New technology aids in surgery

['97ventureowner]

Studies show that items such as surgical instruments or medical sponges could be left inside a patient after surgery in roughly 1 in 10,000 surgeries. But now new technology similar to the same technology WalMart uses to catch shoplifters can help prevent this from occuring.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/07/17...eut/index.html
Radio ID tags are outfitted to surgical implements and other items such as sponges. When the surgeon finishes with their surgery on the patient, they wave a wand over the patient to see if it beeps, signaling that something was left behind, or shall I say "inside" the patient. One less thing to worry about now, I guess .

[Andydg]

I hope they wave the wand around BEFORE they stitch the patient back up...

[ci5ic]

I recently watched a show on TLC about several instances in which surgeons sutured up their patients with clamps, gauze, towells, and the like still inside. Pretty crazy...

In any event, they showed a voice-activated robotic arm that was being developed that was responsible for handing the surgeon all the tools. Using the arm, equipped with an electromagnet, it would pick up tools from the tray (it recognizes each individual tool using a camera and image recognition software), and hands it to the surgeon. When the surgeon is done using the tool, he hands it back to the arm. It keeps track of all the tools that it dispenses, and upon completion of the surgery will notify the surgeon if there are any missing instruments.

Although there are bound to be problems with both systems (neither would detect gauze, towels, and other similar items), I almost think this is a better approach to take than requiring the hospital to purchase tools with ID chips in them (or spending to have existing tools refitted with the chips). Then again, I'm sure a robotic arm with these capabilities ain't cheap either.

[G-man422]

^ saw the same show. nasty stuff.

[travis712]

Well atleast the hospitals don't hafto worry about them damn theifs stealing there equipment when there getting stitched up.

[Skateforfood]

What if they get too lazy to use that wand, then after surgery you need to go to walmart.....

[beef_bourito]

you get strip searched

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by beef_bourito

you get strip searched

Only if the amount is over $25. http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/13/news...ters/index.htm

[G-man422]

^ i read about that. Leno made a joke about it too. I think it was somthing along the lines of "why would you tell people they can get away w/ steeling merchandise under $25" lol, good stuff.

[beef_bourito]

looks like im going to walmart on saturday

[G-man422]

^ been there already, lol.