In May, L&R announced that its trademark Barrier Milk product is available in a sprayable formula. This product comes in a small 8 oz bottle and is designed for laboratory instrument care. It helps prevent corrosion and rusting of metals during the autoclaving process. It also lubricates devices that contain hinges or joints. As a bonus, the solution reduces the chances of heat discoloration from the high temperatures experienced in a typical sterilization cycle. Because of this triple action, the spray can be used for many applications.
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The Pharmaceutical-Technology website recently featured Priorclave’s whitepaper on specialized steam sterilizers and related equipment. The company’s washers, autoclaves and sterilizers feature a variety of exclusive proprietary technologies. In addition, Priorclave’s in-house manufacturing capability permits customization of products to meet exact client specifications.
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Tuttnauer, a global autoclave supplier, is now offering coupons for customers who use the Web 2.0 site Twitter.com. They got the idea from a news story that described how Dell Computer gained 3 million dollars in revenue by advertising via Twitter over the last couple of years. Now Tuttnauer wants a piece of the action. They committed themselves to duplicating Dell’s success with Twitter by creating their own brand new ad campaign.
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In April, Tuttnauer attended the CMEF show in Shenzhen, China. This medical device trade show offers a glimpse at the wide array of local and international manufacturers who market their wares in that country. The event hosted 3,654 visitors from other countries. However, this year Tuttnauer can be counted among the 53,000 local attendees. In 2008, this medical autoclave manufacturer established a new outpost in Shanghai. Michael Herr heads up this branch as sales manager and this brand new division enjoys exclusive control over the marketing of Tuttnauer products in China.
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Rodwell Scientific Instruments made the trip from Great Britain to Germany for the 2009 ACHEMA show in May. The company was one of over a dozen presenters specializing in medical and laboratory sterilizers. What sets this manufacturer apart is the Rodwell “Pneu-valve” system offered on all their vacuum autoclaves.
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In May, Portescap announced the launch of a 24 hour rapid turnaround program for prototyping of brushless, slotted DC motors. This new initiative will allow clients to order sample motors in a variety of sizes and gear ratios to test with custom applications. Autoclaveable DC motors are among the devices being offered as standard prototype options. This supplier also offers a 5 day production commitment for non-standard prototypes such as those requiring shaft alterations.
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On March 24, 2009, dental equipment manufacturer Sirona issued a press release to make German clients aware of a significant milestone. The DAC Universal autoclave can now be validated on-site in dental offices. The German Societies for Hospital Hygiene and Sterile Supply, and the Working Group for Instrument Preparation develop the guidelines for medical and dental providers regarding sterile processing. Creating a technology that receives the stamp of approval for meeting the strictest operational and hygienic standards is no small feat, but Sirona was up to the task.
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Real time tracking of healthcare assets using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device) technology is not a new concept. Items such as gurneys and wheelchairs are easily tagged and monitored. However, medical devices that need to be autoclaved have traditionally been left out of the RTLS (real time location system) market. This is because most RFID tag designs could not survive the sterilization process. Then, last year, Awarepoint began marketing autoclavable RFID tags for medical instrument tray tracking.
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On February 12, 2009, the FDA held a public workshop on the topic of unique device identification (UDI) in the medical community. The Amendment Act of 2007 mandated the use of such identification systems but the practical details are still being worked out. The gathering in February focused on a number of questions that need to be resolved. The eventual outcome should help healthcare facilities fully integrate this device tracking concept into their everyday workflow. Discussion revolved around such issues as where on each device the identifying mark would be placed (a major concern with small items such as needles). Also covered were considerations regarding what information the UDI should contain and how the related databases should be structured and maintained.
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In April, the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) issued a helpful news update regarding chemical indicators. One of the organization’s members was concerned that appropriate testing procedure were being set aside in favor of expediency. Nancy Chobin (RN) sent a communication to the FDA to clarify the current standards. In her message, Chobin revealed that several health facilities had been asked to use Class VI indicators to release all load types. This is in contrast to accepted practices of using spore strips to do equipment validation and implant sterility verification.
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