Systems and methods for controlling a surgical stapling and cutting instrument

Various examples are directed to systems and methods for operating a surgical instrument comprising a firing member translatable proximally and distally along a longitudinal axis between a stroke begin position to a stroke end position distal of the stroke begin position; a knife coupled to the firing member; and a motor coupled to the firing member to translate the firing member between the stroke begin position and the stroke end position. A control circuit may receive a firing signal and begin a firing member stroke by providing an initial motor setting to the motor. The control circuit may maintain the initial motor setting for an open-loop portion of the firing member stroke. The control circuit may receive firing member motion data describing a motion of the firing member during the open-loop portion of the firing member stroke and may select a firing control program based at least in part on the motion of the firing member during the open-loop portion of the firing member stroke.

Surgical instrument with multiple program responses during a firing motion

A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes an elongated channel configured to support a staple cartridge, an anvil pivotably connected to the elongated channel, a knife mechanically coupled to the staple cartridge, an electric motor and a control circuit electrically connected to the electric motor. The control circuit is configured to change a firing motion of the surgical instrument based on a combination of events.

Surgical instrument with multiple program responses during a firing motion

A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes an elongated channel configured to support a staple cartridge, an anvil pivotably connected to the elongated channel, a knife mechanically coupled to the staple cartridge, an electric motor and a control circuit electrically connected to the electric motor. The control circuit is configured to change a firing motion a first way based on a first value of a projected peak firing force and a second way based on a second value of the projected peak firing force value.

Systems and methods for controlling a surgical stapling and cutting instrument

Various examples are directed to systems and methods for operating a surgical instrument comprising a firing member translatable proximally and distally along a longitudinal axis between a stroke begin position to a stroke end position distal of the stroke begin position; a knife coupled to the firing member; and a motor coupled to the firing member to translate the firing member between the stroke begin position and the stroke end position. A control circuit may receive a firing signal and begin a firing member stroke by providing an initial motor setting to the motor. The control circuit may maintain the initial motor setting for an open-loop portion of the firing member stroke. The control circuit may receive energy data describing energy provided to the motor during the open-loop portion of the firing member stroke and may select a firing control program based at least in part on the energy data.

METHOD FOR OPERATING A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

A surgical instrument is configured to compensate for battery pack and drivetrain failures. One method includes generating a firing sequence, determining whether a subset of rechargeable battery cells is damaged during the firing sequence, and stepping-up an output voltage of the battery pack to complete the firing sequence in response to a determination that a subset of the rechargeable battery cells is damaged. Another method includes generating a mechanical output to motivate a drivetrain to transmit a motion to a jaw assembly of the surgical instrument, activating a safe mode in response to an acute failure of the drivetrain, and activating a bailout mode in response to a catastrophic failure of the drivetrain. Another method includes driving a drivetrain, sensing and recording vibration information from the drivetrain, generating an output signal based on the vibration information, and determining a status of the surgical instrument based on the output signal.

Surgical instrument comprising a lockout

A surgical stapling system comprising a lockout is disclosed. The lockout is configured to prevent the stapling system from performing a stapling firing function if an unspent staple cartridge is not fully seated in the stapling system. In various instances, the lockout is configured to permit the stapling system to perform a jaw clamping function even though an unspent staple cartridge is not fully seated in the stapling system.

Surgical instrument with detection sensors

Aspects of the present disclosure are presented for a surgical instrument having one or more sensors at or a near an end effector and configured to aide in the detection of tissues and other materials and structures at a surgical site. The detections may then be used to aide in the placement of the end effector and to confirm which objects to operate on, or alternatively, to avoid. Examples of sensors include laser sensors used to employ Doppler shift principles to detect movement of objects at the surgical site, such as blood cells; resistance sensors to detect the presence of metal; monochromatic light sources that allow for different levels of absorption from different types of substances present at the surgical site, and near infrared spectrometers with small form factors.

Staple formation detection mechanisms

A medical instrument has an elongated channel configured to support a staple cartridge, the staple cartridge comprising a plurality of staples. The medical instrument also has an anvil mechanically coupled to the elongated channel, wherein the anvil comprises an exterior surface extending between a proximal end and a distal end. In addition, the medical instrument has at least one electrical circuit at least partially positioned on the exterior surface of the anvil, an indicator system comprising at least one indicator, and a logic circuit electrically in electrical communication with the at least one electrical circuit and the indicator system, wherein the logic circuit is configured to activate the at least one indicator when an electrical continuity of the at least one electrical circuit is interrupted.

Surgical instrument with improved stop/start control during a firing motion

A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes an elongated channel, an anvil pivotably connected to the elongated channel, a closure member mechanically coupled to the anvil, an electric motor mechanically coupled to the closure member, a motor controller electrically coupled to the electric motor and a control circuit electrically connected to the motor controller. The control circuit is configured to monitor a first predefined event, monitor a second predefined event, provide a stop signal to the motor controller to stop a closing motion of at least one of the elongated channel and the anvil after an occurrence of the first predefined event, and provide a start signal to the motor controller to start the closing motion of the at least one of the elongated channel and the anvil after an occurrence of a second predefined event.

Surgical instrument system comprising a magnetic lockout

Surgical instrument systems comprising lockouts are disclosed. The systems comprise a firing member, a staple cartridge assembly, and a lockout member. The lockout member, movable between an unlocked position and a locked position, is configured to prevent the firing member from being advanced through the staple cartridge assembly when the lockout member is in its locked position.