VERIFICATION OF NUMBER OF BATTERY EXCHANGES/PROCEDURE COUNT

1 . A power assembly, comprising:

a housing configured to couple to a surgical instrument, the housing comprising at least two electrical contacts;

a power source coupled to the at least two electrical contacts, wherein the power source is configured to provide power to the surgical instrument; and

a usage cycle circuit configured to monitor one or more conditions of the power assembly and maintain a usage cycle count.

2 . The power assembly of claim 1 , wherein the usage cycle circuit comprises:

a processor to maintain the usage cycle count; and

a use indicator in signal communication with the processor, wherein the use indicator is configured to detect the one or more conditions of the power assembly, and wherein the processor is configured to modify the usage cycle count when the use indicator detects the one or more conditions.

3 . The power assembly of claim 2 , wherein the use indicator comprises a timing circuit configured to monitor a single patient procedure time.

4 . The power assembly of claim 3 , wherein the use indicator comprises a resistor-capacitor circuit having a time constant corresponding to the single patient procedure time, and wherein the processor is configured to detect an electrical parameter of the resistor-capacitor circuit, and wherein the electrical parameter being below a predetermined threshold indicates that the single patient procedure time has elapsed.

5 . The power assembly of claim 4 , comprising a transistor coupled to the power source, the processor, and the resistor-capacitor circuit, wherein the processor is configured to control the transistor as a switch, and wherein the processor closes the transistor to charge the resistor-capacitor circuit when the electrical parameter is below the predetermined threshold.

6 . The power assembly of claim 3 , wherein the use indicator comprises:

a rechargeable clock battery; and

a clock in signal communication with the rechargeable clock battery and the processor, wherein the rechargeable clock battery comprises a maximum voltage sufficient to run the clock for at least the single patient procedure time, and wherein the processor modifies the usage cycle count when the clock indicates that a time period corresponding to the single patient procedure time has elapsed.

7 . The power assembly of claim 6 , comprising a transistor coupled to the power source, the processor, and the rechargeable clock battery, wherein the processor is configured to control the transistor as a switch, and wherein the processor closes the transistor to charge the rechargeable clock battery when the single patient procedure time has elapsed.

8 . The power assembly of claim 2 , wherein the use indicator is configured to detect a recharging cycle of the power assembly.

9 . The power assembly of claim 2 , wherein the usage cycle circuit is configured to disable operation of the power assembly when the usage cycle count is equal to a predetermined usage limit.

10 . The power assembly of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to increment the usage cycle count when the use indicator detects the one or more conditions of the power assembly.

11 . The power assembly of claim 2 , wherein the one or more conditions of the power assembly comprise environmental conditions.

12 . The power assembly of claim 11 , wherein the use indicator comprises an accelerometer, and wherein the processor is configured to modify the usage cycle count when the accelerometer indicates an acceleration above a predetermined threshold.

13 . The power assembly of claim 11 , wherein the use indicator comprises a chemical sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to modify the usage cycle count when the chemical sensor is configured to detect one or more predetermined chemicals.

14 . The power assembly of claim 2 , wherein the usage cycle circuit comprises a counter configured to maintain the usage cycle count.

15 . The power assembly of claim 14 , wherein the counter comprises a memory module in signal communication with the processor.

16 . The power assembly of claim 14 , wherein the counter comprises a resistor pack in signal communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to disable one or more resistors of the resistor pack when the use indicator is configured to detect the one or more conditions of the power assembly.

17 . The power assembly of claim 2 , comprising a communications module configured to transmit the usage cycle count a remote system.

18 . The power assembly of claim 17 , wherein the communications module is configured to receive one or more instructions from the remote system.

19 . A surgical instrument comprising:

a handle assembly comprising:

a usage cycle circuit configured to monitor one or more conditions of the surgical instrument and maintain a usage cycle count

a removable power assembly; and

a modular shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the module shaft is detachably coupled to the handle assembly at the proximal end; and

an end effector coupled to the distal end of the modular shaft.

20 . The surgical instrument of claim 19 , wherein the usage cycle circuit comprises:

a processor to maintain the usage cycle count; and

a use indicator in signal communication with the processor, wherein the use indicator is configured to detect the one or more conditions of the surgical instrument, and wherein the processor is configured to modify the usage cycle count when the use indicator detects the one or more conditions.

21 . The surgical instrument of claim 20 , wherein the use indicator comprises a timing circuit configured to monitor a single patient procedure time.

