Patent ID: 9198659
Filing Date: 2015-12-01
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method of operating an electromechanical surgical stapler on a target tissue having a thickness, the surgical stapler including an end effector having a first tissue engaging member, a second tissue engaging member, a plurality of surgical staples loaded in the first or the second tissue engaging member, and a knife extendable from or along the first and the second tissue engaging members, the method comprising: providing at least one tissue contact determining element on each of the first and the second tissue engaging members; disposing the first and the second tissue engaging members, while in an open condition, on opposed sides of the target tissue; approximating the first and the second tissue engaging members towards one another; contacting the tissue contact determining element of each of the first and the second tissue engaging members with the target tissue; identifying an initial contact of the tissue contact determining element of each of the first and the second tissue engaging members with the target tissue; and determining an initial thickness of the target tissue based on the initial contact of the tissue contact determining element of each of the first and the second tissue engaging members with the target tissue.