Accessing data stored in a memory of a surgical instrument

1. A method for capturing sensor data from a procedure involving a surgical cutting and fastening instrument, wherein the surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises (a) a control unit, (b) a shaft, and (c) an end effector connected to the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises first and second pivotably connected, opposing jaw members for clamping tissue clamped therebetween and an cutting instrument that traverses longitudinally the end effector when actuated, the method comprising:

storing data from a cutting instrument position sensor, located in the end effector, in a memory device of the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument during a surgical procedure involving the surgical cutting and fastening instrument, wherein the cutting instrument position sensor senses a position of the cutting instrument in the end effector, and wherein the cutting instrument position sensor is in communication with the control unit;

establishing, after the surgical procedure, a data link between the control unit and a remote computer device; and

downloading the data from the cutting instrument position sensor stored in the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument to the remote computer device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data link comprises a wired data link.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data link comprises a wireless data link.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

encrypting the data prior to storing the data in the memory device; and

decrypting the data after downloading the data to the remote computer device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises a handle connected to the shaft;

the handle comprises a firing trigger; and

the cutting instrument traverses longitudinally the end effector when the firing trigger is actuated.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the handle further comprises a closure trigger, separate from the firing trigger, for causing the first and second jaw members to clamp tissue between the first and second jaw members when the closure trigger is actuated.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising storing data from an anvil closure sensor in the memory unit of the control unit, wherein the anvil closure sensor is located in the end effector and is in communication with the control unit, and wherein the anvil closure sensor senses closure of the first and second jaw members, wherein data from the anvil closure sensor is downloaded from the control unit to the remote computer device.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising storing data from a closure trigger sensor in the memory unit of the control unit, wherein the closure trigger sensor is in communication with the control unit, wherein the closure trigger sensor senses actuation of the closure trigger, and wherein data from the closure trigger sensor is downloaded from the control unit to the remote computer device.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising storing data from an anvil closure load sensor in the memory unit of the control unit, wherein the anvil closure load sensor is located in the end effector and is in communication with the control unit, wherein the anvil closure load sensor senses a load on the first jaw member due to closure of the second jaw member, and wherein data from anvil closure load sensor is downloaded from the control unit to the remote computer device.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first jaw member comprises a channel for carrying a replaceable staple cartridge.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising storing data from a cartridge present sensor in the memory unit of the control device, wherein the cartridge present sensor is located in the end effector and is in communication with the control unit, wherein the cartridge present sensor senses whether a replaceable fastening cartridge is present in the end effector, and wherein data from the cartridge present sensor is downloaded from the control unit to the remote computer device.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising storing data from a cartridge condition sensor in the memory unit of the control device, wherein the cartridge condition sensor is located in the end effector and in communication with the control unit, wherein the cartridge condition sensor senses a condition of the staple cartridge, and wherein data from the cartridge condition sensor is downloaded from the control unit to the remote computer device.

13. The method of claim 5 , further comprising storing data from a firing trigger sensor in the memory unit of the control unit, wherein the firing trigger sensor is in communication with the control unit, wherein the firing trigger sensor senses actuation of the firing trigger, and wherein data from the fire trigger sensor is downloaded from the control unit to the remote computer device.

14. The method of claim 5 , further comprising storing data from an articulation sensor in the memory unit of the control device, wherein the articulation sensor is in communication with the control unit, wherein the articulation sensor senses articulation of the end effector, and wherein data from the articulation sensor is downloaded from the control unit to the remote computer device.

15. A method for capturing sensor data from a procedure involving a surgical cutting and fastening instrument, wherein the surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises (a) a control unit, (b) a shaft, and (c) an end effector connected to the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises first and second pivotably connected, opposing jaw members clamping tissue clamped therebetween and a replaceable tissue-fastening cartridge, the method comprising:

storing data from cartridge present sensor, located in the end effector, in a memory device of the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument during a surgical procedure involving the surgical cutting and fastening instrument, wherein the cartridge present sensor senses whether the replaceable fastening cartridge is present in the end effector, and wherein the cartridge present sensor is in communication with the control unit;

establishing, after the surgical procedure, a data link between the control unit and a remote computer device; and

downloading the data from cartridge present sensor stored in the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument to the remote computer device.

16. A method for capturing sensor data from a procedure involving a surgical cutting and fastening instrument, wherein the surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprises (a) a control unit, (b) a shaft, and (c) an end effector connected to the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises first and second pivotably connected, opposing jaw members clamping tissue clamped therebetween and a replaceable tissue-fastening cartridge, the method comprising:

storing data from cartridge condition sensor, located in the end effector, in a memory device of the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument during a surgical procedure involving the surgical cutting and fastening instrument, wherein the cartridge condition sensor senses a condition of the replaceable fastening cartridge, and wherein the cartridge condition sensor is in communication with the control unit;

establishing, after the surgical procedure, a data link between the control unit and a remote computer device; and

downloading the data from cartridge condition sensor stored in the control unit of the surgical cutting and fastening instrument to the remote computer device.