Our schedule is full of arthroscopies. Since we're dealing with lots and lots of fluid waste every day, an automated disposal system is an absolute necessity. But you don't have to be running an ortho specialty center like ours to benefit from keeping your canisters closed. Here are a few ways that fluid waste management systems can help your employees and your efficiency.

• Safety. For us, the No. 1 reason to implement automated fluid waste disposal systems in our ORs is safety. They practically eliminate all staff exposure to the potentially infectious contents of suction canisters. Compare that to the old days of dumping out huge, multi-liter jugs: how many times did your co-workers get splashed? What was the cost, in testing, staffing and anxiety, that followed these exposure incidents? Closed-canister systems can also help your staff sidestep the bad ergonomics of carrying heavy canisters down the hall to the decontamination room sink, and the potential slips, trips and falls that canister leaks in transit could cause.
• Cost. A fluid waste management unit will initially involve capital and possibly installation expenses, and perhaps the continuing expense of filters or other disposable supplies. But if you assess these costs in comparison to those of buying a steady supply of canisters only to dispose of them, either empty or full of solidified waste, you'll soon realize which one is the greater burden on your budget over the long term. There's an argument to be made, too, that closed suction disposal deliver faster cleanups and room turnovers than dumping or solidifying methods can.
• Efficiency. Trialing more than one manufacturer's system can help you and your staff to determine which option contributes the most efficiency to your workflow. Your choice should be easy for staff to use. Wall-mounted suction units that quickly drain canisters right in the OR have an unlimited capacity, but mobile units that can collect fluid anywhere in the room before being rolled to a docking station for disposal and disinfection are convenient for all types of surgery. Be sure to find out whether the volume it can hold can serve your longest cases.

— Pam Skipper, RN

Bemis Health Care
Quick-Drain Waste Management System
bemishealthcare.com
(800) 558-7651
Pricing: $8,300 to $10,800
FYI: Bemis's Quick-Drain Waste Management System connects to existing plumbing, and the device requires no electricity to operate. Fluid collected in Bemis suction canisters or liners is transported to the wall-mounted Quick-Drain and the system safely and cost-effectively disposes of the runoff by draining the containers and flushing their contents into sewer lines with water. A built-in rinsing feature washes out the canisters for disposal with non-biohazardous waste. A large-volume canister model (accommodating containers of 12,000 cc or more) is also available.

Cardinal Health
SAF-T Pump Waste Disposal System
cardinalhealth.com
(800) 964-5227
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: The SAF-T Pump from Cardinal Health quickly and safely disposes of fluid waste directly into the sanitary sewer with no pouring required. It's easy to use: Just insert a dip tube into the suction canister, connect the pump and turn it on. It's fast: It can drain a liter of fluid in 4 seconds. It's efficient: The system is powered entirely by tap water, with no moving parts to wear out. SAF-T Pump accommodates all Cardinal Medi-Vac Guardian, CRD and Flex Advantage suction canister sizes.

MD Technologies
Environ-mate DM6000 Series Suction-Drain Systems
mdtechnologiesinc.com
(800) 201-3060
Pricing: $3,500 to $8,000
FYI: MD Technologies' compact, wall-mounted Environ-mate systems eliminate both the cost of disposable canisters and the employee hazards involved in their manual disposal. The systems silently dispose of fluid waste directly into the sewer line, isolating staff from exposure. They occupy no floor space and don't require staff to transport suctioned fluid to waste disposal sites. The DM6000 model (ideal for sterile processing or utility rooms) is equipped with a footswitch. The DM6000-2, which features 2 independent suction inputs, is suited for dual-field procedures or for backup suction during endoscopic procedures. The DM6000-2A (pictured) has an unlimited fluid capacity and optional fluid totalizer to record fluid volumes during arthroscopies or cystoscopies.

Skyline Medical
Streamway System
skylinemedical.com
(855) 785-8855
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Say goodbye to suction canisters and transport carts with Skyline Medical's Streamway System, which delivers safe, efficient, easy-to-use, direct-to-drain fluid waste disposal. The wall-mounted unit's unlimited capacity enables continuous, interruption-free disposal with virtually no staff exposure to waste fluids. The single-patient procedure filter and tissue trap prevent cross-contamination and allow tissue retrieval. An illuminated touchscreen panel enables control over suction levels and displays volume measurements, while an automated cleaning cycle makes turnover simple.

Southern MedWaste
AcceleWaste Fluid Disposal System
stryker.com
(903) 242-9779
Pricing: $6,900 to $9,200
FYI: Southern MedWaste's AcceleWaste system reduces or eliminates employee exposure to potentially infectious fluid waste; the risk of spills from pouring and splashing open canisters; facilities' liability for occupational hazards; and the cost of solidifying agents and red-bag disposal. The self-contained, wall-mounted unit evacuates canisters' contents, including bone chips and blood clots, while disinfecting the fluids for disposal. An optional canister rinsing function is available. Installation requires a 120-volt outlet, an inlet water line and a sewer discharge line, a setup that prevents the unit from burdening existing suction systems.

Stryker
Neptune 2 Waste Management System
stryker.com
(800) 253-3210
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Focused on surgical safety, Stryker's Neptune 2 delivers dependable performance and peace of mind. With enhanced safety and user-friendly features inspired by customers and professional organizations, the Neptune 2 elevates surgical suction with its constantly closed system, hands-free operation and no open canister access points to prevent staff exposure to waste fluid. Neptune's SealShut Technology locks away biohazards during cases, manifold changes, docking and transport, to permit patient-to-patient use, and the unit's high-volume capacity helps to optimize turnover time and workflow.

Zimmer Biomet
Fluid Waste Management Safety Station
zimmer.com
(800) 613-6131
Pricing: $51,400
FYI: Zimmer's Safety Station makes fluid waste disposal easy, safe and cost-effective. Replacing single-use canisters with the system's unique reusable ones cuts the expense of disposables and disposal out of your budget. The station's closed-sink design prevents the risk of fluid exposure during processing. Once the canisters are locked into the station and its lid is shut, a touch of a button on the control panel automatically empties, washes and disinfects the canisters with an EPA-approved agent for reuse.