Surgical implement count and capture system

Abstract

Disclosed is a count and capture system (100) for surgical implements. The count and capture system (100) includes a base station (102) having a camera (112) and a cartridge (104) configured to removably engage with the base station (102). The cartridge (104) has an opening (118) configured to receive a surgical implement deposited therein and an aperture (120) spaced from the opening (118). When the cartridge (104) is engaged with the base station (102), the camera (112) has a field of view into an interior of the cartridge (104) through the aperture (120). The count and capture system (100) further includes means for transporting the surgical implement within the cartridge (104) from a first location adjacent the opening to a second location aligned with the camera (112).

Description

SURGICAL IMPLEMENT COUNT AND CAPTURE SYSTEMCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 640,653 filed April 30, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a surgical implement count and capture system (such as a surgical-needle count and capture system) for use in a clinical setting, and more particularly to a needle count and capture system that can be used in an operating room for collecting and counting needles used during an operating procedure.BACKGROUND

[0003] Needles and other surgical implements are used extensively during operating procedures. It is important before the patient is released from the operating room that the operating personnel account for each needle used during the operating procedure. If a needle cannot be located, then the patient must remain in the operating room, potentially with the surgical site open, until it is found. If it cannot be found outside the patient, then additional equipment, e.g., x-ray machines may be brought in to determine if and where a needle may still reside within the patient. A lost needle can result in long delays and take the operating room out of use for extended periods of time.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a surgical implement count and capture system including a base station having a camera and a cartridge configured to removably engage with the base station. The cartridge has an opening configured to receive a surgical implement deposited therein and an aperture spaced from the opening. When the cartridge is engaged with the base station, the camera has a field of view into an interior of the cartridge through the aperture. The count and capture system further includes a conveyor configured to transport the surgical implement deposited within the cartridge from a first location adjacent the opening to a second location aligned with the camera.

[0005] In a further embodiment, the conveyor comprises a first pulley and a belt driven by the first pulley. Still further, the conveyor is pre-installed within the cartridge, and the base station further includes a spindle. The spindle is configured to engage with the first pulley when the cartridge is engaged with the base station.

[0006] In yet a further embodiment, the conveyor further comprises a second pulley spaced from the first pulley, wherein respective rotational axes of the first and second pulleys are within a common imaginary horizontal plane.

[0007] In still a further embodiment, a magnet is provided and configured to hold the surgical implement flat against a surface of the belt. The magnet is disposed adjacent said belt on a side opposite said surface. Further, the magnet projects from a wall of the base station and is configured to be received within the interior of the cartridge when the cartridge is engaged with the base station.

[0008] In another embodiment, the cartridge further comprises a ramp having a surface along which the surgical implement can travel, assisted by the conveyor in-use, from the opening to a storage bin of the cartridge. The belt is configured to magnetically hold the surgical implement flat against the surface of the ramp. In a further embodiment, a controller is provided and configured to control rotation of the first pully in order to drive the belt based on a detection of the surgical implement.

[0009] In accordance with another embodiment, there is provided a surgical implement count and capture system including a base station having a camera and a cartridge configured to removably engage with the base station. The cartridge has an opening configured to receive a surgical implement deposited therein and an aperture spaced from the opening. The cartridge further includes a ramp having a surface along which the surgical implement can travel, assisted by gravity in-use, from the opening to a storage bin of the cartridge. The count and capture system further includes a magnet. When the cartridge is engaged with the base station, the camera has a field of view of a portion of the surface of the ramp at an imaging location, through said aperture. The magnet is configured to hold the surgical implement still at the imaging location while the camera acquires an image of the surgical implement.

[0010] In a further embodiment, the magnet is pre-installed within the cartridge. In yet another embodiment, the magnet projects from a wall of the base station and is configured to be received within an interior of the cartridge when the cartridge is engaged with the base station. In still afurther embodiment, the magnet is disposed adjacent said ramp on a side opposite said surface. In a further embodiment, the base station has a controller, wherein the controller controls a variable magnetic-field strength of the magnet.

