For manufacturers of ophthalmic tools the working tip of vitreoretinal and microinvasive instruments is among the most difficult jobs to perform. Not only it has to be reliable, precise, sharp, etc. despite its tiny size; we also have to make sure that the tip can be properly cleaned so that patients are not at risk of contamination, and the instrument is not at risk of mechanical damage, especially of breaking apart in the posterior segment of an eye.
The most frequent reason for tips sticking or even fracturing is blood and intraocular fluid remaining after a surgery and baked inside the tube during sterilization, blocking the inner mechanism of the instrument. To avoid this, you can either dispose of a single use instrument after each surgery, or sterilizing staff has to perfectly flush the tip inside before it is exposed to high temperature, i.e. before sterilization.
Again, there are two principal approaches to flushing. Our traditional and favorite solution is a two-piece instrument; its handle is detachable and cleaned separately, whereas the tip is flushable with a syringe through an adaptor supplied free of charge. An additional benefit of this approach is an opportunity to save by purchasing fewer universal handles than tips; typically, our customers buy two to three tips per handle. Although this option, preferred by the majority of our customers, is the best from flushing point of view, a considerable part of surgeons globally requested for one-piece instruments to skip assembling step.
Meeting customers’ wishes, we have developed RUMEX flushing system to solve the one-piece instrument tip cleaning problem.
The main component of the system is a side port for flushing that allows cleaning the tube with the zero stress to the jaws – as flushing liquid streams inside the tool towards the most delicate tip of the instrument tenderly washing it inside. Another component is a flushing cannula provided for free with every instrument.
Compare RUMEX solution with a solution of an A-brand, where water is provided from the distal part,
its pressure is high enough to damage delicate tips, but not intensive enough to guarantee flushing the tube through its entire length. Vacuum and bi-directional flow of water associated with this style of cleaning can bring a potential risk too.
According to our customers, RUMEX flushing system “provides [them] with a fast, convenient and efficient way to take care of the tool without its disassembling“. “The easy cleaning procedure helps eliminate protein residuals inside the tube thus reducing risk for the patients and increase the service life on an instrument considerably”.