Medtronic PLC signed a definitive agreement to purchase RF Surgical Systems, a California medical company with a focus on preventing surgical items (sponges, gauze or towels) being left inside patients after wound closure. Beyond the acquisition’s cost of $235 million, no other terms were disclosed.
 
Dublin-based Medtronic said the merger supports its economic value strategy, specifically as it stays “focused on leading the shift to value based healthcare,” according to its press release. Instilling the best value into health care services over sheer volume of services has rebranded the medical industry as of late, driven largely by health insurers.
 
“Patients are our priority,” Chris Barry, senior vice president at Medtronic, said in a statement. “Improving patient safety and outcomes is our daily focus, which aligns with the RF Surgical technology, a simple and cost-effective solution to avoidable complications in surgical procedures.”
 
Surgical practices already warrant rigorous sponge counting protocols, yet the occasional surgical item can be left inside post-surgery. Most often, this requires x-rays and corrective surgical procedures to remove the items. Life-threatening issues can arise from the deposited items being left untreated, such as hemorrhaging or infection.
 
Detailed in RF Surgical System’s detection video, its system is used in conjunction with manual counting methods to prevent what is known as “never events.”
 
Pending regulatory approvals, the acquisition is expected to close in August.