SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A DISPLAY COMPRISING IMAGE LAYERS
A surgical stapler for stapling the tissue of a patient, comprising: is disclosed. The surgical stapler comprises a handle comprising a display, a shaft extending from the handle, and an end effector extending from the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises a group of staples and an anvil configured to deform the staples. The surgical stapler further comprises a firing system configured to deploy the staples along a firing path, a vision system configured to capture a tissue image of the patient tissue, and a controller configured to generate an image overlay representing the firing path and to display the image overlay over the tissue image on the display.
1 . A surgical stapler for stapling the tissue of a patient, comprising:
a handle comprising a display;
a shaft extending from said handle;
an end effector extending from said shaft, wherein said end effector comprises:
a staple cartridge comprising a plurality of staples removably stored therein; and
an anvil configured to deform said staples;
a firing mechanism configured to reciprocatingly eject said staples from said staple cartridge along a firing path;
a camera configured to capture a real-time image of the patient tissue; and
a controller configured to generate an image overlay representing said firing path and to display said image overlay over said real-time image on said display.
2 . The surgical stapler of claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to generate an alternate firing path, and wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing path on said display.
3 . The surgical stapler of claim 2 , wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing path as part of said image overlay.
4 . The surgical stapler of claim 2 , wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing path as part of a second image overlay over said real-time image.
5 . The surgical stapler of claim 2 , wherein said image overlay comprises a first image overlay, and wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing path as part of a second image overlay over said first image overlay.
6 . The surgical stapler of claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to generate a plurality of alternate firing paths, and wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing paths on said display.
7 . The surgical stapler of claim 6 , wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing paths as part of said image overlay.
8 . The surgical stapler of claim 1 , wherein said display comprises a touch screen, and wherein a user of said surgical stapler can modify said firing path by manipulating said touch screen.
9 . The surgical stapler of claim 1 , further comprising a motorized drive system configured to move said end effector relative to the patient tissue along said firing path.
10 . A surgical stapler for stapling the tissue of a patient, comprising:
a handle comprising a display;
a shaft extending from said handle;
an end effector extending from said shaft, wherein said end effector comprises:
a staple cartridge comprising a plurality of staples removably stored therein; and
an anvil configured to deform said staples;
a firing system configured to eject said staples from said staple cartridge along a firing path;
a camera configured to capture a tissue image of the patient tissue; and
a controller configured to generate an image overlay representing said firing path and to display said image overlay over said tissue image on said display.
11 . The surgical stapler of claim 10 , wherein said controller is configured to calculate an alternate firing path, and wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing path on said display.
12 . The surgical stapler of claim 11 , wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing path as part of said image overlay.
13 . The surgical stapler of claim 11 , wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing path as part of a second image overlay over said tissue image.
14 . The surgical stapler of claim 11 , wherein said image overlay comprises a first image overlay, and wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing path as part of a second image overlay over said first image overlay.
15 . The surgical stapler of claim 10 , wherein said controller is configured to calculate a plurality of alternate firing paths, and wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing paths on said display.
16 . The surgical stapler of claim 15 , wherein said controller is configured to display said alternate firing paths as part of said image overlay.
17 . The surgical stapler of claim 10 , wherein said display comprises a touch screen, and wherein a user of said surgical stapler can modify said firing path by manipulating said touch screen.
18 . The surgical stapler of claim 10 , further comprising a motorized drive system configured to move said end effector relative to the patient tissue along said firing path.
19 . A surgical stapler for stapling the tissue of a patient, comprising:
a handle comprising a display;
a shaft extending from said handle;
an end effector extending from said shaft, wherein said end effector comprises:
a group of staples; and
an anvil configured to deform said staples;
a firing system configured to deploy said staples along a firing path;
a vision system configured to capture a tissue image of the patient tissue; and
a controller configured to generate an image overlay representing said firing path and to display said image overlay over said tissue image on said display.
20 . The surgical stapler of claim 19 , wherein said display comprises a touch screen, and wherein a user of said surgical stapler can modify said firing path by manipulating said touch screen.
21 . The surgical stapler of claim 19 , further comprising a motorized drive system configured to move said end effector relative to the tissue along said firing path.