SURGICAL CUTTING INSTRUMENT THAT ANALYZES TISSUE THICKNESS
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument with a tissue-clamping end effector, where actuation of the instrument is locked out when the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector is not within a specified thickness range. The end effector may comprise a tissue thickness module that senses the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector. The surgical instrument also comprises a control circuit in communication with the tissue thickness module. The control circuit prevents actuation of a working portion of the end effector when the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector is not within the specified thickness range.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an electric motor; a power source connected to the motor for supplying electric power to the electric motor; a tissue-clamping end effector that comprises; a moveable working portion that is moveable upon actuation of the electric motor; a cartridge assembly that comprises a tissue thickness sensor for sensing a thickness of tissue clamped in the end effector; and a control circuit in communication with the tissue thickness sensor, wherein the control circuit automatically prevents actuation of the moveable working portion when the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector is not within a specified thickness range based on at least; thickness data from the tissue thickness sensor for the tissue clamped in the end effector; and model type data for the cartridge assembly. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of operation for a surgical instrument, wherein the surgical instrument comprises:
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an electric motor; a power source connected to the motor for supplying electric power to the electric motor; a tissue-clamping end effector that comprises; a moveable working portion that is moveable upon actuation of the electric motor; a cartridge assembly that comprises a tissue thickness sensor that senses thickness of tissue clamped in the end effector; and a control circuit in communication with the tissue thickness sensor, the method comprising; clamping tissue in the end effector; sensing, by the tissue thickness sensor, a thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector; transmitting, by the tissue thickness sensor to the control circuit, data indicative of the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector; determining, by the control circuit, whether the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector is within a specified range based on a model type for the cartridge assembly; and upon a determination by the control circuit that the thickness of the tissue clamped in the end effector is not within the specified range, preventing, by the control circuit, actuation of the moveable working portion. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification