A powered surgical cutting and stapling instrument is disclosed. The instrument includes at least one sensor to measure at least one parameter associated with the instrument, at least one processor, and a memory operatively associated with the processor. The memory includes machine executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to monitor the at least one sensor over a predetermined time period and determine a rate of change of the measured parameter.

A surgical instrument includes a reusable assembly having an inner tube and an ultrasonic blade positioned within the inner tube. The inner tube includes at least one opening to receive a sterilization fluid therethrough for sterilizing the ultrasonic blade within the inner tube. The surgical instrument further includes a sterilization detection system to determine whether the reusable assembly has been sterilized during a sterilization cycle. A seal is selectively couplable with the at least one opening of the inner tube to fluidly seal the at least one opening for inhibiting bodily fluid from entering the at least one opening during a surgical procedure.

A modular surgical instrument system that comprises modular components and a control circuit electrically couplable to the modular components. The modular components comprise a shaft and a handle assembly. The handle assembly comprises a disposable outer housing. The disposable outer housing is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The handle assembly further comprises a control inner core receivable inside the disposable outer housing in the open configuration. The disposable outer housing is configured to isolate the control inner core in the closed configuration. The modular components further comprise a loading unit releasably couplable to the shaft and a staple cartridge releasably couplable to an end effector. The loading unit comprises the end effector. The control circuit is configured to generate an interrogation signal, detect a response signal, determine a modular configuration of the modular surgical instrument system, and assess authenticity of the modular configuration.

A modular surgical instrument system, comprising a handle assembly, comprising a disposable outer housing configured to define a sterile barrier. The disposable outer housing comprises a first housing-portion and a second housing-portion movable relative to the first housing-portion between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The handle assembly further comprises a control inner core receivable inside the disposable outer housing in the open configuration. The disposable outer housing is configured to isolate the control inner core in the closed configuration. The modular surgical instrument system further comprises a primary wired interface configured to transmit data and power between the control inner core and at least one of modular components of the modular surgical instrument system, a secondary interface comprising a sensor located within the outer housing, and a control circuit configured to confirm a primary connection through the primary wired interface based on at least one sensor reading.

A surgical instrument system that comprises a shaft and a handle assembly releasably couplable to the shaft. The handle assembly comprises a disposable outer housing defining a sterile barrier. The disposable outer housing is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The handle assembly further comprises a control inner core receivable inside the disposable outer housing in the open configuration. The disposable outer housing is configured to isolate the control inner core within the sterile barrier in the closed configuration. The surgical instrument system further comprises an end effector releasably couplable to the shaft and an electrical interface assembly configured to transmit data and power between the control inner core and the end effector. The electrical interface assembly comprises a first interface portion on a first side of the sterile barrier, and a second interface portion on a second side of the sterile barrier opposite the first side.

A method for treating tissue using a surgical instrument including at least one electrode and a staple cartridge is disclosed. The method includes causing the at least one electrode to deliver a therapeutic energy to the tissue in a first phase of a surgical treatment by the surgical instrument, deploying staples from the staple cartridge into the tissue in a second phase of the surgical treatment, monitoring a first tissue property in the first phase of the surgical treatment, switching from the first phase to the second phase if at least one of two conditions is met, setting a parameter of the second phase of the surgical treatment based on at least one measurement of the first tissue property determined in the first phase of the surgical treatment, and monitoring a second tissue property, different from the first tissue property, in the second phase of the surgical treatment.

A handle assembly for use with a surgical instrument system. The handle assembly comprises a disposable outer housing defining a sterile barrier, a control inner core receivable inside the disposable outer housing in the open configuration, a wireless electrical interface assembly, and a wired electrical interface assembly. The disposable outer housing is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The disposable outer housing is configured to isolate the control inner core within the sterile barrier in the closed configuration. The wireless electrical interface assembly configured to effect a wireless transmission through the sterile barrier. The wireless electrical interface assembly comprises a first wireless-interface portion on a first side of the sterile barrier and a second wireless-interface portion on a second side of the sterile barrier opposite the first side. The wired electrical interface assembly configured to effect a wired transmission through the sterile barrier.

A method for providing a visual expiration indication for a surgical instrument includes holding an indicator body in a first position with a detent mechanism to provide a visual in-service indication for the surgical instrument. The indicator body is engaged with a motor and the indicator body is rotated with the motor from the first position to a second position that provides a visual expired indication. The indicator body is prevented from rotating from the second position to the first position with the detent mechanism. The detent mechanism may hold the indicator body in one of only two positions. The visual indications may be displayed through an aperture fixed to the base of the surgical instrument. The indicator body may be elastically deformed when the indicator body is rotated from the first position to the second position. The motor may be rotated to gain momentum before rotating the indicator body.

A surgical stapler. The surgical stapler includes a drive system, an electric motor, a battery and a control system. The drive system includes an actuation member. The electric motor is mechanically coupled to the drive system. The battery is electrically couplable to the electric motor. The control system includes an H-bridge circuit electrically couplable to the electric motor. The control system is configured to control the electric motor based on a sensed parameter associated with the electric motor, a position of the actuation member and a velocity of the actuation member.

Systems, devices and methods for managing surgical instruments throughout their lifecycle include disabling a usage based device lockout and providing notifications for devices nearing a usage based lockout. A device adaptor connected inline between a surgical instrument and a power source can be configured to alter a device EEPROM to allow for additional device usage despite a usage based lockout. Notifications and user prompts may be displayed requiring a user to acknowledge that a usage based device lockout has occurred in order to avoid an attempt to use an expired device in a future procedure.