FDA Approves Surgical Instrument Tracking Tool

ORLocate tested 99.8% accurate when counting and monitoring the location of sponges and instruments during lab testing by NAMSA in Northwood, OH, and labs in Germany and Israel. ORLocate tags each item used in surgery with a unique RFID identity. The tag is about the size of a hearing aid battery. The tagged instruments and sponges are detected via antennas located throughout the sterile field and software that continuously and automatically performs the counting.

Before procedures, a count of items is registered, and as they are used, the information is logged electronically. Before the procedure is completed, ORLocate has accounted for each item to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the patient, while increasing efficiency of operating room logistics and workflow processes.

The RFID technology allows ORLocate to:

• Provide a complete and integrated solution to help reduce cases of retained surgical items in patients’ bodies.
• Combine tracking technology and asset management services.
• Potentially increase efficiency of operating room logistics and workflow processes.
• Reduce time-consuming counting and inventory management.
• Enable simple and accurate packing of surgery sets in the sterile processing department.  .