The University of Michigan Health System has recently created a new solution for ensuring that no foreign bodies, including surgical instruments, are left inside the patient’s body after surgery. The new solution uses an innovative technology and thus reduces medical errors.
Ella Kazerooni, M.D., M.S., professor of radiology at the U-M and associate chair of clinical affairs at the U-M Health System, said "Having a foreign object left behind during surgery is something we consider a 'never event,' It's something that should never happen. " Professor Kazerooni continued "Unfortunately in complex cases, surgical cases that involve emergencies or in very large patients, items can be left behind in the body and we want to do everything we can to prevent that,"
The new solution aims to eliminate the risks of surgical objects that might be forgotten inside the patient’s body. An electronic radiology order system sends a call for help to find and remove any of these objects. The system uses X-ray to scan the patient and identify any foreign object while the patient is still in the operating room.
Shawn Murphy, R.N., nursing director of University of Michigan Health System operating rooms, said "The practice of manually counting is a long-standing practice within the OR. Surgical teams may count more than a hundred items in a single case."
Professor Kazerooni added "The challenges of involving radiology in the operating room are mostly ones of communication and timing. First, the surgical team needs to recognize that there may be a possible retained foreign object. Once they do, there needs to be good communication with the radiology department to get the technologist into the OR as quickly as possible. We don't want to delay the surgery or lengthen the anesthesia time unnecessarily."
