What is the main risk associated with improperly performed instrument counts during surgery?

The main risk associated with improperly performed instrument counts during surgery is the potential for retained surgical items. Retained surgical items, such as sponges, instruments, or other materials, can lead to significant complications for the patient. These complications may include infection, additional surgeries to retrieve the retained item, prolonged hospital stays, and even life-threatening conditions if the item causes internal injury or obstruction.

Instrument counts are a crucial part of the surgical safety protocols designed to ensure that all items used during the procedure are accounted for before closing the surgical site. Ensuring accurate counts before and after surgery is one method that helps mitigate this risk. When counts are not performed correctly, or if discrepancies arise and are not adequately addressed, it can result in a retained item, which poses a serious threat to patient safety.

Other options, while significant in a surgical context, do not carry the same immediate risk to patient safety as retained items do. For instance, increased surgery time may lead to fatigue for the surgical team, but it does not represent a direct risk to the patient's health. Similarly, patient dissatisfaction and higher anesthesia risks are important considerations, but they do not relate directly to the surgical procedures and outcomes as critically as the risk of retained surgical items.