Recycled surgical devices pose infection risk

Of late, facilities have been sending single-use devices to third-party companies for cleaning, then reusing them. But there may more risks involved than providers realize, a new study suggests. Researchers from the Loma Linda University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery found that even after reprocessing, some single-use arthroscopic instruments showed proteins and nucleic acids from previous patients. In the study, which looked single-use shavers, researchers found traces of tissue on some instruments. They also found that over-use had worn down the shavers, in two extreme cases at 76 percent and 100 percent. It's worth noting that the research was funded by Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, a manufacturer of surgical devices with its own viewpoint to peddle. But even so, the results are worth considering.

To learn more about the recycling problem:
- read this article in the Memphis Business Journal

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