SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING AN END OF LIFE STATE FOR SURGICAL DEVICES

• US 20150305729A1
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Fitzsimmons, Thomas, Grasso, Michelle, Ingmanson, Michael, Zemlok, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,133,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00123 and automatic shutdown
• 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 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 99/005 Testing of complete machines, e.g. washing-machines or mobile phones testing of machine parts G01M13/00; testing of electric apparatus or components G01R31/50
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for determining an end of life state for an electromechanical surgical system. The system includes an end effector configured to perform at least one function and a shaft assembly being arranged for selectively interconnecting the end effector and a hand-held surgical instrument. The hand-held surgical instrument includes an instrument housing defining a connecting portion for selectively connecting with the shaft assembly. The hand-held surgical instrument also includes a motor assembly, a sensor array configured to obtain an operational parameter of the hand-held surgical instrument, and a controller configured to control operation of the hand-held surgical instrument based on the operational parameter obtained by the sensor array.

Claims

1. An electromechanical surgical system, comprising:

an end effector configured to perform at least one function;

a shaft assembly being arranged for selectively interconnecting the end effector and a hand-held surgical instrument, the hand-held surgical instrument including an instrument housing defining a connecting portion for selectively connecting with the shaft assembly;

a motor assembly;

a sensor array configured to obtain at least one acoustic metric of the hand-held surgical instrument; and

a controller configured to control operation of the hand-held surgical instrument based on the acoustic metric obtained by the sensor array.

2. The electromechanical surgical system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held surgical instrument includes a transceiver configured to communicate with an external device.

3. The electromechanical surgical system of claim 2, wherein the external device is at least one of a charging device, a local sever, or an external server.

4. The electromechanical surgical system of claim 3, wherein the hand-held surgical instrument communicates with the charging device, the local server, or the external server via a cloud.

5. The electromechanical surgical system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array includes at least one acoustic sensor, temperature sensor, voltage sensor, current sensor, or vibration sensor.

6. An electromechanical surgical system, comprising:

an end effector configured to perform at least one function;

a shaft assembly being arranged for selectively interconnecting the end effector and a hand-held surgical instrument, the hand-held surgical instrument including an instrument housing defining a connecting portion for selectively connecting with the shaft assembly;

a motor assembly;

a sensor array configured to obtain at least one electrical metric of the hand-held surgical instrument; and

a controller configured to control operation of the hand-held surgical instrument based on the electrical metric obtained by the sensor array.

7. The electromechanical surgical system of claim 6, wherein the hand-held surgical instrument includes a transceiver configured to communicate with an external device.

8. The electromechanical surgical system of claim 7, wherein the external device is at least one of a charging device, a local sever, or an external server.

9. The electromechanical surgical system of claim 8, wherein the hand-held surgical instrument communicates with the charging device, the local server, or the external server via a cloud.

10. The electromechanical surgical system of claim 6, wherein the sensor array includes at least one acoustic sensor, temperature sensor, voltage sensor, current sensor, or vibration sensor.

11. An end of life state determination method for a hand-held surgical instrument, the method comprising:

obtaining at least one acoustic or electrical metric of the hand-held surgical instrument;

comparing the at least one acoustic or electrical metric to a threshold value; and

disabling the hand-held surgical instrument when the at least one acoustic or electrical metric is greater than the threshold value.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising presetting the threshold value by a manufacturer.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising setting the threshold value as a function of a measured characteristic.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting the threshold value as a function of continually aggregated field data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the continually aggregated field data is at least one of device performance, geographical metrics, hospital condition metrics, clinician metrics, regional based performance metrics, geographic based performance metrics, or time zone based performance metrics.

16. An end of life state prolonging method for a hand-held surgical instrument, the method comprising:

obtaining at least one operational parameter of the hand-held surgical instrument;

comparing the at least one operational parameter to a predetermined threshold value;

determining that a device parameter of the hand-held surgical instrument can be augmented when the at least one operational parameter is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and

augmenting the device parameter of the hand-held surgical instrument when the device parameter can be augmented.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein when the device parameter of the hand-held surgical instrument cannot be augmented, the hand-held surgical instrument is disabled.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the threshold value is set by a manufacturer.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the threshold value is set as a function of a characteristic measured during manufacturing.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the threshold value is set as a function of continually aggregated field data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the continually aggregated field data is at least one of device performance, geographical metrics, hospital condition metrics, clinician metrics, regional based performance metrics, geographic based performance metrics, or time zone based performance metrics.