ClearCount's SmartWand-DTX device
Surgical sponge detection company ClearCount Medical Solutions has raised $1.5 million, according to a regulatory filing.
Pittsburgh-based ClearCount has been quiet on the fundraising front since August 2010, when it announced a $5 million series B round of investment led by Draper Triangle Ventures.
ClearCount Medical has developed the SmartSponge and SmartWand systems, which use radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology and chips embedded in sponges to allow surgeons and nurses to detect and count sponges during operations.
ClearCount’s latest funding comes in the form of options and debt and was sourced from one investor, according to the regulatory filing.
Surgical sponges are the most frequent and dangerous “retained surgical items” (RSIs) that are mistakenly left inside patients.
ClearCount says its products can reduce or eliminate preventable hospital costs and delays associated with RSIs, including additional surgery and infection costs, litigation and unnecessary X-rays.
Earlier this year, ClearCount released a new product, the SmartSponge Flex, which features improved design for OR use, according to the company.
ClearCount has at least two major competitors that take different approaches to surgical sponge detection: SurgiCount Medical uses bar-coding technology and RF Surgical Systems uses electronic surveillance technology.
ClearCount CEO David Palmer didn’t immediately return a call.
By Brandon Glenn MedCity News
Brandon Glenn is the Ohio bureau chief for MedCity News.More posts by Author
Not sure what the wrtier, Brandon Glen means by "electrnoic surveillance technology" used by RF Surgical Systems (RFS). RFS also uses radiofrequency chips in their sponges, detected by antennae that have a much greater abilitly to detect retained sponges than those use by ClearCount. While RFID chips store information, my understanding is that they lack the ability to be detected very well when lost deep in body cavities. That makes RFS's detection system far superior and easier to use.