Forum - Questions & Answers
Never event
OK hospital coders- here is a challenge. A patient has a ruptured Aortic aneurysm, goes to OR, Gets repaired, surgeon gets ready to close and nurse says sponge count off. Surgeon says it is not in patient, patient critically ill and does not want to wait for another count and search for sponge and xray so he closes incision. Second count still off so they get an xray. Sponge in pelvis, surgeon opens bottom of incision- one suture, gets sponge and replaces the suture. Never broke sterility, patient stayed under anesthesia. Is this a retained foreign body/never event?
never event
never left OR, same surgery event--removal foreign body is a "misadventure in surgery".. Do not code separately.