Method and apparatus for surgical instrument identification

• US 7,837,694 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Tethrake, Steven M., Nycz, Jeffrey H., Varner, Robert, Elliott, Paul, Pelo, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan; Todd E
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, TARA ROSE E
• Application Number:
  US11/116,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 606/88, 606/130, 606/86.R, 606/79, 606/80, 606/82, 606/170, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/572.9
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/33 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/00 Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges protective face masks A41D13/11; surgeon's or patient's gowns or dresses A41D13/12; devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body liquids A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying surgical instruments by use of radio-frequency identification tags (RFID) are disclosed. In the systems and methods, each of a plurality of surgical instruments is provided with at least one RFID transponder tag storing identification information associated with the corresponding instrument. The tag may be adhered to, embedded, or potted within a portion of the instrument. Using an RFID reading device, a user may interrogate the tag, thereby identifying the particular instrument. This identification information may be used to index a database and retrieve a data record unique to that instrument. The systems and methods allow a user to track, inspect, and verify inbound and outbound surgical instruments, to assess, for example, the surgical instruments'"'"' duty life cycle usage.

Claims

1. A method for identifying surgical instruments that should be serviced, comprising:

programming at least one RF identification tag with identification information corresponding to a surgical instrument;

physically associating the at least one radio frequency identification tag with at least one surgical instrument by potting the tag in a recess in a portion of a surgical instrument, the recess being formed by one of carving, notching, or etching the portion of the surgical instrument;

presenting the at least one surgical instrument into a wireless radio frequency field of a reader device;

receiving with the reading device an RF data signal from the at least one radio frequency tagged surgical instruments containing the identification information;

comparing the identification information from the at least one radio frequency tagged surgical instruments to previously stored information in a database; and

identifying if the at least one radio frequency tagged surgical instruments should be serviced.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reader device is at least one device selected from the group consisting of a desk top device, a table-mounted device, a hand held device, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein programming comprises writing information to the tag using an RF tag writing device, the information selected from at least one member of the group consisting of a number of times that servicing has been performed on the instrument and a set of dates that servicing has been performed on the instrument.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein servicing comprises autoclaving.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein servicing comprises ultrasonic cleaning.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing further comprises retrieving a data record from the database based on the received identification information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying at least a portion of the data record on a display screen of the reading device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein potting includes forming an insulating layer in the notch between the RF identification tag and the portion of the surgical instrument, affixing the RF identification tag, and applying a filling material to the notch.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein potting further includes providing an air gap.

10. A system for determining if an action needs to be taken upon the contents of a surgical instrument tray, comprising:

a surgical instrument tray having at least one surgical instrument comprising an RFID transponder tag potted into a recess in a portion of the at least one surgical instrument and having identification information corresponding to the at least one surgical instrument stored in a memory therein, the recess having been formed by one of carving, notching, or etching the portion of the surgical instrument;

a reader device that, when placed in proximity to the at least one instrument, generates an RF field of sufficient strength to cause the RFID transponder tag to emit a signal containing at least some of its stored identification information, the signal being received by the reader device; and

a database coupled to the reader device for storing information corresponding to the identification information read by the reader device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the identification information comprises information selected from the group consisting of a number of times that servicing has been performed on the instrument and a set of dates that servicing has been performed on the instrument.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein servicing comprises autoclaving.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein servicing comprises ultrasonic cleaning.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the reader device is at least one device selected from the group consisting of a desk top device, a table-mounted device, a hand held device, and combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the database is located in the reader device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the database is a remote database accessible by the reader device.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the reader device retrieves a data record from the database based on the received identification information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the reader device displays at least a portion of the data record on a display screen of the device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the reader device generates a warning on the display screen based, at least in part, on the data record or the identification information.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the reader device determines if any additional surgical instruments are missing from the surgical instrument tray and if any of the at least one surgical instrument is improperly located in the surgical instrument tray based, at least in part, on the data record and the identification information.

21. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one surgical instrument includes a notch formed in a portion thereof, an insulating layer between the RF identification tag an the portion, and filling material.