First-of-Its-Kind Surgical Foam Technology Improves Operating Room Workflow

Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA, April 24, 2024 — Syntervention, Inc., a medical device company focused on meeting critical needs in the healthcare space, announces the impact of using its SWICKER® Radiopaque Surgical Foam Sponge in open heart and laparoscopic procedures.

Unlike cotton-based sponges used in surgery today, the SWICKER is lint-free and can be used over and over in the same procedure. These characteristics minimize lint contamination and lower the number of sponges required for surgery.

Gan Dunnington, MD, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon in St. Helena, CA, has performed multiple surgeries using only 2-3 SWICKER foam sponges per procedure. Many were complex operations that could require 50-100 traditional cotton-based sponges; coronary artery bypass, left atrial appendage closure, and maze procedures to treat atrial fibrillation.

“This surgical foam sponge is such a simple solution to the pervasive problem of managing sponge counts during surgery.” said Dr. Dunnington. “The largest SWICKER can hold up to 300cc of fluid and then be wrung out or suctioned to be used again. My entire team was impressed by its functionality and ability to limit the count to a handful of surgical sponges. This product could change the entire workflow in the operating room.”

The SWICKER Surgical Sponge is highly absorbent for continuous use during a single procedure which can lower the required number of surgical sponges by 95%. It uses a proprietary radiopaque ink that will show under X-ray in the unlikely event that a sponge is misplaced.

Lowering the sponge count saves valuable time in the Operating Room and reduces the cost of biohazardous waste. For a single procedure, 3 used SWICKER sponges weigh less than 0.25 pounds compared to 50 used cotton-based surgical sponges weighing up to 3 pounds. With an average cost of medical waste disposal as high as $3.00 per pound, the savings can be significant.

Syntervention founder and CEO, Norm Furbush said, "It is extremely rewarding to see first-hand the impact of the SWICKER foam sponge in the operating room. We designed SWICKER to reduce the number of sponges needed during surgical procedures to improve efficiency, lower the risk of sponge misplacement, reduce medical waste expenses, and decrease the environmental impact of unnecessary sponges.”
For more information, visit the website or view the video library on YouTube.

About Syntervention

Founded in 2010, Syntervention develops innovative solutions to meet critical needs in the health-care field using a comprehensive, hands-on approach to medical device design and manufacturing. Products include the SWIPER Medical Device Foam Wiper, SWASHER Low-Lint Surgical Towel, and the SWICKER Radiopaque Surgical Foam Sponge.