Systems, apparatus and methods for automatically counting medical objects, estimating blood loss and/or communicating between medical equipment
Many variations of systems, methods and apparatus for counting medical procedure objects, reconciling same, estimating patient blood loss during and/or after a procedure, and/or communicating between medical equipment used in a medical procedure setting are disclosed and/or illustrated herein. More particularly, many systems, methods and apparatus for counting and/or reconciling medical sponges with passive or active tracking devices, properly detecting/estimating blood loss during and/or after a medical procedure to assist with transfusion decision-making and identifying or at least alerting as to post-procedure patient risks, and/or for communicating between devices used during procedures to provide a smart/connected medical procedure environment are disclosed and/or illustrated herein.
1. An integrated sponge counter rack and sponge reconciliation system comprising:
a base having a plurality of wheels extending below the base for mobilizing the base, and a support extending generally perpendicular to and above the base;
a sponge bag rack extending from the support for holding at least one sponge bag having a plurality of pockets for receiving used sponges from the plurality of sponges;
a receptacle coupled to the base and/or support, the receptacle configured to receive individual ones of the used sponges before the used sponges are placed within the plurality of pockets;
a camera coupled to the base and/or support such that a field of view of the camera includes a portion of the receptacle into which the individual ones of the used sponges are placed, the camera configured to capture images of the individual ones of the used sponges as placed within the portion of the receptacle;
a sponge detector coupled to the base and/or support, the sponge detector configured to detect the individual ones of the used sponges when placed in the receptacle and generate a respective identifier for each of the individual ones of the used sponges that are detected;
a controller in electrical communication with the camera and the sponge detector, the controller configured to receive the images from the camera and the respective identifier for each of the individual ones of the used sponges that are detected from the sponge detector, wherein the controller is further configured to link the respective identifier for each of the individual ones of the used sponges with a corresponding one of the images; and
a display connected to the support or sponge bag rack and in electrical communication with the controller, the display configured to display data relating to the plurality of sponges at the direction of the controller.
2. The integrated sponge counter rack and sponge reconciliation system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sponges include a marker, wherein the sponge detector includes a scanner configured to detect the marker, and wherein the controller configured to check out the plurality of sponges based on detection of the marker by the scanner prior to the plurality of sponges being used in a medical procedure.
3. The integrated sponge counter rack and sponge reconciliation system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sponges include a marker for identifying the plurality of sponges and the system further includes a wand removably attachable to the support or sponge rack so that the wand can be removed therefore, the wand configured to scan a target area for any missing sponges from the plurality of sponges prior to close out of a medical procedure.
4. The integrated sponge counter rack and sponge reconciliation system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sponge bag comprises a plurality of sponge bags movable between an initial stored position within a dispensable box and a deployed position, wherein the plurality of sponge bags are folded when in the initial stored position and are unfolded and suspended from the sponge rack to expose the plurality of pockets thereon when in the deployed position, and wherein the sponge bag rack includes a receptacle for receiving the dispensable box so that sponge bags may be dispensed from the box therefrom.
5. An integrated medical procedure room having equipment that communicates with one another comprising:
an object retention system having a controller and a display, the display configured to display data related to objects present for use with a medical procedure;
a wand for scanning a target area to locate retained objects and having a wand communication circuit for communicating real-time data relating to the wand to the object retention system controller for display on the display;
a sponge counter rack or reconciliation system for tracking sponges used during the medical procedure and having a sponge counter rack or reconciliation system communication circuit for communicating real-time data relating to the sponge counter rack or reconciliation system to the object retention system controller for display on the display,
wherein the sponge counter rack or reconciliation system is configured to capture images of the sponges with a camera, generate a respective identifier for each of the sponges when detected by a sponge detector, and link the respective identifier for each of the sponges with a corresponding one of the images.