# US 2022/0273291 A1 · Monitoring of multiple sensors over time to detect moving characteristics of tissue

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- Number: US 2022/0273291 A1
- Document ID: US20220273291A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/186,350
- Filed: 2021-02-26
- Published: 2022-09-01
- Earliest claimed: 2021-02-26
- Assignees: Ethicon, Inc.
- Applicants: Ethicon LLC
- Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV; Taylor W. Aronhalt; Jason L. Harris
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220273291A1

## CPC

- A61B 17/0686: {having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling}
- A61B 17/07207: {the staples being applied sequentially}
- A61B 17/072: for applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
- A61B 90/98: using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
- G01L 5/009: {Force sensors associated with material gripping devices}
- G01L 5/228: {using tactile array force sensors}
- A61B 2017/00026: {Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue}
- A61B 2017/00084: {Temperature}
- A61B 2017/00221: {with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves}
- A61B 2017/00725: {Calibration or performance testing}
- A61B 2017/00734: {battery operated}
- A61B 2017/00929: {isolating electrical current}
- A61B 2017/07264: {characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material}
- A61B 2017/07271: {characterised by its cartridge}
- A61B 2017/07278: {characterised by its sled or its staple holder}
- A61B 2017/07285: {characterised by its cutter}
- A61B 2090/037: {with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter}
- A61B 2090/038: {during shipment}
- A61B 2090/065: {for measuring contact or contact pressure}
- H02J 50/12: of the resonant type
- H02J 50/80: involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY

## Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a wireless transmission system for transmitting at least one of power and a data signal through between an end effector and an instrument housing of the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes the sensor monitoring and processing circuit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An end effector for a surgical instrument, the end effector comprising:
a cartridge;
a movable clamp jaw pivotally coupled to the cartridge;
the cartridge comprising:
a plurality of sensors disposed longitudinally and laterally on the cartridge, the plurality of sensors configured to sense a property of tissue clamped between the cartridge and the movable clamp jaw of the end effector;
a sensors circuit electrically coupled to the plurality of sensors;
a first coil configured to inductively couple electrical power to the cartridge through near field communication, the first coil electrically coupled to the plurality of sensors and the sensors circuit; and
a second coil configured to inductively couple to a sensor monitoring and processing circuit through near field communication, wherein the sensor monitoring and processing circuit is located in a housing of a surgical instrument separate from the end effector;
wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged and configured to sense movement of tissue relative to each of the plurality of sensors based on a sensed property of the tissue.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The end effector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to sense tissue impedance.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The end effector of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to sense the movement of tissue by detecting a change in impedance from one of the plurality of sensors to an adjacent sensor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The end effector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to sense tissue capacitance.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The end effector of claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to sense the movement of tissue by detecting a change in capacitance from one of the plurality of sensors to an adjacent sensor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The end effector of claim 1, wherein the sensors circuit comprises:
a multiplexer coupled to an output of each one of the plurality of sensors; and
a logic circuit coupled to the multiplexer, the logic circuit configured to independently select each of the plurality of sensors.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The end effector of claim 6, wherein the logic circuit is configured to inductively couple to the sensor monitoring and processing circuit through the second coil.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The end effector of claim 7, wherein the logic circuit is configured to:
receive a sensor select instruction from the sensor monitoring and processing circuit through the second coil;
select one of the plurality of sensors based on the sensor select instruction;
read the selected sensor; and
provided the reading from the selected sensor to the sensor monitoring and processing circuit.

### Claim 9

A method of monitoring a plurality of sensors located in an end effector of a surgical instrument, the end effector including a cartridge, a movable clamp jaw pivotally coupled to the cartridge, the cartridge including a plurality of sensors disposed longitudinally and laterally on the cartridge, the plurality of sensors configured to sense a property of tissue clamped between the cartridge and the movable clamp jaw of the end effector, the end effector coupled to a control circuit, the method comprising:
sensing, by at least two of the plurality of sensors, a property of tissue disposed in the end effector of the surgical instrument;
monitoring, by the control circuit, the sensed property of tissue over time;
determining, by the control circuit, movement of the tissue relative to the at least two of the plurality of sensors based on the sensed property of the tissue; and
selecting, by the control circuit, a function of the surgical instrument based on the sensed movement of the tissue.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising sensing, by the plurality of sensors, tissue impedance.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, comprising determining, by the control circuit, movement of tissue based on a change in impedance from one of the plurality of sensors to an adjacent sensor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, comprising sensing, by the plurality of sensors, tissue capacitance.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, comprising determining, by the control circuit, movement of tissue based on a change in capacitance from one of the plurality of sensors to an adjacent sensor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
selecting, by a multiplexer, one of the plurality of sensors, wherein the multiplexer is coupled to an output of each one of the plurality of sensors; and
independently selecting, by a logic circuit, one of the plurality of sensors, wherein the logic circuit is coupled to the multiplexer and wherein the logic circuit is configured to independently select each of the plurality of sensors.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising inductively coupling data from the logic circuit to a sensor monitoring and processing circuit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
receiving, by the logic circuit, a sensor select instruction from the sensor monitoring and processing circuit;
selecting, by the multiplexer, one of the plurality of sensors based on the sensor select instruction;
routing, by the multiplexer, a reading from the selected sensor; and
providing, by the logic circuit, the reading from the selected sensor to the sensor monitoring and processing circuit.

### Claim 17

A method of monitoring a plurality of sensors located in an end effector of a surgical instrument, the end effector including a cartridge, a movable clamp jaw pivotally coupled to the cartridge, the cartridge including a plurality of sensors disposed longitudinally and laterally on the cartridge, the plurality of sensors configured to sense a property of tissue clamped between the cartridge and the movable clamp jaw of the end effector, the end effector coupled to a control circuit, the method comprising:
monitoring, by the control circuit, the movable clamp jaw closing on tissue disposed between the movable clamp jaw and the cartridge;
monitoring, by the control circuit, each of the plurality of sensors for a tissue property during the movable clamp jaw closing period; and
determining, by the control circuit, heterogeneous regions of the monitored tissue property, wherein the heterogeneous regions define distinct changes in the tissue that mark a baseline location.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, comprising tracking, by the control circuit, the baseline locations during a knife firing process.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, comprising:
tracking, by the control circuit position histories of the baseline locations; and
controlling, by the control circuit, the knife firing process using the position histories as feedback.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, comprising:
modifying, by the control circuit, functions of the surgical instrument; and
altering, by the control circuit, tissue floe during the knife firing process.