43 results about "Surgical Sponges" patented technology

The present invention provides a multiplex system for identifying the presence of surgical sponges, metal instruments, and other implements in a surgical wound by employing a plurality of discrete sensing systems. At least two modalities of operation are chosen from a plurality of detection modalities, which can include: 1) magnetomechanically resonant marker tags; 2) “smart markers” or RFID markers; and 3) a system designed to detect metallic objects solely based upon their metal content, without need for a separate, affixed marker. The selected modes of operation can operate sequentially or simultaneously. Consequently, the use of such a multiplex system eliminates the possibility that surgical implements, non-metallic or metallic, will be left behind within a surgical cavity.

A system, method, and device for tracking surgical sponges for a medical procedure is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a sleeve having a first open end and a second open end and being configured to be removably disposed outside an outer surface of a receptacle. The sleeve including an RF reader having a first antenna assembly comprised of at least one antenna and configured to radiate sponges that enter the receptacle and to receive identifying (ID) information from radiated sponges. The sleeve may include a wireless transmitter electrically connected to said RF reader and configured to receive from said RF reader the ID information of radiated sponges and to wirelessly transmit the ID information of radiated sponges.

A system to detect objects tagged with transponders used in-vivo or proximate a surgical site. The system includes a wand housing, at least one antenna carried by the wand housing, a fuse coupled to the at least one antenna and selectively operable to permanently disable the at least one antenna, and a disable circuit configured to selectively blow the fuse to permanently disable the at least one antenna responsive to a lapse of a defined amount of usage. A pouch holds a transponder and is physically coupleable to objects such as surgical sponges or gauze.

A system, method, and device for tracking surgical sponges for a medical procedure is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes an RF reader having an antenna, said antenna configured to be removably attached to a receptacle and to radiate discarded sponges comprising sponges entering the receptacle. The RF reader may be configured to receive unique identifying (ID) information from radiated sponges and provide the ID information to a wireless transmitter electrically connected to the RF reader. The system may include a handheld computer having a wireless port and configured to wirelessly receive the ID information of discarded surgical sponges from the wireless transmitter. The handheld computer may store in its memory ID information of a plurality of available surgical sponges comprising sponges available for use during the procedure and receive and store ID information of a plurality of unused surgical sponges comprising sponges that were not used during the procedure. In addition, the handheld computer may be configured to process data of the discarded surgical sponges, unused surgical sponges, and available surgical sponges to determine if any available surgical sponge is not discarded and is not unused.

Externally detectable electronic article surveillance markers are attached to surgical implements, such as sponges and surgical instruments, appointed for use in a surgical wound. The attachment mechanism facilitates detection by an external interrogating field before the wound has been closed and the patient has left the operating table. The markers are responsive to the imposition of an interrogating field produced by an electronic article surveillance system. Use of the attachment mechanism and markers assure that the surgical implements are reliably detected and removed before completion of the surgical procedure. This technique eliminates the not infrequent mishap in which an implement is undiscovered at the time of surgery and remains indefinitely within the surgical cavity, often entailing dire consequences to the patient.

A surgical sponge comprises a radiopaque marker having a high radiographic density and a distinctive, visually recognizable shape. The marker has an x-ray density equivalent to at least about 0.1 g/cm² of BaSO₄. It produces an x-ray image with high contrast and a shape that is readily recognizable and differentiated from the images produced by other items and structures commonly seen in x-rays of post-operative patients. Owing to the distinctive, high contrast image produced by the marker, the sponge is reliably and unambiguously detected. This is so even in situations where the sponge is inadvertently left in the surgical wound. Discomfort, trauma, and possibly fatal consequences that might otherwise occur are virtually eliminated. The surgical procedure is carried out with decreased likelihood of a sponge being retained inadvertently.

The present invention is a device for displaying and assisting a user in counting used surgical sponges and the like. The device includes integral sets of holders arranged around an exterior edge of the device. Each set of holders is arranged away from the other sets of holders such that a user can practice a method of easily and accurately accounting for used surgical sponges.

