Radio frequency identification monitoring of stents

• US 9,188,558 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Freeman, Abigail, Gale, David C., Huang, Bin, Castro, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shabman, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US12/796,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20100245055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,988 Days
• Field of Search: 73/290.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0085 Identification means; Administration of patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/081 Gamma radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/082 X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/085 Infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/087 Particle radiation, e.g. electron-beam, alpha or beta radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/72 Investigating presence of flaws

Abstract

A method and system of monitoring environmental exposure of stents using radiofrequency identification is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a stent comprising:

obtaining readings of an environmental parameter from a sensor adjacent to a stent, the sensor positioned within or on a container including the stent;

wherein an RFID tag located within or on the container receives the readings; and

wherein the RFID tag and the sensor are integrated as one unit or the RFID tag and the sensor are separate units;

transmitting the readings from the RFID tag to a transceiver, wherein a maximum tolerance of the stent for the environmental parameter is stored on the RFID tag;

and

comparing the readings to the maximum tolerance for the environmental parameter;

wherein the environmental parameter is selected from the group consisting of vibration, and shock.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the readings are obtained at regular time intervals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the readings are obtained and stored on the RFID tag at specific times or regular time intervals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental parameter is vibration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the readings are obtained during storage of the stent, transportation of the stent, or both.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when at least one of the comparisons shows that at least one of the readings for the environmental parameter exceeds the maximum tolerance for the environmental parameter, at least a signal is generated indicating that the maximum tolerance for the environmental parameter has been exceeded.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a flag indicating that the maximum tolerance for the environmental parameter has been exceeded is stored on the RFID tag.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the signal is transmitted to the transceiver located within range of the RFID tag.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal is transmitted to a processing system for storage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the readings are obtained and stored on the RFID tag at regular time intervals.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental parameter is shock.

12. A method of monitoring a stent comprising:

obtaining readings of an environmental parameter from a sensor adjacent to a stent, the sensor positioned within or on a container including the stent, wherein the readings are received by an RFID tag located within or on the container; and

comparing the readings received by the RFID tag to a maximum tolerance for the environmental parameter;

wherein the environmental parameter is selected from the group consisting of vibration and shock.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the maximum tolerance for the environmental parameter is stored on the RFID tag.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the maximum tolerance for the environmental parameter is stored on a processing system, wherein the RFID tag is communicatively coupled to a transceiver that transmits the readings to the processing system.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the comparing is performed at specific times or at regular intervals of time.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the readings from the RFID tag to a transceiver located within range of the RFID tag.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein if at least one of the comparisons shows that at least one of the readings of the parameter exceeds the maximum tolerance for the environmental parameter, at least a signal that at least one of the readings has exceeded the maximum tolerance for the environmental parameter is automatically generated.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal is generated by the RFID tag.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the signal is transmitted to a processing system, wherein the RFID tag is communicatively coupled to a transceiver that transmits the readings to the processing system.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal is generated and stored on a processing system, wherein the RFID tag is communicatively coupled to a transceiver that transmits the readings to the processing system.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the readings are obtained during storage of the stent, transportation of the stent, or both.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the readings are obtained and stored on the RFID tag at regular time intervals.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the container is stored in a box and the box optionally contains other containers of the same type or a different type.