Systems, methods, and devices for tracking surgical instruments and devices

Inventors

Khalife, Patrick Joseph • SANOGO, Yacouba • Ryan, David Nicholas

Assignees

Smade Sas

Abstract

Surgical instrument tracking systems, methods and devices are described. The system can include tracking devices configured to detect location events. The tracking device can include sensors, circuits, power sources, memories, and radio interface. The tracking devices can automatically determine a location of the tracking device when the tracking device detects a location event. The tracking device can automatically transmit the location and information related to the location event to a data analytics platform. The data analytics platform can allow a user to track multiple surgical instruments and surgical instrument tray in order to accurately determine when surgical instruments should be replaced, and how efficiently the surgical instruments are used.

Core Innovation

A surgical instrument tracking system includes a tracking device configured for tracking surgical instruments. The tracking device comprises at least one sensor configured to detect a location event of the device, a circuit for controlling and processing signals coming from the at least one sensor, a communication module for wirelessly transmitting information to an external device, and a memory for storing information coming from the circuit.

The device determines, by the circuit, a location of the surgical instrument tracking device when the at least one sensor detects a location event. The circuit compares the determined location to a previous location stored on the memory, and determines whether the location is different from the previous location. In response to determining that the location is different from the previous location, the device wirelessly transmits, by the communication module, the location to a data analytics platform.

The described system uses sensor-detected location events to support tracking of instrument and tray usage, enabling replacement and efficiency decisions through aggregation and analysis by a data analytics platform. Additional concepts include low power operation when no events are detected, and periodic or conditional geolocation based on sensor or network/MAC comparisons. System concepts further include event or use counters, and tracking for tray or handle instrument tracking.

Claims Coverage

The document includes one independent claim directed to a surgical instrument tracking device that detects a location event, determines a location, compares it to a previous location, and transmits the location to a data analytics platform when different.

Overall claim coverage centers on conditional location reporting for surgical instrument tracking: detect a location event with sensors, determine the location, compare it against a previous location stored in memory, and wirelessly transmit the location to a data analytics platform only when the location differs.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications