Surgical Instrument Including MEMS Devices

• US 20120016362A1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Heinrich, Russell, Cuny, Douglas J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,561,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/062 Needle manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• 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 17/128 for applying or removing clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00066 intensity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0609 having sharp tips at both ends, e.g. shuttle needle alternately retained and released by first and second facing jaws of a suturing instrument MIS suturing instruments A61B17/0469; jaws of MIS forceps A61B2017/2926
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00648 using more than one sensed parameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/303 specifically adapted for manipulations within body lumens, e.g. within lumen of gut, spine, or blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 : for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 : Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for

Abstract

Surgical instruments are disclosed that are couplable to or have an end effector or a disposable loading unit with an end effector, and at least one micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device operatively connected to the surgical instrument for at least one of sensing a condition, measuring a parameter and controlling the condition and/or parameter.

Claims

1-69. -69. (canceled)

70. A robotic system for performing surgical tasks, the robotic system comprising:

a frame;

a robotic arm connected to the frame and movable in six degrees of freedom relative to the frame via a mounting flange;

an actuation assembly operatively associated with the robotic arm for controlling operation and movement of the robotic arm, the actuation assembly including a processor for storing operational commands;

a loading unit including an elongate shaft releasably connected to the robotic arm, and a surgical stapler operatively coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft and configured to engage tissue, the loading unit including a head portion for housing an electro-mechanical assembly configured to receive signals from the processor of the actuation assembly, and the loading unit connected to the mounting flange via one or more protrusions of the frame interconnecting with one or more slots of the mounting flange; and

at least one micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device operatively connected to the loading unit for at least one of sensing a condition, measuring a parameter and controlling the condition and/or parameter adjacent an end effector of the surgical stapler;

wherein the surgical stapler includes a staple cartridge assembly and an anvil operatively associated with the staple cartridge assembly and in juxtaposition relative to the staple cartridge assembly, such that the at least one MEMS device is operatively connected to each of the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil;

wherein a plurality of discrete MEMS devices are selectively disposed from a proximal end to a distal end of the surgical stapler on the following portions of the surgical stapler;

(i) a first end and a second end of the anvil (ii) a first end and a second end of the staple cartridge assembly, (iii) a body member, and (iv) a handle assembly; and

wherein each MEMS device of the plurality of discrete MEMS devices is a single integral device disposed on a separate substrate that is operationally independent of other MEMS devices configured to communicate with the surgical stapler, the MEMS devices including two or three orthogonal assemblies of MEMS devices integrated together to form a two or three dimensional acceleration measuring device adapted to detect frequencies by displacement of a cantilevered or tuned element associated with each MEMS device.

71. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the at least one MEMS device is selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a strain sensor, a displacement sensor, an optical sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, a torque sensor, an accelerometer, a flow sensor, an electrical sensor and a magnetic sensor, for at least one of sensing, measuring and controlling an associated condition and/or parameter.

72. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the loading unit is connected to the robotic arm via a bayonet-type connection.

73. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the surgical stapler is configured and adapted to perform an electrosurgical function.

74. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the surgical stapler is configured and adapted to deliver electrosurgical energy to a target surgical site.

75. The robotic system of claim 70, further comprising a controller including a receiver for receiving electrical signals transmitted from the actuation assembly and for controlling operation and movement of the loading unit.

76. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the surgical stapler is selected from a group consisting of a fastener applier, a surgical stapler, a vessel clip applier, and a vascular suturing assembly.

77. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the staple cartridge assembly defines a tissue contacting surface and wherein at least one MEMS device is operatively connected to a tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge assembly.

78. The robotic system of claim 77, wherein the anvil defines a tissue contacting surface and wherein at least one MEMS device is operatively connected to the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge assembly.

79. The robotic system of claim 78, wherein the MEMS devices are configured and adapted to measure distance between the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge assembly and the tissue contacting surface of the anvil.

80. The robotic system of claim 78, wherein the MEMS devices are configured and adapted to measure the amount of pressure applied to tissue clamped between the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge assembly and the tissue contacting surface of the anvil.

81. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil are transversely oriented with respect to the elongate shaft.

82. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil are pivotably connected to the distal end of the elongate shaft.

83. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the end effector is a vascular suturing assembly, the vascular suturing assembly comprising:

an elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end in operatively connectable to the robotic arm; and

a pair of needle receiving jaws pivotably mounted to the distal end of the elongate body portion, the pair of needle receiving jaws being configured and adapted to pass a surgical needle and associated length of suture material therebetween.

84. The robotic system of claim 83, further including at least one MEMS component operatively connected to each of the pair of needle receiving jaws.

85. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein at least one control operation of the surgical stapler is automatically adjusted based on feedback received from the at least one MEMS device via at least one comparator for comparing at least one of a second condition and a measured parameter against at least one predetermined value.

86. The robotic system of claim 70, further comprising a feedback control system configured to allow the robotic system to be programmed, before a surgical task is performed, to continuously monitor, in real-time, a plurality of parameters and operations associated with movement of the loading unit and the end effector of the surgical stapler.

87. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the at least one MEMS device is a wireless transmitter.

88. The robotic system of claim 70, wherein the at least one MEMS device includes one or more transducer delivery and receiving devices.