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US 11,690,694 B2Granted
Powered surgical instruments and methods of identifying tissue types therewith
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsMatthew Eschbach, Robert H. Knapp, Alexander W. Caulk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument includes an end effector configured to clamp tissue, a motor configured to actuate the end effector, and a controller in communication with the motor and configured to determine a stress and strain of the tissue, identify a tissue type of the tissue based on the determined stress and strain of the tissue, and set an operational parameter of the surgical instrument based on the identified tissue type of the tissue.
Claims20
A surgical instrument comprising:
- an end effector including a pair of jaw members configured to clamp and staple tissue;
- a motor configured to actuate the end effector;
- and
- a controller in communication with the motor and configured to:
- control the motor to clamp the tissue between the pair of jaw members under constant strain;
- determine stress of the clamped tissue under constant strain;
- identify a tissue type of the clamped tissue based on the determined stress of the clamped tissue;
- and
- set an operational parameter of the surgical instrument based on the identified tissue type of the clamped tissue.
6 more elements
A method for operating a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
- moving a pair of jaw members of an end effector using a motor from a first state to a second state, in which tissue is clamped between the pair of jaw members;
- controlling the motor to clamp the tissue between the pair of jaw members under constant strain during the second state;
- determining stress of the clamped tissue under constant strain;
- identifying a tissue type of the clamped tissue based on the determined stress of the clamped tissue;
- and
- setting an operational parameter of the surgical instrument based on the identified tissue type of the clamped tissue.
3 more elements
A surgical instrument comprising:
- an end effector including a pair of jaw members configured to clamp and staple tissue;
- a motor configured to actuate the end effector;
- and
- a controller in communication with the motor and configured to:
- direct the motor to move the pair of jaw members from a first state toward a second state, in which the pair of jaw members compress the tissue;
- direct the motor to maintain the pair of jaw members and apply constant strain on the tissue clamped between the pair of jaw members in the second state for a predetermined time period;
- monitor stress on the tissue throughout the predetermined time period under constant strain to determine a stress relaxation of the tissue;
- and
- identify a tissue type of the clamped tissue based on the determined stress relaxation of the clamped tissue and the determined stress relaxation of the tissue.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.