Medtronic to buy RF Surgical’s sponge tracking system for $235 M

Editor's Note

Medtronic has agreed to buy RF Surgical Systems for $235 million.

The technology embeds radio frequency tags in surgical sponges, towels, and other products to help track and prevent them from being retained in the patient after surgical procedures.

Medtronic agreed to pay $235 million to buy RF Surgical Systems Inc., which makes technology to prevent "never events" like leaving sponges inside a patient's body after surgery. Carlsbad, Calif.-based RF Surgical's system counts and tracks gauze, sponges, towels and other products that surgeons may forget to remove from a patient's body before sewing them up.