Endoscope Storage: Intel For Your OR

OR teams require efficient, easy-to-use storage options for their endoscopes to ensure a safe patient journey for any surgical procedure in the outpatient environment.

The ambulatory surgical center environment is a busy one with many caseloads being handled by an expert team of healthcare professionals. Endoscopes are one of the main medical devices used for a variety of surgical procedures and it is critical that they are handled with care to support patient safety and an efficient workflow. Designed to contribute to a safe and controlled treatment of flexible endoscopes, the WASSENBURG® DRY320® is a patented drying system that has been developed to provide ergonomic handling for its users, optimum endoscope positioning and proven drying efficacy.

The WASSENBURG® DRY320® accommodates up to 10 endoscopes, for which correct place of positioning and process status are easily viewed on the integral user friendly touch screen color display and through the colored LED indications in the positioning brackets. Loading and connecting the endoscopes is done at an ergonomically comfortable height due to the patented pull down bracket system. Vertical hanging of the endoscopes inside the WASSENBURG® DRY320® allows gravity to facilitate the drying process and together with the solid positioning of the endoscope in the bracket system maximizes protection of the endoscope itself. Vertical hanging is recommended in endoscope manufacturers guidelines and is in compliance with the recommendations of the ESGE-ESGENA guideline 939.

Additionally, there are some key benefits of this product, one of which is the extended storage it offers users for their equipment. This drying cabinets guarantees a controlled and safe storage preserving the washed and disinfected state of the endoscope for up to 30 days (refer to local guidelines). The extended storage period in a conditioned environment allows for more efficiency within the department by having timely access to the endoscopes when they are needed.

Another benefit is the excellent ergonomics, which is a positive for the staff using it on a regular basis. The WASSENBURG® DRY320® has a unique and patented pull-down positioning system. This revolutionary design allows for users of all heights to comfortably position, connect and remove the endoscope from the cabinet without physical strain.

Wassenburg Medical is a specialist in all aspects of automated endoscope reprocessing. The company’s mission is infection-free patient treatment and a safe, user friendly, efficient and innovative endoscope reprocessing process at every hospital or clinic and it has a passion for designing and delivering safe and innovative products and services. For more information: www.Wassenburgmedicalinc.com.

In a crowded market, there’s an active warming system for every facility’s needs.

Maintaining normothermia during the patients’ perioperative journey – from pre-op through discharge – reduces the risk of inadvertent hypothermia, increases the body’s ability to stave of infection and does wonders for patients’ satisfaction levels. It’s no wonder the patient warming solutions market is a crowded place. With dozens of vendors claiming to have the answer to facilities’ warming woes, which system is right for you?

The most potent devices rely on active patient warming and can be broken down into three basic system types:

• Forced-air warmers
• Circulating water mattresses
• Conductive fabric warming blankets

Deciding on the type of active warming system is half the battle, but there are several other considerations that should factor into purchasing decisions.

Total cost. To determine the real cost of each warming solution, you need to factor in the system itself, the costs of disposables (blankets, gowns, etc.) and the intangible elements such as the time it takes to set up and warm patients versus the effectiveness of the device. Speaking of effectiveness, it’s always a good idea to record patient’s temperatures (pre-op, in the OR and post-op) when you’re trialing a system to see how it affects the team throughput for your facility.

Space and footprint consideration. Centers that place a premium on green practices will likely rate systems with reusable components more highly than ultra cost-conscious ASCs. But one factor affects virtually all outpatient facilities: Space. In addition to ensuring your center has the room for the system itself, check on the length of its electrical cord as well as whether hoses or wires can easily be placed in a manner that won’t present a tripping hazard for your staff.

Case mix. While patient access doesn’t affect patients pre- or post-operatively (they can be totally covered), it often plays a key role in the OR itself, as certain systems may inhibit a surgeons’ approach. For instance, Daniel Mills, MD, FACS, a plastic surgeon who is owner and medical director at Oceanview Ambulatory Surgery Center in Laguna Beach, Calif., employs multiple active warming systems because of the variety of procedures he performs. If his patient is undergoing a facelift, Dr. Mills uses a forced-air system, but for a full-body liposuction, he employs a circulating water mattress.

Here are some products currently on the market:

TRENDELENBURG EXCLUSIVE

Augustine Surgical
HotDog Temperature Management System
hotdogwarming.com • 888-439-2767

The vendor says this system can deliver superior normothermia results by warming above and below the patient simultaneously using flexible, versatile blankets and mattress overlays. The system, which employs proprietary semi-conductive fabric technology that actively warms patients without blowing air or using water, is described as commonly used in orthopedic, cardiac, plastic, general and robotic surgeries, and the only system that can both warm and secure patients in the Trendelenburg position.

