Medical implant device with RFID tag and method of identification of device

• US 7,932,825 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Berger J. Lee
• Original Assignee: Berger J. Lee
• Inventors: Berger, J. Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US11/905,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.12, 340/572.8, 235/375
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/68 Internal fixation devices , including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin bone staples A61B17/0642
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

The present invention is directed a method of making an interactive medical implant device including a radio frequency identification tag mounted to an implant, the tag being covered with a liquid impermeable seal. Identification of the RFID tag allows the physician to identify the specific identified implant with a an instrument model or patient database and allows the physician access to desired pertinent information regarding the medical implant device.

Claims

1. A method of making an interactive information medical implant taken from a group consisting of orthopaedic and cardiac implants, comprising the steps of:

a) placing a fluid sealed microelectronics assembly mounted on a substrate, a sealing liner for sealing said microelectronics assembly on said implant is placed over said substrate protecting said microelectric assembly from fluid engagement, including an RFID integrated circuit chip with a unique binary code corresponding only to said medical implant, an antenna, and one or more interconnections operatively connecting said circuit and said antenna;

b) exciting said RFID integrated circuit with energy emitted outside of a patient in which the implant has been implanted causing said RFID integrated circuit to transmit said unique binary code to a receiver connected to a computer;

c) matching said received unique binary code with an identical code in a database indicating a manufacturer of said medical implant to identify said medical implant; and

d) obtaining information about the physical characteristics of said medical implant.

2. The method of making an interactive information medical implant in accordance with claim 1, wherein said orthopaedic implants consist of implants for joint replacement, implants for hip replacement, implants for knee replacement, implantable spinal cages, implantable spinal plates, implantable bone plates;

implantable rods, implantable nails, implantable bone screws, and implantable bone stents.

3. The method of making an interactive information medical implant in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cardiac implants consist of vascular stents, pacemakers and defibrillation devices.

4. The method of making an interactive information medical implant in accordance with claim 1, wherein step d). is replaced with the following step:

transmitting schematics and part dimensions of said medical implant corresponding to the matched received binary code from a computer to a physician upon identification of the implant from the RFID binary code.

5. The method of making an interactive information medical implant in accordance with claim 1, including:

forming said antenna and said RFID integrated circuit chip in electrical connection with independently energized temperature sensing means.

6. The method of making an interactive information medical implant in accordance with claim 1, including:

forming said antenna and said RFID integrated circuit chip in electrical connection with independently energized pressure sensing means.

7. The method of making an interactive information medical implant in accordance with claim 1, including:

forming said antenna and said RFID integrated circuit chip in electrical connection with independently energized chemical sensing means.

8. The method of making an interactive information medical implant in accordance with claim 1, including:

forming said antenna and said RFID integrated circuit chip in electrical connection with independently energized microorganism sensing means.

9. The method of making an interactive information medical implant in accordance with claim 1, wherein said microelectronics assembly includes microwave generating means which generates electronic energy in the range of about 20 to about 50 microamps.