[0011] In accordance with a further embodiment, there is provided a surgical implement count and capture system including a cartridge having an opening configured to receive a surgical implement deposited therein and an aperture spaced from the opening. The count and capture system further includes a base station configured to removably engage with the cartridge. The base station has a camera, wherein the camera has a field of view into an interior of the cartridge, through said aperture, when the cartridge is engaged with the base station. The count and capture system also includes means for transporting the surgical implement within the cartridge from a first location adjacent the opening to a second location aligned with the camera.

[0012] In another embodiment, the means for transporting comprises a belt, wherein a magnet is configured to hold the surgical implement flat against a surface of the belt. In still a further embodiment, the count and capture system further includes a magnet and a controller. The controller is configured to control a variable magnetic-field strength of the magnet. Further, the means for transporting includes a ramp within the cartridge having a surface along which the surgical implement can travel, assisted by gravity in-use, from the opening to a storage bin of the cartridge. When the cartridge is engaged with the base station, a portion of the surface of the ramp is aligned with the field of view of the camera at an imaging location of the surface. Further, the magnet is configured to selectively hold the surgical implement still on the ramp at the imaging location.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a surgical implement count and capture system including a base station and a removable cartridge;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the base station depicted in FIG. 1, taken along the line 2-2;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the base station depicted in FIG. 1, taken along the line 3-3;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cartridge shown in FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the count and capture system depicted in FIG. 1, with the cartridge received in a reception area of the base station;

[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a base station of a second embodiment of a count and capture system;

[0019] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cartridge of the second embodiment of the count and capture system;

[0020] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a count and capture system including a base station and a removable cartridge;

[0021] FIG. 9 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the count and capture system, with a cartridge received in a reception area of a base station;

[0022] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a base station of a fifth embodiment of a count and capture system;

[0023] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a cartridge of the fifth embodiment of the count and capture system;

[0024] FIG. 12 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the fifth embodiment of the count and capture system, with the cartridge received in a reception area of the base station;

[0025] FIG. 13 is a schematic, top view of the base station shown in FIG. 1, including a door in a closed orientation;

[0026] FIG. 14 is a schematic, top view of the base station shown in FIG. 13, with the door in an opened orientation; and

[0027] FIG. 15 is a flowchart diagram depicting a process for counting and reconciling surgical implements via the aforementioned count and capture system(s).DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to have a system that operating personnel can use to count and capture needles at the end of an operating procedure. Referring to FIG. 1, a surgical implement count and capture system 100 generally includes a base station 102 and a cartridge 104 removable from a reception area 106 of the base station 102. As illustrated, the reception area 106 is recessed within a wall of the base station 102. However, in other embodiments, the reception area 106 need not be a recessed area. Rather, the reception area 106 may be defined on a planar wall of the base station 102. As will be described below, the base station 102 defines a count areaof the system 100, whereas the removable cartridge 104 defines a capture area of the system 100 (i.e., a storage area to receive spent or used surgical implements, such as needles). The system 100 may be of a size that can be mounted on a wall, portable (e.g., on a pole having a wheeled base), or fit under a scrub table.

[0029] A controller 108 is disposed in the base station 102 and is connected to one or more input / output (I / O) devices 110. The I / O devices 110 may include a display screen and / or a plurality of buttons (not shown) for allowing a user to control the operation of the system 100. The display screen may display information regarding the operation of the system 100 and / or may include a touch screen that allows a user to input commands to the controller 108. In some embodiments, the system 100 may interface with a portable device, such as a tablet or smartphone. It is also contemplated that the I / O devices 110 can include an output device, e.g., a printer for printing a paper record regarding operation of the system 100 to count needles during or following a surgical procedure. It is also contemplated that the controller 108 can communicate wirelessly or via a wired connection to a central processing unit (not shown) such that data regarding the operation of the system 100 can be transmitted to the central processing unit for storage, data analysis and / or retrieval at a later time. In other words, processing of the system 100 can be wholly self-contained within the system 100 and / or may be distributed across one or more processors and / or systems.

