PMD Laryngoscopes provide major advantage in efforts to eliminate cross contamination

PMD does its part to reduce cross-contamination during intubation, as per Joint Commission recommendations.

New Brunswick, NJ (MMD Newswire) January 9, 2015 — The Joint Commission recently published a memo to increase awareness of cross contamination. Supporting the Joint Commission in that effort is Precision Medical Devices (PMD), a major supplier of single use instruments designed to minimize the risk of contamination from one patient to another. PMD’s focal point has been with its full line of stainless steel disposable laryngoscope blades.

Research has shown that institutions that use single-use, disposable blades, thereby completely eliminating the re-processing of the blades after intubation use, significantly reduce the risk of cross contamination from one patient to the next. More recent research has also shown that disposable blades, especially stainless-steel ones, have many more advantages:

- Disposable stainless-steel laryngoscope blades have a better success rate both in terms of successful intubation at first attempt and lower overall number of attempts than plastic disposable blades (see references below).

- Disposable laryngoscope blades save hospitals time by removing the blade sterilization process and down time due to blade repair.

- Disposable blades also happen to be cheaper for organizations than reusable blades when the maintenance and re-processing costs of the latter are calculated.

- Finally, PMD’s disposable stainless-steel laryngoscopes blades are made to fit any handle that is manufactured to ISO 9000 standard, which means they will fit most handles on the market.

“We are very proud to have one of the largest range, in sizes and shapes, of surgical grade stainless steel blades available on the market,” said John R. Inzero, Director of Marketing at PMD, “this gives our customers the widest choice, and the easiest way to avoid cross-contamination due to intubation. We offer a complete line of standard blades with LED bulbs, as well as a Fiber Optic option.”

The laryngoscope is a tool used in medicine to get direct view of the vocal chords and throat, usually in order to perform patient intubation. Invented in the mid 19th century, it took its current form during the first half of the 20th century.

PMD is a leading manufacturer of high quality, great value laryngoscope blades and handles, as well as a full range of OR, Premium and Economy Grade surgical instruments. They offer premium quality at very economical prices in a wide selection of products. Their full line can be browsed at www.PMDmfg.com.

References:

Dos Santos F et al., Disposable Stainless Steel vs Plastic Laryngoscope Blades Among Paramedics, AJEM, 2011, Jul, 29(6): 590-3

Armour J at al., Comparison of single-Use and Reusable Metal Laryngoscope Blades for Orotracheal Intubation During Rapid Sequence Induction of Anesthesia: a Multicenter Cluster Randomized Study,Anesthesiology, 2010 Feb, 112:335.

Jahn A et al, A Short History of Laryngoscopy, Log Phon Vocol, 1996; 21: 181-5

Contact: John Inzero
Precision Medical Devices, Inc.
121 Jersey Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone 732-447-2587
Fax 732-249-0008
JRInzero@pmdmfg.com