US 11,931,029 B2
Firing limit feature for powered surgical stapler
Nicholas J. Ross, Franklin, OH (US); Joseph D. Paulowski, Butler, KY (US); Shane R. Adams, Lebanon, OH (US); and Matthew D. Cowperthwait, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Mar. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/702,054.
Prior Publication US 2023/0301650 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/068 (2006.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 34/10 (2016.01); A61B 90/98 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 17/072 (2013.01) [A61B 17/07207 (2013.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00022 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00039 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00119 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00221 (2013.01); A61B 17/00234 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00398 (2013.01); A61B 17/068 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07214 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07285 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2927 (2013.01); A61B 34/10 (2016.02); A61B 90/98 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) a body;
(b) a shaft extending distally from the body;
(c) a motor configured to couple with a power source;
(d) a firing assembly coupled with the motor;
(e) an end effector operatively coupled with the shaft, wherein the motor is activatable to actuate the firing assembly of the surgical instrument through a firing stroke to staple and sever tissue with the end effector; and
(f) a control circuit operatively coupled with the motor and configured to monitor one or more use metrics of the surgical instrument, wherein the one or more use metrics includes an applied stress experienced by the firing assembly during a firing stroke,
wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a cumulative applied stress experienced by the firing assembly over the course of multiple firing strokes,
wherein, responsive to the cumulative applied stress reaching or exceeding a predetermined threshold, the control circuit is further configured to initiate an action that comprises at least one of:
(i) providing a notification to a user, or
(ii) disabling the firing assembly.