Surgical instruments with sensors for detecting tissue properties, and system using such instruments

Abstract

A system is provided that furnishes expert procedural guidance based upon patient-specific data gained from surgical instruments incorporating sensors on the instrument's working surface, one or more reference sensors placed about the patient, sensors implanted before, during or after the procedure, the patient's personal medical history, and patient status monitoring equipment. Embodiments include a system having a surgical instrument with a sensor for generating a signal indicative of a property of a subject tissue of the patient, which signal is converted into a current dataset and stored. A processor compares the current dataset with other previously stored datasets, and uses the comparison to assess a physical condition of the subject tissue and/or to guide a procedure being performed on the tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an implantable sensor comprising at least one sensing element configured to generate at least one signal indicative of an interaction force of a biological tissue of a patient's body;   a processor configured to receive the signal outside the patient's body and convert the signal into a current dataset;   a communications interface configured to communicate the signal from the sensor to the processor;   a database for storing the current dataset,   wherein the processor is further configured to compare the current dataset with other datasets previously stored in the database, and to assess a physical condition of the biological tissue or guide a current procedure being performed on the tissue, responsive to the comparison; and   an output device, wherein:   the sensor is configured to be placed in, on, in contact with, embedded into, or surrounding the biological tissue, in the patient's body,   the communications interface is wireless, and   the sensor is configured to wirelessly communicate the signal to the communications interface.