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ISSN 1747-728X July/August 2006 Issue No. 190

The

Operating Theatre Journal

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‘OTJ’...for all your ‘OR’ needs...Latest News...Equipment...Suppliers...Recruitment...Letters...&...More...

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BactiTrap®

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PM-9000 ExpressThe New Patient Monitor from Penlon

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Deproteinised latex. A new age in surgical gloves.

Reference: 1.WP ref: FGC04034. Data on file at Regent Medical.

Biogel Eclipse is the new surgical glove from the makers of Biogel, the world’s leading

glove manufacturer – it’s innovation that will create a standard that eclipses all others.

Biogel Eclipse is made from an entirely new form of natural latex that’s deproteinised

to minimise extractable protein content, helping reduce allergenic potential.1

And in terms of fit and feel it’s the most comfortable experience in surgical space,

providing a level of sensitivity that’s a significant step forward.

Biogel EclipseDeproteinised latex

Setting the standard in protection

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Mölnlycke Health Care Ltd, The Arenson Centre, Arenson Way, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU5 5UL, UK. Tel: 0870 6060766. Fax: 0870 6081888. Email: [email protected]: www.molnlycke.com Mölnlycke Health Care, the Mölnlycke Health Care logo, Biogel and Biogel Eclipse are trademarks registered in the UK, US and/or other countries globally.

fi nd out more 0207 100 2867 • e-mail [email protected] Issue 190 JULY/AUGUST 2006 3

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The Operating Theatre Journal

is published twelve times per

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The Operating Theatre Journal

Tristel to acquire VernageneCombining chlorine dioxide expertise

Tristel plc, the healthcare business which uses its proprietary chlorine dioxide chemistry to create instrument and surface sterilants for use in hospitals, dental and veterinary practices, is set to acquire Vernagene Limited, another chlorine dioxide specialist focusing on the water treatment and food processing industries. A price of £1million has been agreed and contracts exchanged. Completion is expected shortly.

With both companies utilising chlorine dioxide chemistry for disinfection, their operations are highly synergistic. Tristel’s product range concentrates on the provision of sterilising solutions for endoscope decontamination, and sporicidal wipes for the cleaning of hard surfaces and non-invasive medical devices. The company has an established sales force in the UK and a rapidly growing list of overseas distributors. Vernagene is known for the provision of large scale chlorine dioxide generating devices, and stabilised products such as those used to decrease microbial load during food processing.

With the acquisition of Vernagene, Tristel has a ready-made opportunity to expand its operations into new markets. Vernagene already has customers in the government, municipal, industrial, food and healthcare sectors - including the provision of water treatment solutions for Legionella control to a signifi cant number of UK hospitals. Tristel currently supplies around 400 hospitals with its instrument and surface sterilants.

The acquisition also presents signifi cant opportunities for cross selling - Tristel hopes to combine its patented technology and unique delivery systems with Vernagene’s chlorine dioxide chemistry. Vernagene’s customer base will benefi t from the added experience and support of Tristel’s sales and support teams.

For more information about Tristel products visit www.tristel.comFor more information about Vernagene products visit www.vernagene.com

Sales enquiries to: Polly Oates,Tristel Solutions Limited,Lynx Business Park, Fordham Road, Snailwell, Cambs UK, CB8 7NYTelephone: +44 (0) 1638 721500 Fax : +44 (0) 1638 721911E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.tristel.com Please quote ‘OTJ’

Fabius GS premium: The product family is being expandedAt the 2006 Meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA), Dräger Medical unveiled the latest member of the “Fabius” product family, the Fabius GS premium. The product family also includes Fabius, Fabius Tiro, and Fabius GS. All of these anaesthesia workstations feature a modular design.

The Fabius GS premium offers several new features that improve its ergonomics and are now standard with many special options of the Fabius GS: Ergonomic, heated-ventilation system (no condensation during low-fl ow operation), optimised cable and hose management, and the additional ventilation modes of pressure controlled ventilation and pressure support. Since SIMV/PS is also available with Fabius GS premium, nearly every conceivable item on the anaesthesia workstation wish list is covered. Completing the picture is the Dräger Infi nity® series of gas and patient monitoring systems, which enable all the vital ventilation parameters to be displayed on the monitor and automatically documented on the network using specially-designed software.

The Fabius GS premium surpasses the fusion of the proven features of the Fabius and Primus product families. The modularity, easy expandability, and generous storage and work area of the Fabius GS are retained. New to the system is the integrated multicolor screen, which is much easier to read from a distance or in a dimmed OR. The color-coded alarm levels make it easier to identify critical situations.

In addition, integrated LEDs and a halogen lamp improve readability of the vapor settings and better illuminate the entire work area. With its central brake, newly designed footrest, ergonomic, stainless-steel handgrip, and its signature green wheels, Fabius GS premium is a welcome newcomer.

