WIRELESSLY DETECTABLE OBJECTS FOR USE IN MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME

• US 20100108079A1
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: RF Surgical Systems, Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Blair, William A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,726,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/899
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00051 Accessories for dressings
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/04 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49817 with other than ancillary treating or assembling

Abstract

Various embodiments of a wirelessly detectable object to be used in medical procedures are provided. The object may include a piece of absorbent material, a transponder to wirelessly receive and transmit signals, and a cover. The cover is attached directly to the piece of absorbent material to retain the transponder. Methods of manufacturing wirelessly detectable objects are also provided.

Claims

1. A wirelessly detectable object for use in medical procedures, comprising:

a piece of absorbent material;

a transponder to wirelessly receive and transmit signals; and

a cover attached directly to the piece of absorbent material, the transponder retained by the cover.

2. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 wherein the piece of absorbent material comprises at least one of a sponge or a piece of gauze.

3. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 wherein the cover is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

4. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1, further comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) weld that attaches the cover to the piece of absorbent material.

5. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1, further comprising:

stitching that directly attaches the cover to the piece of absorbent material.

6. A wirelessly detectable object for use in medical procedures, comprising:

a piece of absorbent material;

a transponder to wirelessly receive and transmit signals; and

a flexible sheet attached directly to the piece of absorbent material and forming a pocket to enclose the transponder therein.

7. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 wherein the piece of absorbent material comprises at least one of a sponge or a piece of gauze.

8. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 wherein the flexible sheet comprises a sheet of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) impregnated fabric.

9. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6, further comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) weld that seals the transponder in the pocket formed by the flexible sheet.

10. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 wherein the piece of absorbent material has at least one edge and has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the flexible sheet is folded over one of the at least one edge of the piece of absorbent material to provide a first portion of the flexible sheet adjacent the first surface of the piece of absorbent material and a second portion of the flexible sheet adjacent the second surface of the piece of absorbent material, and wherein the first portion of the flexible sheet is further folded to form the pocket that encloses the transponder therein.

11. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 10 wherein the first and the second portions of the flexible sheet are RF welded to the piece of absorbent material.

12. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6, further comprising:

an RF weld that seals the transponder in the pocket; and

stitching that directly attaches the pocket formed by the flexible sheet to the piece of absorbent material.

13. A wirelessly detectable object for use in medical procedures, comprising:

a piece of absorbent material;

a transponder to wirelessly receive and transmit signals; and

a container containing the transponder and attached directly to the piece of absorbent material.

14. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 13, further comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) weld that attaches the container to the piece of absorbent material.

15. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 13 wherein the container includes a first member, a second member, and a third member, wherein the piece of absorbent material has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the first member has a cavity to receive the transponder, wherein the first and the second members form a pouch to contain the transponder, and wherein the pouch containing the transponder is attached to the first surface of the piece of absorbent material and the third member is attached to the second surface of the piece of absorbent material directly opposite the pouch.

16. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 15 wherein the first member, the second member, and the third member of the container are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

17. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 15, further comprising:

an RF weld that attaches the pouch and the third member to the piece of absorbent material.

18. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 13, further comprising:

a radio-opaque strip carried by the piece of absorbent material.

19. A wirelessly detectable object for use in medical procedures, comprising:

a medical procedure object;

a transponder to wirelessly receive and transmit signals;

a flexible sheet forming a cavity; and

at least one radio frequency (RF) weld that seals the transponder in the cavity and wherein the flexible sheet is attached directly to the medical procedure object.

20. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 19 wherein the medical procedure object comprises a piece of absorbent material.

21. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 19 wherein the flexible sheet is comprises polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

22. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 19 wherein the flexible sheet is attached directly to the surgical object by the at least one RF weld.

23. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 19, further comprising:

stitching that attaches the flexible sheet directly to the surgical object.

