Omni Med UAE

28/02/2024

STORZ Camera Head Disassembled

12/05/2023

29/03/2023

An endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) helps doctors treat diseases in and around the digestive tract. It combines two kinds of technology: Endoscopy, which uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera and a light on the end. Ultrasound, which uses high-frequency sound waves to create detailed pictures of internal organs.

20/03/2023

World Kidney Day is a global health awareness campaign that takes place annually on the second Thursday in March. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about the importance of kidney health and to encourage people to take steps to protect their kidneys. The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located on either side of the spine, just below the ribcage. They play a vital role in the body's urinary system by filtering waste and excess fluids from the blood and excreting them as urine. The kidneys also help regulate the body's fluid and electrolyte balance, control blood pressure, produce hormones that stimulate the production of red blood cells, and activate vitamin D for bone health. Each kidney contains about a million tiny filters called nephrons, which are responsible for filtering blood and producing urine. The nephrons remove waste and excess fluids from the blood, which then travels through the ureters to the bladder, where it is stored until it is eliminated from the body through the urethra. Some common kidney problems include kidney stones, urinary tract infections, kidney infections, polycystic kidney disease, and kidney failure. Maintaining a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can help reduce the risk of kidney disease. If you experience symptoms such as blood in urine, frequent urination, pain or discomfort in the lower back or sides, or swelling in the feet or ankles, you should consult with a doctor as soon as possible, as these could be signs of a kidney problem.

05/03/2023

Why Keep Replacing When Our Repairs Can Save You Thousands?

29/12/2022

Helium insufflation in laparoscopic surgery

Carbon dioxide is the most commonly used gas for abdominal insufflation in laparoscopy today. Due to the solubility of carbon dioxide large volumes are absorbed into the circulation causing a high PCO2 and a low pH (respiratory acidosis). Carbon dioxide is also stored in several sites in the body and is released at the conclusion of the procedure prolonging the respiratory acidosis when the patient is least able to cope with this additional burden. Cardiac effects of CO2 consist of a lowering of the arrhythmia threshold, increased blood pressure, pulse and cardiac output. At a sustained high level this can lead to cardiac depression and death. These effects are particularly prone to occur in cardiac and respiratory cripples. Other gases that have been used include air, oxygen, nitrous oxide and nitrogen. Their use has been discontinued because of the danger of embolism. Air, oxygen and nitrous oxide are also not safe to use in the presence of electrosurgical instruments thereby limiting their usefulness even further. Helium has been proposed as a very promising alternative to CO2. In the laboratory and in a clinical trial, helium has not produced the respiratory acidosis associated with CO2 insufflation. This is further evidence that the acidosis is not primarily due to elevation of the diaphragm and consequent increased dead space, but to the large amount of CO2 that is absorbed directly from the peritoneal cavity. Helium would seem to be the gas of choice at this time as it comes close to fitting the criteria for an ideal insufflating gas. Helium is clear and colorless, allowing unimpeded vision to the operator. It is nontoxic, not flammable or explosive and can be safely used with electrocautery and laser. Helium is easy to handle and not very soluble which decreases the amount absorbed from the peritoneal cavity and consequently the amount used. That which is absorbed is quickly cleared by the lungs. Helium is metabolically inactive (in contrast to CO2) and does not interfere with normal metabolic processes. In view of this promising initial work, further studies are indicated.

.org

25/12/2022

Sterilization of Flexible Endoscopes: Benefits & Challenges

STERILIZATION VS. HIGH-LEVEL DISINFECTION
To begin a discussion about the benefits of sterilizing flexible endoscopes versus high level disinfection (HLD), it is first important to understand the key differences between the two. Most importantly, HLD does not fully eliminate all microbes present on the device being disinfected. Specifically, HLD leaves behind a small number of bacterial spores. In contrast, sterilization processes leave no viable microorganisms behind, including spores.
Challenges
One of the key challenges to sterilizing endoscopes is the complexity of the devices. They are highly specialized, made of unique materials, and vary greatly in length. The smallest common flexible endoscope, the rhino laryngoscope, only has a working length of 300mm long. A colonoscopy, on the other hand, used to visualize and inspect the colon, has a working length of 1680mm, or 1.68m, which is 5.6x longer than the rhino laryngoscope. The nature of flexible endoscopes creates a series of challenges to sterilization:
• The materials used to manufacture flexible endoscopes are not compatible with steam sterilization
• The complexity of the devices can lead to retention of bio-burden
• The length of the scope or number of working channels can prevent effective low-temperature sterilization
• Sterilization via ethylene oxide requires long exposure and aeration times, is hazardous to personnel and patients, and can interfere with the availability of scopes for scheduled and add-on cases.
The above points lend flexible endoscopes, particularly endoscopes used to visualize the gastrointestinal tract, to high level disinfection. As previously discussed, HLD kills the majority of microbes but can leave behind spores.
In the USA, this is acceptable because GI endoscopes are a class 2 medical device. This means they can be processed with HLD since they never contact sterile areas of the body. While this is acceptable, it is not optimal. If leftover spores are introduced into pre-existing wounds or injuries in the GI tract, this can cause infection. Previously, it was thought that GI endoscope infections occurred at a rate of around 1 in 1,000,000. However, a study done by Johns Hopkins found that the rate is actually closer to 1.6 in 1,000. From that data, it is clear that finding a suitable method of sterilization that would eliminate all viable microbes, even in class 2 devices, would benefit both the patient and the facility.
Sterilization
Endoscopes that normally have contact with sterile areas of the body are class 3 devices, and as such must be sterilized before use on patients. Flexible endoscopes used for the GI tract and the airway are class 2 devices, as these parts of the body are not normally sterile, and, as previously discussed, sterilizing class 2 devices would optimize patient safety during procedures that utilize these scopes.
When talking about sterilization of flexible scopes in general, the common method of sterilizing smaller flexible scopes is vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP). However, there are specific parameters and criteria that must be met for a flexible scope to be reprocessed via VHP. For example, the Steris VPRO Max can sterilize flexible endoscopes with a single lumen with a diameter > 1mm, but a length < 1050mm, or a scope with two lumens where one lumen has a diameter > to 1mm and a length of < 990mm, and the other lumen has a diameter > 1mm and a length of < 850mm.
This precludes sterilization of the longer GI scopes; as an example, the Olympus HQ-190F colonoscope has a working length of 1680mm. To effectively sterilize these scopes, we are left with ethylene oxide. However, a new technology is emerging that promises to mitigate the issue of length: hydrogen peroxide plus ozone. In this type of sterilizer, VHP is introduced into the chamber and devices are exposed as expected with a traditional VHP sterilizer. However, a second exposure phase that introduces gaseous ozone into the chamber increases the lethality of the process by an additional 1.8 log, and this additional lethality can sterilize devices such as colonoscopes.6 Thus, using ozone in addition to VHP allows a hospital to effectively sterilize class 2 flexible endoscopes, removing all viable microbial life, which in turn renders the scope far safer to use on a patient than if it had been reprocessed with HLD, whether or not that scope comes into contact with sterile tissue. Of course with any sterilization method, the flexible scope should be clean, leak-tested, and completely dry before reprocessing.
We have seen the challenges facing effective flexible scope sterilization. Particularly for the larger gastrointestinal endoscopes, the complexity of the devices makes sterilization difficult, but not impossible. As technology continues to advance, it can only benefit both facilities and patients if we apply the same routine sterilization procedures to all flexible endoscopes, regardless of FDA device classification, just as is done with standard surgical instrumentation.

