Sklar Research, Reports & Articles

Surgical Knife or Scalpel? Where did it come from?

The knife was the first tool developed by humans, and it is still the most widely used tool today. Knives are used by seamstresses, gardeners, hair dressers, cooks, artists, and surgeons. It is an essential tool for many professions that range from mechanical to technological, and it is also handy at the dining table. So, who were the first ones to use it in medicine?

Dr. Daryoush Tavanaiepour Interim Chair, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Director, Skull Based Surgery, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Florida

Dr. Tavanaiepour works at UF Health College of Medicine in Downtown, Jacksonville, and he was so kind as to set aside some time out of his busy schedule, to receive us for a casual interview.

A biopsy punch is a circular hollow blade attached to a long, pencil-like handle. It is available as a disposable or a reusable instrument, and it is found in various diameters, ranging from 0.5mm to 10mm. They are used for simple procedures where a skin sample is needed for further study. While some may believe that this instrument is used almost exclusively by dermatologists, the biopsy punch has other purposes.

One of the key components in medical instrument cleaning is using the appropriate brush. With so many available options in the market today, it is important for staff to use the right brush to clean instruments thoroughly. Technicians should be familiar with the length and gauge of the brush, and which bristle types should be used on each specific device. Here are some helpful tips:

Microbes have been known to exist in the environment since the beginning of time. Some microbes are as old as Earth itself. They are an inherent element of life. Microbes are found everywhere, deep inside the Earth’s crust, in the polar caps and in all bodies of water. They are also found in plants, animals, humans, and they reside in your clothes and hair. Microbes have played a part in shaping the different habitats across the globe, and have even helped mold the evolution of many life forms.

Patients should be aware of a medical practice that has become dangerously common during the last few years. Disposable medical instruments are being reused by hospitals even though manufacturers insist that these devices should be used once and then thrown away. So, why do some hospitals reprocess single-use instruments? Their answer is simple. They claim it saves them money. Why use a disposable pair of scissors to cut the umbilical cord on only one newborn child, when it’s better to reprocess them and use them on two newborns? The full price they paid for a single pair of scissors gets cut by 50% when utilizing this practice.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) have become a common type of undesired adverse effect for hospitalized patients. “It is estimated that 1 in 24 patients who undergo inpatient surgery in the US had a postoperative SSIs”.¹ SSIs comprise more than one-third of all hospital-acquired infections. These infections cause longer hospitalizations for patients, resulting in longer recovery time. Some patients may have to stay in the hospital for up to 10 days after surgery, depending on the severity of the infection. The increase in length of hospital stay or rate of re-hospitalization impacts total costs dramatically. Additionally, the risk of postoperative death is, by majority, directly related to surgical site infections.  “The estimated cost of SSI’s to hospitals is $7.4 billion, with 13,088 deaths per year”.²

Each day, more healthcare professionals are switching from reusable instruments to disposable, single-use ones. There are several reasons why this tendency is growing, and will continue to grow in the years to come.

PRESS RELEASE

West Chester, PENN:  Sklar Instruments announced today that Sklar is now an approved supplier of Censis Technologies’ CensiMark, the industry’s only proprietary mark that does not disturb the passivation layer of standard or specialty instruments.  Sklar can now offer customers CensiTrac ready instruments to over hundreds of government and commercial hospitals by applying the CensiMark to its instruments – This process embeds a guaranteed corrosion-free, 2-D mark to instruments below the passivation layer instead of etching or engraving, which alters the surface.  With a comprehensive product offering of reusable instruments, Sklar can provide CensiMark instruments to fit every customer’s needs.

The prevention and reduction of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) is a top priority in hospitals, surgery centers, and physician’s offices today. Increased vigilance toward instrument reprocessing procedures and improved personnel efficiency enhances both patient outcomes and lowers costs.

This calls to attention the “human factors” involved in cleaning and sterilizing of surgical instruments. It has also created the necessity for well trained and competent staff in the reprocessing areas, to reassess and improve upon current best practices.

Sterile processing procedures that need to be reevaluated immediately include: