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US 7,738,971 B2Granted
Post-sterilization programming of surgical instruments
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey S. Swayze, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument with a programmable control unit and methods for programming the control unit while the surgical instrument is in a sterile container. The method may comprise packaging the surgical instrument in the container and then sterilizing the surgical instrument while the surgical instrument is in the container. The method may further comprise programming the surgical instrument while the surgical instrument is in the container with a programming device positioned outside of the container.
Claims18
A combination comprising:
- a sterile container;
- a surgical instrument inside the sterile container, the surgical instrument comprising:
- a control unit, wherein the control unit comprises:
- a processor;
- and
- a non-volatile memory in communication with the processor;
- an electric motor for actuating the surgical instrument when the surgical instrument is removed from the sterile container and operated by a user;
- and
- a battery for supplying power to the electric motor when the surgical instrument is removed from the sterile container and operated by the user;
- and
- a remote programming device, outside of the sterile container, for wirelessly transmitting, when the surgical instrument is inside the sterile container, programming code to the control unit for storage in the non-volatile memory, wherein the programming code stored in the non-volatile memory is executed by the processor when the surgical instrument is removed from the sterile container and operated by the user.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- packaging a surgical instrument in a container;
- sterilizing the surgical instrument while the surgical instrument is in the container;
- and
- after sterilizing the surgical instrument, programming the surgical instrument while the surgical instrument is in the container with a programming device positioned outside of the container.
1 more element
A combination comprising:
- a surgical instrument comprising a handle, wherein the handle comprises:
- a control unit in the handle;
- and
- an external connection interface for the control unit;
- and
- a sterile container containing the surgical instrument, wherein the container comprises a connection interface that comprises an interior end that mates with the external connection interface of the surgical instrument and an exterior end at the exterior of the container.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.