SLIM AND QUIET

Encompass Group
Nova
encompassgroup.com • 800-284-4540

The vendor says this thin, disposable patient warming blanket operates without the noise of forced air systems – in fact, it is described as “silent.” Its novel carbon veil technology, which uses less than five amps for heat and is manufactured similarly to paper, has long been used as a heater in car seats and features no air movement. When applied in pre-op, it banks a patient’s body heat before surgery even when unpowered, and then supports maintaining normothermia throughout the surgical process – all without air movement or moving parts. Available in upper and lower body versions, it is touted as easy to apply, and is said to stay in place once applied. The soft-touch controller unit, described as intuitive to operate and universally pole-mountable, features adjustable temperature settings and a large temperature display, and can independently manage two blankets simultaneously to maximize skin coverage. Because the blanket doesn’t emit excess heat, patients can stay warm while clinicians remain cool during surgery. The blanket is flexible enough that it can still maintain performance after cuts or spills, and its small-profile cable can be secured easily with its integrated linen clip to reduce tripping hazard risk.

QUIET AND COMFORTABLE

Northgate Technologies, Inc.
Gentherm
ASTOPAD
gentherm.com • 800-989-7373

This resistive, reusable patient warming system, described as safe and simple to operate, features two independently controlled connections that enable the patient’s full body to be warmed simultaneously. Warming blankets, which employ the vendor’s proprietary silent radiolucent heating technology also used to heat seats in millions of vehicles, can be placed over or underneath the patient, and temperature settings can be set individually in precise 0.5°C increments. Featuring an integrated rechargeable battery with two hours of continuous to allow warming to continue uninterrupted during transport, each blanket features eight temperature sensors and can be wrapped around the patient while in use for increased versatility in positioning. The blankets can be used in conjunction with positioning devices on OR tables and can be easily wiped down with approved disinfectants.

ADDED ASSURANCE

Northgate Technologies, Inc.
STERIS
Patient Warming System
steris.com • 800-548-4873

This accessory, meant to augment rather than replace current warming protocols, employs conductive heat transfer through direct contact between the patient and the table. Consisting of a heated surgical table pad and optional overbody blanket that the vendor says isn’t too bulky, it is intended to provide additional warming before, during or after convective air warming technologies are used in the OR. Its controller, which can be mounted to the table side rail or an IV pole, features thin, easy-to-connect cables. The system also includes a three-inch heated torso pad and three-inch pads for head and legs. The vendor says the system is particularly helpful for shorter surgeries where postoperative hypothermia is more likely due to the lack of time needed to overcome the effect of redistribution with intraoperative warming alone. It recommends providers start the system as soon as possible when the patient arrives and prior to induction of anesthesia.

PRECISE CONTROL

Operating Room Innovations Stryker
Altrix Precision Temperature Management System
stryker.com • 800-784-4336

This system provides a high level of granular control, employing thousands of power settings to measure the patient’s temperature every 1.3 seconds to achieve steady-state control within ± 0.1° C. Its non-gel-adhesive, non-invasive disposable, adjustable three-layer wrap kits – made of soft, non-woven, spun-bonded polyester fabric and able to accommodate 99% of adult patients – enhance thermal transfer and protect skin integrity with increased surface area contact to reduce air gaps that can occur between cooling/warming devices and patient skin. Three unique modes allow providers to set water temperature alone, or precisely control patient temperature through rapid device-patient interaction. A user-friendly graphic control interface features prompts that allow providers to initiate patient therapy with just a few finger taps and provides key temperature management treatment data including patient temperature, target temperature, water temperature, timing and power levels. Three individually monitored water circuits regulate water temperature and flow performance to ensure optimum therapy delivery.

COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE

3M
Bair Hugger Flex Warming Gown
3m.com • 800-364-3577

Designed to address and simplify the entire perioperative warming process while entirely removing the need for warmed blankets, this gown features two independent inserts that allow for greater flexibility to warm the upper body, torso or lower body. Because of this capability to cover numerous parts of the entire body, the gown can be used to warm patients for virtually any procedure or specialty. Applicable for both clinical or comfort purposes, the warming tools built into the gown include a head drape, tie strips and a patient adhesive strip. Described as quiet, lightweight and easy to use, the patient-adjustable warming unit connects to the gown to provide the necessary air flow, and can be located on a wall, bedrail, IV pole, table or any flat surface. OSM