Appropriate endoscope reprocessing is an essential part of patient safety and quality assurance in endoscopy. Insufficient drying can be a source of microbial contamination and the transmission of infectious material.
The PlasmaTyphoon, from PENTAX, is. designed to reduce the risk of infection by optimising the drying of scopes using plasma. The drying process is managed by a patented curve of pressure and temperature.
The unit uses laminar flow to eliminate the water from the endoscope channels followed by a turbulent heated flow to dry the walls. The solution is designed to dry an endoscope in one to five minutes (the drying time depends on the endoscope type) and storage up to 31 days in a fully controlled environment. A perfectly dried scope after reprocessing avoids exponential growth of pathogens that can lead to endoscopy related infections. After the completion of the drying process, a single-use PlasmaBag is utilised. Plasma, containing ozone molecules, is insufflated into the bag ensuring the dry and disinfected state of the endoscope is maintained due to the biocidal effect of the ozone. It allows safe endoscope transportation while reducing the need for repeated reprocessing. This stores the endoscope in a closed environment – dry, free of dust and pathogens – in a disinfected state for 31 days. This solution allows for time and space to be saved, improved mobility of the scope while they are stored in the bag, as well as an improved level of hygiene. The PlasmaTyphoon also allows for easy transportation between hospital rooms. In addition, the ozone has the ability to reduce the potential remaining bacteria inside the working channel by 99.9%.
