US 8,584,345 B2 · Reprocessing of a physiological sensor

Abstract

Because reprocessing or refurbishing of physiological sensors reuses large portions of an existing sensor, the material costs for refurbishing sensors is significantly lower than the material costs for making an entirely new sensor. Typically, existing reprocessors replace only the adhesive portion of an adhesive physiological sensor and reuse the sensing components. However, re-using the sensing components can reduce the reliability of the refurbished sensor and/or reduce the number of sensors eligible for refurbishing due to out-of-specification sensor components. It is therefore desirable to provide a process for refurbishing physiological sensors that replaces the sensing components of the sensor. While sensing components are replaced, generally, sensor cable and/or patient monitor attachments are retained, resulting in cost savings over producing new sensors.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for reprocessing a previously used physiological sensor, the sensor including a plurality of sensor components, the method comprising:

determining one or more sensor components of a sensor to be replaced;
detaching the one or more sensor components to be replaced from the sensor, wherein the one or more sensor components include at least one sensing component, and wherein detaching comprises cutting the one or more sensor components from a cable component of the sensor;
attaching one or more new sensor components to the sensor to form an assembled sensor, the one or more new sensor components including a replacement for the at least one sensing component, the assembled sensor and the cable component and at least the cable component, wherein the attaching comprises splicing the one or more new sensor components to the cable component of the sensor;
determining whether sensing performance of the assembled sensor meets specified sensor performance criteria;
and
sterilizing the sensor in preparation for use.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Reprocessing of a physiological sensor

Life of this patent

Reprocessing of a physiological sensor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14