18/12/2022

What Can Happen If Endoscope Insertion Tubes Are Damaged?

Insertion tube for endoscope is a very important piece of medical equipment. If it is damaged, it can lead to serious consequences. First of all, if the tube is damaged, it can cause the endoscope to malfunction. This can result in inaccurate readings and incorrect diagnoses. In addition, damage to the insertion tube can cause the endoscope to become contaminated with bacteria or other microorganisms. This can lead to infection and other health complications for the patient. Finally, if the insertion tube is damaged, it can cause the endoscope to become blocked and unable to be used. This can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment, which can have serious consequences for the patient.

11/12/2022

Five Steps for Leak-Testing a Scope:

Since fluid invasion is so catastrophic for your equipment, properly leak-testing your scopes after every procedure is critical. The process of testing a scope for leaks can be broken down into five steps:

1- Properly connecting the water cap and pressure tester.
2- Properly pressurizing your scope for testing.
3- Submerging only the bending section first.
4- Submerging the entire scope.
5- Flushing the channels during the pressure test.

Incorporating these steps along with your standard cleaning protocols can help extend the life of an endoscope and keep it in your suite more often than in the repair lab.

09/12/2022

Y-Adaptor

Designed to prevent irrigant backflow and secure devices inserted through working channels.

04/12/2022

Types of Endoscopies

Below are the various endoscopy procedures done depending on the area being examined, treated, or diagnosed:

1. Arthroscopy

Performed by making a small incision near a joint. An endoscope is passed through the joint to evaluate joint disorders such as arthritis. Arthroscopy is also used to repair joint tears and minor damages.

2. Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy is performed to study the bronchial tubes or the large tubes of the lungs branching into bronchus and bronchioles. This is done to look for tumors and growths in the lungs.

3. Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is one of the most common endoscopy procedures, Patients undergoing colonoscopy are required to drink a colon prep drink to ensure accurate results.

4. Colposcopy

Cervical cancer is often diagnosed through pap smear. Colposcopy is recommended after doctors find reasons for further investigation following a pap smear.

5. Cystoscopy

Disorders concerning the bladder can be diagnosed through a procedure called cystoscopy. During the exam, a thin tube is inserted through the urethra (the long tube where urine is transported from the bladder) to detect early signs of bladder cancer, for instance.

6. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

Also known as ERCP, this type of endoscopy is inserted through the mouth down towards the pancreatic ducts. Unlike the upper GI, an ERCP exam is performed to study the pancreatic ducts in the liver and pancreas.

7. Laparoscopy

A laparoscopy is a known method for removing an appendix, as a treatment for appendicitis. This procedure is also useful in determining a host of disorders concerning organs in the abdominal region, including infertility and liver problems. Laparoscopic surgery refers to the minimally invasive surgery achieved by making a small incision (usually half an inch long) where the laparoscope (camera) is inserted to accomplish the surgery.

8. Laryngoscopy

Persistent coughing, throat pain, and bad breath are usually no cause for worry, but can be symptomatic of worse problems concerning the larynx. Laryngoscopy is performed to investigate these symptoms and visualize the larynx, often looking at growths in the throat or vocal cords to understand the cause of the problem.

9. Mediastinoscopy

Similar to an arthroscopy, mediastinoscopy is performed by making a small incision, this time above the breastbone. This procedure is used to examine the middle of the chest, also for lymph node removal in the case of lung cancer.

10. Proctoscopy

The rectoscope, the tool used during a proctoscopy, is a bit different from the usual endoscope. Instead of a long, flexible tube, the rectoscope is a straight hollow tube with a small light bulb at the end used to inspect minor re**al problems such as hemorrhoids or more serious ones such as a re**al polyp.

11. Upper GI Endoscopy

Also referred to as esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), this procedure is done by inserting a thin tube in the mouth to observe the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.