Battery-powered hand-held ultrasonic surgical cautery cutting device

• US 9,107,690 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bales, Thomas O. Jr., Deville, Derek Dee, Smith, Kevin W., Palmer, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHI, KATHERINE MENGLIN
• Application Number:
  US13/307,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 606/169, 600/437, 600/461, 600/471, 601/2, 604/22, 429/96, 429/98, 429/121, 429/123, 320/106, 320155-159, 320/112, 320/114
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320092 with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 with sealing or cauterizing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320097 with stapling means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter

Abstract

A battery assembly for use with a surgical device having a battery terminal and operational parameters includes a housing having a shape formed to removably connect with the terminal. The housing contains a modular battery operable to supply power to the device at the terminal and has a control circuit with a microprocessor, a memory, and a real-time clock. The control circuit is communicatively coupled to the battery and is operable to detect an identity of the surgical device, to determine at least one piece of information pertaining to at least one of the operational parameters of the surgical device based upon the detected identity, to record the piece of information at least in the memory, and to selectively allow or prevent the battery from supplying power to the surgical device dependent upon the piece of information.

Claims

1. A battery assembly, comprising:

a housing;

having an exterior shape formed to removably connect with a battery terminal of a surgical device;

containing a modular battery operable to supply power to the surgical device at the battery terminal;

having a control circuit comprising at least one microprocessor, a memory, and a real-time clock, the control circuit being communicatively coupled to the modular battery and;

detecting an identity of the surgical device;

determining information pertaining to an operational parameter of the surgical device based upon the detected identity;

recording the information at least in the memory; and

selectively allowing or preventing the modular battery from supplying power to the surgical device dependent upon the information, the information including an actual use count of at least one portion of the surgical device, wherein an actual use is a completed use of the at least one portion of the surgical device and is determined by the control circuit detecting a length of time that has elapsed since the last actual use of the at least one portion of the surgical device.

2. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the surgical device comprises:

an ultrasonic waveguide;

a cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly having;

an output couple imparting ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic waveguide when the waveguide is connected thereto; and

a securing connector; and

a surgical handle having;

the battery terminal;

a waveguide attachment dock rotatably coupling the ultrasonic waveguide thereto; and

an ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly dock

electrically connecting the battery assembly to the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly and

physically connecting the ultrasonic waveguide to the output couple of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly when the securing connector of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is removably secured at the surgical handle.

3. The battery assembly according to claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly comprises:

a driving-wave generation circuit having a generator output; and

a transducer communicatively coupled to the generator output.

4. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit records a total number of actual uses of the at least one portion of the surgical device.

5. The battery assembly according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit prevents the modular battery from supplying power to the surgical device when the recorded total number of actual uses is at least a pre-defined maximum number of actual uses.

6. The battery assembly according to claim 4, wherein:

the information includes a momentary lapse in use of at least a portion of the surgical device; and

the control circuit determines the momentary lapse in use by;

detecting a length of time that has elapsed since the last actual use of the at least one portion; and

if the detected length of time is less than a pre-defined threshold, determining that a momentary lapse in use of the at least one portion has occurred.

7. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit determines the actual use count by:

determining a length of time that has elapsed since the last of the actual uses of the at least one portion with the real-time clock; and

if the determined length of time exceeds a pre-defined threshold, incrementing the recorded total number of actual uses of the at least one portion contained in the memory.

8. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit determines if either of an actual use and a momentary lapse in use of the surgical device has occurred by:

detecting a length of time that has elapsed since a last use of the surgical device;

if the detected length of time meets or exceeds a pre-defined threshold, determining that an actual use has occurred; and

if the detected length of time is less than the pre-defined threshold, determining that a momentary lapse in use has occurred.

9. The battery assembly according to claim 8, wherein the control circuit records a total number of actual uses of the surgical device.

10. The battery assembly according to claim 9, wherein the control circuit prevents the modular battery from supplying power to the surgical device when the recorded total number of actual uses meets or exceeds a pre-defined maximum number of actual uses.

11. The battery assembly according to claim 1 in combination with a surgical device, the surgical device comprising:

an ultrasonic waveguide having a proximal end for receiving ultrasonic movement thereat;

a cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly having;

a driving-wave generation circuit having a generator output; and

a transducer communicatively coupled to the generator output and having an ultrasonic-movement-producing end removably connected to the proximal end of the ultrasonic waveguide; and

a surgical handle having;

the battery terminal;

a waveguide attachment dock rotatably coupling the ultrasonic waveguide thereto; and

an ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly dock

electrically connecting the battery assembly to the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly and

physically connecting the ultrasonic waveguide to the ultrasonic-movement-producing end of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly when the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is removably secured at the surgical handle.

12. The battery assembly according to claim 11, wherein the control circuit records a total number of actual uses of the at least one portion of the surgical device.

13. The battery assembly according to claim 12, wherein the control circuit prevents the modular battery from supplying power to the surgical device when the recorded total number of actual uses is at least a pre-defined maximum number of actual uses.

14. The battery assembly according to claim 12, wherein the control circuit determines the actual use count by:

determining a length of time that has elapsed since the last of the actual uses of the at least one portion with the real-time clock; and

if the determined length of time exceeds a pre-defined threshold, incrementing the recorded total number of actual uses of the at least one portion contained in the memory.

15. The battery assembly according to claim 11, wherein:

the information includes a momentary lapse in use of at least one portion of the surgical device; and

the control circuit determines a momentary lapse in use by;

detecting a length of time that has elapsed since the last actual use of the at least one portion; and

if the detected length of time is less than a pre-defined threshold, determining that a momentary lapse in use of the at least one portion has occurred.

16. The battery assembly according to claim 11, wherein the control circuit determines if either of an actual use and a momentary lapse in use of the surgical device has occurred by:

detecting a length of time that has elapsed since a last use of the surgical device;

if the detected length of time meets or exceeds a pre-defined threshold, determining that an actual use has occurred; and

if the detected length of time is less than the pre-defined threshold, determining that a momentary lapse in use has occurred.

17. The battery assembly according to claim 16, wherein the control circuit records a total number of actual uses of the surgical device.

18. The battery assembly according to claim 17, wherein the control circuit prevents the modular battery from supplying power to the surgical device when the recorded total number of actual uses meets or exceeds a pre-defined maximum number of actual uses.

19. A battery assembly, comprising:

a housing;

having an exterior shape formed to removably connect with a battery terminal of a surgical device;

containing a modular battery supplying power to the surgical device at the battery terminal;

having a control circuit comprising at least one microprocessor, a memory, and a real- time clock, the control circuit being communicatively coupled to the modular battery and;

detecting an identity of the surgical device;

determining information pertaining to an operational parameter of the surgical device based upon the detected identity;

recording the information at least in the memory; and

selectively allowing or preventing the modular battery from supplying power to the surgical device dependent upon the information, the information including an actual use count and a momentary lapse in use of at least one portion of the surgical device, wherein an actual use is a completed use of the at least one portion of the surgical device.