RF Surgical Systems

About RF Surgical Systems

RF Surgical Systems, Inc. operates as a medical device company focused on enhancing patient safety in the operating room. Founded in 2004, the company was conceptualized by Dr. Jeffrey Port, a thoracic surgeon, and William Blair, an electrical engineer. Dr. Port's clinical background includes a specialization in lung and esophageal cancers, and he is a Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center. William Blair, an electrical engineer by training, served as the company's Chief Technical Officer and has a background in technology management with ventures in tablet computing and telecommunications.

The company's core business revolves around the prevention of retained surgical items, a significant patient safety concern. RF Surgical developed a proprietary detection system that utilizes a low radio frequency (RF) signal to track and locate surgical sponges, gauze, and towels embedded with a special RF tag. This system is designed to work effectively through blood, dense tissue, and bone, serving as a crucial adjunct to manual counting protocols in hospitals. The product line includes the RF Assure Detection System, which features a console and a scanning wand, such as the Blair-Port Wand, to scan a patient before the conclusion of a surgical procedure. An alert is triggered if any tagged item remains inside the patient. The company's clients are primarily acute care hospitals and surgical centers. Revenue was generated through the sale of these detection systems and the accompanying tagged disposable items.

A significant milestone for RF Surgical Systems was receiving FDA approval for its technology, with the first clearance for its surgical sponge detection system coming in November 2006. Over the years, the company expanded its product offerings with systems like the RF Assure Detection System X, which introduced enhanced compliance features and specialized scanning components for different surgical specialties. After raising over $44.9 million in funding from investors including Menlo Ventures and Split Rock Partners, RF Surgical Systems was acquired by Medtronic in August 2015 for approximately $235 million. This acquisition integrated RF Surgical's technology into Medtronic's Surgical Solutions division, aiming to establish it as a global standard of care.