Reusable instruments and related systems and methods

• US 20040041031A1
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optim LLC
• Original Assignee: Optim LLC
• Inventors: Krupa, Robert J., Root, Thomas V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,193,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00029 externally powered, e.g. wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00062 provided with means for preventing overuse
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/121 provided with means for cleaning post-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

Reusable instruments, such as reusable medical instruments, and related systems and methods, are disclosed. In some embodiments, the reusable instrument can be an endoscope.

Claims

1. A reusable instrument having an identity, the reusable instrument comprising:

an instrument body having an interior and an exterior; and

an indicator configured to provide the identity of the reusable instrument, the indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a bar code, a dot code, a passive RF transmitter, a passive electrical device, a component of a mechanical key system, or a magnetically encoded device.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the indicator is configured to be read by a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

5. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising a treatment status indicator configured to indicate the treatment status of the reusable instrument, the treatment status indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body.

6. The instrument of claim 5, wherein the treatment status indicator comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

7. The instrument of claim 5, further comprising a procedure enablement status configured to indicate that the reusable instrument is disabled from being used in a procedure, the procedure enablement status indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body.

8. The instrument of claim 7, wherein the procedure enablement status indicator comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

9. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising a procedure enablement status configured to indicate that the reusable instrument is disabled from being used in a procedure, the procedure enablement status indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body.

10. The instrument of claim 9, wherein the procedure enablement status indicator comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

11. The instrument of claim 9, wherein the reusable instrument is an endoscope.

80. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the reusable instrument is a reusable medical instrument.

12. A system, comprising:

a reusable instrument having an identity, the reusable instrument comprising;

an instrument body having an interior and an exterior; and

an indicator, the indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body; and

a data recognition device configured to read data from the indicator to determine the identity of the reusable instrument.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the reusable instrument is an endoscope.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the data recognition device comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising an article, the data recognition device being coupleable to the article.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the article is a component for a treatment system for the reusable instrument, a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed in a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument, or a docking station for a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed within a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument.

81. The system of claim 12, wherein the reusable instrument is a reusable medical instrument.

17. A reusable instrument, comprising:

an instrument body having an interior and an exterior; and

an indicator, the indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body,

wherein the indicator is configured to provide a serial number of the reusable instrument device, a product number of the reusable instrument, a treatment status of the reusable instrument, a procedure enablement status of the reusable instrument, or a supply status of the reusable instrument.

18. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the reusable instrument is an endoscope.

19. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the indicator comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

20. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the indicator comprises a bar code, a dot code, a passive RF transmitter, a passive electrical device, a component of a mechanical key system, or a magnetically encoded device.

21. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the indicator is configured to be read by a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

22. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the indicator provides a serial number of the reusable instrument or a product number of the reusable instrument, and the reusable instrument further includes a treatment status indicator configured to indicate the treatment status of the reusable instrument, the treatment status indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body.

23. The instrument of claim 22, wherein the treatment status indicator comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

24. The instrument of claim 22, further comprising a procedure enablement status configured to indicate that the reusable instrument is disabled from being used in a procedure, the procedure enablement status indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body.

25. The instrument of claim 24, wherein the procedure enablement status indicator comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

26. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the indicator provides a serial number of the reusable instrument or a product number of the reusable instrument, and the reusable instrument further includes a procedure enablement status configured to indicate that the reusable instrument is disabled from being used in a procedure, the procedure enablement status indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed oil the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body.

27. The instrument of claim 26, wherein the procedure enablement status indicator comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

28. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the indicator provides a treatment status of the reusable instrument, and the reusable instrument further includes a procedure enablement status indicator configured to indicate that the reusable instrument is disabled from being used in a procedure, the procedure enablement status indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body.

29. The instrument of claim 28, wherein the procedure enablement status indicator comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

82. The instrument of claim 17, wherein the reusable instrument is a reusable medical instrument.

30. A system, comprising:

a reusable instrument, comprising;

an instrument body having an interior and an exterior;

an indicator, the indicator being integral with the instrument body, disposed on the exterior of the instrument body, or disposed in the interior of the instrument body; and

a data recognition device configured to read data from the indicator, the data being a serial number of the reusable instrument, a product number of the endoscopic device, a treatment status of the reusable instrument, or a procedure enablement status of the reusable instrument.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the reusable instrument is an endoscope.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the data recognition device comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

33. The system of claim 30, further comprising an article, the data recognition device being coupleable to the article.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the article is a component of a treatment system for the reusable instrument, a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed in a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument, or a docking station for a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed within a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument.

83. The system of claim 30, wherein the reusable instrument is a reusable medical instrument.

35. A system, comprising:

an article, the article being a component of a treatment system for the reusable instrument, a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed in a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument, or a docking station for a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed within a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument; and

a data recognition device, the data recognition device being integral with the article, disposed on an exterior of the article, or disposed in an interior of the article,

wherein the data recognition device is configured to read data from the reusable instrument to recognize a serial number of the reusable instrument, a product number of the reusable instrument, a treatment status of the endoscope, or a procedure enablement status of the reusable instrument.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the recognition device comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the data recognition device comprises a bar code reader, a dot code reader, a passive RF receiver, a passive electrical device, a component of a mechanical key system, or a magnetic reader.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the data recognition device is configured to read the serial number of the endoscope or the product number of the endoscope, and the system further includes a treatment status data recognition device configured to read the treatment status of the endoscope.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the treatment status data recognition device comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

40. The system of claim 38, further comprising a procedure enablement status data recognition device configured to read the procedure enablement status of the endoscope.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the procedure enablement status data recognition device comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the data recognition device is configured to read the serial number of the endoscope or the product number of the endoscope, and the system further includes a procedure enablement status data recognition device configured to read the procedure enablement status of the endoscope.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the procedure enablement status data recognition device comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein the data recognition device is configured to read the treatment status of the endoscope, and the system further includes a procedure enablement status data recognition device configured to read the procedure enablement status of the endoscope.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the procedure enablement status data recognition device comprises a magnetic device, an inductance device, an electrical device, an optical device, or a mechanical device.

