Surgical sponge and detection system therefor
First Claim
1. A surgical sponge adapted for preventing unaccounted disposal thereof, said sponge comprising an absorbent pad, a visually identifiable member attached to said pad to assist in identification and accounting in a surgical environment, and a metallic tag of sufficient size to provide detection by a metal detector device upon disposal of said sponge.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical sponge is provided and adapted to prevent unaccounted disposal thereof. The sponge includes an absorbent pad and a visually identifiable member attached to the pad. The visually identifiable member assists in identification and accounting in a surgical environment. Finally, a metallic tag of sufficient size is incorporated with the sponge to provide detection by a metal detector device upon disposal of the sponge.
48 Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A surgical sponge adapted for preventing unaccounted disposal thereof, said sponge comprising an absorbent pad, a visually identifiable member attached to said pad to assist in identification and accounting in a surgical environment, and a metallic tag of sufficient size to provide detection by a metal detector device upon disposal of said sponge.
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8. A surgical apparatus to account for surgical sponge usage and location in a surgical environment, said apparatus comprising:
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a disposal receptacle for receiving used surgical materials and other disposable articles used in a surgical environment;
a metal detection device for detecting the passage of selected articles therethrough into said receptacle; and
a surgical sponge having an absorbent pad, a color coded identification element extending outwardly from said pad, and a metallic tag disposed within said identification element of sufficient size to trigger said metal detection device when passed therethrough into said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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14. In a detection system to account for non-metallic surgical implements and sponges utilized in a surgical environment including a receptacle to receive disposable materials, and a metal detection apparatus mountable over the receptacle to detect the inadvertent disposal of metallic surgical instruments into said receptacle, the improvement wherein said surgical implements comprise a color coded identification element extending outwardly therefrom, and a metallic tag disposed within said identification element of sufficient size to trigger said metal detection apparatus when passed therethrough into said receptacle.
Specification