Systems and methods for RFID-based medical implant identification

Abstract

Methods and systems for identifying medical implants. Data input is supplied by an operator including implant identification number, procedure date, and / or other patient record information. An RF module writes the data input to an RFID tag associated with and / or attached to the medical implant. Once the implant is set, but prior to closure, the RF module reads the data from the tag to insure readability. A data record including the data input and other procedure specific information may be automatically transmitted to a patient record management system in a medical facility.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 108,130 filed on Apr. 18, 2005 and entitled “;Method and Apparatus for Implant Identification,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] Embodiments of the invention generally relate to radio frequency identification systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for identification of medical implants using RFID-based identification techniques. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART [0003] Hips and knees receive continuous stress from walking, running, sporting activity, and / or injury. These joints are more commonly affected by the wearing of cartilage (degenerative arthritis) than the hand joints. Advances in medical technology have improved the prognoses of persons who suffer from degenerative joint-based ailments. Knee, hip, hand, wrist, shoulder and even spine-based medical i...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a data processing system and a control and / or operating system for a data processing system for identifying medical implants based on radio frequency (RF) identification techniques. It would be desirable to provide systems and methods for of programming RFID tags associated with medical implants that can be used in an operating room environment to receive a data entry including information to be stored in the tag, validate the tag's readability once the implant is set, and to update a patient record management system with a data record including information regarding the implant and implant surgical procedure, that are efficient, accurate and less reliant on manual data entry.

[0019] Still a further feature of various embodiments of the invention provides systems and methods for identifying medical implants upon subsequent visits to a medical practitioner that are rapid, non-invasive and relatively inexpensive to administer.

Problems solved by technology

Despite using hardened, corrosive resistant materials, wear and tear due to continual usage can affect some of those implants causing them to degrade over time.

These orthopedic replacements, just like the natural orthopedic parts they replaced, are under daily and repeated stresses, developing wear and tear, thereby requiring examination on a timely basis.

Therefore, because some implants have a limited and somewhat unpredictable life, there is a need to acquire information regarding the type, age, and current condition of the implant that is minimally invasive and ideally completely non-invasive to the patient.

Tracking and managing orthopedic implant replacements is an important health issue, and its effectiveness is paramount to the hundreds of thousands of individuals that currently have such replacements implanted in them, as well as the many who will receive orthopedic implants in the future.

Currently there are no methods or equipment that exists today that allow one to safely and quickly ascertain the condition of orthopedic implants without the use of x-rays, or magnetic resonance imaging bulky machines that are placed in specialized rooms in hospitals.

However, due to the correlation between exposure to x-rays and the development of cancers and due to the relatively high costs of non-x-ray-based diagnostic imaging systems these are less than ideal solutions.

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