Melzi Surgical Technology, the Melzi Sharps Finder, Demonstrates Accelerated Time To Locate Lost Surgical Needles

• Use of Melzi Sharps Finder demonstrated to reduce time to locate lost sharps in surgical robotic lab setting
• Testing results with the Melzi Sharps Finder show detection of 13mm, 17mm and 26mm needles with a 95% reliability rate

RENO, NV / ACCESSWIRE / October 11, 2022 / Melzi Surgical ("Melzi" or the "Company"), a surgical device company dedicated to creating innovative technologies that improve patient outcomes while reducing hospital expenses, today highlighted results demonstrating accelerated time in locating lost surgical sharps using the Melzi Sharps Finder.

Over 390,000 sharp objects are lost during surgery each year in the United States.¹ The Melzi Sharps Finder is a sterile, single-use sharps detection device and can be used in robotic, laparoscopic and open procedures. When a sharp is lost or miscount is identified, surgeons can activate the Sharps Finder to assist with the search in the surgical area. The use of the Melzi Sharps Finder is intended for preventing retained surgical sharps, reducing search time and resources during lost sharps events and minimizing risks to patients, hospitals and staff.

"These results represent the potential for the Melzi Sharps Finder to locate lost surgical objects in an operating room ("OR") setting. Current protocol for locating a lost sharp object in an OR setting includes identifying a needle is lost, halting surgery, methodical searching for the lost sharp, calling for an X-ray, which can take up to fifteen minutes and retrieval if the X-ray proves the needle is in the patient. With the Melzi Sharps Finder, surgeons are able to use the device to try and locate the lost sharp immediately before the X-ray arrives. If the Sharps Finder locates the lost sharp before the X-ray arrives, the surgical team can then cancel the X-ray order and proceed with surgery, saving valuable time and money," commented Dr. Samuel Weprin, Co-Founder and Product Innovation at Melzi Surgical.

In a surgical robotic lab setting, 3 attending Urogynecological surgeons had the opportunity to identify lost needles using the Melzi Sharps Finder. For the study, the surgeons used a 5.0 suture (13mm needle) and tied the suture to the surgical clamp to ensure no danger was posed to the patient. The simulated lost needle was intentionally hidden behind vaginal wall tissue, as to not make it visible on the laparoscope. The surgeon then inserted the Melzi Sharps Finder through the assistant port and within a minute, the device signaled detection of the lost sharp, guiding the surgical team to retrieve it. Overall, results from this study found that the time to locate (TTL) the lost surgical objects using the Melzi Sharps Finder was less than a few minutes on average, as opposed to a maximum of 40 minutes using current protocol.

"The Melzi Sharps Finder has demonstrated its potential as a real game-changer for any surgical staff in an OR setting," commented Jay Shah, MD, Urology Oncologist, Vice Chief of Staff at Stanford Health Care. "It is easy to use, ergonomic and has proven to save a noteworthy length of time for patients and physicians when lost sharp events take place. Based on the results seen to date, I believe the Melzi Sharps Finder has the potential to be the solution for locating needles and objects lost during surgery - which remains a large and growing problem."

"Lost sharp events across a variety of surgical procedures do happen and perhaps more frequently than commonly thought," commented Daniel D. Eun, MD, Chief, Robotic Surgery at Temple University Hospital, "This adjunct technology offers the ability to accelerate the time it takes to locate a lost sharp during surgery which is crucial to patient safety and OR efficiency. Having a tool such as the Melzi Sharps Finder, which minimizes the chance of prolonged surgery, extended hospital stay, retained surgical item incident and re-operation, can be incredibly valuable."

Melzi is currently leveraging a network of surgical leader champions in key markets and a regional sales distributor network of contractors to establish early adoption. The Company is working towards its planned aggressive national rollout and expansion of distributor network in order to grow awareness and adoption and ultimately drive sales in the United States. In an effort to propel Melzi to its next stage of growth, the Company is actively participating in both surgical and operating room staff conferences and events.

About Melzi Surgical

Melzi is a surgical device company dedicated to creating innovative technologies that improve patient outcomes while reducing hospital expenses. The Company's lead product, the Melzi Sharps Finder, is a U.S. FDA registered device designed to locate instruments, needles, broken pieces and fragments, or sharp objects ("sharps") that have been lost inside a patient during surgery. The Melzi Sharps Finder is an easy-to-use hand tool capable of working in a 5mm trocar for laparoscopic and robotic surgeries and can also be used in open surgery. In a lab study, testing results with the Melzi Sharps Finder show detection of 13mm, 17mm, and 26mm needles with a 95% reliability rate.

The use of an adjunct technology, like the Melzi Sharps Finder, can bring patient safety, time, financial, and risk benefits. The Melzi Sharps Finder is currently indicated for use in gastroenterology and urology surgeries.

For more information about the Company, please visit melzisurgical.com

Investor Contact:
Jenene Thomas, JTC Team
T: (US): [phone]
E: [e-mail]

Business Development Contact:
Allen McClinton, Melzi Surgical
T: 650-272-8987
E: [e-mail]

¹ North American Lost Sharp Events: 390,000. Retained Surgical Items: A Changing Landscape. Journal of Patient Safety, 2020, Weprin, et al.

SOURCE: Melzi Surgical

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