Patent ID: 11944340
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method of priming a surgical instrument with a fluid, wherein the surgical instrument includes (a) a shaft assembly including a lumen, and (b) a valve assembly including: (i) a first inlet configured to receive the fluid from a fluid source, (ii) a second inlet configured to receive a suction from a vacuum source, (iii) an outlet in fluid communication with the lumen, (iv) a valve chamber, and (v) at least one valve plug configured to selectively fluidly connect at least two of the outlet, the first inlet, and the second inlet via the valve chamber, the method comprising:
(a) activating the fluid source to provide the fluid to the first inlet;
(b) activating the vacuum source to provide the suction to the second inlet;
(c) transitioning the at least one valve plug from a first position to a second position, wherein:
(i) in the first position the fluid source and the vacuum source are each fluidly decoupled from the valve chamber, and
(ii) in the second position the fluid source and the vacuum source are each in fluid communication with the valve chamber; and

(d) transferring, via the suction, a first portion of the fluid from the first inlet toward the vacuum source through the second inlet thereby priming the surgical instrument.