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UK surgeon develops infection-reducing lavage tray

A UK surgeon has developed an innovative product designed to reduce the risk of infection during patient transit and surgery.

The Clinicon Lavage Tray was designed by John Hardy, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Spire Bristol Hospital as a solution to the infection risk presented to staff and patients through soaked surgical drapes. It works by retaining split blood or body fluids during patient transit and surgery in an inflatable and disposable plastic tray, thereby reducing the risk of infection from pathogens, such as MRSA, and blood-borne Hepatitis B, C and HIV.

“A recent study found there was a risk of contamination within just 30 minutes of a drape being soaked with blood or body fluids,” Hardy said. “The beauty of this system is that it captures any infectious fluids and has a sieve-like device to provide rapid drainage.”

The tray comes with self adhesive tapes which allow it to be folded and secured for safe disposal immediately after use.

“It is suitable for all forms of surgery but is likely to be particularly popular in NHS trauma units where operations routinely last for three hours or more and the risk of contamination is therefore greatest,” he said.

Dr Antonio Orlando, consultant plastic surgeon at Bristol’s Frenchay Hospital, who has made regular use of the prototype tray said he had found it particularly useful in situations where he had to irrigate contaminated wounds to reduce the risk of post-operative infection.

“It’s a key step in helping hospitals meet the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations which are designed to cut the risk of cross-infection during transfer to and within the hospital environment,” Hardy said.

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