Surgical instrument usage data management

Abstract

A surgical instrument operable to sever tissue includes a body assembly and a selectively coupleable end effector assembly. The end effector assembly may include a transmission assembly and an end effector. The body assembly includes a trigger and a casing configured to couple with the transmission assembly. An information transmission system transmits instrument information received from a sensor, for example, to a secure server via a secure gateway connected to the instrument. The instrument may be previously tested on a calibration kit to pre-determine and load surgeon-specific settings onto the instrument prior to use.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A surgical instrument system comprising:
 (a) a surgical instrument comprising:
 (i) a body operable to communicate with different kinds of end effector assemblies, 
 (ii) a modular end effector assembly removably coupled with the body, 
 (iii) a power source operable to drive the end effector, and 
 (iv) a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to transmit information associated with the end effector; and 
   (b) a storage device operable to receive data from the at least one of the sensor or the power source.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a generator, wherein the generator is configured to transmit information to the storage device. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical instrument of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor is configured to receive power from the generator, wherein upon receipt of the power, the sensor is configured to transmit information to the generator. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical instrument of  claim 2 , wherein the storage device comprises a gateway and a server, and wherein the gateway is configured to initiate a call for a secure key to the server. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical instrument of  claim 4 , wherein the server is configured to reply to the gateway with the secure key. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical instrument of  claim 5 , wherein the gateway is configured to validate the secure key. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical instrument of  claim 5 , wherein the gateway is configured to initiate an upload of information to the server. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical instrument of  claim 7 , wherein the server is configured to transmit the uploaded information to a patient file. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical instrument of  claim 8 , wherein the uploaded information comprises at least one of end effector assembly oscillation data or end effector assembly usage time data. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical instrument of  claim 9 , wherein the patient file comprises a software application, wherein the software application is configured to calculate a cost based on at least one of end effector assembly oscillation data or end effector assembly time usage data. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical instrument of  claim 10 , wherein the server is configured to transmit the cost to one or more manufacturers or vendors of at least one of the body or the end effector assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical instrument of  claim 10 , wherein the software application is configured to analyze uploaded information from one or more patient files to generate a report on a surgeon-specific usage of at least one of the body or one or more end effector assemblies. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the storage device comprises a secure server outside a hospital network. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the power source is configured to receive one or more serial numbers of at least one of the sensor, the body, or the end effector assembly. 
     
     
         16 . A method for uploading information from a generator in communication with a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument including a detachable transmission assembly extending distally from a body, wherein an end effector is disposed at a distal end of the transmission assembly, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 (a) capturing data via a sensor disposed in at least one of the detachable transmission assembly, the end effector, or the body of the surgical instrument when the instrument is used or after the instrument is used in a procedure on a first patient;   (b) uploading data from the sensor, via a processor, to a secure gateway;   (c) initiating a secure key validation; and   (d) based on the secure key validation, transmitting the uploaded data via the processor to a secure server.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 (a) uploading into the generator one or more unique serial numbers associated with at least one of the detachable transmission assembly, the end effector, or the body of the surgical instrument;   (b) transmitting the uploaded data from the secure server to a patient file of the first patient; and   (c) displaying the information, via the processor, on a display screen.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of transmitting the uploaded data to a patient file comprises transmitting uploaded data comprising at least one of end effector oscillation data or end effector time usage data, further comprising.
 (a) calculating a cost based on at least one of end effector oscillation data or end effector time usage data;   (b) displaying the cost, via the processor, on the display screen; and   (b) transmitting the cost to one or more manufacturers or vendors of at least one of the body, the detachable transmission assembly, or the end effector.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising analyzing uploaded data from one or more patient files to generate a report on a surgeon-specific usage of at least one of at least one of the body, one or more detachable transmission assemblies, or one or more end effectors. 
     
     
         20 . A method for storing calibrated settings on a surgical instrument in communication with a generator, the surgical instrument including a selected detachable transmission assembly extending distally from a body, wherein a selected end effector is disposed at a distal end of the transmission assembly, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 (a) coupling an end effector assembly with the instrument body to provide a first assembled surgical instrument;   (b) using the first assembled surgical instrument on material of a calibration kit while the generator is in a calibration mode, wherein the generator is operable to select or establish a calibrated use setting based on the act of using the first assembled surgical instrument of the calibration kit;   (c) de-coupling the end effector assembly from the instrument body;   (d) coupling another end effector assembly with the instrument body to provide a second assembled surgical instrument; and   (e) using the second assembled surgical instrument in a surgical procedure, wherein the generator is operable to drive the end effector in accordance with the established calibrated use settings.