METHOD, APPARATUS AND ARTICLE FOR DETECTION OF TRANSPONDER TAGGED OBJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE DURING SURGERY

摘要

A system to detect objects tagged with transponders used in-vivo or proximate a surgical site. The system includes a wand housing, at least one antenna carried by the wand housing, a fuse coupled to the at least one antenna and selectively operable to permanently disable the at least one antenna, and a disable circuit configured to selectively blow the fuse to permanently disable the at least one antenna responsive to a lapse of a defined amount of usage. A pouch holds a transponder and is physically coupleable to objects such as surgical sponges or gauze.