# US 12,004,913 B1 · Methods of reprocessing a surgical instrument > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,913 B1 - Document ID: US12004913B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/328,402 - Filed: 2021-05-24 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-24 - Assignees: Stryker Sustainability Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Stryker Sustainability Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Jason Seiger; Brooke McDonald; Nicholas Ferentheil; Nathan Butters; Charles A. Forker; Sachin Jain - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004913B1 ## CPC - A61B 90/70: Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments - A61B 17/32: Surgical cutting instruments ({A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467;} implements for ligaturing and cutting {A61B17/122, A61B17/12; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133}) - A61B 17/32002: {with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments} - B08B 9/032: by the mechanical action of a moving fluid, e.g. by flushing (B08B9/04 takes precedence {; by fluid jets mounted on cleaning devices B08B9/0433}) - A61B 2017/320032: {Details of the rotating or oscillating shaft, e.g. using a flexible shaft} - A61B 2090/0813: {Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable} - A61B 2217/005: with suction drainage system - B08B 2209/032: by the mechanical action of a moving fluid - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract A method of reprocessing a surgical instrument that includes a handpiece having opposed shells secured together with a fastener, a shroud secured to the handpiece and overlaying the fastener and a portion of the handpiece, an outer shaft extending from the shroud and defining a cutting window, and a cutting shaft movable within the outer shaft and including a cutting tip for resecting tissue within the cutting window is disclosed. The method includes mutilating the shroud so as to remove the shroud from the handpiece, removing the fastener, separating the opposed shells to access an interior of the handpiece, servicing or replacing at least one component within the interior of the handpiece, securing the opposed shells to one another with the fastener or another fastener, and securing a replacement shroud to the handpiece. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of reprocessing a surgical instrument including a handpiece having opposed shells secured together with a fastener, a shroud secured to the handpiece and overlaying the fastener and a portion of the handpiece, an outer shaft extending from the shroud and defining a cutting window, and a cutting shaft movable within the outer shaft and including a cutting tip for resecting tissue within the cutting window, said method comprising: securing the surgical instrument to a fixture; removing the shroud from the handpiece by a process which includes milling the shroud; removing the fastener; separating the opposed shells to access an interior of the handpiece; servicing or replacing at least one component within the interior of the handpiece; securing the opposed shells to one another with the fastener or another fastener; and securing a replacement shroud to the handpiece. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: severing at least the cutting tip from the cutting shaft; and securing a replacement cutting tip to the cutting shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: removing the cutting shaft from the outer shaft; and sharpening the cutting tip of the cutting shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising chemically or electrically treating at least one of the outer shaft and the cutting shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of servicing or replacing at least one component further comprises replacing a suction tubing assembly with a replacement suction tubing assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of servicing or replacing at least one component further comprises: decoupling a suction tubing assembly from the handpiece; flushing the suction tubing assembly; and recoupling the suction tubing assembly to the handpiece. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument further includes a flexible drive cable, and wherein the step of servicing or replacing at least one component further comprises (i) decoupling, cleaning, and recoupling the flexible drive cable, or (ii) replacing the flexible drive cable with a replacement flexible drive cable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising straightening at least one of the outer shaft and the cutting shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: milling the portion of the handpiece to provide a milled surface; and securing the replacement shroud to the milled surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising applying an adhesive to the milled surface to secure the replacement shroud to the handpiece. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument further includes original indicia disposed on the outer shaft, said method further comprising marking the outer shaft with updated indicia. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the updated indicia is at least partially disposed over the original indicia. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the updated indicia offset from the original indicia by a distance no greater than a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 14 A method of reprocessing a surgical instrument including a handpiece having opposed shells, and a shroud secured to the handpiece and overlaying a portion of each of the opposed shells, said method comprising: securing the surgical instrument to a fixture; milling the shroud so as to remove the shroud from the portions of the opposed shells; milling the portion of the opposed shells to provide a milled surface; servicing or replacing at least one component within an interior of the handpiece; and securing a replacement shroud to the milled surface, wherein the shroud is formed from a first material and the replacement shroud is formed from a second material different than the first material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second material is a bio-based polymer that is more environmentally sustainable than the first material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising applying an adhesive to the milled surface to secure the replacement shroud to the handpiece. ### Claim 17 A method of replacing a shroud of a surgical instrument, the instrument including a handpiece having opposing shells and the shroud overlaying a portion of each of the opposed shells, said method comprising: securing the surgical instrument to a fixture; milling the shroud so as to remove the shroud from the portions of the opposed shells; milling the portion of the opposed shells to provide a milled surface; and securing a replacement shroud to the milled surface, wherein the shroud is formed from a first material and the replacement shroud is formed from a second material different than the first material.