Surgical instruments including mems devices

A surgical stapler, comprising:

• a handle assembly;
• an end effector including:
• a staple cartridge assembly;
• and
• an anvil assembly pivotable relative to the staple cartridge assembly;
• an elongated body extending between and interconnecting the handle assembly and the end effector, the elongate body including a drive rod movably supported therein, wherein the drive rod transmits actuation forces from the handle assembly to the end effector to effect a firing of staples from the cartridge assembly;
• and
• at least one micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device in association with the drive rod and including a displacement sensor, the at least one MEMS device configured to at least one of:
• measure a parameter of the surgical stapler;
• or
• control a linear displacement of the drive rod.

A surgical stapler, comprising:

• a handle assembly;
• an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis;
• an end effector coupled to the elongated body and including:
• a staple cartridge assembly;
• and
• an anvil assembly pivotable relative to the staple cartridge assembly;
• a drive rod movable through the elongate body and along the longitudinal axis thereof, the drive rod extending into the cartridge assembly to effect a firing of staples from the cartridge assembly;
• and
• at least one micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device in association with the drive rod and including:
• an energy producing device;
• and
• a sensor configured to sense energy produced by the energy producing device, the at least one MEMS device being configured to determine a linear distance between the drive rod and the cartridge assembly by timing a duration between initial energy sensing by the sensor and activation of the energy producing device.

A method of detecting a status of a surgical stapler, comprising:

• moving a drive rod of a surgical stapler along a linear path to effect a stapling function of the surgical stapler;
• emitting energy from an energy producing device of at least one micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device that is in association with the drive rod;
• sensing the energy produced by the energy producing device with a sensor of the at least one MEMS device;
• timing a duration between initial energy sensing by the sensor and activation of the energy producing device to determine a linear distance between the drive rod and the cartridge assembly.