Home

Germ-free IT in the operation theatre

Among the major changes to operating theatres (OT) in recent years is the introduction of information technology (IT) equipment.

Dirk Cordt

Dirk Cordt, General Manager for sales and marketing of medical display technology at Totoku Europe, points out, ‘The introduction of more IT technology for the operation theatre became the impetus for changes. The first installations involved the use of ordinary PCs and display technology, as used in office environments. However, although products installed should meet the special needs of the OT and intensive care units (ICUs), more than 60% of all PCs used in hygiene-sensitive areas have ventilation holes and slots and a large number of them use active ventilation. The risk of accumulating microbes and dust particles in the computer is very high, and this contaminated dust will be distributed by the expelled air from the machine. As the RKI-Guidelines request plain surfaces and the ability to be disinfected for equipment used inside the OT, this should also be one of the key features for the IT equipment that is to be used in such critical areas.

Medical PC-Display system with germ killing varnish and no ventilation

‘The latest figures from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS) about the proposition of the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) still show the need to avoid any risk of infection inside hospitals,’ he adds. ‘As keyboards, PCs and displays were initially designed for offices, the use of specially developed products for hospitals is necessary. Many suppliers now offer such products, and the cost of this technology is disproportionate to costs incurred when infected patients must have extended hospital stays.’ Although many hospitals are keen to ‘keep up’ with modern technology, however, many are still not investing in up-to-date hygienic IT equipment, much to their own ultimate cost.

This article was published on 04/30/2008

Search

Service

Subscribe to Newsletter

Subscribe to Journal

Tell a friend

EH Competition

Company News

Insulin in oral capsules

At the international congress on diabetes in September, Oramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. introduced its oral insulin capsules that might in the future replace injections patients currently have to face. Last week Oramed announced the agreement with ETI Karle Clinical Pvt. Ltd. to conduct phase 2B clinical trials for its oral insulin capsules.

Products redesigned to help patients simplify life with diabetes

Bayer HealthCare Diabetes Care unveiled the new
CONTOUR® blood glucose meter with enhanced testing features at the 44th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Rome, Italy.

Accu-Chek® Combo – put effective diabetes management into action

At the annual congress of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) this year in Rome, Roche Diabetes Care introduced Accu-Chek Combo – the insulin pump system that combines an insulin pump with an intelligent glucose monitoring system, a bolus calculator, and an integrated pump remote-control.