Designed by Surgeons. Loved by Nurses.
The Melzi Sharps Finder, designed by surgeons, streamlines the search for lost surgical needles and sharps. Compatible with a 5mm trocar, it supports open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgeries. It is indicated for use in gastroenterology and urology surgeries.⁴
How it works
Step 1
Clear the surgical area of metal items (trocars, instruments, retractors) to minimize interference—aim for a grapefruit-sized space.
Step 2
Pull the tab to activate. Device will give audible and visual feedback. Test with a needle to gauge detection distance. If retractors are present, start the sensitivity slider on low.
Step 3
Start searching at the last manipulated area. If not found, sweep systematically from the upper right quadrant to the pelvis.
Applications
Find Lost Sharps
A surgeon or OR staff realizes a needle, broken instrument piece, guidewire, or sharp is lost inside the patient, immediately activate the Melzi Sharps Finder to assist in manual search while waiting for an X-Ray. Cancel X-Ray when found.
Manage Miscounts
Bring the Melzi Sharps Finder to all surgeries with a large needle count or multiple staff changes. When a miscount happens, do a recount. If it’s still incorrect, use the Melzi Sharps Finder to sweep through the patient body in-vivo.
Emergency Operation
A Joint Commission report⁵ shows that RSIs were 9x more likely to occur when an emergency operation was performed and 4x more likely when the procedure changed unexpectedly midway. MSF can be used at the end of the case to quickly sweep through the surgical area to ensure no sharp is left behind.
High Needle/Instrument Count
When the surgical team unanimously agrees that the number of surgical instruments utilized during the OR procedure prohibits an expeditious count, it is helpful to use MSF to sweep through the patient's cavity.
Results
Melzi Sharps Finder vs Manual Search
A multiphase preclinical assessment of the Melzi Sharps Finder to locate surgical needle: Users were randomized to two groups to determine if the needle was present in the abdomen, and to locate the needle if present: (1) manual search alone and (2) manual search with assistance of MSF. The trials were randomized regarding the presence and absence of needles, needle size, and location. ⁶
A total of 49 trials were performed with two groups using the laparotomy porcine model. The distribution of needle size, needle location, and the presence of a needle between the groups were comparable. The success rate of the MSF group was significantly greater than that of the manual search group (97% vs. 46.7%, p<0.001). with the time to determine in the MSF group (2.0 min ±1.5 vs. 3.9 min ±1.5, p<0.001).
| Ability | Manual Search | Sharps Finder (MSF) |
|---|---|---|
| If needle present | 22.2% | 95.4% |
| If needle absent | 83.3% | 100% |
| Time to determine | 3.9 minutes | 2.0 minutes |
Suture / Needle Size Detectability
The Melzi Sharps Finder goes into the patient body for closer and more accurate search for metallic objects including surgical needles, instruments, broken fragments, and guidewires. It can detect needles that are unlikely visible to X-ray.
| large | Medium | Small | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needle size | 26 mm | 22 mm | 17 mm | 15 mm | 13 mm | 11 mm | 10 mm | 9 mm | 8 mm | 7 mm | |
| X-ray effectiveness | Detectable | Decreased Detection | X-Ray Ineffective DO NOT USE | ||||||||
| MSF | Detectable | ||||||||||
| Needle Size | X-ray Effectiveness | MSF |
|---|---|---|
| 26mm | Detectable | Detectable |
| 22mm | ||
| 17mm | ||
| 15mm | Decreased Detection | |
| 13mm | ||
| 11mm | ||
| 10mm | X-Ray Ineffective DO NOT USE | |
| 9mm | ||
| 8mm | ||
| 7mm |
Want to know more?
Product Brochure
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