Surgical instrument with led lighting and absolute orientation

Abstract

A surgical instrument having a position sensor that may be detachable, disposable, partially isolated from movement of the main body of the surgical instrument, and/or configured to display feedback lighting. The orientation of the surgical instrument may be mimicked either virtually or by a mechanical device with a second surgical instrument. The instruments of the present disclosure may be used in any procedure or treatment that would benefit from position feedback for the instruments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 an instrument body;   an absolute orientation sensor including an absolute orientation sensing component, wherein the absolute orientation sensor is configured to be attached to the instrument body such that when the absolute orientation sensor is attached to the instrument body the absolute orientation sensing component would be at least partially fixed relative to the instrument body, and wherein when the absolute orientation sensing component is at least partially fixed relative to the instrument body the absolute orientation sensing component would be operable to detect a plurality of orientation data associated with at least one orientation condition of the surgical instrument relative to the Earth's magnetic field without requiring calibration by a separate arbitrary reference plane;   wherein the absolute orientation sensor is at least partially detachable from the instrument body such that the absolute orientation sensing component is removable from the instrument body, whereby when the absolute orientation sensing component is removed the absolute orientation sensing component would not be operable to detect the plurality of orientation data associated with the at least one orientation condition of the surgical instrument.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the absolute orientation sensing component is configured to be removable from the instrument body by hand. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the absolute orientation sensor is configured to slide onto and off of the instrument body such that the absolute orientation sensing component is removable from the instrument body. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical instrument of  claim 3 , wherein the absolute orientation sensor includes a sleeve that is configured to slide onto and off of a shaft of the instrument body such that the absolute orientation sensing component is removable from the instrument body. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the absolute orientation sensor includes:
 a sensor case that is configured to receive the absolute orientation sensing component and at least partially fix the absolute orientation sensing component relative to the instrument body.   
     
     
         6 . The surgical instrument of  claim 5 , wherein the sensor case has an open position and a closed position, wherein when the sensor case is in the closed position an interior of the sensor case is hermetically sealed from the atmosphere; and
 wherein when the sensor case is in the open position the interior is configured to receive the absolute orientation sensing component such that the absolute orientation sensing component can be retained within the interior when the sensor case is in the closed position.   
     
     
         7 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , further including:
 a device processor operable for controlling one or more components of the surgical instrument.   
     
     
         8 . The surgical instrument of  claim 7 , wherein the absolute orientation sensor is operatively coupled to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the absolute orientation sensing component comprises an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer, wherein the absolute orientation sensing component is operable to generate a plurality of orientation status data on at least a portion of the plurality of detected orientation data. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical instrument of  claim 7 , further including:
 at least one power source operatively coupled to the absolute orientation sensing component, wherein the at least one power source is operable to generate a supply of power for operation of the device processor and the absolute orientation sensing component.   
     
     
         10 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1  in combination with a hermetically sealed enclosure, wherein the surgical instrument is enclosed within the hermetically sealed enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 an instrument body;   an absolute orientation sensor including an absolute orientation sensing component, wherein the absolute orientation sensor is configured to be attached to the instrument body such that when the absolute orientation sensor is attached to the instrument body the absolute orientation sensing component would be partially fixed relative to the instrument body, and wherein when the absolute orientation sensing component is at least partially fixed relative to the instrument body the absolute orientation sensing component would be operable to detect a plurality of orientation data associated with at least one orientation condition of the surgical instrument relative to the Earth's magnetic field without requiring calibration by a separate arbitrary reference plane;   wherein the absolute orientation sensor is configured to partially isolate movement of the instrument body from absolute orientation sensing component when the absolute orientation sensor is attached to the instrument body, whereby when the absolute orientation sensing component is partially fixed relative to the instrument body the instrument body would be partially movable relative to the absolute orientation sensing component.   
     
     
         12 . The surgical instrument of  claim 11 , wherein the instrument body is rotatable relative to the absolute orientation sensing component when the absolute orientation sensor is attached to the instrument body. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical instrument of  claim 11 , wherein the absolute orientation sensor includes a ratchet that is configured to allow the instrument body to move relative to the absolute orientation sensing component in a first direction and configured to not allow the absolute orientation sensor component to move in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical instrument of  claim 13 , wherein the absolute orientation sensor includes a ratchet that is configured to allow the instrument body to rotate relative to the absolute orientation sensing component in the first direction and configured to not allow the absolute orientation sensor component to move in the second direction. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical instrument of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a display operatively coupled to the device processor, wherein the display is operable to display at least a portion of the plurality of generated orientation status data thereon, and wherein the display is configured to be partially fixed relative to the instrument body, whereby when the display is partially fixed relative to the instrument body the instrument body would be partially movable relative to the display.   
     
     
         16 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 a device processor operable for controlling one or more components of the surgical instrument;   at least one light source operatively coupled to the device processor and controlled in part by the device processor, wherein the device processor is configured to operate the light source based on the orientation of the surgical instrument.   
     
     
         17 . The surgical instrument of  claim 16 , wherein the device processor is configured to activate one or more light sources of the at least one light source based on the orientation of the surgical instrument relative to a predetermined orientation. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical instrument of  claim 17 , wherein the device processor is configured to activate one or more light sources of the at least one light source when the surgical instrumented is oriented in a predetermined orientation. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical instrument of  claim 18 , wherein the predetermined orientation is within a predetermined threshold of a reference orientation. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical instrument of  claim 16 , wherein the device processor is configured to change the color of the light output by the at least one light source based on the orientation of the surgical instrument relative to a predetermined orientation. 
     
     
         21 . The surgical instrument of  claim 16 , wherein the device processor is configured to operate the least one light source based on the orientation of the surgical instrument relative to a predetermined orientation relative to a patient.