If tangled wires and clutter are an issue in your PACU, you might be interested in Nonin's Avant 4000 System with Bluetooth Wireless Technology. The 4000 provides freedom from wired connections while ensuring reliable and secure transfer of patient data, says the company. The lightweight, wrist-worn patient module wirelessly sends data to a small tabletop display, using Bluetooth Technology, a wireless communication standard. The unit lists for $1,650.

Nonin Medical
(800) 356-8874
www.nonin.com

Multi-purpose Table
More and more stretchers are being designed to double as tables and recovery chairs. The latest entry is the motorized TransMotion Medical Model TMM4. An eight-button handheld pendant controls the position of the radiolucent backrest, the leg positioner and the table height. You can return to the stretcher position with the touch of just one button. The stretcher is 24 inches wide, 73 inches long and has a 500-lb. patient weight capacity. The push bar can be stored for fluoroscopy. The table also features a four-wheel brake- and steer-caster system. The table costs $6,000.

TransMotion Medical
(330) 239-4192
www.transmotionmedical.com

Two New Surgical Gloves
A recent study indicated that gloves are punctured in 45 percent of all orthopedic operations. One solution might be Sempermed's Derma plus Ortho Powdered Surgical Gloves. The company says Derma plus Ortho is 30 percent thicker than its standard latex surgical gloves. The gloves have a textured surface for improved sensitivity and grip, wet or dry, says the company. Sempermed also has a new latex-free model: The Sempermed Syntegra CR Powder-Free Surgical Glove. The neoprene gloves offer a fit, feel and tactile sensitivity that's similar to latex, says the company. A textured surface is said to enhance gripping. The company didn't give prices.

Sempermed USA
(800) 366-9545
www.sempermedusa.com

Safely Store Your Osteotomes
Spectrum Surgical's lightweight aluminum Lambotte Osteotome Rack does an especially good job of protecting osteotomes during transport and processing, the company says. The osteotome rack stores a complete set of six straight and six curved Lambotte osteotomes ranging in size from .25 inches to 1.5 inches, the company says. Outlines and sizes are etched on the base of the rack for easy identification and quick placement. The rack costs $275.

Spectrum Surgical
(800) 444-5644
www.spectrumsurgical.com

Improved Patient-warming System
Kimberly-Clark's improved patient-warming system, the M1000, is smaller and better able to connect with patient monitors than its predecessor, the M100, the company says. The M1000 circulates temperature-controlled water through disposable gel pads applied directly to the patient's body. When the patient's body reaches the target temperature, the device adjusts to stabilize it. The M1000 Control Unit is smaller than its predecessor at 18 inches tall, 10 inches wide and 10 inches deep. It holds a little more water and weighs slightly more, 38 lbs., when filled to its capacity of 3 liters. The company did not give price information.

Kimberly-Clark
(800) KC-HELPS
www.kcpatientwarming.com

Know Thy Patient

You may be better able to prevent wrong-patient and wrong-procedure errors and also streamline medical record-keeping with the Personal ID Patient Identification wristband. The wristbands, which use a combination of bar coding and patient photos, are printed using a simplified thermal-based printing process that doesn't require toner or a printer ribbon, the maker says. The latex-free bands use a tamper-proof and adjustable snap closure instead of adhesive to reduce the potential of harboring bacteria. The system meets or exceeds the patient-identification guidelines for the American Hospital Association, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and JCAHO, the company says. The price is between 17 cents and 22 cents per wristband.

General Data Company
(800) 733-5252
www.general-data.com

Safer Sharps Disposal
You might be able to reduce sharps injuries with the Sharpsmart System. The system includes stackable, pre-assembled reusable sharps containers made of a puncture-resistant plastic designed to accept a wide range of sharps devices while minimizing hand access. The container's clear-view window indicates the fill level before it becomes full. Once the container is full, the door remains in the closed position to prevent overfill, and when you activate the final closure, it is tamperproof, the company says. The leak-proof seal is designed to reduce the opportunity for liquid leakage during transport. The Sharpsmart System includes multimedia training tools. The company did not give a price.

Daniels Sharpsmark
(888) 937-6464
www.daniels.com.au

New Chopper for Aqualase Technique
Rhein Medical's Toyos Aqua-Chopper is designed to increase the efficiency of the Aqua bursts during Aqualase Cataract Removal. The bevels of the blade let a surgeon hold nuclear material on the Aqualase tip, making the Aqua bursts more effective, says Rhein. The rounded base of the blade allows for easy manipulation at the incision site without disrupting incision construction, and you can sweep the nuclear material away from structures in the eye and toward the aspiration port using the chopper. This special winged-blade construction also helps with cracking; you hold the nucleus with vacuum, using the edge of the Aqua-Chopper to crack it. The Aqua-Chopper can also be used with phaco. The company didn't give pricing.

Rhein Medical
(800) 637-4346
www.rheinmedical.com