[0030] The base station 102 further includes a camera 112 configured to take an image of the surgical implement as it passes by the camera 112 within the base station 102 (and more particularly, within the cartridge 104 that is received within the reception area 106, as discussed further below). With reference to FIG. 2, the camera 112 is housed within an internal cavity 114 of the base station 102, and more specifically, disposed adjacent the reception area 106. Notably, a cut-out or window 116 is formed in a wall of the base station 102 that partitions the internal cavity 114 from the reception area 106 in order that the camera 112 has a field of view into the cartridge 104, as described further below. In some embodiments, the camera 112 may be configured to acquire images from different angles / perspectives to construct a composite 3D image of the particular implement. A light source in the base station 102 provides light for image capture by the camera 112. From the captured image, the surgical implement may be counted and identified, for example, with a neural network or like machine learning system. This count and identification may be compared with a list of the surgical implements used during a procedure (e.g., as counted and identified prior to use) to ensure all used implements are accounted for at theconclusion of the procedure. An example machine learning approach to counting surgical implements is described in International Application No. PCT / US2022 / 037803, fded on July 21, 2022 and published as WO 2023 / 003998 on January 26, 2023, and entitled OBJECT COUNTING SYSTEM USING CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORK FOR MEDICAL PROCEDURES, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0031] As discussed above, base station 102 is configured to accommodate the removable cartridge 104 within the reception area 106 for receiving and storing used surgical implements to be counted. The removable cartridge 104 may be disposable so as to easily dispose of the used surgical implements following a surgical procedure, and replaceable with a new and empty cartridge. Depending on the embodiment, the cartridge 104 may latch, lock on to, or be held within the base station 102. For example, the base station 102 may include a blade that fits within a recess of the cartridge 104 such that the cartridge 104 may be slid into and out of the base station 102 with the blade engaged with the recess. In other examples (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14), the base station 102 may include a door 200 that can be secured when the cartridge 104 is received in the reception area 106 in the base station 102. In some embodiments, the cartridge 104 may also be electrically connected to the base station 102. Such electrical connections may allow the controller 108 of the base station 102 to control elements of the cartridge 104, for example, magnet strength as described below.

[0032] FIGS. 1-13 schematically illustrate example count and capture systems 100 including their cartridges 104 and corresponding base stations 102. In each example, the cartridge 104 includes an opening 118 for receiving the used surgical implement. The following disclosure will be made with reference to a needle as the used surgical implement, with the understanding that the system and its method of use may also count / capture other surgical implements (e.g., sponges, vessel clamps, etc.). The opening 118 may be in the shape of a funnel, which directs the needle to a transport surface. The cartridge 104 also includes an aperture 120 (i.e., through-hole) that is aligned with the window 116 and / or camera 112 in the base station 102 when the cartridge 104 is secured in the reception area 106. In the examples of FIGS. 1-5, the transport is in the form of a conveyor. In this embodiment, the conveyor includes a belt 122 driven by pulleys 124 within the cartridge 104 (i.e., a belt conveyor). Yet in other examples, the conveyor may be of a different form, such as a chain conveyor, roller conveyor, screw conveyor, etc. As shown, the pulleys 124 may in turn be driven by respective spindles 126 in the base station 102 that engage with thepulleys 124 through respective openings 128 therein when the cartridge 104 is inserted in the reception area 106. As shown in FIG. 1, each of the spindles 126 has a plurality of splines that matingly engage with corresponding (grooved) geometry formed in the openings 128 of its corresponding pulley 124 (e.g., as shown best in FIG. 4) to rotate or drive the same about a respective rotation axis. Alternatively, each spindle 126 can have a single key-like feature receivable in a corresponding groove in the opening 128 of its associated pulley 124 to rotate the same. Further still, it is contemplated that each spindle 126 may be a cylinder (i.e., with no splines or key-like features) that has sufficient contact with the surrounding wall in the opening 128 of its corresponding pulley 124 to drive the same in rotation. As will be further described below, rotation of the spindles 126 may be controlled by the controller 108. It is to be understood that both pulleys 124 can drive the belt 122 (e.g., from respective motors, not shown, that drive corresponding ones of the spindles 126). Alternatively, one of the pulleys 124 can be a drive pulley, whereas the other can be an idle pulley (i.e., one that is not driven from a dedicated motor via its corresponding spindle 126). That is, the idle pulley may freely rotate about its rotational axis, under the influence of the common belt 122, driven by the drive pulley. In yet further embodiments, the idle pulley may be replaced with a non-rotatable cylinder or axle, where the belt 122 simply slides along the circumferential surface of that axle as it is driven via the drive pulley.