About Dräger Medical:Dräger Medical AG & Co. KG is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of medical equipment, the largest division of Drägerwerk AG (history dates back to 1889) and a 65:35 joint venture company between Drägerwerk AG and Siemens AG. The global Company offers products, services and integrated CareArea, Solutions throughout the patient care process - Emergency Care, Perioperative Care, Critical Care, Perinatal Care and Home Care. With headquarters in Lübeck, Germany, Dräger Medical employs nearly 6,000 people worldwide. Additional information is available on the Company’s website www.draeger-medical.com Quote ‘OTJ’

10 sales in 6 weeks for the Lightman® SpO

2 sensor tester

The Electrode Company Ltd specialises in non-invasive monitoring, optical sensors and high performance pulse oximetry. One of it’s key products, The Lightman® SpO

2 sensor tester, is an innovative and unique device that can

test pulse oximeter sensor accuracy.

Growing interest in the product has generated ten product sales in the past six weeks, to a selection of hospitals within the UK. The Lightman® provides increased confi dence in pulse oximeter data, by testing the sensor accuracy in isolation from the monitor, and LED accuracy for wavelength drift, intensity and incipient failure.

Hospitals benefi ting from recent purchases include:

• Cheltenham• Leicester• Liverpool• Chertsey• Wythenshawe• Guernsey• Cumbria• Dewsbury

For more information on The Lightman® hand-held microspectrometer or to discuss how your hospital may benefi t from its use, please telephone the company on 01291 650279.

The Electrode Company: Ensuring accurate data for better clinical outcomes. When responding please quote ‘OTJ’

4 THE OPERATING THEATRE JOURNAL www.otjonline.com

SonoSite and Siemens form strategic alliance for

German marketSonoSite and Siemens form strategic alliance for German market Siemens to distribute SonoSite hand-carried systems in world’s third largest ultrasound market

SonoSite, Inc., the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, has signed an agreement with Siemens Medical Solutions for the German ultrasound market.Under the terms of the agreement, Siemens will market and distribute SonoSite’s MicroMaxx(tm) and TITANR systems into Germany’s general imaging and point-of-care hospital markets.

“We are honoured that Siemens, a pre-eminent technology and global market leader in medical imaging, has selected SonoSite as its partner for hand-carried ultrasound in Germany,” said Dieter Schwartmann, SonoSite Vice President in Europe. “We believe that working together will create and expand opportunities for both companies, as well as accelerate the adoption of hand-carried ultrasound in this strategically important market.”

“The SonoSite systems are a good complement to the Siemens ultrasound product line,” said Klaus Hambuechen, President of the Siemens Medical Solutions Ultrasound Division. “Siemens can now respond to the very special needs of care in mobile ultrasound.”

For more information about SonoSite products, please contact:Alexander House, 40A Wilbury Way, Hitchin SG4 0AP Tel:01462 444 800, Fax: 01462 444 801 E-mail: [email protected] www.sonosite.com

About SonoSiteHeadquartered near Seattle, Washington, USA, SonoSite is represented by eight subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 75 countries. SonoSite’s small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The Company employs approximately 500 people worldwide.

SonoSite, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of SonoSite, Inc. based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, oversees a direct sales distribution network in the UK as well as operates the Company’s European Service Centre and provides sales and marketing support for SonoSite’s European offi ces.

Dieter Schwartmann, SonoSite Vice President in Europe

Please quote ‘OTJ’

PHILIPS EXPANDS PATIENT MONITORING LEADERSHIP WITH OVER 100,000 INTELLIVUE SYSTEMS SOLD

Healthcare providers have purchased more than 100,000 Philips IntelliVue patient monitors worldwide.

clinical decision support tools to caregivers.

IntelliVue monitors capture data from multiple sources and present it in clinically relevant ways to help clinicians make well-informed treatment choices at the point of care. It is the built-in clinical decision support tools that make the most of IntelliVue’s powerful algorithms and highly fl exible display capabilities. Multi-parameter alarming and unique patented displays, including ST map and horizon trending, give clinical users a coherent overview of the patient’s status at a glance. Changes in the ST segment of an electrocardiograph tracing, for example, can indicate myocardial ischemia, or less-than-normal blood fl ow to the heart. IntelliVue’s ST Map graphical display is designed around the clinician and displays a ‘mind’s-eye view’ of ST segment changes, with the goal of helping clinicians recognise patterns and track patient progress more easily.

IntelliVue technologies, including the popular MP series bedside patient monitors and measurements, the IntelliVue Information Center central station, advanced telemetry and clinical information systems, all serve as the framework for Philips’ innovations in clinical decision support.

About Royal Philips ElectronicsRoyal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world’s biggest electronics companies and Europe’s largest, with sales of EUR 30.4 billion in 2005. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 159,200 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, colour television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter

For further information contract [email protected] When responding to articles please quote ‘OTJ’

PLATELET FUNCTION PREDICTS RECURRENT CARDIAC EVENTS

Available from Sysmex UK, the Dade Behring PFA-100 analyser provides a simple, rapid and reliable method of testing platelet function, which can be used as part of a diagnostic screening process for inherited and acquired platelet disorders.

New research has demonstrated that the PFA-100 can be used to effectively predict recurrent events in cardiac patients in a range of clinical situations. These include platelet activation as a predictor of recurrent ischaemic events following angioplasty, and of myocardial damage in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Hyperactive platelets have been shown to be associated with major adverse events in patients with stable cardiovascular disease despite (platelet-inhibiting) aspirin therapy.

