System for Tracking Surgical Objects

摘要

A system for tracking surgical objects placed in a body cavity so that they may be reliably located and recovered from the body cavity at a later time. In one preferred embodiment, the system comprises a vibrantly colored stringer threaded through apertures in a plurality of surgical objects and vibrantly colored tracking tags affixed to each end of the vibrantly colored stringer to maintain the surgical objects on the vibrantly colored stringer. In alternate embodiments, photo-reactive pigments in the range of 345-375 nm are also added to the vibrantly colored stringer and vibrantly colored tracking tags to enhance their visual detection under ambient lighting, when illuminated with a spectrum specific light source, and/or viewed through a spectrum-specific transmission filter in the same range of wavelengths. In another embodiment, retainers having apertures through which the vibrantly colored stringer may be threaded and bodies formed to be replacably affixed to a variety surgical objects are also employed.

主权项

1. An apparatus for tracking a plurality of surgical objects placed in a surgical field, comprising:
a) a stringer having a length, a first stringer end, a second stringer end, and a stringer external surface; b) a first tracking tag having a first tracking tag body and a first tracking tag external surface; and c) a second tracking tag having a second tracking tag body and a second tracking tag external surface; wherein the stringer is operatively connected to each of the plurality of surgical objects along the length of the stringer; wherein the first tracking tag body is attached to the first stringer end; wherein the second tracking tag body is attached to the second stringer end; and wherein, when the plurality of surgical objects are placed in the surgical field, the plurality of surgical objects are accounted for and recovered from the surgical field by following the stringer from the first tracking tag to the second tracking tag.