Method and apparatus to account for transponder tagged objects used during medical procedures

Abstract

Medical procedure related objects (e.g., instruments, supplies) tagged with transponders may be accounted for in a medical procedure environment via a medical object accounting system using a number of antennas, and optional readers. A first set of antennas may be configured to interrogate sterile fields and/or non-sterile fields which do not encompass a body of a patient to account for the objects proximate a start and an end of a medical procedure. Sterile fields may encompass working surfaces of tables and stands, typically used by nurses. Readers (e.g., symbol, RFID) may be employed. A database may be maintained with information including a current status of each instrument or supply, for instance as checked in or checked out. On notification of a discrepancy, a handheld antenna and/or second set of antennas may interrogate a volume encompassing a body of a patient for retained instruments or supplies. The system may be automatically configured (e.g., loading appropriate software) on communicative coupling of a device (e.g., antenna, reader, peripheral device).

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus for use in clinical facilities, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one electrically insulative substrate;   at least a first antenna carried by the at least one electrically insulative substrate; and   at least one radio frequency (RF) shield.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein at least the first antenna is radiolucent. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein at least the first antenna comprises an electrically conductive trace of aluminum having a thickness of 200 microns or less. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein at least the first antenna comprises an electrically conductive trace of aluminum having a thickness of 30 microns. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein at least the first antenna is one of a loop antenna, a dipole antenna, or slot antenna. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the RF shield is a directional RF shielding. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the RF shield is an electrically conductive plate. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the RF shield is an electrically conductive wire mesh that forms a partial Faraday cage. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the RF shield is planar. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the RF shield has at least one upstanding peripheral lip. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 a wired connector communicatively coupled with at least the first the antenna.   
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the apparatus comprises a number of materials which withstand multiple cycles of sterilization. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the apparatus takes the form of a mat. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the mat is sized and dimension to be received on a Mayo stand or a back table. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the mat is sized and dimension to be received in a conventional operating room waste receptacle. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the mat is sized and dimension to be received on a surgical table. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the mat is radiolucent. 
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the mat comprises at least one of cotton, an open cell foam rubber, a closed cell foam rubber, a rubber or a silicone. 
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the mat comprises one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 46  wherein the mat further comprises an integral reader communicatively couple to at least the first antenna to at least one of transmit interrogation signals or receive response signals thereby. 
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the apparatus takes the form of a tray. 
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 54  wherein the tray includes a surface on which medical instruments or sponges are carried in use, and at least one side wall that extends perpendicularly from the surface. 
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the tray the antenna may underlying the surface, or may be exposed either being deposited on the surface or co-planar with the surface. 
     
     
         57 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the apparatus takes the form of a table. 
     
     
         58 . The apparatus of  claim 57  wherein the apparatus takes the form of a table. 
     
     
         59 . The apparatus of  claim 57  wherein the table is one of a Mayo table or back table. 
     
     
         60 . The apparatus of  claim 57  wherein the table is a surgical table sized and dimensioned to support a patient during a surgical procedure. 
     
     
         61 . The apparatus of  claim 57  wherein the surgical table comprises a metal horizontal surface on which the at least one electrically insulative substrate and the at least first antenna are carried. 
     
     
         62 . The apparatus of  claim 60  wherein surgical table comprises a first plurality of antennas, including the at least first antenna, the antennas of the first plurality of antennas distributed along at least a portion of the at least one insulative substrate, each antenna comprising at least one coil with a plurality of windings and composed of a plurality of segments electrically coupled in series to one another, the segments of each antenna carried on at least two different layers and electrically connected through at least one via, the segments on a first layer laterally spaced apart from one another with respect to a longitudinal axis of the coils to form gaps between successively adjacent ones the segments on the first layer, and the segments on at least a second layer laterally spaced apart from one another to form gaps between successively adjacent ones of the segments on the second layer, the segments on the second layer located directly below the gaps formed between the successively adjacent ones of the segments on the first layer.