The PFA-100 is a compact benchtop analyser that performs high-shear platelet function measurements by recording the time taken for a platelet plug to form from whole blood, reported as Closure Time (CT). Samples are aspirated onto an aperture within a membrane coated with collagen and one of two additional agonists – ADP or adrenaline. The two types of agonist system are contained within two disposable cartridge formats and, unlike aggregation tests, measurements are quick and easy to perform.

In response to the increasing clinical and economic pressures to reduce platelet transfusions, it is important to be able to predict which patients may benefi t from platelet transfusion post-surgery. Studies show that 80% of post-surgery high blood loss patients have abnormal PFA results, but when PFA tests are used to direct platelet transfusions, a 50% reduction in platelet usage can result.

For further information please contact: Simon Kimber, Sysmex UK Ltd, Sysmex House, Garamonde Drive, Wymbush, Milton Keynes, MK8 8DF UK. Tel: 0870 902 9210 Fax: 0870 902 9211Email: [email protected] Website: www.sysmex.co.uk When responding to articles please quote ‘OTJ’


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UK Anaesthetists Need Urgent National Guidance On Patients Who Don’t Want

To Be ResuscitatedUK anaesthetists could face accusations of euthanasia or assisted suicide if they follow Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) Orders according to an editorial in the July issue of Anaesthesia.

Patients who have surgery often need routine interventions during anaesthesia that could be classed as resuscitation, points out Consultant Anaesthetist Dr Michael McBrien from the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

But automatically suspending DNAR Orders during surgery is no longer an acceptable option, according to Dr McBrien and his editorial co-author, Dr Gary Heyburn, Associate Specialist Orthogeriatrician at the Hospital.

“If the anaesthetist were to proceed and strictly obey the general understanding of a DNAR order under such circumstances, it could possibly be construed as an act of euthanasia or assited suicide” they stress.

McBrien and Heyburn say that UK clinicians urgently need national guidance on how to manage the growing number of DNAR orders, pointing out that American guidelines have been in place since 1993.

“It is surprising that no guidelines or serious discussions on this matter have appeared in the UK to parallel the developments in North America” adds Dr McBrien.

The need for guidelines has been given added impetus by the fact that the Mental Capacity Act is due to come into force next year and that the European Convention on Human Rights is now enshrined in UK Law. From 1 April 2007, the Act will give formal legal recognition to the patient’s right to make advance decisions about the care they receive and reinforce the common law position about DNAR Orders that already exists.

“The paternalistic primary ethical principal of the past, namely immediate medical benefi t to the patient, has been overtaken” says Dr McBrien.

“If we are not to face litigation in the future we must read, understand and implement what the law requires from us in this area.”

Clinicians also need clear guidance about how to handle requests made by parents of sick children or relatives of patients not deemed legally competent.

“Usually agreement will be reached about whether cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be attempted if the patient suffers respiratory or cardiac arrest” says Dr McBrien.

“If disagreement persists despite attempts to reach agreement, legal advice should be sought. “Parents cannot require doctors to provide treatment contrary to their professional judgement, but doctors will try to accommodate parents’ wishes as far as is compatible with protecting the child’s interest.”

With individual clinicians facing increasing dilemmas on numerous fronts the need for clear local and national guidelines has never been greater. “A review of the basic ethical principles involved is needed to decide how individual anaesthetists and anaesthetic departments in the UK should manage this situation” conclude the authors.

“Dr McBrien and Dr Heyburn have done patients a service in stimulating discussion about the relationship between modern - and often quite complex - DNAR orders and the interventions required during anaesthesia” says the Journal’s Editor-in-Chief Dr David Bogod, Consultant Anaesthetist at Nottingham City Hospital, UK.

“The issue actually extends to wider aspects of medical practice by anaesthetists, including intensive and palliative care. While individual autonomy in these cases is often best served by a sensitive and detailed exploration of the patient’s wishes by the doctors caring for them, it might be that some national guidance is needed.

“The Council of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland have advised us that they are actively considering setting up a working party for this purpose.”

-- Editorial. ‘Do not attempt resuscitation’ orders in the per-operative period. Michael McBrien and Gary Heyburn, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. Anaesthesia. Volume 61, pages 625-627. (July 2006).

-- Anaesthesia, which was established in 1945, is the offi cial journal of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland. It publishes original, peer-reviewed articles to an international audience on all aspects of general and regional anaesthesia, intensive care and pain therapy, including research on equipment. Consultant Anaesthetist Dr David Bogod of Nottingham City Hospital, UK, is Editor in Chief of the journal, which is published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/ana

Source: Medical News TODAY


Intersurgical C-PEEPTM Valves & CPAP Breathing

SystemsIntersurgical is delighted to announce the launch of a full range of C-PEEPTM fi xed value valves and CPAP breathing systems for use in Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. These new products complement our comprehensive range of respiratory products.

