RF Surgical Systems, a developer of solutions for the detection and prevention of retained surgical sponges, has announced researchers from UNC Health Care, based in Chapel Hill, N.C., have reported positive, interim results from an ongoing study examining the use of radio-frequency detection technology in helping surgical teams prevent and detect retained foreign objects in surgery, according to an RF Surgical news release (pdf).
The study looked at the technology's use as an adjunct to the standard practice of manual counting. Key interim conclusions reported at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress include the following, according to the release:
- Radio-frequency detection can speed identification and avoid use of radiation to locate missing sponges, thereby improving both patient safety and clinical workflow efficiency in the operating room.
- Retained foreign objects occur regardless of whether the manual counts were correct, affirming the need for a check-and-safety balance with adjunctive detection technology.
- In almost 90 percent of operations, nursing staff reported that radio-frequency detection offered less stress during wound closure and improved overall confidence that no foreign objects were left in the patient.
The study analyzed more than 3,500 surgical procedures at five centers.
"We are gratified to see positive results from such a landmark study in the movement to eradicate retained foreign objects as a patient safety threat and contributor to OR staff stress, which has been the sole focus of RF Surgical Systems since we pioneered the use of medical technology for this very purpose," said Dr. Jeffrey Port, co-founder, RF Surgical Systems, in the release. "These data further validate our confidence in radio-frequency surgical detection technology as a critical adjunctive safety net that cost-effectively complements the standard-of-care, and we look forward to learning even more as ongoing follow-up continues."
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