Pneumatically powered surgical cutting and fastening instrument with electrical feedback

• US 8,157,145 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Tanguay, Randall J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LOW, LINDSAY M
• Application Number:
  US11/809,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20080300580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• Field of Search: 2271751-1821, 227/19, 606/219
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00128 related to intensity or progress of surgical action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means
• 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 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms

Abstract

A status module for use with a pneumatically powered surgical instrument includes at least one sensor and a housing structured and arranged to releasably connect to the pneumatically powered surgical instrument. At least one contact is connected to the pneumatically powered surgical instrument. Each individual contact is structured and arranged to be in electrical communication with a different sensor when the housing is connected to the pneumatically powered surgical instrument. The at least one sensor is fluidically coupled to the pneumatically powered surgical instrument. A circuit is in electrical communication with the least one contact and at least one of a plurality of indicators.

Claims

1. A status module for use with a pneumatically powered surgical instrument comprising at least one sensor, the status module comprising:

a housing structured and arranged to releasably mount on the pneumatically powered surgical instrument;

at least one contact, wherein an individual contact is structured and arranged to be in electrical communication with a different sensor when the housing is connected to the pneumatically powered surgical instrument, and wherein the at least one sensor is fluidically coupled to the pneumatically powered surgical instrument;

a circuit in electrical communication with the at least one contact; and

at least one electrical indicator in electrical communication with the circuit, wherein the at least one electrical indicator is located on the housing to provide a current status of the surgical instrument to the user during a surgical procedure.

2. The status module of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a drive circuit.

3. The status module of claim 2, wherein the circuit further comprises a counter.

4. The status module of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical indicator comprises a visual indicator in electrical communication with the circuit.

5. The status module of claim 4, wherein the visual indicator comprises a light emitting diode.

6. The status module of claim 4, wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one of the following:

an alpha numeric display;

a dot matrix display; and

a liquid crystal display.

7. The status module of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical indicator comprises:

a visual indicator in electrical communication with the circuit; and

an audible indicator in electrical communication with the circuit.

8. The status module of claim 7, wherein the audible indicator comprises an audio output device.

9. The status module of claim 7, further comprising a switch in electrical communication with the audible indicator.

10. The status module of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter in electrical communication with the circuit.

11. The status module of claim 1, further comprising an electronic control module coupled to an electrically controlled variable flow rate pneumatic valve to control the flow rate therethrough, wherein the electronic control module is in electrical communication with the circuit.

12. The status module of claim 11, wherein the electrically controlled variable flow rate pneumatic valve is coupled to a pneumatically-actuated drive member and coupled to the electronic control module.

13. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a pneumatically-actuated drive member;

an electronic control module coupled to the pneumatically-actuated drive member;

a plurality of sensors; and

a status module, wherein the status module comprises;

a housing releasably mounted on the surgical instrument;

at least one contact, wherein an individual contact is in electrical communication with a different sensor

a circuit in electrical communication with the at least one contact; and

at least one electrical indicator, wherein the at least one indicator is in electrical communication with the circuit, wherein the at least one electrical indicator is located on the housing to provide a current status of the surgical instrument to the user during a surgical procedure.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of the following:

an articulation angle sensor;

an anvil position sensor;

a cartridge sensor;

a closure trigger sensor;

a closure force sensor;

a firing force sensor;

a knife position sensor;

a lockout condition sensor;

a pressure sensor; and

a valve actuation sensor.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the circuit comprises a drive circuit.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the at least one electrical indicator comprises a visual indicator in electrical communication with the circuit.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the visual indicator comprises a light emitting diode.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one of the following:

an alpha numeric display;

a dot matrix display; and

a liquid crystal display.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the at least one electrical indicator comprises:

a visual indicator in electrical communication with the circuit; and

an audible indicator in electrical communication with the circuit.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 19, wherein the audible indicator is an audio output device.

21. The surgical instrument of claim 19, further comprising a switch in electrical communication with the audible indicator.

22. The surgical instrument of claim 13, further comprising a transmitter in electrical communication with the circuit.

23. The surgical instrument of claim 13, further comprising an end effector comprising a moveable cutting instrument for cutting an object positioned in the end effector, the end effector coupled to the pneumatically-actuated drive member.

24. The surgical instrument of claim 23, further comprising an electrically controlled variable flow rate pneumatic valve to control the flow rate therethrough coupled to the pneumatically-actuated drive member and coupled to the electronic control module.