Melzi Resources

Explore how one recent, multi-institutional study on Patient Safety in Surgery Journal reviewed the efficacy of the Melzi Sharps Finder (MSF) in a miscount setting. The MSF is an adjunct OR patient safety tool to locate lost sharps like needles and broken instrument pieces in vivo. Similar to using the sponge detection system, it helps potentially minimize the risk of retained surgical sharp (RSS) events.¹

Goals

By mimicking actual miscount events, the study aimed to

1. 1. Determine the presence/absence of RSS with/without MSF
2. 2. Determine the ability to locate RSS
3. 3. Determine the speed to locate RSS

Key Takeaways

• The MSF outperformed other methods in detecting needle presence, absence, and location in ex-vivo and laparoscopic models.
• The MSF swiftly identities lost sharps, saving time and eliminating prolonged patient anesthesia, while enabling faster OR turnover.

For more information on this clinical study, read the full article in the Patient Safety in Surgery journal.

Reference:

1. Kang, H.S., Khoraki, J., Gie, J. et al. Multiphase preclinical assessment of a novel device to locate unintentionally retained surgical sharps: a proof-of-concept study. Patient Saf Surg 17, 10 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/ s13037-023-00359-8
2. The study compared the use of MSF to a C-arm X-Ray machine with a trained radiologist on-hand to interpret images immediately, an unlikely situation for the average OR. In the average OR, less effective traditional X-Ray technology is called when a miscount occurs, taking an average of an additional 45 minutes¹.