Removable ink for surgical instrument

• US 8,821,490 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Allen, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ram, Jocelyn D
• Application Number:
  US14/028,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20140018796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/32, 606/41, 600/198
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0097 Cleaning probe surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/96 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/273 preventing reuse, e.g. of disposables
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes

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.

Claims

1. A method for preventing reuse of a surgical instrument, comprising:

applying a removable ink to at least one portion of the surgical instrument in a readable fashion, the removable ink including a protein-based composition reactivateable with a sterilization solution having an enzyme-based composition;

electrically coupling a scanning device to an electrosurgical energy source; and

validating the surgical instrument for an initial use by reading the removable ink applied to the surgical instrument with the scanning device.

2. The method for preventing reuse of a surgical instrument according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least partially dissolving the removable ink when the surgical instrument is placed in contact with a sterilization solution to render the removable ink unreadable.

3. The method for preventing reuse of a surgical instrument according to claim 1 further comprising configuring the removable ink in the form of at least one of a one-dimensional code, a two-dimensional code, and a three-dimensional code.

4. The method for preventing reuse of a surgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein applying the removable ink to at least a portion of the surgical instrument includes applying the removable ink to at least one of a connector, a shaft, a housing, an end effector, a handle, an actuator, a rotation mechanism, an articulation mechanism, and a switch.

5. The method for preventing reuse of a surgical instrument according to claim 1 further comprising disposing the removable ink on a label and securing the label to the surgical instrument.

6. The method for preventing reuse of a surgical instrument according to claim 1 further comprising disposing a liner atop the removable ink to protect the removable ink.

7. The method of preventing reuse of a surgical instrument according to claim 1 further comprising:

using the surgical instrument;

sterilizing the surgical instrument; and

attempting to validate the surgical instrument for re-use by scanning the removable ink with the scanning device.