Systems and methods to identify and disable re-used single use devices based on cataloging catheter usage
First Claim
1. A method of limiting usage of a selected medical probe, comprising:
- storing historical operational indicators in a database, each of the historical operational indicators based on an operation of each of a plurality of medical probes;
maintaining the stored historical operational indicators in the database after the operation of each of the plurality of medical probes is completed; and
conditionally operating the selected medical probe based on the maintained historical operational indicators.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control unit, such as, e.g., an RF generator, for limiting the usage of a medical probe, such as, e.g., a catheter or surgical probe, is provided. The control unit includes a control circuit that is configured for storing a plurality of historical operational indicator sets within a database, wherein each of the historical operational indicator sets corresponds to a respective medical probe operated with a control unit. Each of the historical operational indicator sets includes a probe identification code, the presence of which indicates previous operation of a respective medical probe with a control unit, and one or more supplementary historical operational indicators, such as, e.g., an initial probe usage time and/or an incremental probe usage, which provides additional historical operational information concerning the respective medical probe. The control unit can recall a historical operational indicator set corresponding to a selected medical probe by matching a probe identification code corresponding to the selected medical probe with a stored probe identification code. The control unit can then display the historical operational information on the selected medical probe to the physician and/or conditionally operate the selected medical probe based on the historical operational information.
530 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of limiting usage of a selected medical probe, comprising:
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storing historical operational indicators in a database, each of the historical operational indicators based on an operation of each of a plurality of medical probes;
maintaining the stored historical operational indicators in the database after the operation of each of the plurality of medical probes is completed; and
conditionally operating the selected medical probe based on the maintained historical operational indicators. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for conditionally operating a medical probe, the method comprising:
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storing, in a database, a historical operational indicator set based on the operation of each of the plurality of medical probes, each of the stored historical operational indicator sets including a stored probe identification code corresponding to the respective medical probe;
obtaining historical operational information for the selected medical probe by matching a probe identification code corresponding to the selected medical probe with one of the stored probe identification codes, and conditionally operating the selected medical probe based on the historical operational information obtained for the selected medical probe. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A control unit for coupling to a selected medical probe, the control unit comprising:
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control circuitry having a memory, wherein the control circuitry is configured for storing, in the memory, a plurality of historical operational indicator sets based on an operation of a respective plurality of medical probes, for maintaining the stored historical operational indicator sets in the database after the operation of each of the plurality of medical probes is completed, and for conditionally operating the selected medical probe based on the maintained historical operational indicator sets. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
an RF power source; and
an interlocking device electrically coupled between the RF power source and the control circuitry.
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24. The control unit of claim 19, further comprising a display for displaying historical operational information obtained from a historical operational indicator set corresponding to the selected medical probe.
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25. The control unit of claim 19, wherein the memory comprises a catalog.
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26. The control unit of claim 19, wherein the control circuitry is configured for storing the historical operational indicator sets in the database in response to the operation of each of the plurality of medical probes.
Specification