Surgical stapler with tactile feedback system
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsYong Ma, Russell S. Heinrich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument comprising a handle portion, an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle portion, and a tool adjacent the distal portion of the elongated body portion and having at least one jaw movable to a clamping position to clamp tissue. A tactile feedback system includes an expandable member extending from the handle portion, the expandable member providing a tactile indicator of a tissue parameter of tissue clamped by the least one jaw.
Claims21
1-21. (canceled)
A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a handle portion having a movable handle;
- an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle portion, the elongated body portion defining a longitudinal axis;
- a tool assembly adjacent a distal portion of the elongated body portion, the tool assembly having at least one jaw movable to a clamping position to clamp tissue, the tool assembly actuated by movement of the movable handle;
- and
- a tactile feedback system independent of the movable handle and including an expandable member expandable in response to a change in air pressure, the change in air pressure responsive to a change in a tissue parameter, the expandable member providing a tactile indicator of the tissue parameter of tissue clamped by the least one jaw.
A surgical instrument according to claim 33, further comprising a firing handle to fire fasteners from the instrument, wherein the expandable member is accessible by the thumb of the user while grasping the firing handle of the instrument.
A surgical fastener applying instrument, comprising:
- a handle portion including a firing lever;
- an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle portion, the elongated body portion defining a longitudinal axis;
- a tool assembly adjacent a distal portion of the elongated body portion, the tool assembly having at least one jaw movable to a clamping position to clamp tissue and further including a plurality of surgical fasteners;
- a sensor positioned adjacent the tool assembly;
- a firing mechanism for firing the fasteners from the tool assembly into body tissue upon actuation of the firing handle;
- and
- a tactile feedback system responsive to the sensor and including an expandable member extending externally from the handle portion, the expandable member providing a tactile indicator of one of a pressure or force on tissue clamped by the least one jaw.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.