C-PEEPTM Valves

The new range includes seven pre-set PEEP valves ranging from 2.5cm to 20cm H

20. Each valve is colour coded

in line with current products to ensure correct selection. All Intersurgical valves are 100% tested and individually numbered, ensuring quality, accuracy

and traceability are assured. The C-PEEPTM Valves also have clearly visible working parts allowing the

patient’s respiratory rate to be easily monitored and the valve functionality checked. The C-PEEPTM Valves can be

used as part of a CPAP, anaesthesia or resuscitation system.

C-PAP Breathing Systems

Twelve new CPAP breathing systems are now available. These offer active or passive

humidifi cation options with a mask or T-piece patient connection compatible with the most common types of fl ow drivers currently found in hospital departments.

The systems have been designed to be ready for use straight from the pack including PEEP valves, masks, harnesses and safety valves if required.

The Intersurgical Twin –port CPAP mask offers a comfortable interface to the patient and is available in two sizes small and medium/large adult. The soft anatomically shaped cushion will comfortably fi t a wide range of patient faces.

For information on these new products please visit www.intersurgical.com Intersurgical, Crane House, Molly Millars Lane, Wokingham,Berkshire, RG41 2RZ, England.Tel: +44 (0)118 9656 300, Fax: +44 (0)118 9656 356Email: [email protected] Website: www.intersurgical.com When responding to articles please quote ‘OTJ’

“IT’S A FAIR COP, GUV!” AS NEW MEDICHEM REP

TAKES TO HER MIDLANDS HOSPITAL BEAT

“It’s a fair cop, Guv”: MediChem International has appointed ex-policewoman and former nurse Andrea Jackson as its new Territory Manager for the West Midlands area. 37 year-old Andrea, who lives in Warrington, has had ten years’ nursing experience, much of it in A&E, before spending three years on the beat as a policewoman. Andrea will be responsible for marketing MediChem’s PeraScope and TriGene disinfectants to Private and NHS Trust Hospitals.

The Kent-based medical chemicals and infection control products company has made streamlining delivery of its two top selling products to customers a top priority in the wake of public alarm over hospital hygiene. Managing Director Rick Hayman said: “We are delighted that Andrea has joined our team. She will be a key part of our strategy to put even greater emphasis on customer contact. As an experienced nurse and ex-police offi cer she knows what it is like working in a pressurised environment, and appreciates the need to treat people as individuals and tailor her approach to meet their needs.”

Sales of the TriGene have trebled in the UK over the last 18 months after concerns about MRSA infection in hospitals, while the company’s PeraScope endoscope sterilising solution is being increasingly used by theatre staff to help speed up reprocessing procedures in safety.

In between bringing up her young family, fi tness fanatic Andrea is an enthusiastic member of a health club and enjoys sport, particularly horse riding. As for the new job, Andrea said: “I’m hugely looking forward to working with our many existing customers and to meeting the many new contacts who have expressed interest in our products. It is an interesting time to be working in this fi eld and there is so much public and professional focus on the issues of hygiene in hospitals. There are exciting prospects ahead.”

MediChem’s Midlands customers will appreciate that with Andrea on their case, anything they say will be taken down and listened to very carefully. And that’s what MediChem’s customers like to hear.

Further information from: www.medichem.co.uk Please quote ‘OTJ’

SURGEONS in Scotland are taking tips from techniques used by pilots to avoid

accidents, in an attempt to reduce errors in the operating theatre.

The move comes as a study carried out as part of the Notss project, published in this month’s RCSEd journal Surgeon, found that nearly three- quarters of consultants admitted to making errors in the operating theatre. In addition, 68% of trainee surgeons and 44% of nurses also said they had made mistakes.

Researchers have found that, like serious incidents in the aviation industry, mistakes during surgery often occur because of human error. They ranged from technical mistakes, such as the way a surgeon made an incision, to errors caused by poor handwriting, incomplete records, communication breakdowns and equipment not being available.

Now pioneering training is being developed for surgeons in Scotland to improve their thinking and teamwork skills, based on accident prevention strategies which pilots have recognised for more than two decades.

Health chiefs say it could also eventually be expanded to include staff working in other areas of the NHS where teamwork plays a vital role, ranging from accident and emergency departments to intensive care units.

Rhona Flin, professor of applied psychology at Aberdeen University, is heading the non-technical skills for surgeons project (Notss), which is being carried out in conjunction with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and NHS Education Scotland (NES).

She said that evidence had shown mistakes during surgery were often due to failures in communication or decision making, rather than poor technical skills or a lack of clinical knowledge. “All the kind of psychological factors contributing to aviation accidents are found in other high-risk workplaces, like nuclear plants or operating theatres,” she said. “What we are doing is taking techniques from high-risk industry and applying them to patient safety now.

They have been doing training in aviation for non-technical skills for 25 years. These are thinking skills and teamwork skills.”

The research also revealed that one-fi fth of consultant surgeons did not think that they performed less effectively when they were stressed or tired, and only 40% said they would let other team members know when their workload was becoming too much.

Flin said that this attitude of a “sense of invulnerability” had been recognised as a problem for pilots as far back as three decades ago.

“Pilots have had a lot of training now, emphasising that if you are tired or stressed this is very likely to impact on your performance,” she said.

“There is not always something you can do about it if you are working shifts, but you need to be aware of it.”

She added that teamwork could help prevent mistakes and also lead to better detection of errors.

