Prevention of cartridge reuse in a surgical instrument

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

an end effector comprising a staple cartridge, the staple cartridge comprising a transponder; and

a control unit disposed in a handle coupled to the end effector, the control unit comprising an inductive element to transmit and receive wireless signals, the control unit to:

transmit a first wireless signal to the transponder and determine an electronic state of the transponder based on receipt or non-receipt of a second wireless signal from the transponder by the control unit in response to the transmission of the first wireless signal, wherein a first electronic state of the transponder corresponds to an unfired state of the staple cartridge, and wherein a second electronic state of the transponder corresponds to a fired state of the staple cartridge;

enable actuation of a cutting instrument of the surgical instrument when the first electronic state is determined and prevent actuation of the cutting instrument when the second electronic state is determined; and

transmit a third wireless signal to the transponder when the cutting instrument is actuated;

wherein the transponder comprises at least one component electronically alterable by the transponder in response to receipt of the third wireless signal by the transponder to effect a transition of the transponder from the first electronic state to the second electronic state.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises:

the cutting instrument;

a longitudinally extending channel to removably seat the staple cartridge; and

an anvil pivotally attached to the channel, wherein the object is positioned between the anvil and the channel;

wherein when the cutting instrument is actuated a sled of the staple cartridge is engaged by the cutting instrument and driven longitudinally through the staple cartridge from an unfired position located at a proximal end of the staple cartridge to a fired position located at a distal end of the staple cartridge, the unfired position of the sled corresponding to the unfired state of the staple cartridge and the fired position of the sled corresponding to the fired state of the staple cartridge.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the at least one component is selected from the group consisting of: an electronically-actuated fuse, a thermally-actuated fuse, a capacitor, and a memory device.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is to determine the first electronic state or the second electronic state based on receipt of the second wireless signal by the control unit.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is to determine the first electronic state based on receipt of the second wireless signal by the control unit, and wherein the control unit is to determine the second electronic state based on nonreceipt of the second wireless signal by the control unit.

6. A staple cartridge for use in a surgical instrument, the staple cartridge comprising a transponder transitionable from a first electronic state to a second electronic state, wherein the first electronic state corresponds to an unfired state of the staple cartridge and wherein the second electronic state corresponds to a fired state of the staple cartridge, wherein the transponder is to indicate one of the electronic states based on a response or a nonresponse of the transponder to a first wireless signal transmitted by the surgical instrument.

7. The staple cartridge of claim 6 , comprising a sled disposed within the staple cartridge to be engaged by a cutting instrument of the surgical instrument, wherein when engaged by the cutting instrument the sled is driven longitudinally through the staple cartridge from an unfired position located at a proximal end of the staple cartridge to a fired position located at a distal end of the staple cartridge, the unfired position of the sled corresponding to the unfired state of the staple cartridge and the fired position of the sled corresponding to the fired state of the staple cartridge.

8. The staple cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the transponder comprises at least one component electronically alterable responsive to movement of the cutting instrument, the altered at least one component to effect a transition of the transponder from the first electronic state to the second electronic state.

9. The staple cartridge of claim 8 , wherein the at least one component is selected from the group consisting of: a mechanically-actuated fuse and a switch.

10. The staple cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the transponder is responsive to the first wireless signal transmitted by the surgical instrument to transmit a first wireless response signal when the transponder is in the first electronic state.

11. The staple cartridge of claim 10 , wherein the transponder is responsive to the first wireless signal transmitted by the surgical instrument to transmit a second wireless response signal when the transponder is in the second electronic state.

12. The staple cartridge of claim 10 , wherein the transponder is nonresponsive to the first wireless signal transmitted by the surgical instrument when the transponder is in the second electronic state.

13. The staple cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the transponder comprises at least one component electronically alterable by the transponder responsive to a second wireless signal transmitted by the surgical instrument, the second wireless signal transmitted when the staple cartridge transitions from the unfired state to the fired state, the altered at least one component to effect a transition of the transponder from the first electronic state to the second electronic state.

14. The staple cartridge of claim 13 , wherein the at least one component is selected from the group consisting of: an electronically-actuated fuse, a thermally-actuated fuse, a capacitor, and a memory device.

15. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector to receive a staple cartridge; and

a control unit disposed in a handle coupled to the end effector, the control unit comprising an inductive element to transmit and receive wireless signals, the control unit to:

transmit a first wireless signal to a transponder disposed within the staple cartridge and determine an electronic state of the transponder based on receipt or non-receipt of a second wireless signal from the transponder by the control unit in response to the transmission of the first wireless signal, wherein a first electronic state of the transponder corresponds to an unfired state of the staple cartridge, and wherein a second electronic state of the transponder corresponds to a fired state of the staple cartridge;

enable actuation of a cutting instrument of the surgical instrument when the first electronic state is determined and prevent actuation of the cutting instrument when the second electronic state is determined; and

transmit a third wireless signal to the transponder when the cutting instrument is actuated, the third wireless signal to effect a transition of the transponder from the first electronic state to the second electronic state.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the end effector comprises:

the cutting instrument;

a longitudinally extending channel to removably seat the staple cartridge; and

an anvil pivotally attached to the channel, wherein the object is positioned between the anvil and the channel;

wherein the cutting instrument engages a sled of the staple cartridge when actuated to drive the sled longitudinally through the staple cartridge from an unfired position located at a proximal end of the staple cartridge to a fired position located at a distal end of the staple cartridge, the unfired position of the sled corresponding to the unfired state of the staple cartridge and the fired position of the sled corresponding to the fired state of the staple cartridge.

17. A surgical instrument comprising:

an end effector comprising a staple cartridge, the staple cartridge comprising a transponder; and

a control unit disposed in a handle coupled to the end effector, the control unit comprising an inductive element to transmit and receive wireless signals, the control unit to:

transmit a first wireless signal to the transponder and determine an electronic state of the transponder-based on receipt or non-receipt of a second wireless signal from the transponder by the control unit in response to the transmission of the first wireless signal, wherein a first electronic state of the transponder corresponds to an unfired state of the staple cartridge, and wherein a second electronic state of the transponder corresponds to a fired state of the staple cartridge; and

enable actuation of a cutting instrument of the surgical instrument when the first electronic state is determined and prevent actuation of the cutting instrument when the second electronic state is determined;

wherein the transponder comprises at least one component electronically alterable by movement of the cutting instrument when actuated, the altered at least one component to effect a transition of the transponder from the first electronic state to the second electronic state.

18. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector to receive a staple cartridge; and

a control unit disposed in a handle coupled to the end effector, the control unit comprising an inductive element to transmit and receive wireless signals, the control unit to:

transmit a first wireless signal to a transponder disposed within the staple cartridge and determine an electronic state of the transponder based on receipt or non-receipt of a second wireless signal from the transponder by the control unit in response to the transmission of the first wireless signal, wherein a first electronic state of the transponder corresponds to an unfired state of the staple cartridge, and wherein a second electronic state of the transponder corresponds to a fired state of the staple cartridge; and

enable actuation of a cutting instrument of the surgical instrument when the first electronic state is determined and prevent actuation of the cutting instrument when the second electronic state is determined;

wherein the cutting instrument, when actuated, electronically alters at least one component of the transponder to effect a transition of the transponder from the first electronic state to the second electronic state.