Sponge Count – Suture for a Living

Are there any left? Dr. Ramona Bates discusses surgical sponges. There are 3 manufacturers competing for the business, all using RFID scanners, as as she mentions in the case of an emergency, so you have time for “set up” prior. BD

With the new “never-never” provisions of Medicare and insurers now not paying for procedures that entail errors, like leaving an instrument or sponge inside a patient, products such as this one are sure to pick up some momentum, wave the magic wand over the area of the body to see if anything is left inside. This could appear to be much faster and efficient than doing a manual count. BD

It’s one of those things you do (or rather the OR staff does) at the end of a case. I usually continue to sew the last layer of skin as the count occurs. If there is ever a question, then I may help locate a “missing” sponge or lap. Usually (in my cases) they are just bunched together or one got tucked into the drapes. That will mean that the first “final” count was wrong, but the second “final” count correct.