Surgical instrument having recording capabilities

• US 8,167,185 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• 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, Ouwerkerk, John N., Timperman, Eugene L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nash, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US12/949,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20110062212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 227/180.1, 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/177.1, 227/179.1
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• 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
• 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 to engage tissue, the end effector comprising a staple channel and an anvil pivotably translatable relative to the staple channel, wherein at least one of the anvil and the staple channel define a longitudinal channel;

a reciprocating knife positioned to slide distally through the longitudinal channel when the anvil is pivoted to a position substantially parallel to the staple channel;

a longitudinal shaft extending proximally from the end effector;

a first sensor having an output representing a first condition of at least one component selected from the group consisting of the anvil, the staple channel and the knife; and

an externally accessible memory device in communication with the first sensor via a first data connection, wherein the memory device is configured to record the output of the first sensor; and

wherein the memory device comprises a wireless output port to wirelessly communicate data received from the first sensor to an outside device.

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

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the memory device is configured to record the output of the first sensor when the first condition changes.

4. 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.

5. 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, and a pressure exerted by the end effector.

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

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

8. 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).

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

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

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the surgical instrument further comprises an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the first sensor and the memory device.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the memory device is positioned proximally from the end effector and from at least a portion of the longitudinal shaft.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises the first sensor, and wherein the memory device is in communication with all of the plurality of sensors via the first data connection.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first data connection is a single wire bus.