Surgical implement detector utilizing a radio-frequency identification marker
First Claim
1. A surgical implement detector system, comprising:
- a. a non battery-powered, radio-frequency marker encapsulated in a glass envelope and attached to a surgical implement designated for use in a surface of a surgical procedure, said surgical implement being a metallic surgical instrument and said radio-frequency marker being displaced from said surface of said surgical instrument using a non-metallic fastener thereby preventing signal interfering effect from the metallic surgical implement;
b. remote detector unit having an interrogating antenna that communicates with and powers the said radio-frequency marker using a carrier frequency;
c. said radio-frequency marker comprising an integrated circuit comprising a read-only memory having a burnt-in code that is powered by a capacitor;
d. said capacitor being charged by said interrogating antenna and coupling to a second antenna located within the radio-frequency marker to provide power thereto;
e. said radio-frequency marker broadcasting said code through said radio-frequency antenna using a modulated carrier frequency, which is received by said interrogating antenna;
f. said detector unit decoding said modulated carrier frequency and detecting said code, thereby identifying a surgical implement to which a radio-frequency marker is attached;
whereby scanning a surgical wound using said remote detector interrogating antenna during and after an operating procedure detects the location and identity of surgical implements present within a surgical wound.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A radio-frequency surgical implement detection system detects surgical implements in a surgical wound during and at the completion of a surgical procedure. Surgical implements, including surgical sponges or laparotomy pads, gauze pads and metallic surgical instruments, are individually attached to a non battery-powered, encapsulated radio-frequency marker. The marker comprises an integrated chip having a burnt-in memory code, which is broadcast through an antenna using a modulated carrier frequency. The code is received by an interrogating antenna of a detector. The interrogating antenna provides a power pulse, which is received by the antenna of the radio-frequency marker. The power pulse charges a capacitor, which proves power for the read function, carrier frequency modulation function and broadcast function of the integrated chip, permitting each marker-containing implement to be specifically identified.
150 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A surgical implement detector system, comprising:
-
a. a non battery-powered, radio-frequency marker encapsulated in a glass envelope and attached to a surgical implement designated for use in a surface of a surgical procedure, said surgical implement being a metallic surgical instrument and said radio-frequency marker being displaced from said surface of said surgical instrument using a non-metallic fastener thereby preventing signal interfering effect from the metallic surgical implement; b. remote detector unit having an interrogating antenna that communicates with and powers the said radio-frequency marker using a carrier frequency; c. said radio-frequency marker comprising an integrated circuit comprising a read-only memory having a burnt-in code that is powered by a capacitor; d. said capacitor being charged by said interrogating antenna and coupling to a second antenna located within the radio-frequency marker to provide power thereto; e. said radio-frequency marker broadcasting said code through said radio-frequency antenna using a modulated carrier frequency, which is received by said interrogating antenna; f. said detector unit decoding said modulated carrier frequency and detecting said code, thereby identifying a surgical implement to which a radio-frequency marker is attached; whereby scanning a surgical wound using said remote detector interrogating antenna during and after an operating procedure detects the location and identity of surgical implements present within a surgical wound. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method of using a surgical detection system, comprising steps of;
-
g. attaching a radio-frequency marker encapsulated in a glass envelope to a surface of a surgical implement selected for use in a surgical procedure, said surgical implement being a metallic surgical instrument and said radio-frequency marker being displaced from said surface of said surgical instrument using a non-metallic fastener thereby preventing signal interfering effect from the metallic surgical implement; h. scanning said surgical instrument with a remote detector interrogating antenna to identify its code and associate said code with a specific surgical instrument; i. scanning said surgical wound with said remote detector interrogating antenna during said surgical procedure; j. scanning said surgical wound with said remote detector interrogating antenna following completion of surgery but prior to wound closure to locate surgical instruments retained within said wound; k. determining the identity of said retained surgical instruments and removing them prior to wound closure. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
Specification