Automatic surgical sponge counter and blood loss determination system

• US 20060044137A1
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Clearcount Medical Solutions Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Morris, Dean E., Morris, Sharon L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,105,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0018 Electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/375 for sponges
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0805 automatically, e.g. by means of magnetic, optical or photoelectric detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/37 for absorbent articles, e.g. bandages, garments, swabs or towels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/777 Determination of loss or gain of body fluids due to suction-irrigation, e.g. during surgery
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 17/04 for weighing fluids, e.g. gases, pastes
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/414 using electronic computing means only
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 1/108 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 7/00 Counting of objects carried by a conveyor

Abstract

A surgical sponge detection system includes a plurality of surgical sponges (2) having radio frequency identification tags (1) securely attached thereto and a non-optical hand-held reader (40) for detecting the sponges by detecting the tags (1). Also disclosed is a device (30) for automatically counting, weighing, and calculating blood loss contained within, soiled surgical sponges (2) which includes a cabinet with an opening (3) at the top through which sponges (2) are deposited, a reader (6) which scans each sponge (2) entered and determines sponge type from a tag (1) affixed to each sponge (2), and a disposable bag (8) into which the sponges (2) are deposited. The disposable bag (8) is removably mounted to a weighing scale (10); there is also a rear door (9) from which the disposable bag (8) can be easily removed, a rechargeable battery (11), a shelf (12) for unused disposable bag storage, a control unit (4) which processes data received from reader (6) and scale (10) and instantaneously calculates total weight of liquid contained within sponges entered, a display panel (5) continuously displays the number and type of sponges entered during a given procedure as well as the total weight of liquids retained in those sponges. There is a means for automatically determining the weight of the sponges when dry which includes a non-optical scanner means (6) which can read an indicating means (1) on the sponges (2) even when the indicating means (1) is covered with blood or other body fluids.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. A surgical sponge apparatus comprising:

(a) a surgical sponge made of an absorbent material for absorbing fluids during surgery and having a dry weight before being used to absorb fluids; and

(b) an indicating tag on the sponge body that indicates the type of sponge on which it is located, the indicating tag being readable by a non-optical scanner.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the indicating tag indicates the dry weight of the sponge.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the indicating tag comprises a RF tag attached to the sponge.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the RF tag does not exceed one inch in diameter and 0.20 inches in thickness.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the RF tag does not exceed four grams in weight.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a scanner for reading the tag.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the scanner can read multiple tags simultaneously.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the scanner can read and identify multiple tags simultaneously.

29. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the indicating tag is an RF tag encoded with a number selected from within a range of 0 to 64 bits, binary.

32. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the scanner detects each sponge electromagnetically.

18. A surgical sponge apparatus, comprising:

(a) a sponge body of an absorbent material for absorbing fluids during surgery;

(b) an RF tag attached to the sponge that enables the sponge to be detected by a non-optical scanner; and

(c) the RF tag including information encoded on the tag about the sponge.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the RF tag does not exceed one inch in diameter and 0.20 inches in thickness.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the RF tag does not exceed four grams in weight.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the RF tag does not exceed three grams in weight.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a scanner for reading the tag.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the scanner can read multiple tags simultaneously.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the scanner can read and identify multiple tags simultaneously.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a handheld scanner for reading the tag.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the RF tag is encoded with a number selected from within a range of 0 to 64 bits, binary.

33. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the scanner detects each sponge electromagnetically.

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

34. (canceled)