46. The system of claim 35, further comprising a disabling device coupled to the article, the disabling device being configured to change a procedure enablement status of the endoscope to prevent the endoscope from being used in a procedure.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the disabling device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of magnetic devices, inductance devices, electrical devices, optical devices, and mechanical devices.

48. The system of claim 46, further comprising a treatment status device coupled to the article, the treatment status device being configured to change a treatment status of the endoscope to indicate that the endoscope has been treated since it was last used in a procedure.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the treatment status device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of magnetic devices, inductance devices, electrical devices, optical devices, and mechanical devices.

50. The system of claim 35, further comprising a treatment status device coupled to the article, the treatment status device being configured to change a treatment status of the endoscope to indicate that the endoscope has been treated since it was last used in a procedure.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the treatment status device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of magnetic devices, inductance devices, electrical devices, optical devices, and mechanical devices.

84. The system of claim 35, wherein the reusable instrument is a reusable medical instrument.

52. A system, comprising:

an article, the article being a component for a treatment system for the reusable instrument, a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed in a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument, or a docking station for a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed within a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument; and

a disabling device coupled to the article, the disabling device being configured to change a procedure enablement status of a reusable instrument to prevent the reusable instrument from being used in a procedure.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the reusable instrument is an endoscope.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein the disabling device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of magnetic devices, inductance devices, electrical devices, optical devices, and mechanical devices.

55. The system of claim 54, further comprising a treatment status device coupled to the article, the treatment status device being configured to change a treatment status of the endoscope to indicate that the endoscope has been treated since it was last used in a procedure.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the treatment status device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of magnetic devices, inductance devices, electrical devices, optical devices, and mechanical devices.

85. The system of claim 52, wherein the reusable instrument is a reusable medical instrument.

57. A system, comprising:

an article, the article being a component for a treatment system for the reusable instrument, a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed in a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument, or a docking station for a holder for a reusable instrument that is configured to be removably housed within a treatment chamber for the reusable instrument; and

a treatment status device coupled to the article, the treatment status device being configured to change a treatment status of a reusable instrument to indicate that the reusable instrument has been treated since it was last used in a procedure.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the reusable instrument is an endoscope.

59. The system of claim 57, wherein the article is a treatment chamber and the treatment status is the treatment status.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the treatment status device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of magnetic devices, inductance devices, electrical devices, optical devices, and mechanical devices.

86. The system of claim 57, wherein the reusable instrument is a reusable medical instrument.

61. A method, comprising:

reading data from a reusable instrument to determine the identity of the reusable instrument.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the reusable instrument is an endoscope.

63. The method of claim 61, further comprising determining, based on the identity of the reusable instrument, whether the reusable instrument has been treated since last used in a procedure.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein determining whether the reusable instrument has been treated since last used in a procedure includes accessing a database containing the treatment status of the reusable instrument.

65. The method of claim 61, further comprising preventing the reusable instrument from being used in a procedure based on the identity of the reusable instrument.

66. The method of claim 61, further comprising treating the reusable instrument based on the identity of the reusable instrument.

67. The method of claim 66, further comprising, after treating the reusable instrument, updating recognition data associated with the reusable instrument to indicate that the reusable instrument has been treated since it was last used in a procedure.

68. The method of claim 61, further comprising determining, based on the identity of the reusable instrument, whether to disable the reusable instrument from being used in a procedure.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein determining whether to disable the reusable instrument includes accessing a database containing the procedure enablement status of the reusable instrument.

87. The method of claim 61, wherein the reusable instrument is a reusable medical instrument.

70. A method, comprising:

reading recognition data from a reusable instrument, the recognition data being a serial number of the reusable instrument, a product number of the reusable instrument, a treatment status of the reusable instrument, a supply status of the reusable instrument, or a procedure enablement status of the reusable instrument.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the reusable instrument is an endoscope.

72. The method of claim 70, further comprising determining, based on the recognition data, whether the reusable instrument has been treated since last used in a procedure.

73. The method of claim 70, further comprising preventing the reusable instrument from being used in a procedure based on the recognition data.

74. The method of claim 70, further comprising treating the reusable instrument based on the recognition data.

75. The method of claim 70, further comprising preventing the reusable instrument from being used in a procedure based on the recognition data.

88. The method of claim 70, wherein the reusable instrument is a reusable medical instrument.

76. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

cause the occurrence of a process, the process including;

reading data from a reusable instrument to determine the identity of the reusable instrument.

77. The computer program product of claim 76, wherein the computer readable medium is selected from the group consisting of a hard disk drive, a random access memory, and a read-only memory.

78. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

cause the occurrence of a process, the process including;

reading recognition data from a reusable instrument, the recognition data being a serial number of the reusable instrument, a product number of the reusable instrument, a treatment status of the reusable instrument, a supply status of the reusable instrument, or a procedure enablement status of the reusable instrument.

79. The computer program product of claim 78, wherein the computer readable medium is selected from the group consisting of a hard disk drive, a random access memory, and a read-only memory.