Interface systems for use with surgical instruments
View Patent ↗A surgical instrument for use by an operator in a surgical procedure includes an elongate shaft, an end effector extending from the elongate shaft, and a control system. The end effector is articulatable relative to the elongate shaft between a home state position and an articulated position. The control system includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor to store program instructions. The processor can alert the operator when the end effector reaches the home state position from the articulated position.
1. A surgical instrument for use by an operator in a surgical procedure, said surgical instrument comprising:
an interface comprising a control; and
an indicator system, comprising:
an indicator associated with said control;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to said processor to store program instructions which, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to activate said indicator in response to an availability of said control in the surgical procedure to alert the operator to operate said control.
2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said interface comprises a plurality of controls, and wherein said indicator system comprises a plurality of indicators associated with said plurality of controls.
3. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein said plurality of controls are operable in a sequence, wherein said program instructions, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to activate said plurality of indicators in said sequence.
4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said indicator is a visual indicator.
5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein said visual indicator comprises a light that is activated to signal the operator to operate said control.
6. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein said visual indicator comprises a light that is configured to change color to signal the operator to operate said control.
7. A surgical instrument for use by an operator in a surgical procedure, said surgical instrument comprising:
an interface operable by the operator in a step of operation of said surgical instrument, wherein said interface comprises a control; and
an indicator system, comprising:
an indicator associated with said control;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to said processor to store program instructions which, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to toggle said indicator between a first indicator configuration and a second indicator configuration, wherein said processor is configured to set said indicator to said first indicator configuration if said control is available for use by the operator in said step, and wherein said processor is configured to set said indicator to said second indicator configuration if said control is unavailable for use by the operator in said step.
8. The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein said program instructions, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to set said indicator to said first indicator configuration if said control is available for use by the operator as a standard control for completion of said step.
9. The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein said program instructions, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to set said indicator to a third indicator configuration if said control is available for use by the operator as a non-standard control during said step.
10. The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein said interface comprises a plurality of controls, wherein said indicator system comprises a plurality of indicators associated with said plurality of controls.
11. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein said program instructions, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to toggle said plurality of indicators between said first indicator configuration and said second indicator configuration.
12. A surgical indication system, comprising:
an operator interface comprising a control actuatable by an operator in a step of an operation of a surgical device;
an indicator associated with said control;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to said processor to store program instructions which, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to activate said indicator in response to an availability of said control in the step of the operation to alert the operator to operate said control.
13. The surgical indication system of claim 12 , wherein said operator interface further comprises a plurality of controls, and wherein the surgical indication system further comprises a plurality of indicators associated with said plurality of controls.
14. The surgical indication system of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of controls are operable in a sequence, and wherein said program instructions, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to activate said plurality of indicators in said sequence.
15. The surgical indication system of claim 12 , wherein said indicator is a visual indicator.
16. The surgical indication system of claim 15 , further comprising a remote operating unit comprising said operator interface.
17. The surgical indication system of claim 16 , wherein said remote operating unit further comprises a display screen.
18. A surgical indication system, comprising:
an operator interface comprising a control actuatable by an operator in a step of an operation of a surgical device;
an indicator associated with said control;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to said processor to store program instructions which, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to:
activate said indicator to alert the operator to operate said control; and
toggle said indicator between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein said processor is configured to set said indicator to said first configuration if said control is available for use by the operator in said step, and wherein said processor is configured to set said indicator to said second configuration if said control is unavailable for use by the operator in said step.
19. The surgical indication system of claim 18 , wherein said indicator comprises a light, and wherein said indicator is illuminated in a first color in said first configuration and is illuminated in a second color in said second configuration.
20. The surgical indication system of claim 18 , wherein said indicator comprises a light, and wherein said light is configured to flash with a first pattern in said first configuration and a second pattern in said second configuration.
21. A surgical instrument system comprising:
an operator interface comprising a control;
a sensor configured to detect an availability of said control;
an indicator associated with said control;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to said processor to store program instructions which, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to activate said indicator to alert the operator to the availability of said control.
22. The surgical instrument system of claim 21 , wherein said program instructions, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to deactivate said indicator to alert the operator to an unavailability of said control.
23. A surgical indication system, comprising:
an operator interface comprising a control;
a sensor configured to detect an availability of said control;
an indicator associated with said control, wherein said indicator is configurable in at least two configurations;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to said processor to store program instructions which, when executed from said memory, cause said processor to:
configure said indicator in a first configuration to alert an operator to the availability of said control; and
configure said indicator in a second configuration to alert the operator to an unavailability of said control.
24. The surgical indication system of claim 23 , wherein said program instructions, when executed from said memory, further cause said processor to configure said indicator in a third configuration to alert the operator to the availability of said control as a non-standard next step in a surgical procedure.
25. The surgical indication system of claim 23 , wherein said indicator is a light, wherein said first configuration comprises an illumination of said light, and wherein said second configuration comprises a deillumination of said light.
26. The surgical indication system of claim 23 , further comprising a remote operating unit comprising said operator interface.
27. The surgical indication system of claim 26 , wherein said remote operating unit further comprises a display screen.