Waterproof UHF RFID Tag for Surgical Sponge Counting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in surgical settings is accurately counting and identifying medical devices like gauze sponges and towels, particularly during surgeries, due to the risk of retained surgical sponges being retained inside patients, which is a significant 'Never Event' causing patient harm and liability issues, and existing RFID solutions face interference from biological fluids and other environmental factors.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID tags with a waterproof design, integrated microchip, and antenna, along with a custom-built software for mobile devices, to ensure accurate counting and location tracking of medical devices by encoding unique identifiers and providing a detection component to assist in finding missing items, while reducing interference from biological fluids and other surgical equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual counting protocol is used to count surgical sponges, then the process is simple and requires no special equipment, but it is time-consuming and prone to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical counting process with an automated RFID scanning system. RFID scanners automatically detect and count sponges tagged with RFID chips, eliminating manual counting by nurses while providing accurate real-time tracking of sponge inventory during surgical procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical sponges are equipped with RFID tags that enable them to be automatically identified and counted without human intervention. The RFID system allows sponges to 'self-report' their presence to the scanning system, providing continuous automated monitoring of sponge locations and counts throughout the surgical process.
2Reliability
If RFID tags are used to track medical devices, then counting accuracy and tracking capability are improved, but the tags may be interfered with by biological fluids and surgical equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tags are enclosed in waterproof protective casings or laminated with fluid-resistant materials that shield the electronic components from biological fluids. This protective encapsulation allows the tags to maintain reliable RFID signaling even when exposed to blood, saline, and other surgical fluids that would otherwise interfere with tag detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses RFID technology to create digital copies or representations of the physical sponges in a database. Each sponge has an RFID tag that stores its identity information, and the scanning system creates and updates a digital record of sponge locations and counts, providing a reliable virtual tracking system that is not affected by physical environmental interference.
3Productivity
If existing RFID scanning approaches are used, then automated counting is achieved, but they cannot identify the counting object or assist searching locations of missing objects
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tags embedded in surgical sponges serve multiple functions: they enable automated counting for inventory management, provide unique identification for tracking individual sponges, and facilitate location searching when sponges are missing. The same RFID infrastructure supports all these functions, making the system universally applicable to various surgical tracking needs without requiring separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The RFID scanning system provides continuous feedback about sponge locations and counts to the surgical team. When sponges are scanned, the system updates the surgical count record and can alert the team if sponges are missing or if the count does not reconcile, enabling real-time corrective action and ensuring patient safety through active monitoring and information feedback.
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
This solution enhances the accuracy of surgical sponge counting, reduces the risk of retained items, and provides a reliable method for tracking and locating medical devices, improving patient safety and reducing liability by ensuring all items are accounted for and correctly identified during surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) methods are widely used in many applications, including inventory management system, security system, smart cards, item tracking in manufacturing, selling goods in retail, etc. A RFID scanner or reader can be configured to read the memory of RFID tag attached to objects.
Implementation Method 2
The present invention provides a water-resistant or waterproof overlay for an ultra-high frequency radio frequency identification (UHF) RFID tag. The RFID tag includes a microchip, an integrated circle connected to the microchip, an antenna, a substrate supporting the microchip and the integrated circuit, and the overlay covering around the inlay.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and system that uses ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) for counting and identifying a variety of objects during medical or surgical operations. The method includes passive UHF RFID tag, a RFID scanner to communicate with host equipment and storage in a database cloud. The method includes a water-proof antenna and microchip supported by a substrate with covering overlay materials. The invention further discloses a tracking method for counting process, with software implementation, to assist the count-in count-out function to track multiple medical devices, resulting in reduction of counting errors during surgical procedures when the current UHF RFID process is utilized.