Surgical stapler with clamp force sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12390219-B2
Application number	US-202318502500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2023
Priority date	Nov 6, 2023
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, a shaft assembly, an end effector and a clamp force sensor. The handle assembly includes a closure trigger that is pivotable between a released position and an actuated position. The end effector is coupled with the shaft assembly and includes a cartridge that includes an anvil and a cartridge housing. The cartridge housing is slidable with respect to the anvil between an unclamped position and a clamped position to facilitate selective clamping of patient tissue therebetween. The clamp force sensor is associated with the end effector and is configured to detect a clamping force between the anvil and the cartridge housing and facilitate generation of a notification as a function of the detected clamping force.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
(a) a handle assembly comprising a closure trigger that is pivotable between a released position and an actuated position;
(b) a shaft assembly;
(c) an end effector coupled with the shaft assembly and comprising a cartridge that includes an anvil and a cartridge housing, the cartridge housing being slidable with respect to the anvil between an unclamped position and a clamped position to facilitate selective clamping of patient tissue therebetween; and
(d) a sensor fixed relative to the anvil and configured to detect deflection of the anvil relative to the cartridge housing in the clamped position and facilitate generation of a notification as a function of the detected deflection.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a sensing component, a controller in signal communication with the sensing component, a communication module that facilitates communication with a remote computing device, and a power module that facilitates powering of the sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
(a) the end effector further comprises a supporting structure configured to facilitate selective retention of the cartridge,
(b) the sensor is coupled with the supporting structure such that the sensing component is located at a distal end of the end effector, and
(c) the controller, the communication module, and the power module are located at a proximal end of the end effector.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the sensing component, the controller, the communication module, and the power module are disposed within a housing that is releasably coupled to the supporting structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the housing is releasably coupled to the supporting structure with adhesive.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in combination with an applicator that is configured for releasably grasping the housing to facilitate selective installation of the housing onto the support structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the sensing component comprises a strain gage, the power module comprises a battery, and the communication module comprises a wireless communication module that facilitates wireless communication with the remote computing device.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the supporting structure defines an interior chamber and the sensing component, the controller, the communication module, and the power module are disposed within the interior chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the sensing component is coupled with the communication module with a wire that extends therebetween and is disposed in the interior chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the sensing component comprises a strain gage, the power module comprises a battery, and the communication module comprises a wireless communication module that facilitates wireless communication with the remote computing device.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the sensing component, the controller, the communication module, and the power module are coupled with the cartridge.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
(i) the cartridge housing defines a first interior chamber, and
(ii) the controller, the communication module, and the power module are disposed within the first interior chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the sensing component is coupled with the anvil.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:
(i) the anvil defines a second interior chamber,
(ii) the sensing component is disposed within the first interior chamber, and
(iii) the sensing component is coupled with communication module with a wire that extends between the first interior chamber and the second interior chamber.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the sensing component comprises a strain gage, the power module comprises a battery, and the communication module comprises a wireless communication module that facilitates wireless communication with the remote computing device.

16. An apparatus, comprising:
(a) a handle assembly comprising a closure trigger that is pivotable between a released position and an actuated position;
(b) a shaft assembly;
(c) an end effector coupled with the shaft assembly and comprising an anvil and a cartridge housing, the cartridge housing being slidable with respect to the anvil between an unclamped position and a clamped position to facilitate selective clamping of patient tissue therebetween; and
(d) a clamp force sensing link operably coupled with the shaft assembly and the closure trigger such that pivoting of the closure trigger from the released position to the actuated position facilitates actuation of the end effector from the unclamped position to the clamped position via the clamp force sensing link and the shaft assembly, wherein the clamp force sensing link is configured to detect a force exerted by the closure trigger on the end effector to facilitate generation of a notification as a function of the detected force.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the clamp force sensing link is configured to facilitate generation of an alarm when the detected force exceeds a threshold value.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the clamp force sensing link comprises:
(i) a rod and a sleeve coupled with the closure trigger and the shaft assembly;
(ii) a spring that biases the rod and sleeve apart; and
(iii) a switch assembly that is selectively activated when the rod and the sleeve are compressed together beyond a predefined distance.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the notification comprises one of a visual alarm or an audible alarm.

20. A surgical stapler end effector comprising:
(a) an anvil;
(b) a cartridge housing that is slidable with respect to the anvil between an unclamped position and a clamped position to facilitate selective clamping of patient tissue between the anvil and the cartridge housing; and
(c) a sensor comprising a sensing component fixed relative to the anvil, a controller in signal communication with the sensing component, a communication module that facilitates communication with a remote computing device, and a power module that facilitates powering of the sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect deflection of the anvil and facilitate generation of a notification as a function of the detected deflection.

Assignees

• Cilag Gmbh Int

Inventors

• Bruce John K
• Raghavan Devanathan
• Boudreaux Chad P
• Arnold Bradley A

Classifications

• A61B2562/0261

  Strain gauges · CPC title

• A61B2017/07271

  characterised by its cartridge · CPC title

• A61B2017/07257

  characterised by its anvil · CPC title

• A61B2017/00734

  battery operated · CPC title

• A61B2017/00221

  with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves · CPC title