US 11,864,786 B2
System and method to track usage of surgical instrument
Craig N. Faller, Batavia, OH (US); Benjamin D. Dickerson, Cincinnati, OH (US); Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Lebanon, OH (US); Jeffrey A. Bullock, Cincinnati, OH (US); Richard W. Timm, Cincinnati, OH (US); Ryan M. Asher, Cincinnati, OH (US); Timothy S. Holland, Madison, WI (US); Craig T. Davis, Cincinnati, OH (US); Christina M. Hough, Cincinnati, OH (US); Cory G. Kimball, Hamilton, OH (US); Ashvani K. Madan, Mason, OH (US); David C. Yates, West Chester, OH (US); Shan Wan, Mason, OH (US); Jacob S. Gee, Cincinnati, OH (US); Joseph E. Hollo, Liberty Township, OH (US); Chad P. Boudreaux, Cincinnati, OH (US); John B. Schulte, West Chester, OH (US); Tylor C. Muhlenkamp, Cincinnati, OH (US); and Brian D. Black, Loveland, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Feb. 26, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/801,400.
Application 16/801,400 is a division of application No. 15/491,139, filed on Apr. 19, 2017, granted, now 10,624,667.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/339,151, filed on May 20, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0268408 A1, Aug. 27, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 17/32 (2006.01); A61B 18/04 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); A61N 7/02 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 18/12 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/320092 (2013.01) [A61B 17/320068 (2013.01); A61B 18/04 (2013.01); A61B 90/08 (2016.02); A61N 7/02 (2013.01); A61B 18/12 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0011 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0046 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00132 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00424 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00734 (2013.01); A61B 2017/320094 (2017.08); A61B 2017/320095 (2017.08); A61B 2018/0063 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00619 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00678 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1226 (2013.01); A61B 2090/0803 (2016.02); A61B 2090/0807 (2016.02); A61B 2560/028 (2013.01); A61B 2560/0266 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
(a) a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising:
(i) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises a surgical feature,
(ii) a generator connection,
(iii) a user input, wherein the user input is operable to activate the surgical feature of the end effector,
(iv) a processor, and
(v) an instrument memory, wherein the instrument memory is configured to store a set of device life management characteristics, wherein the processor is configured to enable or disable the surgical feature based upon the set of device life management characteristics; and
(b) a generator, the generator comprising:
(i) a display,
(ii) a generator memory configured to store a list of unique identifiers, wherein each unique identifier is associated with a used surgical instrument, and wherein the generator is configured to disable the surgical feature when the surgical instrument is represented in the list of unique identifiers, and
(iii) a generator user input,
wherein the generator is configured to:
(A) prevent the surgical instrument from being added to the list of unique identifiers when the surgical instrument is disconnected from the generator as a result of a generator error,
(B) add the surgical instrument to the list of unique identifiers when the surgical instrument is disconnected from the generator as a result of a generator power loss, and
(C) add the surgical instrument to the list of unique identifiers in response to receiving an indication via the generator user input that a use of the surgical instrument is complete.