridge present sensor senses whether a staple cartridge is present in the end effector; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the cartridge present sensor.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a cartridge condition sensor in the end effector and in communication with the control unit, wherein the cartridge condition sensor senses a condition of the staple cartridge; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the cartridge condition sensor.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises an articulation sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the articulation sensor senses articulation of the end effector; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the articulation sensor.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the data link comprises a wired data link.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the data link comprises a wireless data link.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises:

a handle;

a shaft connected to the handle; and

an end effector connected to the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises first and second pivotably connected, opposing jaw members.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the handle comprises a firing trigger; and

the end effector comprises a cutting instrument that traverses longitudinally the end effector when the firing trigger is actuated.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the handle further comprises a closure trigger, separate from the firing trigger, for causing the first and second jaw members to clamp tissue between the first and second jaw members when the closure trigger is actuated.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises an anvil closure sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the anvil closure sensor senses closure of the second jaw member; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the anvil closure sensor.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a closure trigger sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the closure trigger sensor senses actuation of the closure trigger; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the closure trigger sensor.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises an anvil closure load sensor located in the first jaw member and in communication with the control unit, wherein the anvil closure load sensor senses a load on the first jaw member due to closure of the second jaw member; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the anvil closure load sensor.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a firing trigger sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the firing trigger sensor senses actuation of the firing trigger; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the firing trigger sensor.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a cutting instrument position sensor in the end effector and in communication with the control unit, wherein the cutting instrument position sensor senses a position of the cutting instrument in the end effector; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the cutting instrument position sensor.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the first jaw member comprises a channel for carrying a replaceable staple cartridge.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a cartridge present sensor in the end effector and in communication with the control unit, wherein the cartridge present sensor senses whether a staple cartridge is present in the end effector; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the cartridge present sensor.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a cartridge condition sensor in the end effector and in communication with the control unit, wherein the cartridge condition sensor senses a condition of the staple cartridge; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the cartridge condition sensor.

31. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises an articulation sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the articulation sensor senses articulation of the end effector; and

the memory device of the control unit stores data from the articulation sensor.

17. A system comprising:

a surgical cutting and fastening instrument, wherein the surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises;

a control unit comprising a memory device; and

at least one sensor in communication with the control unit, wherein the memory device stores data from the at least one sensor; and

an external computer device in communication with the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument via a data link, wherein the external computer device is for downloading data from the memory device of the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument.