Ultrasonic cleaning systems provide an automated solution for delicate or highly intricate medical devices.
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To perform ultrasonic cleaning, an ultrasonic washer uses a cleaning solution, cavitation, and flushing action to thoroughly clean complex surgical instruments. Common devices processed in ultrasonic cleaners include Minimally Invasive Surgical (MIS) instruments, ophthalmic instruments, and laparoscopic devices such as robotic surgical instruments.
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Ensuring you have the right ultrasonic washer to support your facility's device inventory and throughput needs is important. Many high-growth procedures, such as orthopedic and ophthalmic require more complex instruments. Facilities, including Acute Care and Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs), should evaluate their current needs and capabilities with plans to support future reprocessing needs.
It may seem obvious, but beyond the types of instruments, it is important also to consider the volume of devices requiring sonic cleaning.
To ensure maximum throughput and staff productivity, your ultrasonic washer must be able to process the maximum number of devices in a minimum number of cycles to meet the needs of a growing caseload. You will need to consider what your volume looks like in the near term, perhaps over the next 3-5 years. With minimally invasive surgical procedures rapidly growing, SPDs will rely on ultrasonic cleaning to process more medical devices that may require a faster turnaround.
Many ultrasonics can process a variety of devices, including orthopedics, eye instruments, or robotics. Always check the manufacturer's load capacity recommendations and device IFUs for sizing and compatibility. The chart below compares device type and capacity capabilities.
Innowave™
Ultra & Ultra+
Innowave™
Unity
Innowave™
PCF
Innowave™
Pro
Tabletop ultrasonic irrigator
Processes up to 12 lumens or 11 lbs. of instruments per cycle
Large freestanding ultrasonic cleaner
Processes up to 16 lumened devices, or up to 35 lbs. per cycle*
Smaller footprint ultrasonic washer
Processes 20 lumened instruments, or up to 44 lbs. in every cycle
Maximum capacity ultrasonic washer
Processes 60 lumened instruments, or up to 66 lbs. in every cycle
— — Meets all robotic instrument IFU requirements with the automated wash, flush, and rinse cycles Meets all robotic instrument IFU requirements with the automated wash, flush, and rinse cycles *Unity 15 = 25 lbs. per cycle / Unity 20 = 35 lbs. per cycleIt is important to consider the caseloads and associated sets you will be processing from the Operating Room (OR)
If your facility is experiencing a growing number of orthopedic procedures, a larger sonic to reprocess more devices in a single cycle will help address increasing demand.
Many surgical procedures that are growing in volume use lumened devices, which often are longer and will not fit in a smaller ultrasonic unit.
If you are processing robotic instruments, a sonic that meets all robotic instrument IFU requirements, including the automated wash, flush, and rinse cycles, would be best to optimize your workflow.
Do you need to process eye surgical instruments?
Unlike most instruments processed in an ultrasonic cleaner, eye instruments require a dedicated wash cycle free from enzymatic detergents. Based on this requirement, many facilities will have a dedicated ultrasonic washer strictly used for reprocessing eye instruments.
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If you do not have a sonic dedicated additional cleaning and flushing of the entire sonic bay is required. This process helps ensure the removal of all enzymatic substances.
With a better understanding of the device types and procedure volume, space becomes the final consideration in choosing the right ultrasonic. Most hospital SPDs require larger, freestanding ultrasonic units based on device inventory and the volume of instruments they are reprocessing.
Regardless of which ultrasonic unit you may need, each unit must have at least 6 inches of clearance on each side for servicing. To aid in your decision, the example below illustrates and compares typical ultrasonic dimensions:
The right ultrasonic washer supports the necessary productivity required in your SPD. High-quality cleaning is critical when it comes to efficiency and ensuring compliance. Backlogs in decontamination can often result in delays and sometimes even canceled procedures.
Choosing the right ultrasonic surgical instrument cleaner for your facility today, and with an eye to the future, will enhance your department's throughput and productivity. By answering the questions in this article, you can confidently choose the right ultrasonic washer for your healthcare facility.
Ultrasound system use in the primary care landscape continues to be a game-changer for general practitioners (GPs) and all other primary care clinicians.1 It has helped improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes, accelerate diagnosis, strengthen patient-provider relationships, and create new avenues of growth for practices of all sizes.
But these benefits are only possible when choosing the right system. To that end, it's essential to know what to look for when selecting an ultrasound unit. Whether you're upgrading to a new system or are a novice to the ultrasound experience, let's examine some must-haves and important questions about your next device.
Consider your current patient population's care needs and ask yourself where ultrasound fits into your current scope of practice. Whether your patient needs an abdominal, thyroid, musculoskeletal, cardiac, or fetal ultrasound, the right system should offer you that flexibility to support your daily work. Versatility is one of the most important qualities in an ultrasound, particularly with the way newer systems are embracing multi-use application. However, you may still want a system that offers focused care toward specific condition areas.
You're not just buying a system for the present. Think about your growth objectives, prospective caseload changes, personnel projections, and where ultrasound fits into these plans. You'll want a device that can be easily upgraded to meet expansion needs, is user-friendly for staff of all sizes and experience levels and is agile enough to treat new conditions when shifting patient demographics necessitate it. If you choose a multi-use ultrasound unit, think about what probes you will need in the future to accommodate new condition areas.
Image quality is determined by penetration depth, resolution, and contrast.2 Some of the primary criteria used for evaluating image quality include grayscale mapping, the measure of the contrast between the tissue of interest and the background, and high resolution. You should look for a system with intuitive tools that allow you to:
Automatically optimize an image even as you move between structures
Combine optimized ultrasound image quality with automated measurements
Quickly adjust presets to adjust imaging features
Automatically enhance or suppress color-flow signal to enable a precise diagnosis
Some systems also have the option of static 3D imaging for quick reconstruction of anatomical sweeps and 4D to add the dimensionality of movement. Highly sensitive color-flow tools, such as B-Flow and B-Flow color, allow for visualization in tortuous and low flow vessels.
Budget and cost are key factors when choosing an ultrasound system. This includes the up-front price as well as long-term repair and maintenance costs. For each system you're considering, find out:
What financing options are offered
What is covered under service and warranty contract
What service network coverage is available in your region
You should also consider the organizational growth potential of ultrasound integration versus short-term investment. Also, be sure to verify with the vendor that the system is new or refurbished based on your stated preferences.
Research your prospective vendor's legacy, experience, and reputation in the ultrasound space. Find out how many installations they've performed in your region and look for feedback from other users on the system you're considering, the installation experience, and general vendor service and support. Working with an experienced leading manufacturer helps ensure they will be able to provide comprehensive support wherever you are.
Space remains at a premium in primary care offices, which often factors into purchasing decisions. One of the main criteria for integrating a primary care ultrasound system into your practice is the ability to transport it throughout the facility..3
Lightweight, portable, and compact systems save space and enable easy mobility between rooms, while their extended battery life allows for seamless transport between facilities, maximizing versatility and utility.
It's important that your system offers robust training and education resources—especially since many general practitioners are newer to ultrasound itself, not just the device. Make sure the manufacturer you choose offers comprehensive training and support resources to flatten the learning curve. This includes vendor training, as well as virtual tools that provide continued onboard education to improve proficiency and help clinicians keep learning.
As part of system training and overall product orientation, ask the vendor for a demonstration before and after the purchase. Make sure they're able to offer a designated period of onboarding at your facility.
Whether you're a clinician, practice manager, or procurement specialist, it's essential to be up to speed on the basics of ultrasound when buying a new system. There are many online journals and resources that can help you become familiar with the physics of ultrasound, best practices, how it's applied in different care areas, and much more.
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