Lifecycle monitoring features for surgical instrument

{
  "publication_number": "US10172684B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Lifecycle monitoring features for surgical instrument",
  "abstract": "An apparatus includes a housing, a processing circuit, a user feedback feature, and a surgical instrument interface feature. The user feedback feature is in communication with the processing circuit. The surgical instrument interface feature includes a structural interface feature and an electrical interface feature. The structural interface feature is configured to fit in a portion of a body of a surgical instrument. The portion of the body of the surgical instrument is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer. The electrical interface feature is in communication with the processing circuit and is configured to interface with a complementary electrical interface feature of the surgical instrument. The complementary electrical interface feature of the surgical instrument is configured to couple with an ultrasonic transducer. The processing circuit is configured to receive data relating to a number of uses of the surgical instrument via the electrical interface feature.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus comprising: (a) a housing; (b) a processing circuit contained within the housing; (c) a user feedback feature in communication with the processing circuit; (d) a surgical instrument interface feature, wherein the surgical instrument interface feature comprises: (i) a structural interface feature, wherein the structural interface feature is configured to fit in a portion of a body of a surgical instrument, wherein the portion of the body of the surgical instrument is configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer, and (ii) an electrical interface feature, wherein the electrical interface feature is in communication with the processing circuit, wherein the electrical interface feature is configured to interface with a complementary electrical interface feature of the surgical instrument, wherein the complementary electrical interface feature of the surgical instrument is configured to couple with an ultrasonic transducer, and (e) a plug port in communication with the processing circuit; wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive data relating to a number of uses of the surgical instrument via the electrical interface feature, and wherein the plug port is configured to couple with a cable from an ultrasonic transducer of a surgical instrument.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to drive the user feedback feature based on the data relating to a number of uses of the surgical instrument.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the user feedback feature comprises a display.",
    "4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processing circuit is operable to drive the display to present a first color in response to the data indicating that the surgical instrument has at least one remaining use left, wherein the processing circuit is operable to drive the display to present a second color in response to the data indicating that the surgical instrument has no remaining uses left.",
    "5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structural interface feature comprises a tower.",
    "6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the tower comprises a set of contact of rings, wherein the set of contact rings are sized, configured, and arranged to functionally mimic a set of transducer contact rings of an ultrasonic transducer.",
    "7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical interface feature comprises one or more electrical contacts exposed on the electrical interface feature.",
    "8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more electrical contacts comprise one or more ring contacts.",
    "9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor in communication with the processing circuit, wherein the sensor is configured to sense coupling of a surgical instrument with the structural interface feature.",
    "10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure switch.",
    "11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing circuit is configured to be activated to obtain use data from a surgical instrument via the electrical interface feature in response to the sensor detecting coupling of the surgical instrument with the structural interface feature.",
    "12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive data relating to a number of uses of the surgical instrument via the plug port.",
    "13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a surgical instrument, wherein the surgical instrument comprises: (i) a counting circuit configured to count a number of times that the surgical instrument has been used, (ii) an opening configured to receive the structural interface feature, wherein the opening is further configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer, and (iii) an electrical interface feature in communication with the counting circuit, wherein the electrical interface feature of the surgical instrument is configured to interface with the electrical interface feature of the surgical instrument interface feature.",
    "14. A method of using a use indicator device to determine whether a used surgical instrument has any uses remaining, the method comprising: (a) coupling a first portion of the surgical instrument with a structural interface feature of the use indicator device, wherein the first portion of the surgical instrument defines a recess configured to receive an ultrasonic transducer, wherein the first portion of the surgical instrument further includes a first electrical interface feature, wherein the structural interface feature of the use indicator device includes a second electrical interface feature, wherein the first and second electrical interface features are coupled together as a result of the first portion of the surgical instrument being coupled with the structural interface feature of the use indicator device; (b) receiving data relating to prior use of the surgical instrument, wherein the data is received by the use indicator device from the surgical instrument via the coupled first and second electrical interface features; and (c) activating a display of the use indicator device to indicate whether any uses remain for the surgical instrument, based on the received data.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, further comprising removing an ultrasonic transducer from the first portion of the surgical instrument before performing the act of coupling the first portion of the surgical instrument with the structural interface feature of the use indicator device."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. App. No. 62/329,381, entitled “Apparatus to Provide Reusability of Ultrasonic Surgical Instrument Feature,” filed Apr. 29, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.\n\nA variety of surgical instruments include an end effector having a blade element that vibrates at ultrasonic frequencies to cut and/or seal tissue (e.g., by denaturing proteins in tissue cells). These instruments include one or more piezoelectric elements that convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations, which are communicated along an acoustic waveguide to the blade element. The precision of cutting and coagulation may be controlled by the operator's technique and adjusting the power level, blade edge angle, tissue traction, and blade pressure. The power level used to drive the blade element may be varied (e.g., in real time) based on sensed parameters such as tissue impedance, tissue temperature, tissue thickness, and/or other factors. Some instruments have a clamp arm and clamp pad for grasping tissue with the blade element.\n\nExamples of ultrasonic surgical instruments include the HARMONIC ACE® Ultrasonic Shears, the HARMONIC WAVE® Ultrasonic Shears, the HARMONIC FOCUS® Ultrasonic Shears, and the HARMONIC SYNERGY® Ultrasonic Blades, all by Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Further examples of such devices and related concepts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,055, entitled “Clamp Coagulator/Cutting System for Ultrasonic Surgical Instruments,” issued Jun. 21, 1994, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No.",
  "cpc": [
    "A61B 90/08",
    "A61B 17/295",
    "A61B 17/320068",
    "A61B 17/320092",
    "A61B 2017/00115",
    "A61B 2017/00119",
    "A61B 2017/00199",
    "A61B 2017/00477",
    "A61B 2017/00725",
    "A61B 2017/320094",
    "A61B 2017/320095",
    "A61B 2018/00988",
    "A61B 2090/0803",
    "A61B 2090/0807",
    "A61B 2560/028"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61B 17/295",
    "A61B 17/32",
    "A61B 90/00",
    "A61B 17/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ethicon LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Sean P. Conlon",
    "Lucas B. Elmer",
    "Andrew W. CARROLL"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-04-06",
  "publication_date": "2019-01-08",
  "grant_date": "2019-01-08",
  "priority_date": "2016-04-29",
  "application_number": "US-201715480546-A",
  "family_id": "60157278",
  "cited_by_count": 11,
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}