[0033] With reference to FIG. 5, as shown two such pulleys 124 are level with each other (i.e., their respective rotational axes are parallel with one another and coterminous with an imaginary horizontal plane) so that a surface of the belt 122 beneath the opening 118 is flat and horizontal. The belt 122 passes over a magnet 130 that retains the needle on the belt 122 and causes the needle to lay flat against its surface. In the event that a plurality of needles are on the belt 122 at a given time, the magnet 130 can further help to index the plurality of needles so that they are retained at regular intervals relative to one another. Depending on the embodiment, the magnet 130 may be a permanent magnet or it can have a variable strength controlled by the controller 108. In other embodiments, the magnetic-field strength of the magnet 130 may vary at regular intervals, or the magnet 130 may be comprised of a plurality of individual magnets located at regular intervals.

[0034] In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-4, the belt 122, pulleys 124, and magnet 130 are all pre-installed within the cartridge 104. However, in another embodiments, such as shown in FIGS 6-7, the magnet 130 projects from a wall of the base station 102 and is configured to be received within the cartridge 104 (when the latter is placed within or otherwise seated relative tothe former) through an elongated slot 132 (i.e., a through-hole) formed in the cartridge 104. In yet a further embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the belt 122, pulleys 124, and magnet 130 are all preinstalled to the base station 102 and project from a common wall thereof. As further shown, the cartridge 104 likewise includes an enlarged slot 132 (i.e., through-hole) that receives the aforementioned elements when the cartridge 104 is seated relative to the base station 102.

[0035] Now with reference to FIG. 9, another embodiment of the system 100 is shown and includes two pulleys 124 illustrated for driving the belt 122, wherein the pulleys 124 are not level with each other, creating a downward slope of the surface of the belt 122. As further shown, the cartridge 104 includes an intro ramp 134 superjacent to the belt 122. The intro ramp 134 may be formed integral with the cartridge 104 or formed separate and discrete therefrom and subsequently attached thereto. In this configuration, the belt 122 itself is magnetized or may carry a plurality of magnets (not shown) at discrete intervals along its length. For example, the belt 122 may have magnets at regular intervals such that when a needle is dropped in the opening 118, it is secured flatly against the intro ramp 134 at a location of one of the magnets. Alternatively, the belt 122 in this embodiment also can pass over a fixed, variable magnet so as to selectively draw surgical implements against the intro ramp 134, similarly as explained above with respect to FIG. 5 (likewise, the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5 alternatively may possess a magnetic belt as described here).

[0036] In each of the aforementioned embodiments, the belt 122 may be continuously operated or operated only when a surgical implement is detected thereon (or on the intro ramp 134 in the case of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 9). Detection of the surgical implement may be based on a detected change of weight on the belt (e.g., such as from a weight sensor 136, schematically shown in FIGS. 6 and 8), an electromagnetic sensor, or when an object is detected in the opening 118. For example, an optical sensor 138 (shown schematically in FIG. 1) may be provided in or on the base station 102 to detect a falling needle within the opening 118 (e.g., through a cut-out 140 in the cartridge 104). Movement of the belt 122 moves the surgical implements either thereon or on the intro ramp 134 to a location underneath the camera 112 in the base station 102 (which has a field of view of the belt 122 or intro ramp 134 through the aligned aperture 120 in the cartridge 104 and the window 116 in the base station 102), so that the camera 112 can acquire an image of the surgical implement. Depending on the embodiment, movement of the belt 122 may be synchronized with the image acquisition by the camera 112.

[0037] After the belt 122 (and surgical implement thereon or disposed on the supeijacent intro ramp 134) passes the camera 112, the belt wraps underneath the pulleys 124, causing the surgical implement to fall toward a base of the cartridge constituting a storage bin 142, where the surgical implement is retained. An exit ramp 144 in the cartridge 104 may guide the dropped surgical implements away from the pulleys 124 and belt 122. In some embodiments, the cartridge 104 may be openable to retrieve surgical implements therein, for example, if a user wishes to manually count and / or identify the surgical implements. In some embodiments, a direction of the movement of the belt 122 (i.e., clockwise or counterclockwise) may be reversed if, for example, a user wishes to retrieve an implement accidentally inserted in the cartridge 104, to manually correct the arrangement or orientation of an implement on the belt 122, or the like.