A new handbook offering guidance on non-technical skills for surgeons is due to be published shortly. A similar booklet, developed by the same team for use by anaesthetists, is now being used in other countries around the world, including Australia and Canada.

Dr Mike Watson, medical director of NES, said that while the project was oriented around surgery, the training being developed could also be applied to many other areas of healthcare.

“We think that there will be some generic learning features that come out of the programme that will be very useful to us in the future,” he said.

“Initially [it will be] for surgeons, but it applies to a lot of other staff groups – intensive care units, coronary care units, accident and emergency departments – across the spectrum where people are working in a team in the delivery of service.”

Source Sunday Herald (Scotland) - Judith Duffy,

Health Correspondent

Surgeons take pilot training to cut number of mistakes

M E D I C A L

PROFESSIONALS

MP

We have evolved


Launch of New

Single Use Tumarkin

Ear SpeculaDTR Medical is pleased to announce the launch of a range of single use Tumarkin ear specula to; reduce the risk of cross contamination, ensure the clinician has optimum vision, and to improve patient comfort compared to the traditional metal instruments.

The single use Tumarkin ear specula have a non refl ective matt black fi nish to reduce glare, and are available in both sterile and non

sterile to suit theatre or clinic requirements.

Manufactured from a robust medical grade polymer the single use Tumarkin is available at a price which is comparable, or less, than the cost of re-processing existing metal specula. This means the diffi culties encountered with instrument loss or damage can be eradicated.

DTR Medical is focussed on providing innovative and high quality sterile single use instruments to ENT, Neurosurgery, and other specialities. The product range is developing rapidly and currently features nearly 200 lines, with a further 50 under development.

The company has its own cleanroom manufacturing facility and is accredited to ISO9001:2000 and ISO13485:2003. DTR has a wide range of CE marked medical products that comply to the European Medical Device Directive MDD93/42/EEC. Recently DTR Medical has been awarded Investors in People in recognition of the strong team who are dedicated to meeting the demands for new single use devices.

For further information contact:Andrew Davidson Managing Director DTR Medical Limited 17 Clarion Court Clarion Close Enterprise Park Swansea SA6 8RFEmail: [email protected] Telephone: 07974 575264 Facsimile: 01792 797955

New Single use Tumarkin Ear Specula

Quote ‘OTJ’

8

Agfa PACS and Radiology software win 38 stars and come fi rst in European ‘Connect-a-thon’ interoperability tests

Brentford, June 2006: Agfa HealthCare has beaten the competition and come fi rst in a range of interoperability tests for its PACS and Radiology software at the European ‘Connect-a-thon’. Agfa won 38 stars at the event, which was held in May at the La Farga Convention Centre, Barcelona, and organised by the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise in Europe (IHE Europe).

The ‘Connect-a-thon’ was attended by over 60 healthcare software companies and organisations from all over the world. An astonishing 700 combinations of system and 1600 tests were carried out over four days, the results of which can be seen on the IHE Europe site (http://www.ihe-europe.org).

Speaking of Agfa’s success at the event, Adrian Stevens, new UK Director of Agfa HealthCare, said, “We were delighted that our PACS and Radiology software fared so

well against our competition in terms of interoperability. Helping make connectivity easier for our customers by ensuring the compatibility of Agfa equipment and software with that of other suppliers has long been part of Agfa HealthCare’s customer-centred approach.”

The IHE are a not-for-profi t initiative, set up by the European Association of Radiology (EAR) and the European Coordination Committee of the Radiological, Electro-medical and Medical IT industries (COCIR). The aim of the IHE and the ‘Connect-a-thon’ is to stimulate integration of healthcare information resources to improve clinical care. The IHE develops its own integration profi les to help raise international healthcare data standards and establish common frameworks that are rigid enough to require specifi c needs, but are fl exible enough to allow for future developments.

The IHE invited software vendors to attempt to connect their systems with up to ten ‘integration profi les’ across areas such as radiology, laboratory systems, patient administration and infrastructure. Participants then attempted various tasks, such as admitting a patient or printing an image, and then gold stars were rewarded for successful implementation of the profi les.

The European healthcare community has been quick to recognise the value of the IHE strategy of providing a common technical framework that details how existing standards should be implemented by multinational and indigenous vendors. The IHE makes it possible for each vendor’s implementation to be compatible with other vendor’s implementations – crucial in today’s integrated healthcare environment.

At present, two ‘Connect-a-thon’s are held each year, one in Europe and one in North America.

Further information from: Bill Reid Agfa HealthCare Tel: 020 8231 4900 Email: [email protected]

When responding to articles please quote ‘OTJ’

MEP MEETS WITH HEADS OF NURSING ASSOCIATIONS TO

PROMOTE NEEDLE SAFETY

Liz Lynne MEP, Employment and Social Affairs Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, recently met with leaders of European nursing associations who came to the European Parliament in Brussels to thank her for her work in trying to achieve EU-wide legislation to cut down on the amount of injuries suffered by healthcare workers while handling needles and other medical sharps.

Amongst the delegation meeting Liz Lynne were fi ve heads of European national nursing associations including the UK’s Dr Beverly Malone, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, and Paul de Raeve, General Secretary of the European Federation of Nurses Associations.

