Patents by Inventor M. Daniel Ballard

M. Daniel Ballard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Radiologically trackable surgical sponges
    Patent number: 7001366
    Abstract: The apparatus and method is provided that employs a “radiopaque” object to count and account for surgical sponges in an operating room. A radiopaque object is embedded in surgical sponges so that a scanning device can detect and count a large number of the sponges within a container. The container is designed to minimize contact with the sponges by humans. In addition, a surgical team can insure that no surgical sponge is left in a patient without performing the messy and time-consuming job of individually counting sponges as they are entered and disposed of from the surgical site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: M. Daniel Ballard
  • System and method of tracking surgical sponges
    Patent number: 6777623
    Abstract: The apparatus and method is provided that employs a “radiopaque” object to count and account for surgical sponges in an operating room. A radiopaque object is embedded in surgical sponges so that a scanning device can detect and count a large number of the sponges within a container. The container is designed to minimize contact with the sponges by humans. In addition, a surgical team can insure that no surgical sponge is left in a patient without performing the messy and time-consuming job of individually counting sponges as they are entered and disposed of from the surgical site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Inventor: M. Daniel Ballard
  • System and method of tracking surgical sponges
    Publication number: 20030196837
    Abstract: The apparatus and method is provided that employs a “radiopaque” object to count and account for surgical sponges in an operating room. A radiopaque object is embedded in surgical sponges so that a scanning device can detect and count a large number of the sponges within a container. The container is designed to minimize contact with the sponges by humans. In addition, a surgical team can insure that no surgical sponge is left in a patient without performing the messy and time-consuming job of individually counting sponges as they are entered and disposed of from the surgical site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventor: M. Daniel Ballard
  • System and method of tracking surgical sponges
    Publication number: 20030192722
    Abstract: The apparatus and method is provided that employs a “radiopaque” object to count and account for surgical sponges in an operating room. A radiopaque object is embedded in surgical sponges so that a scanning device can detect and count a large number of the sponges within a container. The container is designed to minimize contact with the sponges by humans. In addition, a surgical team can insure that no surgical sponge is left in a patient without performing the messy and time-consuming job of individually counting sponges as they are entered and disposed of from the surgical site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventor: M. Daniel Ballard