That Includes Sponges — Xray
The presence of a sponge on a post-operative X-ray is considered a "never event" in healthcare—a serious, preventable medical error.
When a sponge is retained, it often presents with specific features on an X-ray or CT scan: Xray that includes sponges
: If the count is "off," a mobile X-ray (C-arm) is brought into the operating room to scan the surgical site before the patient is closed. The presence of a sponge on a post-operative
: Operating room teams perform multiple manual counts of all sponges, needles, and instruments before, during, and after surgery. and instruments before
: The most common finding is the visualization of the barium-impregnated thread.
: Many hospitals now use Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) or barcoded sponges in addition to X-ray markers to provide a second layer of verification.