Discussions centred around the vote during the fi rst week of July in the European Parliament on a report by the Employment and Social Affairs Committee on needlestick injuries.

Liz Lynne MEP, a long-time campaigner for the safer use of needles in hospitals said:“I welcome the discussions today as an excellent opportunity to hear the views of those the legislation is intended to benefi t the most. Currently it is estimated that there are one million preventable needlestick injuries each year across the European Union. The consequences to medical staff can be extremely serious, including infections such as HIV or hepatitis B or C.”

“We need to protect healthcare workers across the EU. We need a combination of better training, safer working practices and the use of safety needles in order to achieve this. The practice of recapping needles must be eliminated.

“If a healthcare worker is accidentally pricked, they wait in fear to fi nd out if they have contracted diseases such as HIV or hepatitis. We must ensure that they receive the best possible protection from these potentially fatal injuries.”

A NEW Army fi eld hospital which provides medical care to troops was tested in Carlisle recently – 13.6.06.

The trial, was part of Exercise Griffi n Focus which involved about 5,000 UK and German soldiers from regular and Territorial Army units.

German and English troops test fi eld hospital at city airport

The Theatre Troops are stationed at Carlisle Airport and south west Scotland.This new fi eld hospital can be set up from a container to a fully-functioning hospital in just 12 hours.

It has all the facilities of an NHS hospital, including operating theatres, and operates to the highest standard.

The mobile hospital means it can be in locations nearer the fi ghting troops, hopefully saving lives.

Exercise Griffi n Focus is the largest exercise to take place in the UK this year and is one of the most important exercises in the Army’s training year.

Source: News & Star - Carlisle


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The Operon®B710 Surgical Table

New family of ventilators: Carina and Carina home

June 2006 - At the recent 26th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine in Brussels, Belgium, Dräger Medical presented the new Carina family of ventilators. Specifi cally designed for the environments of subacute care (e.g. high-dependency, step-down unit, LTAC), respiratory wards and home care, these advanced ventilators are intuitive to operate and compact in size.

The Carina family consists of two ventilators, Carina and Carina home. Each provides the same high-level ventilation performance, specifi cally tailored to the needs of the respective care environments. The treatment that started in the hospital with Carina in the more acute phase of the illness is easily continued in the home care environment with Carina home.

Both the Carina and Carina home include SyncPlus, a technical breakthrough which enables the patient to really be “in sync” with the ventilator – even with mask ventilation. SyncPlus is a convenient, automated technology designed to precisely synchronize ventilation with spontaneous patient breathing. It enhances therapy responsiveness, thereby reducing the need for caregiver intervention.

With the introduction of Carina and Carina home, Dräger Medical further expands its comprehensive ventilation solutions for all areas of care from emergencies to critical care to the home environment, and supports the increasing use and importance of NIV (Non Invasive Ventilation).

Carina home is available for sales worldwide, except for USA and Canada, where the 510(k) review is pending.

Carina will be available approx. summer 2006 starting with Europe. The product will not be available commercially in the U.S. and Canada.Additional information is available on the Company’s website:www.draeger-medical.com Please quote ‘OTJ’

5-year deal to supply

Gambro machines at Cardiff Gambro Hospal Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gambro AB, has recently been successful in winning the tender to supply dialysis machines and consumables to the University Hospital of Wales, over the next fi ve years.

This large contract, valued in seven fi gures, embraces all the In-Center services at UHW, including the 3-satellite renal units based on the Cardiff site, at Newport and at Merthyr Tydfi l. Between 30 and 35 renal stations in the main unit and associated acute ward will now be equipped with Gambro state-of-the-art dialysis machines. 25 AK 200 S machines and 15 AK 200 Ultra S machines comprise the bulk of the order.

The AK Ultra S offers to In-Centers the most effi cient way of performing on-line HDF and HF treatments for either ‘diffi cult to treat’ patients or patients who will be undergoing dialysis for a long time. It facilitates on-line priming and features a pressure control mode for maximising on-line treatments. There is also a specifi c three barrier fi ltration concept to provide the highest fl uid quality throughout the treatment.

The AK 200 S performs standard HD treatments in a straightforward, effi cient way, with low requirements on staff time. Like its Ultra S counterpart, it features the BVS and Diascan monitoring tools, the BiCart Select, CleanCart, heat disinfection and ultrapure fi lter hygienic chain facilities, as well as a Kt/V monitoring ability in real time.

Also included in the UHW contract are dialysers, bloodlines, concentrates, needles and BiCart, plus two Prismafl ex machines, in order for the hospital to provide the latest in continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRTs).

Commenting on the tender success, Gambro Territory Manager Geraldine Roeder, said: “This is an important result for us, albeit in an existing Gambro account, since it guarantees our presence for another fi ve years, and the patients there, the very best dialysis products available. We shall also be tendering for the home Haemo- contract, in view of the success we are having nationwide with the portable AK 95 S machine, which is ideal for home patients.”

For further information please telephone the company on 01480 444000.Gambro Hospal: A better way to better care. Please quote ‘OTJ’


Op theatre used for private work A debt-ridden hospital is to let some of its operating theatres be used for more private work.

