US 11,690,694 B2
Powered surgical instruments and methods of identifying tissue types therewith
Matthew Eschbach, Cheshire, CT (US); Robert H. Knapp, Middlebury, CT (US); and Alexander W. Caulk, Trumbull, CT (US)
Assigned to Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed on May 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/315,446.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/027,060, filed on May 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0361376 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); G16H 20/40 (2018.01); G16H 40/63 (2018.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/068 (2006.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 90/06 (2016.02) [A61B 17/07207 (2013.01); A61B 17/07292 (2013.01); A61B 17/29 (2013.01); G16H 20/40 (2018.01); G16H 40/63 (2018.01); A61B 17/068 (2013.01); A61B 17/072 (2013.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00022 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00398 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07214 (2013.01); A61B 2090/065 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
an end effector including a pair of jaw members configured to clamp and staple tissue;
a motor configured to actuate the end effector; and
a controller in communication with the motor and configured to:
control the motor to clamp the tissue between the pair of jaw members under constant strain;
determine stress of the clamped tissue under constant strain;
identify a tissue type of the clamped tissue based on the determined stress of the clamped tissue; and
set an operational parameter of the surgical instrument based on the identified tissue type of the clamped tissue.