System for Tracking Surgical Objects
First Claim
1. An apparatus for tracking a plurality of surgical objects placed in a surgical field, comprising:
- a) a stringer having a length, a first stringer end, a second stringer end, and a stringer external surface;
b) a first tracking tag having a first tracking tag body and a first tracking tag external surface; and
c) a second tracking tag having a second tracking tag body and a second tracking tag external surface;
wherein the stringer is operatively connected to each of the plurality of surgical objects along the length of the stringer;
wherein the first tracking tag body is attached to the first stringer end;
wherein the second tracking tag body is attached to the second stringer end; and
wherein, when the plurality of surgical objects are placed in the surgical field, the plurality of surgical objects are accounted for and recovered from the surgical field by following the stringer from the first tracking tag to the second tracking tag.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for tracking surgical objects placed in a body cavity so that they may be reliably located and recovered from the body cavity at a later time. In one preferred embodiment, the system comprises a vibrantly colored stringer threaded through apertures in a plurality of surgical objects and vibrantly colored tracking tags affixed to each end of the vibrantly colored stringer to maintain the surgical objects on the vibrantly colored stringer. In alternate embodiments, photo-reactive pigments in the range of 345-375 nm are also added to the vibrantly colored stringer and vibrantly colored tracking tags to enhance their visual detection under ambient lighting, when illuminated with a spectrum specific light source, and/or viewed through a spectrum-specific transmission filter in the same range of wavelengths. In another embodiment, retainers having apertures through which the vibrantly colored stringer may be threaded and bodies formed to be replacably affixed to a variety surgical objects are also employed.
21 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An apparatus for tracking a plurality of surgical objects placed in a surgical field, comprising:
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a) a stringer having a length, a first stringer end, a second stringer end, and a stringer external surface; b) a first tracking tag having a first tracking tag body and a first tracking tag external surface; and c) a second tracking tag having a second tracking tag body and a second tracking tag external surface; wherein the stringer is operatively connected to each of the plurality of surgical objects along the length of the stringer; wherein the first tracking tag body is attached to the first stringer end; wherein the second tracking tag body is attached to the second stringer end; and wherein, when the plurality of surgical objects are placed in the surgical field, the plurality of surgical objects are accounted for and recovered from the surgical field by following the stringer from the first tracking tag to the second tracking tag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus comprising:
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a) a plurality of surgical pads, each comprising a body made of at least one construction material and having an external surface, at least a portion of the external surface having at least a first vibrant coating, each surgical pad further comprising at least one reinforcing layer having greater mechanical strength than the at least one construction material of the body of the surgical pad in which at least one reinforced hole is provided through the reinforcing layer; and b) a stringer threaded through at least one reinforced hole in each surgical pad. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of tracking and recovering a plurality of surgical objects from a surgical field using a tracking system comprising a stringer having a length, a first stringer end, a second stringer end, and a stringer external surface, a first tracking tag having a first tracking tag body and a first tracking tag external surface, and a second tracking tag having a second tracking tag body and a second tracking tag external surface, wherein the stringer is operatively connected to each of the plurality of surgical objects along the length of the stringer, wherein the first tracking tag body is attached to the first stringer end, and wherein the second tracking tag body is attached to the second stringer end, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) placing the plurality of surgical objects in the surgical field; and b) removing the plurality of surgical objects from the surgical field by following the stringer from the first tracking tag to the second tracking tag. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of locating surgical objects in a surgical field using a tracking tag having a vibrant coating, a lanyard attached to the tracking tag and a surgical object retainer attached to the lanyard, comprising the step of:
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attaching the surgical object retainer to a surgical object; when the surgical object is used in surgery in a patient'"'"'s body, attaching the tracking tag to a position outside the patient'"'"'s body, such that the tag remains visible even if the surgical object is obscured.
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45. A method of locating surgical needles in a surgical field using a tracking tag having a vibrant coating and a surgical needle retainer on the tag, comprising:
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a) before surgery, inserting a surgical needle into the surgical needle retainer; b) attaching the tracking tag to a position outside a surgical field, such that the tag remains visible; c) removing the surgical needle from the surgical needle retainer for use; and d) before ending surgery, confirming that the surgical needle has been replaced in the surgical needle retainer.
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Specification