The University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust plans to cut 1,000 jobs along with 167 beds as it tries to claw back debts of £15m.

The trust wants to stop using four operating theatres, freeing them up for use by private fi rms and operations from other NHS trusts.

It said it would still carry out the same number of its NHS operations. The trust said the new agreement would see the hospital using its extra capacity to generate income.

A spokeswoman for the trust said: “We are looking at ways of using operating theatres more effi ciently. “We can do the same work as we do currently by using fewer theatres. “That could free up to four theatres that could be used for private work but also extra NHS work, treating more NHS patients from out of the area. “This is about bringing in more additional income to protect more jobs.”

Source: BBC NEWS

HPC launches ‘advert e-kit’ for registrants.

The Health Professions Council (HPC) on the 29th of June launched a new initiative to help increase public awareness of the organisation and raise the profi le of registered health professionals. The e-kit allows registrants to download a special ‘hpCheck’ logo and use it to advertise their registration.

The logo can be used on publicity material from websites to stationery. Its usage will not only help communicate to the public who we are and what we do, but also encourage people to check that a health professional is registered.

By displaying the logo, registered health professionals are playing an active role in protecting the public from those who are not registered and therefore do not meet our standards.

As public awareness of HPC continues to rise, more people are likely to choose genuine, registered health professionals over rogue practitioners.

You can download our new logo, advert templates and other publicity material from: www.hpc-uk.org/registrants/advertekit

Researchers at Lancaster University are spearheading a project, which hasthe potential to shed light on the mysteries of anaesthesia.

Anaesthesiology is a subtle and imperfect science that is not currently well understood. Without it most modern surgical procedures would be impossible but the mechanisms causing loss of consciousness are not clear. This can result in complications such as a patient regaining consciousness during an operation or, in the most extreme circumstances, death.

The Lancaster University-led BRACCIA project is exploring ways in which the brain’s electrical activity varies with the depth of anaesthesia and how waves present in these electrical signals interact with heart and respiration rhythms.

Changes in these three signals, and how they interact with one another, can be used to provide a crucial insight into the changes taking place in the human body during anaesthesia.

The ultimate aim of the project - which is backed by a €1.42 million grant from the European Commission – is to develop the understanding needed to create a new, effective anaesthetic monitor which could be used in operating theatres to keep track of a patient’s level of consciousness.

Medical Physicists at Lancaster University are co-coordinating an international team including physicists, biomedical engineers, information scientists, physiologists, neuroscientists and anaesthesiologists working within the Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Slovenia and Switzerland as well as the UK.

More than 140 patients undergoing surgery will be monitored at both the Ulleval Hospital in Oslo and at the Royal Lancaster Infi rmary, Lancaster. The volunteers will have their brain, heart and respiratory signals monitored and recorded before during and after anaesthesia. This should give researchers important information about the progression from unconsciousness to consciousness.

The research will also bring new insights into relationships between brain, heart and breathing – exploring how they interact and which function is driving the others.

Data collected during these experiments will be monitored and interpreted at Lancaster University using some of the latest analysis techniques under development by other BRACCIA partners.

Project scientifi c coordinator Dr Aneta Stefanovska, of Lancaster University’s Physics Department, on whose earlier research in Ljubljana the whole project is based, said: “This is ground breaking research using nonlinear dynamics to deepen our understanding of the body and how its systems interact. This new knowledge has a very clear application and we hope it could eventually be used to develop a failsafe system for measuring anaesthesia levels in patients. It would also enable us to explore the effects of anaesthetic drugs on consciousness.”

Professor Peter McClintock, also of Lancaster University’s Physics Department, said: “This is a very exciting project, and a wonderful note on which to introduce our new undergraduate degree schemes in Physics with Medical Physics.”

Professor Andrew Smith of the Royal Lancaster Infi rmary said: “’Unintentional awareness - that is, when anaesthetised patients are awake when they should be asleep - is an uncommon but potentially traumatic complication. There are a number of electronic monitors available to assist anaesthetists in trying to avoid this problem, but none is 100 per cent reliable. We hope that BRACCIA will help us shed light on how the brain’s activity changes during anaesthesia and in the future this may go some way towards developing a more reliable monitor of depth of anaesthesia.”

Key Addition to the Electrode R&D TeamThe Electrode Company Ltd specialises in non-invasive monitoring, optical sensors and high performance pulse oximetry.

The company are pleased to announce that Dr Alun Jennings has joined The Electrode team in an R&D-based project management capacity.

Dr Jennings has extensive experience in the research fi eld including previously working at Cardiff University researching sensors and condition monitoring.

Commenting on his future involvement, Geoff Mathews, Managing Director of The Electrode, said: “Alun will be assisting us in a wide range of electronic and software development projects. We will continue to enhance the capability of the Lightman® and associated product areas.”

For further information on The Electrode, please telephone the company on 01291 650279.

UNDERSTANDING ANAESTHESIA

NHS BURSARIES GET 2.5 PER CENT UPLIFTMeetings to take place with stakeholders to update bursary

Nursing, midwifery, medical, dental and allied health professional students will receive a 2.5 per cent uplift to their bursary from September 2006, Health Minister Lord Warner confi rmed recently.

