Powered surgical stapling device
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsMichael A. Zemlok, Richard Lech, Saumya Banerjee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An end effector includes first and second jaw members moveable relative to one another. Each of the first and second jaw members including a tissue contacting surface opposing the tissue contacting surface of the other jaw member. The end effector includes a detection assembly that is disposed within the first or second jaw member that is configured to detect an attribute of tissue between the first and second jaw members. The detection assembly may include a light source configured to emit light towards tissue between the first and second jaw members or may include an ultrasound transducer configured to emit ultrasound energy towards tissue between the first and second jaw members.
Claims20
An end effector comprising:
- a first jaw member having a first tissue contacting surface;
- a second jaw member having a second tissue contacting surface opposing the first tissue contacting surface of the first jaw member, the first and second jaw members moveable relative to one another between an open position and a clamped position;
- a knife configured to be moveable through the first and second jaw members along a longitudinal axis of the end effector;
- and
- a detection assembly disposed within the first or second jaw members, the detection assembly being configured to detect a vasculature attribute of tissue between the first and second jaw members and prevent the knife from actuating based on the vasculature attribute of the tissue.
An surgical instrument comprising:
- a handle;
- an elongated shaft extending from the handle, and
- an end effector coupled to a distal end of the elongated shaft, the end effector having a longitudinal axis and including:
- a first jaw member having a first tissue contacting surface;
- a second jaw member having a second tissue contacting surface opposing the first tissue contacting surface of the first jaw member, the first and second jaw members moveable relative to one another between an open position and a clamped position;
- a knife configured to be moveable through the first and second jaw members along the longitudinal axis of the end effector;
- and
- a detection assembly disposed within the first or second jaw member, the detection assembly being configured to detect a vasculature attribute of tissue between the first and second jaw members and prevent the knife from actuating based on the vasculature attribute of the tissue.
A method for detecting tissue attributes comprising:
- positioning tissue between a first and a second jaw member of an end effector that are moveable relative to one another;
- emitting energy from one of the jaw members towards the other jaw member;
- sensing a property indicative of a vasculature attribute of the tissue between the first and second jaw members with a sensor disposed on one of the jaw members;
- transmitting a signal from the sensor of the property indicative of the vasculature tissue attribute to a processor;
- determining the vasculature tissue attribute from the signal with the processor;
- providing feedback of the vasculature tissue attribute to a user;
- and
- preventing an actuation of a knife of the end effector based on the vasculature tissue attribute.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.