NXP aids ‘No Sponge Left Behind’ in surgical procedures
04 April, 2011
category: RFID
ClearCount Medical Solutions has selected NXP RFID technology to enables its SmartSponge System. The RFID-based SmartSponge System can detect and account for surgical sponges and other retained foreign objects placed in a patient’s body when undergoing surgery.
The system is comprised of RFID-enabled surgical sponges, an embedded RFID reader within automated software accounting system, an accompanying SmartWand to detect sponges accidentally retained within the body, and a smart disposal system to account for discarded sponges.
The SmartWand-DTX and SmartSponge System are both Food and Drug Administration-cleared and improve patient safety, preventing patients from serious complications that can arise when surgical sponges are left behind. SmartSponges are packaged in pre-defined quantities. As the package is waved over an RFID reader, the unique serial numbers of the SmartSponges are read and the system ensures a match with the pre-determined package count.
A SmartBucket also configured with an RFID reader enables the ClearCount system to directly account for all sponges entering into and exiting the sterile field. As final assurance, the SmartWand is used to scan the patient to ensure no sponges are left inside of the patient.