[0038] Now moving on to FIGS. 10-12, unlike the previously described embodiments, the depicted system 100 does not include a belt or pulley-driven mechanism. Rather, this embodiment relies on gravity to advance surgical implements deposited within the cartridge 104. More particularly, gravity forces a surgical implement dropped into the opening 118 of the cartridge 104 down an inclined intro ramp 134 within the cartridge 104. A magnet 130 underneath the intro ramp 134 is aligned with the camera 112 such that the magnet 130 holds the surgical implement within the field of view of the camera 112 against the intro ramp 134. While the surgical implement is held in place by the magnet 130, the camera 112 may acquire its image(s). The magnet 130 may then release the surgical implement so that it travels down the intro ramp 134 under the influence of gravity until it is deposited within the storage bin 142 via the exit ramp 144. Depending on the embodiment, the magnet 130 may be controlled based on detection of a surgical implement within the cartridge 104, as described above.

[0039] In practice, the above-described system may be utilized according to the example method illustrated in FIG. 15. Briefly, numerous distinct surgical objects (implements) can be used in surgery. These include, for example, sharps such as needles, sponges, vessel clamps, etc. Prior to closing a surgical field, it is important to ensure that all such objects and implements have been removed from the patient. In order to do that, according to the disclosed system and method, each such object first is accounted for (i.e. “counted in”) prior to use, either at the start of the procedure or as it is requested by the surgeon during the procedure. Once a particular object’s use is completed, it is then imaged and the image input to the machine learning system, in order to “count out” that object. Finally, at the conclusion of the procedure and prior to closing the surgical field,the ‘counted out’ objects can be compared to those ‘counted in,’ to generate a reconciliation report to ensure that all surgical objects have been accounted for — i.e. to reconcile the list of ‘counted out’ objects against the list of ‘counted in’ objects.

[0040] With reference to FIG. 15, in an initial step 1000 (i.e., a scan or count in process), each surgical implement used in a procedure is entered into the system (scan-in / count-in), for example, by scanning a bar code on the implement (or its package) or imaging the implement. Based on the bar code or the image, the system can identify the surgical implement, including its type, size, cost and the like. This information may be identified based on the classified image from a local database or a third-party system, such as those used for billing. Further, the system may be integrated with the third party system, for example, to automatically generate billing information for any utilized implements. As each surgical implement is scanned, the system stores the information to keep track of the total number and types of surgical implements for reconciliation at the end of the procedure.

[0041] After each surgical implement is scanned into the system, the associated information (including an image of the surgical implement) may be displayed on one of the I / O devices 110 of the system 100. Such a display allows the user to review the information (in step 2000) and manually confirm an accurate identification of the implement. Manual adjustments may also be made to the type and count by the user via the VO device 110.

[0042] As discussed above, after a surgical implement has been used, it is placed into the system 100 (e g., through the opening 118 in the cartridge 104) and detected by the system at step 3000 (e g., via the optical sensor 138). In the above examples, detection of a deposited surgical implement can trigger actuation or control of the camera 112 and the belt 122 (if present in that system 100) in order to transport and to acquire images of the deposited implement (at step 4000). The machine learning system then classifies the acquired image (also at step 4000), identifying the type of surgical implement in the image (and thus disposed in the cartridge 104) and increasing a count of disposed implements of that type (scan-out / count-out at step 5000). The identified surgical implement and information thereof can then be displayed to a user on one of the VO devices 110 of the system 100. As with scanning / counting in each implement, the scanning / counting out of each implement can be verified and manually adjusted by a user (at step 6000).

[0043] Following a surgical procedure, in step 7000, the types and numbers of surgical implements identified during the scan / count out can be reconciled with the types and numbers of surgical implement identified during the scan / count in. Assuming the same numbers and types of implements were counted out as counted in, the system can be considered reconciled and this conclusion may be presented to the user. However, if the numbers and types do not match, the unreconciled surgical implements may be shown to the user. The user may then confirm whether these surgical implements are actually accounted for, for example, by manual count and reconciliation of each surgical implement.

