METHOD, APPARATUS AND ARTICLE FOR DETECTION OF TRANSPONDER TAGGED OBJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE DURING SURGERY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system to detect surgical objects tagged with transponders used in-vivo or proximate a surgical site, the system comprising:
- a wand housing;
at least one antenna carried by the wand housing;
a fuse coupled to the at least one antenna and selectively operable to permanently disable the at least one antenna; and
a disable circuit configured to selectively blow the fuse to permanently disable the at least one antenna responsive to a lapse of a defined amount of usage.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system to detect objects tagged with transponders used in-vivo or proximate a surgical site. The system includes a wand housing, at least one antenna carried by the wand housing, a fuse coupled to the at least one antenna and selectively operable to permanently disable the at least one antenna, and a disable circuit configured to selectively blow the fuse to permanently disable the at least one antenna responsive to a lapse of a defined amount of usage. A pouch holds a transponder and is physically coupleable to objects such as surgical sponges or gauze.
82 Citations
46 Claims
-
1. A system to detect surgical objects tagged with transponders used in-vivo or proximate a surgical site, the system comprising:
-
a wand housing;
at least one antenna carried by the wand housing;
a fuse coupled to the at least one antenna and selectively operable to permanently disable the at least one antenna; and
a disable circuit configured to selectively blow the fuse to permanently disable the at least one antenna responsive to a lapse of a defined amount of usage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of operating a system for detecting surgical objects tagged with transponders to be used in-vivo or proximate a surgical site, the method comprising:
-
using a wand having at least one antenna to locate surgical objects tagged with transponders;
determining if a defined amount of usage of the wand has occurred; and
permanently disabling the at least one antenna in response to a lapse in the defined amount of usage. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. An article for use in detecting surgical objects used in-vivo or proximate a surgical site, the article comprising:
a pouch having an interior and a closeable opening to selectively provide access to the interior from an exterior thereof, the interior sized to receive and retain a transponder therein, the pouch being coupleable to a surgical object to be used in-vivo or proximate the surgical site. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
40. A method for use in detecting surgical objects used in-vivo or proximate a surgical site, the method comprising:
-
providing a pouch having an interior and a closeable opening to selectively provide access to the interior from an exterior thereof, the interior sized to receive and retain a transponder therein;
locating a transponder in the interior of the pouch; and
coupling the pouch to a surgical object to be used in-vivo or proximate the surgical site. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
Specification