EP-4275621-B1 - STAPLE CARTRIDGE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS

Inventors

• SCHINGS, BRIAN D.
• HUANG, ZHIFAN F.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20221025

Claims (10)

1. A staple cartridge assembly (2400), comprising: a staple cartridge (2410), comprising: a cartridge body (2430); a longitudinal slot defined in said cartridge body configured to receive a firing member of a surgical instrument therethrough; a plurality of staple cavities defined in said cartridge body; and a plurality of staples removably stored within said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be deployed by the surgical instrument; and a staple cartridge retainer (2450) configured to hold said staples within said staple cartridge prior to firing said staple cartridge and during the installation of said staple cartridge into the surgical instrument, wherein said staple cartridge retainer comprises: a rib (2457) configured to be received within said longitudinal slot; a body portion (2451); and characterized by an RFID tag (2460) embedded within said body portion, wherein said RFID tag comprises a memory, wherein said memory comprises data stored in said memory specific to said staple cartridge assembly, and wherein said data is accessible by an RFID reader (2500) of a surgical instrument handle (2100), and wherein said staple cartridge retainer comprises a proximal end (2456), and wherein said RFID tag is embedded within said staple cartridge retainer within said proximal end.
2. The staple cartridge assembly of Claim 1, wherein said RFID tag comprises a writable RFID tag.
3. A surgical stapling system, comprising: an instrument interface, comprising: a control circuit; and an RFID reader; a shaft assembly attachable to and detachable from said instrument interface, wherein said shaft assembly comprises: a shaft; and an end effector, comprising: a first jaw; a second jaw movable relative to said first jaw; an anvil; and a cartridge channel; and a replaceable staple cartridge assembly according to claim 1, removably positioned within said cartridge channel.
4. The surgical stapling system of Claim 3, wherein said control circuit is configured to modify a motor control program according to said identifier information.
5. The surgical stapling system of Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said instrument interface comprises a handle housing.
6. The surgical stapling system of any one of Claims 3 - 5, wherein said handle housing comprises an aperture defined therein configured to receive a portion of said staple cartridge retainer therein to read said RFID tag with said RFID reader.
7. The surgical stapling system of any one of Claims 3 - 6, wherein said RFID tag cannot be read by said RFID reader if said staple cartridge retainer is attached to said cartridge body.
8. The surgical stapling system of any one of Claims 3 - 7, wherein said control circuit is configured to alert a user of a validity status of said staple cartridge assembly installed within said cartridge channel upon reading said RFID tag with said RFID reader.
9. A staple cartridge assembly, comprising: a staple cartridge (5410), comprising: a cartridge body; a longitudinal slot defined in said cartridge body; a plurality of staple cavities defined in said cartridge body; and a plurality of staples removably stored within said staple cavities; and a staple retainer (5430) configured to hold said staples within said staple cartridge prior to firing the staple cartridge and during the installation of said staple cartridge in a cartridge channel, wherein said staple retainer comprises: arms configured to hold said staple retainer to said cartridge body prior to removal; and characterized by features (5541, 5543) detectable by an instrument interface, wherein a unique profile (5540) of said features represents information specific to said staple cartridge and wherein said features comprise tabs extending from a proximal end of said staple retainer.
10. The staple cartridge assembly of Claim 9, wherein said features are configured to engage switches positioned within a surgical instrument handle housing.

Description

BACKGROUND US 2020/405302 A1 discusses a surgical system is including a replaceable staple cartridge stored in a packaging that includes a first RFID tag including first encrypted information. The replaceable staple cartridge includes a second RFID tag including second encrypted information. A retainer includes a third RFID tag including third encrypted information. A controller includes a first key to decrypt the first encrypted information. The controller releases a second key if the first encrypted information is recognized. The controller uses the second key to decrypt the second encrypted information. The controller releases a third key if the second encrypted information is recognized. The controller uses the third internal key to decrypt the third encrypted information. The controller prevents a surgical instrument from performing a staple firing stroke if at least one of the first encrypted information, the second encrypted information, and the third encrypted information is unable to be recognized. US 2020/405303 A1 discusses a replaceable staple cartridge including a sled and an RFID tag. A lockout member includes a distal end. The distal end contacts a proximal portion of the sled as the replaceable staple cartridge is seated in the first jaw. A solenoid is configurable in an active configuration and an inactive configuration. The controller places the solenoid in an active configuration when the controller determines the replaceable staple cartridge is compatible for use with the surgical stapling instrument. The controller places the solenoid in an inactive configuration when an RFID scanner receives a signal from the RFID tag indicative that the replaceable staple cartridge is incompatible for use with the surgical stapling instrument. The lockout member pushes the sled distally as the replaceable staple cartridge is seated in the first jaw and the solenoid is in the inactive configuration. The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments, including surgical staplers configured to staple and cut tissue, which are usable as handheld instruments and/or as surgical tools connectable to surgical robots. The invention is defined in independent claims 1 and 9. Certain optional features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The various aspects described herein, both as to organization and methods of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings as follows. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical stapling instrument comprising a handle, a shaft assembly, and an end effector assembly;FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the end effector assembly of FIG. 1;FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the end effector assembly of FIG. 1, wherein the end effector assembly comprises a staple cartridge assembly, and wherein the staple cartridge assembly comprises a retainer, and wherein the staple cartridge assembly is illustrated removed from a cartridge channel of the end effector assembly;FIG. 4 is perspective view of a portion of the shaft assembly and the handle of FIG. 1;FIG. 5 is schematic view of the surgical stapling instrument of FIG. 1;FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a surgical stapling assembly comprising a surgical instrument handle, a shaft assembly, an end effector assembly, and a staple cartridge assembly comprising a staple retainer and a cartridge assembly, wherein the staple retainer is detectable by the surgical instrument handle;FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the staple cartridge assembly of FIG. 6, wherein the staple retainer comprises an RFID tag embedded therein;FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the surgical stapling assembly of FIG. 6, wherein the staple retainer is positioned near the surgical instrument handle for detection of the RFID tag;FIG. 9 is a plan view of a surgical instrument identification system comprising a housing and a staple retainer, wherein the staple retainer comprises an RFID tag, wherein the staple retainer is inserted into an aperture defined in the housing for detecting the RFID tag;FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a surgical instrument interface comprising an instrument handle, wherein the instrument handle comprises a handle housing, and wherein the handle housing comprises an aperture defined therein for receiving one or more portions of a staple cartridge assembly;FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a staple cartridge assembly comprising a cartridge body, a cartridge pan, and a sled comprising an RFID tag;FIG. 12 is a partially cross-sectional view of the staple cartridge assembly of FIG. 11;FIG. 13 is a plan view of a staple cartridge assembly comprising a cartridge body, a cartridge pan, and a sled comprising an RFID tag;FIG. 14 is a plan view of the staple cartridge assembly of FIG. 13, wherein the sled is illustrated in an unfired position;FIG. 15 is a plan view of the staple c