Flexible RFID Tag Tracking for Retained Surgical Items
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retained surgical items (RSIs) pose a significant threat to medical safety due to their high global incidence, often resulting from surgeons forgetting to remove surgical instruments and consumables from patients' bodies during surgery, leading to medical negligence and potential reinfection.
Innovation Solution
A surgical item managing system for a smart operating room that utilizes flexible RFID tags to track the position of surgical instruments and consumables, sending warnings if they are left inside the patient, and records this data in a blockchain network to ensure accuracy and tamper-proof tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual tracking of surgical items is used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of preventing retained surgical items deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Surgical items are equipped with RFID tags that automatically transmit their location and status information without requiring manual tracking by surgical staff. The system self-monitors the surgical field and automatically generates warnings when items are left inside patients, eliminating the need for complex manual tracking procedures while maintaining high reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking methods with automated RFID electromagnetic field-based tracking. The RFID system uses radio frequency signals to detect and track surgical items, substituting the mechanical human effort of tracking with an automated electronic system that significantly improves reliability without requiring complex operational procedures
2Reliability
If RFID tracking system is implemented, then reliability of surgical item tracking is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tracking system is designed to serve multiple functions: tracking surgical item location, monitoring item status, generating warnings, and recording data in blockchain. By making the system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each function, thereby improving tracking reliability while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a blockchain network as an intermediary layer that handles data storage and verification independently from the RFID tracking hardware. This separation allows the tracking system to focus on reliable item monitoring while the blockchain manages data integrity, reducing the complexity burden on the core tracking mechanism
3Reliability
If blockchain recording is added, then data integrity and tamper-proof tracking are improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and preparing surgical item data before transmitting it to the blockchain network. RFID tags continuously monitor item location and status, pre-processing this information so that when blockchain recording is required, the data is already organized and ready, reducing the processing burden and architectural complexity of the blockchain integration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the data storage and verification functions from the core surgical tracking system and places them in the external blockchain network. This separation allows the surgical tracking system to maintain simplicity while achieving tamper-proof tracking through the blockchain's inherent security features, improving data integrity without significantly increasing the complexity of the surgical system itself
4Object-affected harmful factors
If real-time monitoring is implemented, then patient safety is improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tracking system uses periodic monitoring instead of continuous real-time monitoring. The system checks surgical item locations at regular intervals during the surgical procedure, which provides sufficient patient safety while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring. The periodic action is triggered by surgical milestones or time intervals, maintaining safety without excessive energy use
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively prevents retained surgical items from being left inside patients by providing real-time tracking and warning mechanisms, reducing medical negligence and ensuring accurate surgical record-keeping, thereby enhancing patient safety and reducing healthcare staff workload.
Implementation Method 1
scanning the flexible RFID tag and receiving a plurality of return signals
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical item managing method for use in a smart operating room to manage a surgical item (900) used during a surgical procedure is provided. The surgical item (900) includes a flexible RFID tag (901. 901a). The method includes the steps of: obtaining an information about a position of the flexible RFID tag (901. 901a); photographing a patient (100) to obtain a position of the patient (100); determining if the position of the flexible RFID tag (901. 901a) and the position of the patient (100) overlap, to determine if the position of the flexible RFID tag (901. 901 a) is in the body of the patient (100); and giving a warning when the position of the flexible RFID tag (901. 901 a) is in the body of the patient (100).