# US 9,872,732 B2 · Surgical sponge distribution systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,872,732 B2 - Document ID: US9872732B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/523,089 - Filed: 2014-10-24 - Published: 2015-04-30 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-24 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Applicants: RF Surgical Systems, Inc. - Inventors: William A. Blair - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872732B2 ## CPC - A61B 50/30: Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments (for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40) - A61F 13/44: with radio-opaque material or signalling means for residual material - A61B 2090/0804: {Counting number of instruments used; Instrument detectors} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A surgical sponge dispensing system facilitates the accurate counting of surgical sponges used in a medical procedure. An elongated flexible strip of material carries a plurality of surgical sponges, each attached to the elongated flexible strip of material at a respective fixed location. Demarcations on the elongated flexible strip of material can provide an accurate and reliable indication of the number of surgical sponges detached from the elongated flexible strip of material. Additionally, each of the plurality of surgical sponges and the corresponding attachment location of the sponge to the elongated flexible strip of material may carry a unique alphanumeric identifier. Reconciling the alphanumeric identifiers at locations on the elongated flexible strip of material during a medical procedure can provide an accurate and reliable count of the number of surgical sponges used during the procedure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article for use in medical procedures, the article comprising: an elongated flexible strip of material having a first end and a second end; and a plurality of surgical sponges physically separately coupled to the elongated flexible strip of material at respective fixed locations spaced along the elongated flexible strip of material, each of the surgical sponges individually physically detachable from the article, each of the surgical sponges individually stitched along a portion of a respective single edge thereof to the elongated flexible strip of material at the respective fixed locations via at least one thread that is severable at a lower force than that required to sever the elongated flexible strip of material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein detachment of any outermost one of the surgical sponges from the article does not cause detachment of any of the other surgical sponges of the plurality of surgical sponges from the article. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the surgical sponges are each individually physically detachable from the elongated flexible strip of material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the surgical sponges are each individually physically detachable from the elongated flexible strip of material without severing the elongated flexible strip of material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the surgical sponges are each individually stitched to the elongated flexible strip of material at the respective fixed locations spaced along the elongated flexible strip of material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the surgical sponges are each individually stitched along all of a respective single edge thereof to the elongated flexible strip of material at the respective fixed locations via at least one thread that is severable at a lower force than that required to sever the elongated flexible strip of material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the elongated flexible strip of material comprises a woven textile. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The article of claim 7 wherein the woven textile comprises a woven low- or lint-free textile. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the elongated flexible strip of material comprises a non-woven polymer material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the surgical sponges are spaced at a fixed interval from one another along the elongated flexible strip of material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein in addition to being detachably attached to the elongated flexible strip of material, adjacent ones of the surgical sponges are detachably attached to one another and arranged in an accordion pattern. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the surgical sponges each bear a respective indicia, the respective indicia which identifies a position of the respective surgical sponge in an ordered sequence along the elongated flexible strip of material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the elongated flexible strip of material includes a plurality of demarcations therealong, the demarcations which correspond to one or more respective surgical sponges or one or more respective locations of the respective surgical sponges along the elongated flexible strip of material.