[0044] By recording a time stamp with each scan / count in and out of the surgical implements, the system may also generate and display a time chart of the surgical procedure. Such a chart may illustrate time along an axis (e.g., a horizontal or X-axis), indication of the number and type(s) of surgical implements as each is scanned in or scanned out, accompanied by its / their time stamp(s) on the time axis.

[0045] While various features are presented above, it should be understood that the features may be used singly or in any combination thereof. Further, it should be understood that variations and modifications may occur to those skilled in the art to which the claimed examples pertain.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A surgical implement count and capture system comprising: a base station having a camera; a cartridge configured to removably engage with said base station, said cartridge having an opening configured to receive a surgical implement deposited therein and an aperture spaced from the opening, wherein when the cartridge is engaged with said base station, the camera has a field of view into an interior of the cartridge through said aperture; and a conveyor configured to transport the surgical implement deposited within the cartridge from a first location adjacent the opening to a second location aligned with the camera.

2. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 1, wherein the conveyor comprises a first pulley and a belt driven by said first pulley.

3. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 2, wherein the conveyor is preinstalled within the cartridge.

4. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 3, wherein the base station further includes a spindle, and wherein the spindle is configured to engage with the first pulley when the cartridge is engaged with said base station.

5. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 2, wherein the conveyor further comprises a second pulley spaced from the first pulley.

6. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 5, wherein respective rotational axes of the first and second pulleys are within a common imaginary horizontal plane.

7. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 2, further comprising a magnet configured to hold the surgical implement flat against a surface of the belt.

8. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 7, wherein the magnet is disposed adjacent said belt on a side opposite said surface.

9. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 7, wherein the magnet projects from a wall of the base station and is configured to be received within the interior of the cartridge when the cartridge is engaged with the base station.

10. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 2, wherein the cartridge further comprises a ramp having a surface along which the surgical implement can travel, assisted by the conveyor in-use, from the opening to a storage bin of the cartridge.

11. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 10, wherein the belt is configured to magnetically hold the surgical implement flat against the surface of the ramp.

12. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 2, further comprising a controller configured to control rotation of the first pulley in order to drive the belt based on a detection of the surgical implement.

13. A surgical implement count and capture system comprising: a base station having a camera; a cartridge configured to removably engage with said base station, said cartridge having an opening configured to receive a surgical implement deposited therein and an aperture spaced from the opening, said cartridge further including a ramp having a surface along which the surgical implement can travel, assisted by gravity in-use, from the opening to a storage bin of the cartridge; and a magnet, wherein when the cartridge is engaged with the base station, the camera has a field of view of a portion of the surface of the ramp at an imaging location, through said aperture, and wherein said magnet is configured to hold the surgical implement still at the imaging location while the camera acquires an image of the surgical implement.

14. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 13, wherein the magnet is preinstalled within the cartridge.

15. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 13, wherein the magnet projects from a wall of the base station and is configured to be received within an interior of the cartridge when the cartridge is engaged with the base station.

16. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 13, wherein said magnet is disposed adjacent said ramp on a side opposite said surface.

17. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 16, wherein said base station has a controller, and wherein the controller controls a variable magnetic-field strength of the magnet.

18. A surgical implement count and capture system comprising: a cartridge having an opening configured to receive a surgical implement deposited therein and an aperture spaced from the opening; a base station configured to removably engage with said cartridge, said base station having a camera, wherein the camera has a field of view into an interior of the cartridge, through said aperture, when the cartridge is engaged with the base station; and means for transporting the surgical implement within the cartridge from a first location adjacent the opening to a second location aligned with the camera.

19. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 18, wherein said means for transporting comprises a belt, and wherein a magnet is configured to hold the surgical implement flat against a surface of the belt.

20. The surgical implement count and capture system of claim 18, further comprising a magnet and a controller, said controller configured to control a variable magnetic-field strength of the magnet, wherein said means for transporting comprises a ramp within the cartridge having a surface along which the surgical implement can travel, assisted by gravity in-use, from the openingto a storage bin of the cartridge, wherein when the cartridge is engaged with the base station, a portion of the surface of the ramp is aligned with the field of view of the camera at an imaging location of said surface, and wherein the magnet is configured to selectively hold the surgical implement still on the ramp at the imaging location.

Images