An Efficient & Effective Surgical Solution to Prevent Retained Surgical Items & Manage Miscounts8
(Sound and Light Indicate Lost Sharp Detection)
The Significant Impact of Lost Sharps, Miscounts & Needle Tips Left in Patients After Surgery
Surgical Miscounts & Lost Needles Happen Often1
- There are an estimated 24 miscounts per year per OR nurse
- Lost needles happen 3.6 times per year per surgeon
- There are 2 to 3 lost sharps not recovered per 10,000 surgeries, potentially leading to retained surgical items
Increased Health Risks to Patients & Staff2
- Prolonged anesthesia time
- Increased patient and staff X-ray exposure
- Unwanted stress and second victim syndrome leading to burnout
- Potential chronic pain, irritation, or organ injury
Increased OR Time & Costs3
- The average time spent managing lost sharps is up to 30 minutes, and using X-ray can add another 40 minutes, a total of up to 70 additional minutes
- X-ray is effective less than 50% of the time and not effective for needles smaller than 15mm, potentially increasing the risks of metal left in the body after surgery
$2 Million Average Malpractice Claim4
- Retained surgical item events are not reimbursable, leaving hospitals to absorb costs and settlement
- The average retained surgical item indemnity payment is approximately $473,000
- Claims involving permanent patient damage are approximately $2,000,000
- Individual physician indemnity can range from $105,000 to $865,000
Damaged Surgeon & Hospital Reputations
- Retained surgical items must be reported and impact hospital safety grades
- The media is quick to report sensational retained surgical item events
- Hospital leadership can change, and entire practices may close following some RSI cases
Case Study: Losing
Surgical Needles
To avoid the consequences of retained surgical items (RSIs), surgeons spend significant time and resources locating lost surgical needles, broken instruments, and sharps in their patients. RSI searches result in greater exposure to radiation, prolonged anesthesia, and, ultimately, increased OR costs. When surgeons can’t find sharps, patient disclosure is required, and hospitals and surgeons risk reputational damage or litigation. Luckily, Melzi™ is helping hospitals to potentially boost patient safety and address retained surgical items before they occur with advanced surgical solutions like the Melzi Sharps Finder™.
Invest in Melzi
Interested in learning how you can get involved in Melzi’s development of surgical solutions for the OR? Download the Melzi Investor Kit and reach out to get started.
