Surgical instrument having recording capabilities
A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument has an end effector and a trigger in communication with the end effector. The surgical instrument also has a first sensor and an externally accessible memory device in communication with the first sensor. The first sensor has an output that represents a first condition of either the trigger or the end effector. The memory device is configured to record the output of the first sensor. In various embodiments, memory device may include an output port and/or a removable storage medium.
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
an end effector to engage tissue, the end effector comprising a staple channel and an anvil pivotably translatable relative to the staple channel, wherein at least one of the anvil and the staple channel define a longitudinal channel;
a reciprocating knife positioned to slide distally through the longitudinal channel when the anvil is pivoted to a position substantially parallel to the staple channel;
a shaft extending proximally from the end effector;
a handle coupled to a proximal portion of the shaft;
a trigger coupled to the handle, wherein the trigger is in communication with the end effector to actuate the anvil and the reciprocating knife;
a first sensor having an output representing a first condition of the trigger;
a second sensor having an output representing a position of the anvil;
a third sensor having an output representing a position of the reciprocating knife; and
an externally accessible memory device in communication with the first, second and third sensors, wherein the memory device is configured to record the output of the first, second and third sensors.
2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the memory device comprises an output port.
3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the memory device comprises a removable medium.
4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument further comprises a second sensor in communication with the memory device, the second sensor having an output representing a second condition of at least one of the group consisting of the trigger and the end effector, wherein the memory device is further configured to record the output of the second sensor.
5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the memory device is configured to record the output of the first sensor and the output of the second sensor when the first condition changes and when the second condition changes.
6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first condition indicates whether an anvil of the end effector is in an open position or a closed position.
7. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first condition indicates at least one of the group consisting of a position of a knife within the end effector, a position of the trigger, a pressure exerted on the trigger, and a pressure exerted by the end effector.
8. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a motorized drive system in communication with the trigger and the end effector.
9. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical drive system in communication with the trigger and the end effector.
10. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the memory device comprises at least one of the group consisting of a microcontroller and an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM).
11. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is a binary sensor.
12. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is an analog sensor.
13. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the surgical instrument further comprises an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the first sensor and the memory device.