Sterilizable wirelessly detectable objects for use in medical procedures and methods of making same
Various embodiments of wirelessly detectable objects to be used in medical procedures are provided. Such may employ ionizing radiation hard wireless radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders, other wireless transponders and/or integrated circuits, and attachment structures, all of which retain structural and functional integrity when exposed to standard sterilization dosages of ionizing radiation. Additionally or alternatively, the wireless radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders, other wireless transponders and/or integrated circuits, and attachment structures, may retain structural and functional integrity when exposed to standard sterilization temperatures and/or pressures.
1. A wirelessly detectable object to use in medical procedures, comprising:
a medical procedure object for use in performing a medical procedure, wherein the medical procedure object is a sponge;
a radiation hard read only radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder that wirelessly receives a first interrogation signal and in response wirelessly returns a first response signal that provides a unique identifier, wherein the RFID transponder includes a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate forms a portion of a pouch that is attached to the sponge via at least one of a stitch, a weld or an adhesive which retains structural and functional integrity at least at temperatures equal to 121 degrees Centigrade, 130 degrees Centigrade, 136 degrees Centigrade, or 150 degrees Centigrade at pressures of at least 1 atmosphere or higher and which retains structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes; and
an attachment structure that attaches the radiation hard read only RFID transponder to the medical procedure object.
2. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 wherein the attachment structure comprises at least one piece of material, the at least one piece of material attached to the sponge via at least one stitch which retains structural and functional integrity at least at temperatures equal to 121 degrees Centigrade, 130 degrees Centigrade, 136 degrees Centigrade, or 150 degrees Centigrade at pressures of at least 1 atmosphere or higher.
3. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 wherein the attachment structure comprises at least one piece of material, the at least one piece of material attached to the sponge via at least one weld which retains structural and functional integrity at least at temperatures equal to 121 degrees Centigrade, 130 degrees Centigrade, 136 degrees Centigrade, or 150 degrees Centigrade at pressures of at least 1 atmosphere or higher.
4. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 wherein the attachment structure comprises at least one piece of material, the at least one piece of material attached to the sponge via an adhesive which retains structural and functional integrity at least at temperatures equal to 121 degrees Centigrade, 130 degrees Centigrade, 136 degrees Centigrade, or 150 degrees Centigrade at pressures of at least 1 atmosphere or higher and which retains structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes.
5. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 wherein the attachment structure comprises at least one piece of material that forms a pouch, having an interior cavity.
6. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 5 wherein the RFID transponder is received within the interior cavity of the pouch and the secured therein.
7. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 5 wherein the RFID transponder is received within the interior cavity and secured therein via one of stitches or a weld about at least a portion of a perimeter of the pouch which retains structural and functional integrity at least at temperatures equal to 121 degrees Centigrade, 130 degrees Centigrade, 136 degrees Centigrade, or 150 degrees Centigrade at pressures of at least 1 atmosphere or higher and which retains structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes.
8. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 wherein the pouch is attached to the sponge via at least one stitch which retains structural and functional integrity at least at temperatures equal to 121 degrees Centigrade, 130 degrees Centigrade, 136 degrees Centigrade, or 150 degrees Centigrade at pressures of at least 1 atmosphere or higher and which retains structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes.
9. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 wherein the pouch is attached to the sponge via at least one of a heat weld or a radio frequency (RF) weld which retains structural and functional integrity at least at temperatures equal to 121 degrees Centigrade, 130 degrees Centigrade, 136 degrees Centigrade, or 150 degrees Centigrade at pressures of at least 1 atmosphere or higher and which retains structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes.
10. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 wherein the pouch is attached to the sponge via at least an adhesive which retains structural and functional integrity at least at temperatures equal to 121 degrees Centigrade, 130 degrees Centigrade, 136 degrees Centigrade, or 150 degrees Centigrade at pressures of at least 1 atmosphere or higher and which retains structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes.
11. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 5 wherein the RFID transponder is received and freely movable within the interior cavity of the pouch.
12. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 5 wherein the at least one piece of material the forms the pouch comprises a fabric laminate that comprises at least one of a thermoplastic polyurethane and nylon fabric or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) impregnated fabric which retains structural and functional integrity at least at temperatures equal to 121 degrees Centigrade, 130 degrees Centigrade, 136 degrees Centigrade, or 150 degrees Centigrade at pressures of at least 1 atmosphere or higher and which retains structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes.
13. A wirelessly detectable object to use in medical procedures, comprising:
a medical procedure object for use in performing a medical procedure, wherein the medical procedure object is a sponge, wherein the sponge includes a pair of outer-most fold portions and at least two inner fold portions, the inner fold portions spaced inwardly from and between the outer-most fold portions;
a first piece of radio-opaque material extending along a width of the sponge;
a second piece of radio-opaque material extending along the width of the sponge and spaced from the first radio-opaque material, wherein the first and the second pieces of radio-opaque material are carried by the inner fold portions;
a radiation hard read only radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder that wirelessly receives a first interrogation signal and in response wirelessly returns a first response signal that provides a unique identifier; and
an attachment structure that attaches the radiation hard read only RFID transponder to the medical procedure object.
14. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 wherein the RFID transponder comprises a radiation hard RFID integrated circuit and an antenna trace, the antenna trace communicatively coupled to the radiation hard RFID integrated circuit, and the radiation hard RFID integrated circuit retains structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes.
15. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 14 , further comprising:
a passive antenna element attached to the sponge, the passive antenna element positioned to communicatively couple to the antenna trace to form a directional antenna.
16. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 wherein the RFID transponder comprises an RFID integrated circuit, an antenna trace, and a radiation hardening encapsulant, the antenna trace communicatively coupled to the RFID integrated circuit, and the RFID integrated circuit encapsulated by the radiation hardening encapsulant, and the radiation hardening encapsulant causes the RFID integrated circuit to retain structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes.
17. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 , further comprising:
a dumb transponder that in response to wireless interrogation, wirelessly returns a second response signal that does not contain identification information, the dumb transponder attached to the sponge, the dumb transponder which retains structural and functional integrity at least at ionizing radiation dosages of between approximately 8 and 15 kGy, or between approximately 25 and 40 kGy, or between approximately 50 and 100 kGy, for from approximately 1 minute to 12 minutes.