Adjunct with integrated sensors to quantify tissue compression

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9724094-B2
Application number	US-201414479119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2014
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A surgical stapling system including a shaft assembly transmits actuation motions from an actuator and an end effector compresses and staples tissue. The end effector comprises an elongated channel; an anvil having a staple forming surface is moveable relative to the elongated channel between an open position and a closed position; and a staple cartridge removably positioned within the elongated channel. The staple cartridge comprises a body having a tissue contacting surface in a confronting relationship with the staple forming surface; a plurality of staple drivers within the cartridge body each supporting a staple; and a tissue thickness compensator positionable between the anvil and the cartridge, the tissue thickness compensator is captured by the staples and assumes different compressed heights within the different staples. The tissue compensator comprises first conductive elements. The system determines properties of tissue compressed between the anvil and the cartridge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical stapling system comprising:
an elongated shaft assembly configured to transmit actuation motions from an actuator;
an end effector for compressing and stapling tissue, the end effector operably coupled to the elongated shaft, the end effector comprising:
an elongated channel;
an anvil having a staple forming surface thereon, the anvil moveable relative to the elongated channel between an open position and a closed position; and
a staple cartridge removably positioned within the elongated channel, the staple cartridge comprising:
a cartridge body having a tissue contacting surface in a confronting relationship with the staple forming surface of the anvil; and
a plurality of staple drivers within the cartridge body each supporting a staple; and

a tissue thickness compensator operable to be positioned between the anvil and the staple cartridge, the tissue thickness compensator configured to be captured by the staples and assume different compressed heights within the staples, the tissue compensator comprising first conductive elements, wherein the first conductive elements comprise a wire mesh;
wherein the system is operable to determine a property of tissue compressed between the anvil and the staple cartridge.

2. The system of claim 1 , the first conductive elements comprising one or more wire coils.

3. The system of claim 2 , the anvil further comprising one or more eddy current sensors operable to capacitively couple with the one or more wire coils to indicate an amount of compressed tissue in any area of the end effector.

4. The system of claim 2 , the staple cartridge further comprising one or more eddy current sensors operable to capacitively couple with the one or more wire coils to indicate an amount of compressed tissue in any area of the end effector.

5. The system of claim 1 , the anvil comprising one or more first eddy current sensors, the staple cartridge further comprising one or more second eddy current sensors, the first conductive elements comprising one or more first coils of wire and one or more second coils of wire, wherein the first eddy current sensors capacitively couple with the first coils of wire and the second eddy current sensors capacitively couple with the second coils of wire.

6. The system of claim 1 , the anvil comprising second conductive elements operable to capacitively couple with the wire mesh to indicate an amount of compressed tissue in any area of the end effector.

7. The system of claim 1 the staple cartridge further comprising second conductive elements operable to capacitively couple with the wire mesh to indicate an amount of compressed tissue in any area of the end effector.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein staple penetration into the wire mesh indicates a location of the staple or quality of the staple form.

9. A surgical stapling system comprising:
an elongated shaft assembly configured to transmit actuation motions from an actuator;
an end effector for compressing and stapling tissue, the end effector operably coupled to the elongated shaft, the end effector comprising:
an elongated channel;
an anvil having a staple forming surface thereon, the anvil moveable relative to the elongated channel between an open position and a closed position; and
a staple cartridge removably positioned within the elongated channel, the staple cartridge comprising:
a cartridge body having a tissue contacting surface in a confronting relationship with the staple forming surface of the anvil; and
a plurality of staple drivers within the cartridge body each supporting a staple; and

a tissue thickness compensator operable to be positioned between the anvil and the staple cartridge, the tissue thickness compensator configured to be captured by the staples and assume different compressed heights within the staples, the tissue compensator comprising first conductive elements;
wherein the system is operable to determine a property of tissue compressed between the anvil and the staple cartridge, wherein the first conductive elements comprise a first array of conductors and a second opposing array of conductors, and wherein the first array of conductors are separated from the second array of conductors by an insulator.

10. A surgical stapling system comprising:
an elongated shaft assembly configured to transmit actuation motions from an actuator;
an end effector for compressing and stapling tissue, the end effector operably coupled to the elongated shaft, the end effector comprising:
an elongated channel;
an anvil having a staple forming surface thereon, the anvil moveable relative to the elongated channel between an open position and a closed position; and
a staple cartridge removably positioned within the elongated channel, the staple cartridge comprising:
a cartridge body having a tissue contacting surface in a confronting relationship with the staple forming surface of the anvil; and
a plurality of staple drivers within the cartridge body each supporting a staple; and

a tissue thickness compensator operable to be positioned between the anvil and the staple cartridge, the tissue thickness compensator configured to be captured by the staples and assume different compressed heights within the staples, the tissue compensator comprising first conductive elements;
wherein the system is operable to determine a property of tissue compressed between the anvil and the staple cartridge, wherein the first conductive elements comprise a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors, and wherein the first set of conductors are configured to apply small pulses of current at predetermined frequencies to the tissue and the second set of conductors are configured to detect the response of the tissue to the pulses of current.

11. A surgical stapling system comprising:
an elongated shaft assembly configured to transmit actuation motions from an actuator;
an end effector for compressing and stapling tissue, the end effector operably coupled to the elongated shaft, the end effector comprising:
an elongated channel;
an anvil having a staple forming surface thereon, the anvil moveable relative to the elongated channel between an open position and a closed position; and
a staple cartridge removably positioned within the elongated channel, the staple cartridge comprising:
a cartridge body having a tissue contacting surface in a confronting relationship with the staple forming surface of the anvil; and
a plurality of staple drivers within the cartridge body each supporting a staple; and

a tissue thickness compensator operable to be positioned between the anvil and the staple cartridge, the tissue thickness compensator configured to be captured by the staples and assume different compressed heights within the staples, the tissue compensator comprising first conductive elements wherein the system is operable to determine a property of tissue compressed between the anvil and the staple cartridge, and wherein the first conductive elements comprise conductive material embedded in the tissue compensator, and the anvil further comprises second conductive elements operable to electrically couple with the first conductive elements and indicate an amount of compressed tissue in any area of the end effector.

12. A surgical stapling system comprising:
an elongated shaft assembly configured to transmit actuation motions from an actuator;
an end effector for compressing and stapling tissue, the end effector operably coupled to the elongated shaft, the end effector comprising:
an elongated channel;
an anvil having a staple forming surface thereon, the anvil moveable relative to the elongated channel bet

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Baber Daniel L
• Swayze Jeffrey S
• Beckman Andrew T
• Shelton Iv Frederick E

Classifications

• H02J1/001

  Hot plugging or unplugging of load or power modules to or from power distribution networks · CPC title

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J2105/46

  Medical devices, medical implants or life supporting devices · CPC title

• A61B17/105

  Wound clamp magazines (for packaging sharps A61B50/3001) · CPC title

• A61B17/068

  Surgical staplers {, e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps}({staplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105;} for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; {staplers in general B25C5/00}) · CPC title