Laser Marking in Surgical Instrument Traceability

Medical laser marking technology is revolutionizing the management of surgical instruments. By permanently marking each instrument with a two-dimensional barcode, it enables precise tracking of each instrument.The technology not only solves the problems of traditional markers being easily worn off and hard to read, but it can also be integrated into digital management systems to provide key support in the areas of sterilization, use tracking, and quality control.As intelligent medical equipment becomes more widespread, laser marking has become an indispensable solution for improving surgical safety and optimizing instrument management, helping medical institutions cope with increasingly strict requirements for traceability.

Why does the medical field need laser marking technology?

Few people know that those tiny numbers on surgical instruments, smaller than a grain of rice, can actually be a matter of life and death.Traditional hand-carved stamps are not only inefficient, but are also easily damaged during the sterilization process.Today, hospitals are even more inclined to use laser marking machines. For example, a two-dimensional code can be "embroidered" onto a titanium alloy surgical tool, and even after being sterilized in high-temperature autoclaves 100 times over, the code will still be clear and legible.

Tracing surgical instruments.

From labeling to management.

In one particularly typical example, a laser beam etches a 3-mm. QR code onto surgical clamps in 0.8 seconds.This code is linked directly to the hospital's inventory system, so that the nurse can scan it to see the number of times the equipment has been sterilized, its usage record, and even its last maintenance date.

It was a classic example of handling a crisis.

Last year, a top-three hospital in Taiwan experienced a crisis of cross-contamination, and it was able to identify the affected batch in just two hours by tracing the laser marks.Compared to the two days it used to take to search through paper records, this increase in efficiency has really made infection control a reality.

These are the three main advantages of laser marking in the medical field.

It's like giving the equipment an ID card.

Each piece of equipment has a unique "digital ID card," and even the 1.2-millimeter needles used for laparoscopic surgery can be labeled.Not only is this permanent marking resistant to tampering, it can also be combined with an RFID chip to provide a "double layer of security" in traceability.

A secret for saving the environment and money.

Traditional ink-jet printers must have their supplies replaced at regular intervals, but a laser marking machine can be used for eight to ten years after its initial investment.At the rate of consumption of 50,000 pieces of equipment per year at a tertiary hospital, the money saved in three years would be enough to buy two pieces of new equipment.

They meet strict medical standards.

The laser parameters have been certified by the ISO 13485 standard, which ensures that the marking process does not produce burrs or cracks.Some high-end models also include an automatic cleaning function, so that after marking the product can be directly sent to the packaging line, eliminating the risk of secondary contamination.

The future of medical tracing.

Now even the implants used in dental surgery are marked with laser codes to allow for traceability, and there are even more stringent requirements for the traceability of orthopedic implants.With the implementation of the UDI system, it is expected that within three years 90 % of Class 3 medical devices will be traceable by laser marking.