Removable ink for surgical instrument
First Claim
1. A single-use surgical instrument system, comprising:
- an electrosurgical energy source that conducts electric current;
a scanning device configured to read a removable ink and adapted to couple to the electrosurgical energy source; and
a surgical instrument, comprising;
a housing, an electrical connector, and a treatment component, wherein at least one of the housing, the electrical connector, and the treatment component is configured to accept the removable ink in the form of indicia printed thereon readable by the scanning device, the removable ink including a protein-based composition activateable by a sterilization solution having an enzyme-based composition such that upon a sterilization of the instrument with the solution, the removable ink reacts with the sterilization solution and the indicia becomes unreadable by the scanning device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for preventing reuse of a surgical instrument. The single-use surgical instrument includes a housing, an electrical connector and a treatment component. Indicia may be printed on the housing, the electrical connector and/or the treatment component. A removable ink is applied to any portion of the surgical instrument in the form of indicia that is readable by a scanning device. The removable ink includes a protein-based composition that is reactivateable with a sterilization solution having an enzyme-based composition such that upon sterilization, the removable ink reacts with the sterilizing solution and becomes unreadable by the scanning device.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A single-use surgical instrument system, comprising:
-
an electrosurgical energy source that conducts electric current; a scanning device configured to read a removable ink and adapted to couple to the electrosurgical energy source; and a surgical instrument, comprising; a housing, an electrical connector, and a treatment component, wherein at least one of the housing, the electrical connector, and the treatment component is configured to accept the removable ink in the form of indicia printed thereon readable by the scanning device, the removable ink including a protein-based composition activateable by a sterilization solution having an enzyme-based composition such that upon a sterilization of the instrument with the solution, the removable ink reacts with the sterilization solution and the indicia becomes unreadable by the scanning device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
Specification