Evaluation of radiofrequency electronic system in intraoperative monitoring of surgical textiles

OBJECTIVE: To test performance of SurgiSafe(®), a radiofrequency electronic device to detect surgical textiles during operations as compared to manual counting. METHODS: Surgical sponges with radiofrequency TAGs were placed in the abdominal cavity of a pig submitted to laparotomy, in randomly distributed sites. The TAGs were counted manually and also using SurgiSafe(®). Positive and negative predictive values, sensitivity, specificity and time required for counting were analyzed for both methods. RESULTS: Through the analysis of 35 surgical cycles, SurgiSafe(®) immediately identified all sponges, with specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values of 100%. Although not statistically significant, the manual count had sensitivity of 99.72% and specificity of 99.90%. CONCLUSION: SurgiSafe(®) proved to be an effective device to identify surgical sponges in vivo, in real time; and its use as an adjuvant to manual counting is very helpful to increase patient's safety.