What is the primary purpose of counting sponges during a surgical procedure?

The primary purpose of counting sponges during a surgical procedure is to prevent foreign objects from being left inside the patient. This practice is critical for patient safety and is an essential component of surgical protocols. When sponges are used, especially those that are absorbent, they can easily be overlooked if not properly accounted for.

The counting process typically involves a pre-operative count, an intraoperative count, and a post-operative count. This ensures that every sponge used in the procedure is accounted for, thereby significantly reducing the risk of retention, which could lead to serious complications such as infection, abscess formation, or the need for additional surgery to remove the retained object.

While other options may have relevance in the context of surgical procedures, they do not directly address the critical patient safety issue that sponge counting is primarily intended to mitigate.