Surgical system couplable with staple cartridge and radio frequency cartridge, and method of using same

A staple cartridge usable with a surgical instrument, the staple cartridge comprising:

• a deck;
• an elongate slot extending through the deck;
• a plurality of staple cavities defined in the deck;
• staples removably positioned in the plurality of staple cavities;
• and
• a plurality of impedance sensing electrodes, comprising:
• a first impedance sensing electrode positioned in a first zone of the deck, wherein the first impedance sensing electrode is addressable to apply first energy to tissue positioned in the first zone, wherein a control circuit is configured to determine an impedance indicative of a thickness of the tissue positioned in the first zone based on the first energy;
• and
• a second impedance sensing electrode positioned in a second zone of the deck, wherein the second zone is distal to the first zone, wherein the second impedance sensing electrode is addressable to apply second energy to tissue positioned in the second zone, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine an impedance indicative of a thickness of the tissue positioned in the second zone based on the second energy, wherein the second impedance sensing electrode and the first impedance sensing electrode are independently addressable;
• and
• wherein advancement of a knife through the elongate slot is based on the determined impedance indicative of the thickness of the tissue in the first zone and the determined impedance indicative of the thickness of the tissue in the second zone.

A staple cartridge usable with a surgical instrument, the staple cartridge comprising:

• a deck;
• an elongate slot extending through the deck, wherein the elongate slot defines a first lateral side of the deck and a second lateral side of the deck opposite the first lateral side of the deck;
• a plurality of staple cavities defined in the deck;
• staples removably positioned in the plurality of staple cavities;
• and
• a first impedance measuring assembly comprising a first impedance measuring electrode and a second impedance measuring electrode positioned in a first zone of the deck, wherein the first impedance measuring assembly is addressable to measure an impedance indicative of a thickness of tissue positioned in the first zone;
• and
• a second impedance measuring assembly comprising a third impedance measuring electrode and a fourth impedance measuring electrode positioned in a second zone of the deck, wherein the second zone is distal to the first zone, wherein the second impedance measuring assembly is addressable to measure an impedance indicative of a thickness of tissue positioned in the second zone;
• and
• wherein advancement of a knife through the elongate slot is based on the measured impedance indicative of the thickness of tissue in the first zone and the measured impedance indicative of the thickness of tissue in the second zone.

A staple cartridge usable with a surgical instrument, the staple cartridge comprising:

• a deck comprising a first zone and a second zone, wherein the second zone is distal to the first zone;
• an elongate slot extending through the deck, wherein the elongate slot defines a first lateral side of the deck and a second lateral side of the deck opposite the first lateral side of the deck;
• a plurality of staple cavities defined in the deck;
• staples removably positioned in the plurality of staple cavities;
• wherein the first zone comprises:
• a first portion of the elongate slot;
• and
• a first impedance sensing electrode configured to sense an impedance indicative of a thickness of tissue positioned in the first zone, wherein advancement of a knife through the first portion of the elongate slot is based on the sensed impedance indicative of the thickness of tissue in the first zone;
• wherein the second zone comprises:
• a second portion of the elongate slot;
• and
• a second impedance sensing electrode configured to sense an impedance indicative of a thickness of tissue positioned in the second zone, wherein advancement of the knife through the second portion of the elongate slot is based on the sensed impedance indicative of the thickness of tissue in the second zone;
• and
• wherein the second impedance sensing assembly and the first impedance sensing assembly are independently addressable.