METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLANT IDENTIFICATION

摘要

A method and apparatus for automatically identifying surgical implants (300, 400, 500) by use of a radio-frequency tag (RFID) (340, 440, 520) is disclosed. The method, apparatus, and system enable a radio-frequency tagged implant to receive an interrogation signal (270, 650) from a reader (230, 630) and to respond to the interrogation signal with identifying information about the tagged implants . The interrogation signal interrogates the implant to ascertain its information, and the RFID tag affixed on the implant in turn transmits a signal (260, 640) back to the reader. The method, apparatus, and system can track, inspect, and verify surgical implants, to assess, for example, any wear and tear on implants, and/or positional displacement of components of the implant.