ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System | STERIS
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ORLocate™ Surgical Counting and Detection System

  • Leverages radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to enhance surgical counting protocols before, during, and after surgical procedures
  • Helps to reduce the risk of unintentionally retained surgical items (RSIs) and eliminate the need for potentially costly X-Rays
  • Adheres to AORN guidelines for the use of technology as part of surgical counts
  • Improves the accuracy of manual surgical counts in the operating room (OR)

Product Overview

ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System is an innovative counting and locating technology that enhances patient safety and reduces time spent counting and searching for sponges in the operating room. This system helps to track and manage surgical gauze and sponges, helping to reduce costs associated with retained surgical items.

How the ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System Works

The ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System enhances patient safety through surgical gauze and medical sponge detection. This system provides an efficient alternative to other counting technologies to ensure the prevention of retained surgical items. The High Frequency (HF) RFID handheld reader is designed to count uniquely tagged items in a matter of seconds, while the innovative detection system can locate RFID tags up to 19 inches, in vivo. ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System can easily integrate into your current workflow with an easy-to-use interface that will improve OR efficiencies and data management.

Why the ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System?

Retained foreign objects have the potential to cause a multitude of problems for both the patient and the hospital. ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System helps prevent a risk to patient safety and institutional liability stemming from retained sponges, eliminating the need for X-rays to detect RSIs. This system also helps OR staff avoid "missed counts" and maintain compliance with new AORN guidelines for integrating technology as part of how to count surgical sponges.1

The manual, human, multi-step counting process has an inherent risk of error. As many as 95% of RSIs happen in a case where a count was documented and verified. These missed counts and near misses are caused by the limited time and high stress of the OR environment. Adding technology to assist with counting helps clinicians and surgeons improve accuracy and make counting safer and more efficient.

The ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System Features:

  • A medical-grade tablet
  • A lightweight, easily movable workstation
  • HoveRead® RFID handheld reader designed to read and count tagged items in a matter of seconds
  • A locator designed to detect RFID tagged items within a 19 inch range, misplaced during surgical operations, eliminating the need for a second surgery or unnecessary delays
  • An easy-to-use interface that provides real-time feedback for improved OR efficiencies. The interface provides contextual information on surgical items added and counted out during the surgery and shows a timeline of the surgery in chronological order
  • Identifies retained sponges in a patient cavity and surgical gauze misplaced in laundry or trash bins and biowaste containers
  • Reduces costs associated with retained surgical items by eliminating the need for potentially costly X-Rays
  • ORLocate is an intraoperative adjunct counting solution that can be used to augment your current surgical counting protocol

1 https://aornguidelines.org/guidelines/content?sectionid=173723395&view=book

 
Link to The Ins and Outs of Surgical Counts Webinar
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Videos

ORLocate™ Surgical Counting and Detection System

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FAQs

Q: How does ORLocate help to prevent retained surgical items?

A: ORLocate helps surgical teams reduce the incidence of “missed counts” and the possibility of intraoperative X-Ray for the patient. Within seconds, ORLocate can count multiple surgical items before, during, and after the procedure. This reduces the time spent locating and tracking surgical sponges within the patient cavity or waste bins and kick buckets during manual counts, improving efficiency and accuracy.

Q: What is Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)?

A: RFID uses electromagnetic fields to identify items. Two RFID frequencies are available and should be selected based on the scanning environment and their application:

High Frequency (HF RFID) systems have multiple applications and acceptable uses. It can penetrate liquids and overcome most metal interference, making it highly-suited for OR environments. It also has a high tolerance for environmental electronic and electromagnetic interference near the RFID-tagged items.

Ultra-High Frequency (UHF RFID) systems are a lower-cost alternative and work best where fast identification is required from a distance. This type of scanning frequency is commonly used in the shipping industry. UHF can encounter sensitivity near metal objects and interference when submerged in liquids, or from other electronic devices that can interrupt scanning.

The Difference in HF RFID and UHF RFID

Q: What is the reading distance of the RFID tags?

A: The HoveRead tool for counting in and out surgical sponges has a read distance of six inches. The Locator wand for identifying sponges in linens, trash, or even the patient has a read distance of 19 inches.

Q: Is ORLocate designed to replace surgical sponge counting procedures?

A: No, it is meant to be used as assistive technology that is seamlessly integrated into current surgical count protocols. The tool helps improve the accuracy of counts and reduces risk of retained surgical items. AORN has updated its guideline for the prevention of retained surgical items to include a recommendation to adapt adjunct technology.

Q: How effective is ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System?

A: ORLocate has been used in thousands of surgical procedures with high accuracy rates. Radio frequency identification technology for the counting, locating and detecting sponges is well established, and it’s accuracy has been validated through research referenced in the AORN practice guideline and recommendation.

Q: Does ORLocate have a sterile cover for the reader or locator wand?

A: Yes, there are sterile covers for both.

Q: Does ORLocate require its own tagged surgical gauze to be used?

A: Yes, and there are over 77 SKUs of sponges and towels to fit a variety of needs.

 

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Shop Now

Purchase RFID-tagged items and sterile coverings for the ORLocate Surgical Counting and Detection System on Shop STERIS.

Product Number Product Description  
GTS0404X1610 ORLocate RFID Gauze; 4"x4"; 16-ply; XRAY; S
GTS0404X3210 ORLocate RFID Gauze; 4"x4"; 32-ply; XRAY; S
GTS0404X32X1710 ORLocate RFID Gauze; 4"x4"; 32-ply; 17 Threads; XRAY; S
GTS0804X1210 ORLocate RFID Gauze; 8"x4"; 12-ply; XRAY; S
GTS0804X1610 ORLocate RFID Gauze; 8"x4"; 16-ply; XRAY; S
GTS0804X2410 ORLocate RFID Gauze; 8"x4"; 24-ply; XRAY; S
LTS0418X45 ORLocate RFID Lap Sponge; 4"x 18"; XRAY; S
LTS0836X45 ORLocate RFID Lap Sponge; 8"x 36"; XRAY; S
LTS1212X45 ORLocate RFID Lap Sponge; 12"x 12"; XRAY; S
LTS1818X45 ORLocate RFID Lap Sponge; 18"x 18"; XRAY; S
LTS1818X45R ORLocate RFID Lap Sponge; 18"x 18"; XRAY; S, RING
ORTW04 ORLocate RFID OR Towel; White; XRAY; S
VAG2X72LPFL RFID Vaginal Packing; 2"x72”; Loop; Folded; Unwashed; XRAY; S
VAG4x36LPFL RFID Vaginal Packing; 4"x36; Loop; Folded; XRAY; S
HC12631 ORLocate HoveRead Drape; with 2 straps; S
LC16601 ORLocate Locator Drape; with 2 straps; S
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Literature

BROCHURE
Document # Document Title
ORLOCATE BROCHURE
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