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SINGAPORE : Cases of surgical instruments being left inside a patient after an operation are rare occurrences, according to the KK Women's and Children's Hospital.
Such incidents occur once in every one to two years, and the hospital wants to reduce this rate further to once in several years.
So the hospital is tagging 44 instruments for ceasarean operation with radio-frequency identification (RFID).
It is also looking to tag paediatric surgical instruments, which are much smaller.
Although this technology is not new, deciding where to tag the instruments was a difficult process.
The technology is now pending certification from relevant authorities from PSB Technologies and TUV, a German certification body.
Associate Professor Bernard Chern, chairman of the Operation Theatre Committee said: "One of the major considerations is to decide where to tag the device, so that the function of the device will not be affected, and will not interfere with the ergonomics.
"For example, a needle holder. If we were to tag it somewhere on the stem, it will potentially interfere with the surgeon, or it will interfere with the function of the needle holder as well." - CNA /ls
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