The C-Arm Technique to Locate a Lost Needle During Robotic Gynecology Surgery

Abstract

The loss of a needle during robotic surgery can be a potentially harmful medical event, especially if retained. While the occurrence of such an event is uncommon, loss of a needle can cause a significant challenge to find and retrieve. Failure to find a lost needle can also have tremendous medicolegal consequences, as a result, this issue is classified as a never event. There is currently no standardized process for finding a lost needle during a robotic gynecologic operation. The objective of this report was to review the current literature on lost surgical needles and present a case that utilized a mobile C-arm fluoroscopy to triangulate a lost needle during robotic surgery. Although the use of C-arm fluoroscopy has been noted in the literature, the technique has not been described in detail. We describe a safe and efficient way to find lost needles intraoperatively that can be integrated into a standardized protocol.

J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2023;12(3):93-97
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcgo910