IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,329,592
Granted Patent B2
US 12,329,592 · App. 17/371,154 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Sterilizable wirelessly detectable objects for use in medical procedures and methods of making same

Inventor: William A. Blair (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: Covidien LP
A61B90/98A61F13/36A61F13/44G06K19/02G06K19/0723A61B2090/0805A61B2090/0813A61F2013/15878
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,329,592
App. No.
17/371,154
Granted
Jun 17, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

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.

Claims (34)

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 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 one of the at least two inner fold portions of the medical procedure object;

a second piece of radio-opaque material extending along a width of the same one of the at least two inner fold portions of the medical procedure object;

a transponder that wirelessly receives a first interrogation signal and in response wirelessly returns a first response signal that provides a unique identifier;

an attachment structure that attaches the transponder to the medical procedure object; and

a directional antenna attached to the medical procedure object.

2. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 , wherein the transponder includes a flexible substrate, and wherein the flexible substrate forms a portion of a pouch that is attached to the medical procedure object via at least one of a stitch, a weld, or an adhesive.

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 medical procedure object 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.

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 medical procedure object 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.

5. 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 medical procedure object 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.

6. 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.

7. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 , wherein the transponder is received within the interior cavity of the pouch and secured therein.

8. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 , wherein the 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.

9. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 , wherein the pouch is attached to the medical procedure object 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.

10. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 , wherein the pouch is attached to the medical procedure object 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.

11. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 , wherein the pouch is attached to the medical procedure object 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.

12. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 , wherein the transponder is received and freely movable within the interior cavity of the pouch.

13. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 6 , 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.

14. 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 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 medical procedure object;

a first radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder configured to wirelessly receive a first interrogation signal and in response wirelessly return a first response signal that provides a unique identifier;

a second RFID transponder configured to wirelessly receive a second interrogation signal different from the first interrogation signal;

an attachment structure that attaches the first RFID transponder to the medical procedure object, the attachment structure including a pouch, wherein one of the first RFID transponder or the second RFID transponder includes a directional antenna disposed within the pouch; and

a second piece of radio-opaque material extending along the width of the medical procedure object and spaced from the first piece of radio-opaque material, wherein the first and the second pieces of radio-opaque material are both carried by a same one of the at least two inner fold portions.

15. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 14 , wherein the first RFID transponder includes a read only RFID transponder.

16. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 , wherein the 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.

17. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 , wherein the 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.

18. 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 medical procedure object, 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.

19. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 18 , wherein the directional antenna includes a passive antenna element and an active antenna element configured to work together as the directional antenna, and

wherein the dumb transponder is disposed between the active antenna element and the passive antenna element.

20. The wirelessly detectable object of claim 1 , the second piece of radio-opaque material positioned such that when the medical procedure object is folded, the first and second pieces of radio-opaque material appear on the one of the at least two inner fold portions of the medical procedure object, spaced inwardly and between the pair of outer-most fold portions.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2021
From: BLAIR, WILLIAM A.
To: RF SURGICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 056799/0036 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2021
From: RF SURGICAL SYSTEMS LLC
To: COVIDIEN LP
Reel/Frame 056799/0207 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 9, 2021
From: RF SURGICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
To: RF SURGICAL SYSTEMS LLC
Reel/Frame 056817/0508 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 16881509 · May 22, 2020
Continuation 15540324
Provisional Application 62182294 · Jun 19, 2015
Provisional Application 62164412 · May 20, 2015
Provisional Application 62138248 · Mar 25, 2015
Provisional Application 62106052 · Jan 21, 2015
Related Publication 20210338373A1 · Nov 4, 2021
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