Introducing the iCount

iCount presents a compact, revolutionary precision tracking solution to one of healthcare’s most avoidable risks: retained surgical swabs

Dock. Count. Confirm—a physical checklist for surgical swabs

Book a product demo

Download Product PDF

The retained swab problem

Surgical swabs accidentally left inside a patient after childbirth or surgery are the most common cause of avoidable harm in operating theatres and maternity units.

These incidents, officially classified as “Never Events”, continue to occur despite national safety protocols and checklist-based safeguards.

557

swabs were accidentally retained after childbirth and surgery in the NHS between 2012-2022

30%

mortality rate in severe cases

£70m

in NHS litigation has been caused by retained swabs over the past decade

2

swab retention events happen each week in the NHS

“Retained surgical swabs/sponges are the most frequently reported sentinel events, capable of causing death or serious harm.”
US Joint Commission & Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, PSNet)

Why does it happen?

Even with national safety standards in place, retained swabs still occur where teams are working under intense pressure and time-critical conditions.

As the Birth Trauma Inquiry highlights, this is part of broader avoidable and preventable birth trauma, often due to overwhelmed systems and insufficient support.

Manual swab counting can slip under these pressures, and many current digital solutions aren’t scalable or practical in busy maternity settings

Unreliable manual counting

Lack of staff resources for counting trays and swab bags

Costly or disruptive nature of electronic methods

The iCount Solution

iCount presents a compact, revolutionary precision tracking solution to one of healthcare’s most avoidable risks: retained surgical swabs.

Pre-matched to swabs and surgical tampons for correct pre-procedure counts
Real time feedback: Using an individual docking system, each swab is accounted for and returned on a physical checklist
Optional AI-enabled app: Keep comprehensive, auditable records of every procedure with an EMR system-integrated app

Book a product demo

Download product PDF

Why do hospitals choose iCount?

Designed for use in high-pressure environments like obstetrics, iCount helps to ensure no surgical swabs are left behind and helps to eliminate human error by enabling precise, real-time swab tracking — all from the palm of your hand.

By supporting compliance with established swab management protocols, iCount helps to: