The Effect of Radiofrequency Technology on Time Spent Searching for Surgical Sponges and Associated Costs

Retained surgical items (eg, sponges, instruments) remain the most frequently reported sentinel events. The primary strategy for preventing retained sponges is the sponge count. Reconciling sponge counts is time consuming and can extend the duration of operative and other invasive procedures. The primary objective of this observational study was to evaluate the effect of a radiofrequency (RF) surgical-sponge detection system on time spent searching for surgical sponges. The study included 27,637 procedures during nine months before and after implementing an RF surgical-sponge detection system. After implementation of the system, time spent searching for sponges was reduced by 79.58%, the percentage of unreconciled counts was reduced by 71.28%, and time spent using radiography to rule out a retained sponge was reduced by 46.31%. This resulted in a reduction of costs. These findings should be used as part of a comprehensive cost analysis of alternative methods when evaluating RF sponge detection technology.