RFID detection and identification system for implantable medical devices

A system for identifying implants within a patient, comprising:

• an active implantable medical device;
• a hermetically sealed radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the active implantable medical device, the RFID tag including an antenna and containing information relating to the patient and/or the active implantable medical device, wherein the RFID tag is read-only or readable/writable;
• a biocompatible and hermetically sealed container in which the RFID tag is disposed, wherein the container comprises a housing, an encapsulating within the housing surrounding at least a portion of the RFID tag, and an end cap hermetically sealed to the housing, wherein the container has a leak rate of no more than 10−9 cubic centimeters per second;
• and
• an interrogator capable of communicating with the RFID tag.

A system for identifying implants within a patient, comprising:

• an active implantable medical device including a header block;
• a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag disposed within the header block, the RFID tag containing information relating to the patient and/or the active implantable medical device, wherein the header block has a leak rate of no more than 10−9 cubic centimeters per second;
• and
• an interrogator capable of communicating with the RFID tag.

A process for manufacturing a radio frequency identification device (RFID) for identifying an implant within a patient, comprising the steps of:

• associating a hermetically sealed RFID tag with an implantable medical device;
• embedding the RFID tag in a header block of an active implantable medical device, wherein the header block has a leak rate of no more than 10−9 cubic centimeters per second;
• storing information relating to the patient or the implantable medical device on the RFID tag;
• and
• implanting the RFID tag in the patient.

A process for manufacturing a radio frequency identification device (RFID) for identifying an implant within a patient, comprising the steps of:

• associating an RFID tag with an active implantable medical device;
• storing information relating to the patient or the active implantable medical device on the RFID tag;
• encasing the RFID tag in a biocompatible and hermetically sealed container including a housing and an encapsulant within the housing surrounding at least a portion of the RFID tag, wherein the header block has a leak rate of no more than 10−9 cubic centimeters per second;
• embedding the RFID tag in a header block of the active implantable medical device;
• and
• implanting the RFID tag in the patient.

A process for manufacturing a radio frequency identification device (RFID) for identifying an implant within a patient, comprising the steps of:

• providing an active implantable medical device having a header block;
• storing information relating to the patient or the active implantable medical device on an RFID tag;
• embedding the RFID tag in the header block of the active implantable medical device, wherein the header block has a leak rate of no more than 10−9 cubic centimeters per second;
• and
• implanting the active implantable medical device in the patient.

A system for identifying implants within a patient, comprising:

• an implantable lead wire;
• a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the lead wire, the RFID tag containing information relating to the patient, the implantable lead wire, or an implantable medical device connected to the lead wire, wherein the RFID tag is disposed within a hermetically sealed container which is biocompatible and has a leak rate of no more than 10−9 cubic centimeters per second;
• and
• an interrogator capable of communicating with the RFID tag.

A system for identifying implants within a patient, comprising:

• an implanted lead wire;
• a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the lead wire, the RFID tag containing information relating to the patient and/or the implanted lead wire, wherein the RFID tag is disposed within a hermetically sealed container which is biocompatible and has a leak rate of no more than 10−9 cubic centimeters per second;
• and
• an interrogator capable of communicating with the RFID tag.

A system for identifying implants within a patient, comprising:

• an implantable medical device;
• a hermetically sealed radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the implantable medical device, the RFID tag containing information relating to the patient and/or the implantable medical device;
• and
• an interrogator capable of communicating with the RFID tag;
• wherein the implantable medical device includes a header block and the RFID tag is implanted in the header block, wherein the header block has a leak rate of no more than 10−9 cubic centimeters per second.

A system for identifying implants within a patient, comprising:

• an active implantable medical device;
• a hermetically sealed radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the active implantable medical device, the RFID tag including an antenna and containing information relating to the patient and/or the active implantable medical device, wherein the RFID tag is read-only or readable/writable;
• and
• an interrogator capable of communicating with the RFID tag;
• wherein the active implantable medical device includes a header block and the RFID tag is implanted in the header block, wherein the header block has a leak rate of no more than 10−9 cubic centimeters per second.