Cilag International Gmbh

Curtis A Maples

Frederick E Shelton, IV

Shane R Adams

Kevin Michael Fiebig

Nicholas J Ross

Matthew D Cowperthwait

Gregory J Bakos

Taylor W Aronhalt

Adam David Hensel

Raymond E Parfett

A surgical stapling system includes an anvil, a blade, a motor and gear assembly, a motor power supply, and a motor controller. A method of controlling the motor includes receiving first and second data indicative of operations of the motor under first and second conditions, respectively, and adjusting a motor control signal based on a difference between the first and second data. Another method includes receiving initial manufacture motor and gear assembly data from a manufacture and operational data during an initial use of the system, and adjusting parameters of the control signal based on a difference between the manufacture data and the operational data. Another method includes controlling a pulse-width modulated (PWM) motor control signal, receiving data regarding an interaction between the blade and a tissue clamped by the anvil, and adjusting a frequency of the PWM signal based on the data related to the interaction.

Adjustment of a motor control command signal to adapt to system changes

An apparatus includes a shaft assembly, an end effector, and a drive member visualization assembly. The end effector includes a first jaw, a second jaw, a staple cartridge, and a drive member capable of actuating along a firing stroke to fire a plurality of staples out of the staple cartridge or to sever tissue. The drive member visualization assembly provides an electronic indication linked to a physical location of the drive member within the upper jaw and the lower jaw during the firing stroke.

Firing member tracking feature for surgical stapler

A method of operating a robotically controlled surgical instrument that includes an end effector, a driving assembly, and a lockout, the method includes inhibiting actuation of the driving assembly when the lockout is in a locked configuration in response to an unspent staple cartridge being absent from a first jaw of the end effector. The method also includes inserting the unspent staple cartridge into the first jaw of the end effector to switch the lockout to an unlocked configuration. The method also includes actuating the driving assembly to pivot the first jaw, which includes the staple cartridge, toward a second jaw of the end effector to at least one of staple or cut tissue with the end effector when the lockout is in the unlocked configuration.

Methods of operating a robotic surgical stapler

A surgical instrument includes a shaft assembly, an end effector, a driving assembly, at least one motor, and a motor controller. The at least one motor is configured to actuate the driving assembly to deploy staples. The motor controller is in communication with the motor. The motor controller is configured to determine whether values of first and second trigger variables exceed predetermined thresholds. The motor controller is configured to modify at least one motor control parameter in response to determining that the values of the first and second trigger variables exceed the predetermined thresholds. The motor control parameters include a motion profile instituted by the motor controller for the motor, a waiting period during which power to the motor is reduced or stopped, or the predetermined threshold relating to current or force for proximal retraction to be different from the predetermined threshold relating to current or force for distal advancement.

Multi-threshold motor control algorithm for powered surgical stapler

A surgical stapling instrument includes a shaft assembly, an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly and having a first jaw with an anvil and a second jaw operable to cooperate with the first jaw to clamp tissue, and a cartridge inserted into the second jaw. The cartridge includes staples, a movable member translatable distally during a firing stroke to discharge the staples into tissue, a first sensor assembly configured to monitor a first condition of the cartridge, and a second sensor assembly configured to monitor a second condition of the cartridge. A first processor is coupled with the first and second sensor assemblies and is configured to receive first and second signals from the sensor assemblies, respectively, where each signal is indicative of the respective condition of the cartridge. The first processor is configured to selectively permit or restrict the firing stroke based upon the signals.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Curtis A Maples