Covidien LP

Tyco Healthcare Group LP

Jeffrey L Jensen

Robert J Behnke, Ii

Scott E M Frushour

Wayne L Moul

Joseph D Brannan

Mani N Prakash

Francesca Rossetto

Bryan Hansen

William Gary Paterson

Paul E Ourada

Erich M Velandia

Robert M Sharp

Patrick L Dumbauld

Mark B Savage

Darion R Peterson

Kyle R Rick

Lewis Puterbaugh

Scott EM Frushour

Ii Robert J Behnke

Medical procedure related objects (e.g., instruments, supplies) tagged with transponders (e.g., RFID transponders, dumb transponders) are accounted for in a medical or clinical environment via an accounting system using a number of antennas and interrogators/readers. A first set of antennas and RFID interrogator(s) interrogate portions of the environment for RFID tagged objects, for example proximate a start and an end of a procedure. Shielded packaging and/or shielded receptacles shield tagged objects, preventing interrogation except for those objects in unshielded portions of the environment. A shielded receptacle may include an antenna to interrogate the contents thereof in a relatively noise-free environment. A data store may maintain information including a current status or count of each instrument or supply, for instance as checked in or checked out. A handheld antenna and/or second set of antennas interrogates a body of a patient for retained instruments or supplies tagged with dumb transponders.

Method and apparatus to account for transponder tagged objects used during clinical procedures employing a shielded receptacle with antenna

A surgical system includes an end effector assembly, a motor assembly, an energy source, and a controller. The controller activates the motor assembly, once it is determined that tissue is present between jaw members of the end effector assembly, to move the jaw members from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to grasp tissue. The controller further activates the energy source, once tissue is grasped between the jaw members, to supply energy to the jaw members to seal tissue grasped between the jaw members. The controller further activates the motor assembly, once it is determined that tissue sealing is complete, to move the jaw members from the approximated position to the spaced-apart position to release sealed tissue. The system may further be configured to cut tissue once it is determined that tissue sealing is complete but before moving the jaw members to the spaced-apart position.

Devices, systems, and methods for grasping, treating, and dividing tissue

Methods and systems for controlling the usage of devices with embedded RFID tags including connecting a device to an energy source and reading data from a memory device incorporated in the device. The data may include a unique identifier (UID), a usage value, an activation value, a reprocessing value, and/or a sterilization indicator. The usage value is incremented when the device is connected to the energy source and the activation value is incremented when the device is activated permitting energy to flow from the energy source to the device. Usage of the device is prevented if the UID is on a list of prohibited UIDs, the usage value is not lower than a usage limitation value, the reprocessing value equals a reprocessing limitation value, the activation value equals an activation limitation value, and/or the sterilization indicator does not indicate that the device has been sterilized since its previous usage.

System and method for using RFID tags to determine sterilization of devices

A microwave ablation system includes an energy source adapted to generate microwave energy and a power splitting device having an input adapted to connect to the energy source and a plurality of outputs. The plurality of outputs are configured to be coupled to a corresponding plurality of energy delivery devices. The power splitting device is configured to selectively divide energy provided from the energy source between the plurality of energy devices.

Tissue ablation system with energy distribution

A microwave ablation system is disclosed. The system includes a microwave antenna assembly that includes an identification device configured to store an optimal frequency of the microwave antenna assembly. The system also includes a generator configured to couple to the microwave antenna assembly and to output microwave energy at an operational frequency. The generator is further configured to read the optimal frequency from the identification device and to configure the operational frequency to substantially match the optimal frequency.

Frequency identification for microwave ablation probes

Method and apparatus to account for transponder tagged objects used during clinical procedures, employing a shielded receptacle

A digital measurement system includes an oscillator, a mixer, and a controller coupled to each other. The oscillator provides a reference signal having a second frequency. The mixer generates a down-converted signal based on the output signal and the reference signal. The controller then determines a characteristic of the output signal (e.g., frequency or phase) based on the down-converted signal. An analog measurement system includes a filter having a center frequency, a rectifier, and a controller. The filter filters the output signal and the rectifier rectifies the filtered signal. The controller samples the rectified signal and determines a characteristic of the output signal based on the level of the rectified signal. The reference signal controller may adjust a characteristic of the output signal based on the determined frequency and/or phase of the output signal.

Systems and methods for measuring the frequency of signals generated by high frequency medical devices

A radio frequency identification (RFID) network is presented including a plurality of medical devices each including an RFID transponder and a single RFID transponder emulator configured to emulate functionality of each of the RFID transponders of the plurality of medical devices. The RFID network further includes a plurality of RFID interrogation devices configured to operatively communicate with the single RFID transponder emulator. The single RFID transponder emulator is used for development, testing, evaluation, and validation of each of the plurality of RFID interrogation devices.

Systems and methods for emulating RFID transponders of a plurality of medical devices

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Jeffrey L Jensen