Endoscope reprocessing
With numerous complicated steps in the process, plus high demand for rapid turnaround of endoscopes paired with staff shortage, contamination is still being reported. As the industry seeks ways to optimise endoscope reprocessing, we are turning to automated pre-cleaning devices with the AquaTYPHOON. Paul Caesar, Pentax Medical EMEA.
An alternative to manual pre-cleaning Despite their demanding reprocessing process, which requires special equipment and training to avoid risk of contamination, reusable and semi-disposable endoscopes offer a sustainable alternative to the upcoming single-use endoscopes. Being aware of the sizeable pollution and waste engendered by endoscopy, it is crucial to lower barriers – such as infection risk – preventing healthcare providers to opt for reusable and semi-disposable solutions. As human factor aspects of reprocessing
can never be completely avoided, Pentax Medical believes healthcare providers can be empowered to reduce the risk of infection while taking sustainability into account. Human factors in reprocessing must be at the centre of the manufacturer’s design process, along with sustainability and patient safety concerns, to better support nurses and hygiene departments – especially considering the shortage of staff in reprocessing and endoscopy units. The company’s research and development is focused on minimising risk of infection, improving clinical outcomes and enhancing the professional’s experience and healthcare productivity within endoscopy. As the medical devices industry grows and the demand for
complex reusable medical equipment increases, market feedback shows that there is a need for an automated and standardised process to clean endoscopes. If the pre-cleaning phase was standardised, variances in endoscope reprocessing that can arise from differences between individual reprocessing personnel or rooms would be eliminated, thus ensuring that all steps in the process are carried out in a uniform manner. To do just that, acknowledging the need
to reduce the environmental footprint of endoscopy, Pentax Medical is launching the AquaTYPHOON, a new brushless solution for the automated pre-cleaning of endoscopes. The device was developed in association with PlasmaBiotics and offers an alternative to the manual pre-cleaning step in endoscope reprocessing without the need for brushes or detergent, addressing hygiene and sustainability challenges faced by healthcare providers in daily clinical practice.
Enhancing hygiene with automated pre-cleaning Real change comes from understanding the healthcare landscape – and reshaping it. With the new brushless solution, Pentax Medical is aiming to answer the industry
need for standardisation in the manual pre- cleaning phase of the reprocessing process. The company explains that the solution automatically cleans all endoscope channels, including the non-brushable ones, removing organic residues effectively, supporting the automated endoscope reprocessing (AER) process following the pre-cleaning. Paul Caesar, head of hygiene, infection
control and reprocessing at Pentax Medical EMEA, comments: “The AquaTYPHOON offers a completely standardised, controlled and validated process, thus optimising the pre- cleaning phase. No steps can be skipped, so the results are more constant. I truly believe this new cutting-edge solution offers more balance between patient safety and staff productivity along with their well-being as the process is automated, lowering the risk of contamination.”
Increased efficiency and ergonomics During the development of the solution, a key consideration was how to improve the experience for those who play a critical role in ensuring endoscope safety. Reprocessing staff members involved in the manual pre-cleaning of endoscopes commonly face challenges such as time constraints, heavy workloads, and ergonomic issues. The product was designed to offer a solution to these limits, focusing on efficiency. Endoscope reprocessing with this automated device is more efficient than today’s manual pre-cleaning solutions. It requires less labour and time, which reduces the daily workload for staff and increases productivity. Depending on the endoscope type being used, the device reduces channel pre-cleaning time to just 2-7 minutes. Daniel Vinteler, CEO of PlasmaBiotics, explains: “Due to its pending patent technology, the AquaTYPHOON disperses millions of water droplets in the endoscope channels through a compressed air flow at up to 200 kilometres per hour. Such high velocity creates a high shear stress which eliminates the residues from the endoscope channels walls.” As an automated pre-cleaning device, it also
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