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Hidden threat in operating theatres

The Clinical Services Journal speaks to Single Use Surgical – a company that was established as a response to UK hospitals’ concerns over cleaning practices – to find out why they champion single-use alternatives to reusable instruments.

In 2015, a multi-centre Lumen Inspection Survey inspected instruments from 71 hospitals in the US and revealed that 70% of instruments were classified as ‘dirty’, with suction tubes being one of the highest percentage instrument categories to fail inspection. Among the foreign matter found on the instruments included blood, bone, brush fibres and human hair. 

He pointed out that UK hospitals have also identified that fine lumen suction tubes used in surgery pose a high risk of patient-topatient cross infection due to them being too difficult to clean. Surgical instruments such as cannulae have narrow channels and sharp bends that are extremely difficult to clean and a result, debris will often linger that is invisible to the human eye. To address this issue, the company has worked closely with surgeons to develop single-use equivalents

“Reusing surgical instruments poses an increased risk of patient-to-patient crossinfection,” said Michael Denver, export manager at Single Use Surgical. “It is a hidden threat in the operating theatre and Single Use Surgical was established to tackle this issue.”

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Upcoming Events

Central Sterilising Club - Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

Crowne Plaza at Gerrard’s Cross
15th April 2024 – 16th April 2024

DECON UK 2024

National Conference Centre, Birmingham
17th April 2024

Infection Prevention & Control

National Conference Centre, Birmingham
23rd - 24th April 2024

Theatres & Decontamination Conference 2024

Coventry Building Society Arena
16th May 2024

The AfPP Roadshow - Birmingham

Millennium Point, Birmingham
18th May 2024

The AfPP Roadshow - Exeter

University of Exeter
22nd June 2024

Access the latest issue of Clinical Services Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Clinical Services Journal app from your device's App store

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