Systems and methods for determining an end of life state for surgical devices

• US 10,133,248 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Weeks, Gloria R
• Application Number:
  US14/521,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20150305729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• 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 end of life state determination method for a hand-held surgical instrument, the method comprising:

obtaining at least one acoustic metric of a hand-held surgical instrument during operation of the hand-held surgical instrument from an acoustic sensor disposed along the hand-held surgical instrument;

comparing the at least one acoustic metric to an acoustic threshold value associated with an end of life state of the hand-held surgical instrument; and

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

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presetting the acoustic threshold value by a manufacturer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the acoustic threshold value as a function of a measured acoustic characteristic.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the acoustic threshold value as a function of continually aggregated field data.

5. The method of claim 4, 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.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining at least one electrical metric from a voltage sensor or a current sensor associated with the hand-held surgical instrument,

wherein comparing further includes comparing the at least one electric metric to an electric threshold value, and

wherein disabling further includes disabling the hand-held surgical instrument when the at least one electrical metric is greater than the electric threshold value.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising presetting the acoustic threshold value and the electric threshold value.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising setting the acoustic threshold value and the electric threshold value as a function of a measured acoustic characteristic or a measured electric characteristic.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting the acoustic threshold value or the electric threshold value as a function of continually aggregated field data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the continually aggregated field data is at least one of device performance, geographical metrics, hospital condition metrics, clinician metrics, regional based performance metrics, geographical based performance metrics, or time zone based performance metrics.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining the at least one acoustic or electrical metric includes continuously obtaining the at least one acoustic or electrical metric from the acoustic sensor, voltage sensor, or current sensor, and

wherein comparing the at least one acoustic metric or the at least one electric metric includes continuously comparing the continuously obtained at least one acoustic or electrical metric from the acoustic sensor, the voltage sensor or the current sensor.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating the hand-held surgical instrument before obtaining the at least one acoustic metric.