22 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein the use indicator comprises a resistor-capacitor circuit having a time constant corresponding to the single patient procedure time, and wherein the processor is configured to detect an electrical parameter of the resistor-capacitor circuit, and wherein the electrical parameter being below a predetermined threshold indicates that the single patient procedure time has elapsed.

23 . The surgical instrument of claim 22 , comprising a transistor coupled to the power source, the processor, and the resistor-capacitor circuit, wherein the processor is configured to control the transistor as a switch, and wherein the processor is configured to close the transistor to charge the resistor-capacitor circuit when the electrical parameter is below the predetermined threshold.

24 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein the use indicator comprises:

a rechargeable clock battery; and

a clock in signal communication with the rechargeable clock battery and the processor, wherein the rechargeable clock battery comprises a maximum voltage sufficient to run the clock for at least the single patient procedure time, and wherein the processor is configured to modify the usage cycle count when the clock indicates that a time period corresponding to the single patient procedure time has elapsed.

25 . The surgical instrument of claim 24 , comprising a transistor coupled to the power source, the processor, and the rechargeable clock battery, wherein the processor is configured to control the transistor as a switch, and wherein the processor is configured to close the transistor to charge the rechargeable clock battery when the single patient procedure time has elapsed.

26 . The surgical instrument of claim 20 , wherein the use indicator is configured to detect a recharging cycle of the power assembly.

27 . The surgical instrument of claim 20 , wherein the usage cycle circuit is configured to disable operation of the surgical instrument when the usage cycle count is equal to a predetermined usage limit.

28 . The surgical instrument of claim 27 , wherein the processor is configured to increment the usage cycle count when the use indicator detects the one or more conditions of the power assembly.

29 . The surgical instrument of claim 20 , wherein the one or more conditions of the surgical instrument comprise environmental conditions.

30 . The surgical instrument of claim 29 , wherein the use indicator comprises an accelerometer, and wherein the processor is configured to modify the usage cycle count when the accelerometer indicates an acceleration above a predetermined threshold.

31 . The surgical instrument of claim 29 , wherein the use indicator comprises a chemical sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to modify the usage cycle count when the chemical sensor detects one or more predetermined chemicals.

32 . The surgical instrument of claim 20 , wherein the usage cycle circuit comprises a counter configured to maintain the usage cycle count.

33 . The surgical instrument of claim 32 , wherein the counter comprises a memory module in signal communication with the processor.

34 . The surgical instrument of claim 32 , wherein the counter comprises a resistor pack in signal communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to disable one or more resistors of the resistor pack when the use indicator is configured to detect the one or more conditions of the power assembly.

35 . The surgical instrument of claim 20 , comprising a communications module configured to transmit the usage cycle count a remote system.

36 . The surgical instrument of claim 35 , wherein the communications module is configured to receive one or more instructions from the remote system.

37 . The surgical instrument of claim 20 , wherein the one or more conditions of the surgical instrument comprise inserting a staple cartridge into the end effector.

38 . The surgical instrument of claim 20 , wherein the one or more conditions of the surgical instrument comprise firing of the surgical instrument.

39 . The surgical instrument of claim 20 , comprising a display, wherein the display is configured to display the usage cycle count.

40 . A sterilization system configured to sterilize a surgical instrument, the sterilization system comprising:

a sterilization chamber configured to receive a power assembly, the sterilization chamber comprising a charging cable mounted through a wall of the sterilization chamber, wherein the charging cable is sealed such that the sterilization chamber integrity is maintained; and

wherein the sterilization system is configured to charge the power assembly during a sterilization cycle.

41 . The sterilization system of claim 40 , comprising a sensor located within the sterilization chamber, the sensor configured to monitor the power assembly during a charging and sterilization cycle.

42 . The sterilization system of claim 41 , wherein the sensor comprises a sensor cable mounted through the wall of the sterilization chamber.

43 . The sterilization system of claim 41 , wherein the sensor is configured to monitor the charge level of the power assembly.

44 . The sterilization system of claim 41 , wherein the sensor is configured to monitor the temperature of the power assembly.

45 . The sterilization system of claim 41 , wherein the sensor is configured to monitor an amount of H 2 O 2 present in the sterilization chamber.

46 . The sterilization system of claim 40 , wherein the charging cable comprises an alternating current input, wherein the power assembly comprises an alternating current charging circuit integral therewith, and wherein the alternating current charging circuit is coupled to the alternating current input when the power assembly is placed in the sterilization chamber.

47 . The sterilization system of claim 40 , wherein the charging cable comprises a battery connector at a first end located within the sterilization chamber and wherein the charging cable is coupled to a battery charger at a second end located outside of the sterilization chamber.