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.

A periodontal structure regeneration composition for treatment of periodontal disease is a mixture of particles of a bone growth material and free collagen. The periodontal regeneration composition is injected into the periodontal pocket through a needle. The composition may contain a thickener that increases the viscosity of the composition after the material has been injected into the periodontal pocket. The composition is available in pre-filled syringes offered in a kit that may also contain strips of surgical sponge or gauze that are sized to fit within a periodontal pocket, a tube of adhesive, a dental bur, a probe, a gauze placement tool, gauze counter and a brush for cleaning the dental bur.

A periodontal structure regeneration composition for treatment of periodontal disease is a mixture of particles of a bone growth material and free collagen. All particles are sized to be less than 1 mm in diameter. The periodontal regeneration composition is injected into the periodontal pocket through an 18 gauge needle. The composition may contain a thickener that increases the viscosity of the composition after the material has been injected into the periodontal pocket. The composition is available in pre-filled syringes offered in a kit that may also contain strips of surgical sponge or gauze that are sized to fit within a periodontal pocket, a tube of adhesive, a dental bur, a probe, a gauze placement tool, gauze counter and a brush for cleaning the dental bur.

A method for recovering blood from a blood-laden surgical sponge for autologous reinfusion, the method comprising the steps of: conveying negative pressure to a housing with the blood-laden surgical sponge; applying a predetermined force to draw the blood from the surgical sponge; and collecting the recovered blood.

A surgical sponge counter includes a unitary molded plastic sponge tray defining a plurality of wells each sized to hold a lap sponge. Each well has a ledge defining a recess below the sponge for collecting fluid once the sponge is replaced in the tray. A needle counting receptacle tray may be nested within the sponge tray above the sponges.

A surgical container has more than one surgical sponge, more than one dispensing containers containing respectively the more than one surgical sponge, and more than one disposal containers each proximate to and visually associated respectively with the more than one dispensing containers to receive a used surgical sponge, wherein a selected surgical sponge is visible in one of the dispensing container or the corresponding disposal container.

A rack for surgical sponge counter bags that facilitates sponge counting, comprising a spindle and a plurality of rotatable support members mounted for rotation about the spindle, each support member carrying one or more mechanical devices that are constructed and adapted to grasp a sponge counter bag.

A surgical fluid-absorbing instrument to enable absorption of an amount of fluid several times as large as by a conventional surgical sponge system and to substantially decreased the times of changing surgical sponges during surgery. A tip sponge part, a retaining sponge part for absorbing the fluid, provided on a position continued from the tip sponge part, and a tubular handle part in which the tip sponge part is loaded are provided. At least the retaining sponge part is water-absorbing. The water-absorbing sponge may be compressed in one direction and solidified, or the water-absorbing sponge may extended in one direction and swollen.

An exemplary method for managing surgical sponges in an operating room during a surgical procedure is provided. The method includes providing a first surgical sponge and a second surgical sponge. The first surgical sponge includes a first optically-scannable element, a first human-readable element, and a first detecting element, which includes a first set of unique identification information. The second surgical sponge includes a second optically-scannable element, a second human-readable element, and a second detecting element, which include a second set of unique identification information. The first and second sets of unique identification information are different from one another. The method further includes counting-in the first and second surgical sponges by optically-scanning.

A surgical sponge inventory rack includes a vertical mounting rod, a laterally extending sponge bag holder connected to the mounting rod, and a sponge bag supported on the sponge bag holder. The sponge bag includes a pocket configured to receive and display a surgical sponge. The sponge bag holder including a plurality of support members. The support members are shiftable relative to one another to transition the sponge bag holder between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. At least one of the support members extends in the lateral direction past another of the support members when the sponge bag holder is in the expanded configuration. The support members collectively present a depth in a fore-and-aft direction that is transverse to the lateral direction and transverse to the vertical direction. The depth is at least substantially constant as the sponge bag holder transitions between the collapsed and expanded configurations.