Flexible shaft extender and method of using same

1. A surgical extender for selectively interconnecting a surgical attachment and at least one drive member of an electro-mechanical driver device of an electro-mechanical surgical system, the extender comprising:

a handle;

a substantially rigid tube coupled to the handle;

a first coupling disposed on the handle, the first coupling being configured for detachable coupling to a coupling of the electro-mechanical driver device for providing operative connection to the at least one drive member of the electro-mechanical driver device, the first coupling including an integral electrical connector for connection with an electrical connector of the electro-mechanical driver device;

a second coupling disposed at a free end of the rigid tube, the second coupling being configured for detachable coupling to a coupling of the surgical attachment; and

at least two rotatable shafts disposed within the rigid tube, each rotatable shaft being configured to engage and be secured with a respective rotatable drive member of the electro-mechanical driver device such that rotation of the respective rotatable drive members by the electro-mechanical driver device causes the at least two rotatable shafts of the extender to rotate, thereby transmitting a force to the surgical attachment so as to operate the surgical attachment.

2. The extender of claim 1 , further comprising a wiring harness assembly disposed within the first coupling, the wiring harness including the integral electrical connector, and a memory unit.

3. The extender of claim 2 , wherein the memory unit is configured to store one or more of serial number data, an attachment type identifier data and a usage data.

4. The extender of claim 3 , wherein one or more of the serial number data and the identifier data is configured as read-only data.

5. The extender of claim 4 , wherein the serial number data is data uniquely identifying the extender.

6. The extender of claim 5 , wherein the identifier data is data identifying the type of the extender of a plurality of diverse and unique extenders.

7. The extender of claim 3 , wherein the usage data represents a number of times the extender has been used.

8. The extender of claim 3 , wherein the wiring harness assembly further includes a data cable configured to transfer data between the memory unit and the electro-mechanical driver device.

9. The extender of claim 1 , wherein the wiring harness assembly further includes a data cable configured to transfer data between a memory unit located in the surgical attachment and the electro-mechanical driver device.

10. The extender of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling of the handle is opposite the rigid tube.

11. An electro-mechanical surgical system, comprising:

an electro-mechanical driver device including at least one rotatable drive member and a coupling associated with the at least one rotatable drive member;

a surgical attachment configured to perform a surgical function, the surgical attachment including a coupling for receiving an operative force from the electro-mechanical driver device; and

a substantially rigid extender for electromechanically selectively interconnecting the surgical attachment and the at least one rotatable drive member of the electro-mechanical driver device, the extender including:

a handle;

a substantially rigid tube coupled to and extending from the handle;

a first coupling disposed on the handle, the first coupling being configured for detachable coupling to the coupling of the electro-mechanical driver device for providing operative connection to the at least one drive member of the electro-mechanical driver device, the first coupling including an integral electrical connector for connection with an electrical connector of the electro-mechanical driver device;

a second coupling disposed at a free end of the rigid tube, the second coupling

being configured for detachable coupling to a coupling of the surgical attachment; and

at least two rotatable shafts disposed within the rigid tube, each rotatable shaft being configured to engage and be secured with a respective rotatable drive member of the electro-mechanical driver device such that rotation of the respective rotatable drive members by the electro-mechanical driver device causes the at least two rotatable shafts of the extender to rotate, thereby transmitting a force to the surgical attachment so as to operate the surgical attachment.

12. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the extender further comprises a wiring harness assembly disposed within the first coupling, the wiring harness assembly including the integral electrical connector, and a memory unit.

13. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 12 , wherein the memory unit of the extender is configured to store one or more of serial number data, an attachment type identifier data and a usage data.

14. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 12 , wherein the wiring harness assembly of the extender further comprises a data cable configured to transfer data between the memory unit and the electro-mechanical driver device.

15. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the wiring harness assembly of the extender further comprises a data cable configured to transfer data between a memory unit located in the surgical attachment and the electro-mechanical driver device.

16. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the surgical attachment is a surgical stapler-cutter.

17. The electro-mechanical surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the first coupling of the handle of the extender is opposite the rigid tube.