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Retained intra-abdominal surgical instruments: time to use nascent technology?
Seth Berkowitz1, Harry Marshall, Anthony Charles
1Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Critical Care, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7228, USA.
The American Surgeon
|December 21, 2007
Summary
Surgical instrument retention is a serious complication, often indicating substandard surgical care. These retained foreign bodies are frequently underreported due to litigation fears.
Area of Science:
- Medical Complications
- Surgical Safety
- Patient Outcomes
Background:
- Surgical instrument retention is a preventable complication.
- Instances of retained surgical items often reflect systemic issues in surgical care.
- Underreporting of retained foreign bodies is common in medical literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the incidence and implications of retained surgical instruments.
- To discuss the factors contributing to the underreporting of retained foreign bodies.
- To highlight the impact of retained surgical items on patient safety and healthcare quality.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of reported cases of retained surgical instruments.
- Analysis of contributing factors to surgical instrument retention.
- Examination of reporting biases and their causes.
Main Results:
- Retention of surgical instruments represents a significant risk in surgical procedures.
- The occurrence of retained items is often associated with deficiencies in surgical team performance and healthcare systems.
- Litigation avoidance is a primary driver for the underreporting of retained foreign bodies.
Conclusions:
- Addressing surgical instrument retention requires systemic improvements in surgical protocols and oversight.
- Accurate reporting of retained foreign bodies is crucial for improving surgical safety and accountability.
- Minimizing retained surgical items enhances patient outcomes and upholds the quality of surgical care.
