Staple cartridge comprising a sensing array and a temperature control system
AssigneeCilag GmbH International
InventorsPatrick L. Creamer, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Shane R. Adams, Jason L. Harris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A staple cartridge comprising a cartridge body, a sensor array, and a thermal control system is disclosed.
Claims28
A staple cartridge, comprising:
- a cartridge body comprising a deck and staple cavities defined in said deck;
- staples removably stored in the staple cavities, wherein the staples are ejected from the staple cavities during a staple firing stroke;
- a sensing array configured to assess a parameter of patient tissue supported by the cartridge body and generate one or more signals indicative thereof;
- a temperature sensor circuit in the cartridge body, the temperature sensor circuit comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature and generate a signal based thereon indicative of an amount of heat generated by the staple cartridge;
- a data transmission antenna;
- and
- a control system in communication with the sensing array, the temperature sensor circuit, and the data transmission antenna, wherein the control system comprises a processor configured to process the one or more signals from the sensing array and further configured to modify the operation of the staple cartridge to control the amount of heat generated by the staple cartridge.
A method of operating a staple cartridge of a surgical instrument, the staple cartridge comprising a cartridge body including a deck and staple cavities defined in said deck, staples removably stored in the staple cavities, wherein the staples are ejected from the staple cavities during a staple firing stroke, a sensing array configured to assess a parameter of patient tissue supported by the cartridge body and generate one or more signals indicative thereof, a temperature sensor circuit in the cartridge body, the temperature sensor circuit comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature and generate a signal based thereon indicative of an amount of heat generated by the staple cartridge, and a control system in communication with the sensing array and the temperature sensor circuit, the method comprising:
- processing, by a processor of the control system, the one or more signals from the sensing array;
- and
- modifying, by the processor, the operation of the staple cartridge to control the amount of heat generated by the staple cartridge.
A surgical stapling system, comprising:
- an end effector including a staple cartridge seated in a jaw thereof and having a cartridge body, comprising:
- a deck;
- and
- staple cavities defined in said deck;
- staples removably stored in said staple cavities, wherein said staples are ejected from said staple cavities during a staple firing stroke;
- a staple firing drive configured to produce said staple firing stroke;
- a tissue sensing array;
- a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature and generate a signal based thereon indicative of an amount of heat generated by the staple cartridge;
- and
- a control system in communication with the tissue sensing array and the temperature sensor, wherein the control system comprises a processor configured to process the one or more signals from the sensing array and further configured to modify the operation of the staple cartridge to control the amount of heat generated by the staple cartridge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.