Apparatus and methods for monitoring objects in a surgical field

• US 8,256,674 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Clearcount Medical Solutions Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Fleck, Steven, Szakelyhidi, David, Gandhi, Gautam
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US13/041,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20110174877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/376, 235/385, 235/435, 235/439, 235/449, 235/451, 23547201-47203, 340/540
• US Class Current: 235/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0056 about a lateral axis in the lid plane
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0065 Peelable cover
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0805 automatically, e.g. by means of magnetic, optical or photoelectric detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/00 Surgical drapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/36 for collecting or disposing of used articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/37 for absorbent articles, e.g. bandages, garments, swabs or towels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/08 Accessories or related features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• 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 13/36 Surgical swabs, e.g. for absorbency or packing body cavities during surgery A61F13/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/44 with radio-opaque material or signalling means for residual material
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/10 Parts, details or accessories surgical drape sheets A61B46/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/12 Rests specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of patient-supporting surfaces rests for the surgeon A61B90/60; restraining devices A61F5/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2205/10 : Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0502 : Dispensers of disposable sheets
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 : Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 : using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 : the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 : the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10425 : the interrogation device being arranged for interrogation of record carriers passing by the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10475 : arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 : Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 : Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 : used in interrogator/reader equipment

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for identifying and counting objects having identifiers entering and exiting a surgical field are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus has an entry scanner, a hand held scanner and an exit scanner for generating a detection field and for receiving data which identifies said objects. In another embodiment, the apparatus has a plurality of lower antennas and an upper antenna for generating a detection field and for receiving data which identifies said objects. Various surgical devices with identifiers and methods for preventing electromagnetic coupling between and protecting objects and identifiers are also provided. The invention further provides apparatus and methods comprising a handheld scanner and a mat adapted to underlie a patient during a surgical procedure.

Claims

1. A scanning apparatus comprising:

a handheld antenna configured for movement around or within a surgical field, wherein the handheld antenna is configured to emit an handheld antenna detection field in a particular direction relative to the handheld antenna, and wherein the handheld antenna is further configured to detect a response signal from an object located in the surgical field; and

a plurality of lower antennas positioned in a housing that is configured to be positioned under a patient, the lower antennas being adapted to generate a lower antenna detection field for detecting and counting objects in a surgical field, wherein the lower antennas are configured to be selectively activated such that the lower antenna detection field is electromagnetically coupled with the handheld antenna direction field so as to vary the direction of the handheld detection field relative to the handheld antenna from the particular direction.

2. The scanning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

control circuitry operatively associated with said lower and handheld antennas and adapted to control the operation of said lower and handheld antennas.

3. The scanning apparatus of claim 2, wherein said control circuitry is further adapted to perform one or more of the following:

power said lower antennas;

power said handheld antenna at substantially the same frequency and the same phase with said lower antennas;

vary said phase of said handheld antenna to control a directionality of said detection field;

store data regarding the number and identity of said objects in said surgical field; and

visually display said stored data.

4. The scanning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the handheld antenna is an electrically powered antenna that is configured to communicate data to and from the control circuitry.

5. The scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower antennas are configured to be powered for activation in a predetermined sequence.

6. The scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein objects in the surgical field include a radio frequency identification tag.

7. The scanning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the lower antennas are configured to be tuned to a resonant frequency of the radio frequency identification tag.

8. The scanning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the lower antennas are configured to be detuned to a resonant frequency of the radio frequency identification tag.

9. The scanning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the lower antennas are configured to generate the lower antenna detection field within the patient.

10. The scanning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a visual display configured to display a count of objects in the surgical field.

11. The scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld antenna is unpowered.

12. The scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld antenna is electromagnetically coupled with the plurality of lower antennas to increase a reading range of the plurality of lower antennas.

13. The scanning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of identifiers positioned in the housing to be positioned under the patient.

14. The scanning apparatus of claim 13, wherein the handheld antenna is configured to detect one of the identifiers when the handheld antenna is positioned within a threshold distance of the identifier.

15. The scanning apparatus of claim 14, wherein the scanning apparatus is configured to raise an alert when one of the identifiers positioned in the housing is not detected by the handheld antenna.

16. The scanning apparatus of claim 15, wherein the alert is an improper handheld scanner usage alert.

17. The scanning apparatus of claim 13, wherein scanning the identifiers ensures that a new housing or new portion of the housing is used for a new procedure.

18. A method of scanning for objects in a surgical field, comprising:

emitting a handheld antenna detection field in a particular direction relative to a handheld antenna;

generating a lower antenna direction field, wherein the lower antennas are configured to be selectively activated such that the lower antenna detection field is electromagnetically coupled with the handheld antenna direction field so as to vary the direction of the handheld detection field relative to the handheld antenna from the particular direction; and

detecting a response signal from an object located in the surgical field by the handheld antenna.