title: Retained surgical sponges: findings from incident reports and a cost-benefit analysis of radiofrequency technology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retained surgical items (RSIs) are serious events with a high potential to harm patients. It is estimated that as many as 1 in 5,500 operations result in an RSI, and sponges are most commonly involved. The adverse outcomes, additional medical care needed, and medico-legal costs associated with these events are substantial. The objective of this analysis was to advance our understanding of the occurrence of RSIs, the methods of prevention, and the costs involved.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incident reports entered into the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Safety Intelligence database on incorrect surgical counts and RSIs were analyzed. Reported cases of retained surgical sponges at organizations that use radiofrequency (RF) technology and those that do not were compared. A cost-benefit analysis on adopting RF technology was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five organizations that implemented RF technology between 2008 and 2012 collectively demonstrated a 93% reduction in the rate of reported retained surgical sponges. By comparison, there was a 77% reduction in the rate of retained sponges at 5 organizations that do not use RF technology. The UHC cost-benefit analysis showed that the savings in x-rays and time spent in the operating room and in the medical and legal costs that were avoided outweighed the expenses involved in using RF technology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current standards for manual counting of sponges and the use of radiographs are not sufficient to prevent the occurrence of retained surgical sponges; our data support the use of adjunct technology. We recommend that hospitals evaluate and consider the use of an adjunct technology.
authors.affiliation: University HealthSystem Consortium, Chicago, IL. Electronic address: williams@uhc.edu.
authors.forename: Tamara L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: University HealthSystem Consortium, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Derrick K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa College of Nursing, Iowa City, IA.
authors.forename: Victoria M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Steelman
authors.affiliation: University of Kentucky, UK HealthCare, Lexington, KY.
authors.forename: Phillip K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: University HealthSystem Consortium, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Marilyn K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Szekendi
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D011846:Radio Waves; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012308:Risk Management; D015503:Surgical Sponges