Finding a lost needle in laparoscopic surgery

Background: A lost needle during laparoscopic surgery is an uncommon major surgical problem. Finding and retrieval can be a challenge, whereas failure to do so carry potentially serious clinical and medicolegal implications. This study aims to investigate the application of a new device to retrieve lost needles intraoperatively compared with traditional management. Method: A literature search was performed to locate articles on lost surgical needles associated with laparoscopic surgery. A laparoscopic magnet was designed and tested based on a case report and an animal experiment. Results: The laparoscopic magnet was a fast and safe method for retrieval of lost surgical needles during laparoscopic surgery. Conclusions: Lost needles during laparoscopic surgery can be located and retrieved by various methods. We found the laparoscopic magnet to be the safest and most efficient way of retrieving lost needles intraoperatively.