24. A method of manufacturing a plurality of wirelessly detectable objects for use in medical procedures, the method comprising:

attaching a plurality of transponders to a roll of absorbent material; and

dividing the roll of absorbent material to provide a plurality of discrete pieces of absorbent material each having a respective one of the plurality of transponders attached thereto.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

packaging at least one of the plurality of discrete pieces of absorbent material having a respective transponder attached thereto; and

testing the at least one packaged discrete piece of absorbent material having a respective transponder attached thereto.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein attaching a plurality of transponders to a roll of absorbent material comprises attaching a plurality of transponders to a roll of gauze, and wherein dividing the roll of absorbent material into a plurality of discrete pieces of absorbent material each having a respective one of the plurality of transponders attached thereto comprises dividing the roll of gauze to provide a plurality of discrete pieces of gauze each having a respective one of the plurality of transponders attached thereto.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein attaching a plurality of transponders to a roll of absorbent material comprises radio frequency (RF) welding a plurality of transponders to the roll of absorbent material.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

providing a plurality of housing objects each having a cavity to hold a respective one of the plurality of transponders; and

RF welding the housing objects to seal each of the transponders in the cavity of the respective one of the housing objects, and wherein

attaching a plurality of transponders to a roll of absorbent material comprises attaching the plurality of housing objects each containing a respective transponder to the roll of absorbent material.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein providing a plurality of housing objects each having a cavity to hold a respective one of the plurality of transponders comprises providing a plurality of sheets of flexible material that each form a pocket to hold a respective one of the plurality of transponders, and wherein RF welding the housing objects to seal each of the transponders in the cavity of the respective one of the housing objects comprises RF welding the sheets of flexible materials to seal each of the transponders in the pocket of the respective one of the sheets of flexible material.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein attaching the plurality of housing objects each containing a respective transponder to the roll of absorbent material comprises RF welding the plurality of sheets of flexible material each containing a respective transponder to the roll of absorbent material.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

providing a roll of fabric pouches each containing a respective one of the plurality of transponders and RF welded to seal the respective transponder within; and

separating the roll of fabric pouches into individual fabric pouches each containing a respective one of the plurality of transponders, and wherein

attaching a plurality of transponders to a roll of absorbent material comprises RF welding the fabric pouches to the roll of absorbent material.

32. A method manufacturing a detectable surgical object, the method comprising:

enclosing a transponder in a receiving cavity of a flexible holder by heat sealing; and

attaching the flexible holder containing the transponder to a medical procedure object for use in medical procedures.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein enclosing a transponder in a receiving cavity of a flexible holder comprises enclosing the transponder in the receiving cavity of the flexible holder made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

34. The method of claim 32 wherein enclosing a transponder in a receiving cavity of a flexible holder comprises forming a pocket with a PVC impregnated cotton fabric to receive the transponder and enclosing the transponder in the pocket.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein enclosing a transponder in a receiving cavity of a flexible holder by heat sealing comprises sealing the transponder in the pocket formed from the PVC impregnated cotton fabric by radio frequency (RF) welding, and wherein attaching the flexible holder to a medical procedure object comprises attaching the pocket containing the sealed transponder to the medical procedure object by RF welding.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein enclosing a transponder in a receiving cavity of a flexible holder by heat sealing comprises sealing the transponder in the pocket formed from the PVC impregnated cotton fabric using RF welding, and wherein attaching the flexible holder to a medical procedure object comprises attaching the pocket containing the sealed transponder to the medical procedure object by sewing.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein enclosing a transponder in a receiving cavity of a flexible holder by heat sealing comprises sealing the transponder between a first member of the flexible holder and a second member of the flexible holder having a receiving cavity to receive the transponder by RF welding.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein attaching the flexible holder to a medical procedure object comprises RF welding the flexible holder containing the transponder to a radio-opaque strip on a sponge.

39. The method of claim 32 wherein enclosing a transponder in a receiving cavity of a flexible holder comprises enclosing each of a plurality of transponders in a respective one of a plurality of fabric pouches, the plurality of fabric pouches being part of a roll of the fabric pouches.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein attaching the flexible holder to a medical procedure object comprises:

separating the roll of fabric pouches into individual fabric pouches each containing a respective one of the plurality of transponders;

RF welding the fabric pouches to a roll of gauze; and

separating the roll of gauze into a plurality of individual pieces of gauze each having a respective fabric pouch attached thereto and containing a respective transponder.