Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Ethicon, Gmbh

Cilag International Gmbh

Shan Wan

Scott A Nield

Foster B Stulen

Eitan T Wiener

Daniel W Price

James R Giordano

Jacob Spencer Gee

Craig T Davis

Kevin L Houser

Ryan M Asher

Jeffrey L Aldridge

Brian D Black

David Keith Norvell

Aaron C Voegele

Eric M Roberson

Chad Paul Boudreaux

Gregory W Johnson

Timothy S Holland

Jeffrey A Bullock

Jeffrey David Messerly

Ashvani K Madan

Stephen M Leuck

Frederick L Estera

Ion V Nicolaescu

Amelia Pierce

William Bruce Weisenburgh, Ii

Richard William Timm

Craig N Faller

William D Dannaher

Jason R Lesko

Nathan T Cummings

Amy M Krumm

Candice Otrembiak

Mark E Tebbe

Geni M Giannotti

Glenn W Ellison

David C Yates

John A Hibner

Cory G Kimball

Sean P Conlon

John V Hunt

Benjamin D Dickerson

John B Schulte

Kristen G Denzinger

Mark A Davison

John E Brady

Tylor C Muhlenkamp

Vincent P Battaglia, Jr

Robert A Kemerling

Joseph E Hollo

Siliang Chen

Zhang Yang

Frederick E Shelton, IV

Shuhui Chen

David A Witt

David James Cagle

Brian F Dinardo

William A Olson

Amrita Singh Sawhney

David Alexander Monroe

Monica L Rivard

Brian DiNardo

Peter B Madson

Kevin Bash

Christina M Hough

Xiangchun Hong

James M Wilson

Monica L Zeckel

Wei Sun

William B Weisenburgh

Kristen L D'Uva

Shawn D Bialczak

Jeffrey W Bullock

Lian Xu

Amelia A Pierce

Vincent P Battaglia

Ii William B Weisenburgh

William B Weisenburgh Ii

Kevin A Bash

Jr Vincent P Battaglia

Jeffrey L Aldrige

An ultrasonic instrument includes a housing, an ultrasonic transducer support by the housing, and an integrated usage indicator. The housing is configured to removably connect to a shaft assembly. The ultrasonic transducer is configured to be acoustically connected to a waveguide and operated a predetermined number of use cycles. The integrated usage indicator is operatively connected to the housing and includes a used state indicator. The used state indicator is configured to indicate to a clinician in a used state when the ultrasonic transducer has been operated at least the predetermined number of use cycles for limiting usage of the ultrasonic transducer to the predetermined number of use cycles.

Surgical instrument use indicator

Systems, devices, and methods are operable to track usage of a surgical instrument and modify the performance of the surgical instrument based on the prior usage of the surgical instrument. Some surgical instruments are designed to have a limited service life beginning at their first use, or a limit to their overall usage in order to ensure safe use of the sensitive instruments. However, a lack of ability to track usage characteristics when the instrument is separated from an external power supply allows for user abuse and avoidance of such safety mechanisms. Adding a battery or capacitor to the instrument may allow for an ability to track usage when the instrument is separated from an external power supply. Implementing special user prompts, device use ratios, and device use half-life upon powering down of an instrument may additionally be used to prevent circumvention of safety features.

System and method to track usage of surgical instrument

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body. The end effector is located at a distal end portion of the shaft assembly. The end effector includes an active feature configured to operate on tissue. The body includes a drive feature operable to drive the active feature of the end effector. The body is removably coupled with the shaft assembly in a connected state and separated from the shaft assembly in a disconnected state. The body includes a drive feature configured to drive operation of the active feature of the effector. The drive feature includes at least one of an ultrasonic drive feature or a mechanical drive feature. A proximal end portion of the shaft assembly is configured to be removed from the body to separate the at least one activation feature from the drive feature.

Surgical instrument with separable shaft assembly and body

In one general aspect, various embodiments are directed to a surgical instrument that can supply mechanical energy and electrical energy to an end effector of the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may be operated in a first operating mode in which a transducer of the surgical instrument produces mechanical energy, or vibrations, that are transmitted to the end effector and a second operating mode in which electrical energy, or current, can flow through the end effector to perform electrosurgery. In another general aspect, the surgical instrument may comprise a clamp, or jaw, which can be moved into a closed position to hold tissue against a waveguide, or blade, of the end effector. In the second operating mode of the surgical instrument, current can flow from a power source, through the waveguide, and return to the power source through a path comprising the jaw.

Ultrasonic surgical instruments

An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include a discharge port, an aspiration port, two electrodes, and a diverter formed from a porous material. The diverter includes a matrix having voids to receive fluid from the discharge port. A releasable diverter assembly may include an assembly body configured to receive a pair of electrodes and a diverter composed of a porous material. A shaft assembly of an electrosurgical device may include two electrodes and two fluid cannulae. Each cannula may be disposed proximate to a surface of each of the electrodes. An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include a fluid discharge port, two electrodes, and a diverter disposed therebetween. A proximal edge of the diverter may form a secant line with respect to the end of the discharge port so that fluid emitted by the discharge port is disposed on a surface of the diverter.

Saline contact with electrodes

An apparatus includes a shaft assembly and an end effector. The shaft assembly includes an outer sheath, at least one irrigation conduit, and at least one suction conduit. The end effector includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a web. The electrodes extend distally relative to a distal end of the outer sheath. The electrodes are operable to apply bipolar RF energy to tissue. The web extends laterally between the first and second electrodes. The web is positioned distal to the distal end of the outer sheath.

End effector for electrosurgical instrument with irrigation

An ultrasonic surgical instrument is disclosed including a handle including a pivoting handle portion, an end effector configured to treat tissue, a waveguide extending to the end effector, a battery and a vibration generating system selectively operable in a plurality of energizing operating states. The plurality of energizing operating states consists of a first operating state in which a first power is supplied to the end effector and a second operating state in which a second power is supplied to the end effector. The first power is different than the second power. The vibration generating system includes a transducer selectively attachable to the handle and a switch configured to operably switch the vibration generating system between the first operating state and the second operating state. The switch is further configured to operably switch the vibration generating system between the plurality of energizing operating states and a non-energizing operating state.

In one general aspect, various embodiments are directed to an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises a transducer configured to produce vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency. In various embodiments, an ultrasonic blade extends along the longitudinal axis and is coupled to the transducer. In various embodiments, the ultrasonic blade includes a body having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is movable relative to the longitudinal axis by the vibrations produced by the transducer.

Disclosed is an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising a transducer base plate, first and second piezoelectric elements positioned on opposite faces of the transducer base plate. The transducer base plate is coupled to a waveguide. The waveguide is electrically coupled to the first and second piezoelectric elements by a conductive adhesive. The first and second piezoelectric elements are electrically coupled to an ultrasonic signal generator through an electrode. A thermal conductor conducts thermal energy away from the first and second piezoelectric elements. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating such an ultrasonic surgical instrument.

Electrical and thermal connections for ultrasonic transducer

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft, and an end effector. The shaft extends distally from the body. The end effector is located at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector includes an active feature configured to operate on tissue. The body includes a drive feature operable to drive the active feature of the end effector. The body is operable to selectively couple with a variety of power sources such that the drive feature may receive electrical power form a battery or from a corded power source, based on a user's preference. The body may include a handpiece that has a socket configured to receive a battery or cable adapter. The body may removably receive various kinds of shaft assemblies to provide various operating modalities. The shaft assemblies may include user interface features.

Surgical instrument with selectable integral or external power source

Growing community of inventors

Mason, OH, United States of America

Shan Wan