Overview
The Melzi Sharps Finder was designed by surgeons who understand how frustrating and time-consuming it can be to search for surgical needles and sharps. This tool is designed to work in a 5mm trocar and can be used for open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgeries. The Melzi Sharps Finder gives surgeons an easy-to-use tool designed to locate lost sharps in the surgical area. It is indicated for use in gastroenterology and urology surgeries.7
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.
Results
Melzi Sharps Finder vs. Manual Search
The Melzi Sharps Finder was designed by surgeons who understand how frustrating and time-consuming it can be to search for surgical needles and sharps. This tool is designed to work in a 5mm trocar and can be used for open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgeries. The Melzi Sharps Finder gives surgeons an easy-to-use tool designed to locate lost sharps in the surgical area. It is indicated for use in gastroenterology and urology surgeries.8
| Ability | Manual Search | Melzi 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 |
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.9
Suture / Needle Size Detectability
| Suture Sizes | Approximate Sizes (mm) | X-Ray | Melzi Sharps Finder |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-0 | 26mm | Detectable | Detectable with MSF |
| 2-0 | 22mm | ||
| 3-0 | 17mm | ||
| 4-0 | 15mm | Decreased Detection | |
| 5-0 | 13mm | ||
| 6-0 | 11mm | X-Ray Ineffective DO NOT USE |
|
| 7-0 | 10mm | ||
| 8-0 | 9mm | ||
| 9-0 | 8mm | ||
| 10-0 | 7mm |
See References
Indicators
Configuration
45cm shaft for use in laparoscopic and robotic procedures and fits through a 5mm trocar.
Adjustments
Ergonomic handle with adjustments dials for sensitivity, rotation and deflection.
Use Time
Benefits
The use of an adjunct technology, like Melzi Sharps Finder, can bring patient safety, time, financial, and risk benefits.
Out of the box 13mm, 17mm, and 26mm needles are detected at 95% reliability with 95% confidence, 9mm and 11mm needles with greater than 80% reliability @ 90% confidence, and 6mm needles with 70% reliability @ 90% confidence.
Additionally, when magnetized by placing an individual needle on a magnetic instrument mat for 1 second (verified using Key Surgical MG-300-400R instrument mat ) all of the previously listed needle groups: 6mm, 9mm, 11mm, 13mm, 17mm and 26mm are detected at 95% reliability with 95% confidence.7
Potential Benefits Include
Patient Safety Benefits
- Gives surgeons a tool to find lost sharps and minimize the exposure of X-Ray for staff and patient
- Minimize the chance of prolonged surgery, extended hospital stay, retained surgical item incident, and re-operation
- Reduce the need for additional personnel (radiologist or additional staff) to enter the OR
Time Benefits
- Having an adjunct technology to assist with the lost sharps search while waiting for the X-Ray to arrive
- When sharps are found with the Sharps Finder, X-Ray can be called off completely
Financial Benefits
- Enable OR efficiency
- Minimize the occurrence of potential RSI cases which could lead to hospital fine or reduced reimbursement
- Minimize potential lawsuit
Risk Benefits
- Lessen the potential reputation damage for hospital and physicians
- Minimize the chance of retained surgical item events or litigations
- Minimize the risk for revenue loss, job loss, or center closure
Calculators
Simplified Unit Calculator
Option A
A nation-wide survey indicated roughly 4 lost sharp events occur every 1,000 surgeries.¹
Potential lost sharps per year:
Comprehensive Unit Calculator
Option B
The same survey showed a weighted average of 3.6 lost sharps events per year per surgeon. The following surgical specialties are most prone to lost sharps events. Enter the number of surgeons in your hospital by specialty in the right column.¹
Potential lost sharps per year:
Financial Savings Calculator
Each time an X-Ray is requested to find sharps, it takes about 21 – 30 minutes for the X-Ray to arrive and more time to conduct the examination and analyze the results. Put in the cost associated with each category for an additional 30 minutes OR time. For example, an average level 3 surgery 30 minutes incremental charge is $2,680.⁴
Per lost sharp event costs:
Product Demo
Melzi Sharps Finder is designed to help surgeons locate sharps (such as instruments, needles, broken pieces, and fragments) in the surgical area. It is FDA registered and ready for human use.
Workflow Sample: Lost Sharps
When a surgeon recognizes a sharp is lost or miscount is identified, you can incorporate Melzi Sharps Finder as part of the search while waiting for the X-Ray to arrive. If the sharp is found before the X-Ray arrival, it could be canceled.
T (min) = 0
Stop Surgery
T (min) = 1-5
Search Methodically
- Halt Surgery, suspend wound closure
- Camera survey of the surgical area
- Initiate methodical search
T (min) = 6-20
Use Melzi Sharps Finder
- Request X-Ray for lost needle
- Open Melzi Sharps Finder to search immediately before X-Ray arrives (15+ mins)
Item Found with Melzi?
If YES, Cancel X-Ray
T (min) = 20+
Cancel or Use X-Ray
