Post-sterilization programming of surgical instruments

1. A combination comprising:

a sterile container;

a surgical instrument inside the sterile container, the surgical instrument comprising:

a control unit, wherein the control unit comprises:

a processor; and

a non-volatile memory in communication with the processor;

an electric motor for actuating the surgical instrument when the surgical instrument is removed from the sterile container and operated by a user; and

a battery for supplying power to the electric motor when the surgical instrument is removed from the sterile container and operated by the user; and

a remote programming device, outside of the sterile container, for wirelessly transmitting, when the surgical instrument is inside the sterile container, programming code to the control unit for storage in the non-volatile memory, wherein the programming code stored in the non-volatile memory is executed by the processor when the surgical instrument is removed from the sterile container and operated by the user.

2. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the control unit further comprises:

a power circuit for passively powering the control unit from wireless signals received from the remote programming device.

3. The combination of claim 2 , wherein the memory further stores a boot loading sequence for execution by the processor.

4. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the control unit and the remote programming device are inductively coupled.

5. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the control unit and the remote programming device are capacitively coupled.

6. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument comprises:

a handle housing the control unit;

a shaft connected to the handle; and

an end effector connected to the shaft.

7. The combination of claim 6 , wherein the end effector comprises a cutting instrument.

8. The combination of claim 7 , wherein the handle further comprises:

a motor in communication with the control unit; and

a battery for powering the motor.

9. The combination of claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument comprises an endoscopic surgical instrument.

10. A method comprising:

packaging a surgical instrument in a container;

sterilizing the surgical instrument while the surgical instrument is in the container; and

after sterilizing the surgical instrument, programming the surgical instrument while the surgical instrument is in the container with a programming device positioned outside of the container.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein programming the surgical instrument comprises wirelessly programming the surgical instrument with the programming device.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of sterilizing the surgical instrument comprises subjecting the surgical instrument to radiation.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the radiation comprises gamma radiation.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of sterilizing the surgical instrument comprises subjecting the surgical instrument to ethylene oxide.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the surgical instrument comprises a programmable control unit.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the surgical instrument comprises an external connection interface;

the container comprises a connection interface that mates with the external connection interface when the surgical instrument is contained in the container; and

programming the instrument comprises connecting the programming device to the connection interface of the container.

17. A combination comprising:

a surgical instrument comprising a handle, wherein the handle comprises:

a control unit in the handle; and

an external connection interface for the control unit; and

a sterile container containing the surgical instrument, wherein the container comprises a connection interface that comprises an interior end that mates with the external connection interface of the surgical instrument and an exterior end at the exterior of the container.

18. The combination of claim 17 , further comprising a programming device adapted for connection to the exterior end of the connection interface of the container.