Patent ID: 8540709

Claim:
A single-use surgical instrument system, comprising: a scanning device configured to read a removable ink; and a surgical instrument, comprising: a housing, an electrical connector, and a treatment component, wherein at least one of the housing, the electrical connector, and the treatment component is configured to accept indicia printed thereon, at least one portion of the surgical instrument supporting the removable ink in the form of indicia readable by the scanning device, the removable ink including a protein-based composition reactivateable with a sterilization solution having an enzyme-based composition such that upon a sterilization of the instrument with the solution, the removable ink reacts only with the sterilization solution and becomes unreadable by the scanning device, the removable ink disposed on a label secured to the surgical instrument, wherein the label is secured to the surgical instrument with an adhesive, the adhesive being dissolvable with the sterilization solution having the enzyme-based composition, facilitating detachment of the label from the surgical instrument.