ClearCount’s patented SmartSponge system, based on radio frequency identification (RFID), has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Two-thirds of all objects left in the body cavity were surgical sponges.
Steve Fleck, co-founder and chief technology officer, commented: “ClearCount’s RFID-based SmartSponge system allows users to simultaneously count and differentiate between types of sponges. RFID does not require a line-ofsight between the reader and tags, so there is no need to physically separate sponges or orient the tags in any way to scan them. This minimises the handling of soiled sponges by nursing staff.”
ClearCount expects to make available a commercial solution by the end of this year.
