Patent ID: 7704282

Claim:
An orthopaedic assembly comprising: an orthopaedic element and a carrier element mechanically connected to the orthopaedic element, the orthopaedic element having two ends, a body extending between the two ends, a length and an axis, the orthopaedic element comprising at least one of the following: an orthopaedic prosthetic component; an orthopaedic trauma product; an orthopaedic instrument; and an orthopaedic trial; the carrier element having a male portion and an integral body, the body including an information storage portion, the information storage portion comprising a radio-frequency identification tag; the carrier element being free from any drive mechanism; wherein one of the ends of the orthopaedic element has an opening that receives the male portion of the carrier element to connect the carrier element to the orthopaedic element; wherein the opening in the orthopaedic element and the male portion of the carrier element are sized and shaped to temporarily fix the position of the male portion of the carrier element relative to the orthopaedic element; wherein at least a portion of the body of the carrier element is spaced axially from the body of the orthopaedic element; and wherein the length of the body of the carrier element is less than the length of the body of the orthopaedic element.