Medtronic buys firm that finds surgical items left behind

In one out of an estimated 7,000 operations, the surgical team leaves something behind — a sponge, towel or gauze, for example. Now Medtronic is buying a company whose products can help find those items.

California-based RF Surgical Systems embeds surgical materials with low-radio frequency tags that can be detected by passing a wand over a patient.

Left in place, such items may cause serious and life-threatening problems. They may also require additional x-rays and corrective surgery.

Medtronic spokesman John Jordan said the system provides an additional safeguard beyond a nurse counting the items used in an operation.

"Retained surgical items occur in the U.S. 39 times per week," Jordan said. "Ultimately, mistakes do happen in the surgical counting, and this is a system that can try to prevent these events."

Medtronic is acquiring the company for $235 million.