Abstract: Methods and apparatus track surgical objects placed in a body cavity so that they may be reliably located and recovered from the body cavity at a later time. In one preferred embodiment, an apparatus comprises a vibrantly colored stringer threaded through apertures in a plurality of surgical objects and vibrantly colored tracking tags affixed to each end of the vibrantly colored stringer to maintain the surgical objects on the vibrantly colored stringer. In alternate embodiments, photo-reactive pigments in the range of 345-375 nm are also added to the vibrantly colored stringer and vibrantly colored tracking tags to enhance their visual detection under ambient lighting, when illuminated with a spectrum specific light source, and/or viewed through a spectrum-specific transmission filter in the same range of wavelengths.

Abstract: Single-use and refillable diabetic testing supply dispensers are disclosed. In various embodiments, the dispenser uses an ejector coupled to an actuator external to the dispenser to move single testing supplies contained within the internal volume of the dispenser through a port in the dispenser for selection by the user. In various embodiments the dispenser has a dispenser head unit that is coupled to one of a variety of magazine designs which store the testing supplies to be dispensed. A bulk loader rapidly refills the dispenser. In some embodiments, testing supplies are affixed to a carrier strip which is carried on a spool internal to the dispenser, incremented out of the dispenser, and cut to dispense a single testing supply during each operation. In some embodiments, tamper resistant elements are added to discourage fraudulent resale of the testing supplies contained in the dispenser. In some embodiments, the dispenser includes a lancing device that is fed by a magazine and deters re-use of lancets.

Abstract: A system for tracking surgical objects placed in a body cavity so that they may be reliably located and recovered from the body cavity at a later time. In one preferred embodiment, the system comprises a vibrantly colored stringer threaded through apertures in a plurality of surgical objects and vibrantly colored tracking tags affixed to each end of the vibrantly colored stringer to maintain the surgical objects on the vibrantly colored stringer. In alternate embodiments, photo-reactive pigments in the range of 345-375 nm are also added to the vibrantly colored stringer and vibrantly colored tracking tags to enhance their visual detection under ambient lighting, when illuminated with a spectrum specific light source, and/or viewed through a spectrum-specific transmission filter in the same range of wavelengths.