Speaking before a healthcare education and research parliamentary interest group in London, Lord Warner said: “I believe that overall our NHS students have had a good deal from this Government with year on year increases in the NHS bursary rates since 1998. “I am pleased to announce that this investment will continue and the bursary will be increased by 2.5 per cent from September this year,

demonstrating continued commitment to training.”

Thanks to the increase students eligible for the non means-tested NHS bursary could receive up to £7,030 per year plus other allowances depending on their circumstances On top of their NHS bursaries, nursing, midwifery, allied health professional and 4th/ 5th year medical students also have their tuition fees paid

in full by the NHS.

Commenting on recent interim changes to the NHS bursary that allow pregnant students to continue to receive their bursary Lord Warner said:“So far more than 400 students have benefi ted from having their bursary paid throughout their pregnancy. “We could have potentially lost these students due to the lack of fi nancial support. I hope that these students, and others in the future, will feel that they are able to return to the NHS when they feel ready to continue

their studies and go on to be our healthcare professionals of the future.”

The Department of Health has begun a series of meetings with all relevant stakeholders including Unison, the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives, the BMA and the Allied Health Professionals Federation to modernise

the current student bursary scheme from 2007.

Elements of the student bursary to be discussed with Stakeholders include individual allowances, formalising the interim maternity awards and reviewing the

effi ciency of the scheme’s administration to improve the service to students.

For Bursary enquiries and the new NHS bursary rates check the NHS Student Grants Unit web site at: www.nhsstudentgrants.co.uk

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BOC Inspire Award a major boost to clinical ‘enquiry’

Medical award set to reward gas based clinical research

Guildford, UK, June 2006 - Pioneering research into the use of specialised gases for the treatment of a range of life threatening illnesses has been given a ‘shot in the arm’ with the launch of a BOC Medical award for clinical research.

The BOC Inspire Award invites applications for research projects that add to our understanding of how medical gases - such as oxygen, nitrogen, Heliox or nitrous oxide - can be used to treat a range of respiratory and other illnesses.

Awards may be made up to twice yearly and the amount and frequency of the award will be dependant on the quality of proposals received. This is the fi rst open invitation for research funding from BOC Medical.

BOC is a major exponent of medical research in the UK, supporting studies undertaken by the British Lung Foundation, sponsoring the chair of anaesthesia at Addenbrookes hospital, Cambridge, as well as managing a major trial of heliox at St Mary’s hospital, Paddington in London.

Launching the award BOC clinical director, Dr Hubert Bland said: “BOC has long been at the forefront of the development of specialist medical gases and gas mixtures which have proven benefi cial in the treatment of a range of illnesses.

“BOC produces many different medical gases and mixtures and is a major provider to NHS hospital trusts throughout the UK. Backed by clinical evidence these gases have become fundamental for the medical community, giving clinicians and patients a range of lifesaving and palliative treatments.”

Said Dr Bland: “The role of BOC’s clinical research is to constantly test the knowledge we have of medical conditions and by so doing, attempts to advance our understanding of how patients respond to specifi c treatments.

“Because medical conditions and our understanding of them continue to evolve, there is always the opportunity for a new ‘application’ to be developed. By championing robust clinical enquiry the BOC Inspire Award aims to help build new bodies of evidence for medical gases from which new applications can then be explored.”

Coinciding with the launch, BOC has also announced the fi rst two recipients of an Inspire Award. These are: The Centre for Aviation, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine (CASE) based at University College London (UCL) and Professor Mervyn Maze, Professor of anaesthetics at Imperial College, London.

The award to CASE will fund a team of mountaineering doctors, who plan to measure blood oxygen levels and conduct tests on the summit of Everest to see how well their brains, lungs and metabolisms function at extreme altitude. The results will help CASE create specialised breathing equipment for the chronically ill and attain a better understanding of disease processes so that new respiratory and cardiac treatments can be developed.

The anaesthesia team at Imperial College led by Professor Mervyn Maze are working with Entonox (nitrous oxide) and are devising a safe and effi cacious method for controlling pain in patients with burns who often experience resistance to analgesia. Professor Maze’s team are examining the use of Clonidine to overcome this resistance and thereby enhance pain alleviation.

Said Dr Bland: “The team at BOC Medical is very proud to be supporting two important clinical projects. Our hope is that the BOC Inspire Award will further promote the use of medical gases for the treatment of patients as well as generate a global network of interest in the medical community for new gas based treatments.”

For further information about the BOC Inspire Award contact:Cecilia Brown, [email protected].

Showing in your Theatre now!

THE

OPERATING

THEATRE

JOURNAL

Please quote ‘OTJ’

Researchers looking for methods to improve survival from cardiac arrest were surprised by the results of a study comparing manual CPR compressions with those given by an FDA-approved mechanical device.

The randomized study, conducted in fi ve North American cities including Columbus, showed that victims of sudden cardiac arrest were more likely to be discharged alive from the hospital if they received manual cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rather than CPR administered by the mechanical device.

Results of the study are published in the June 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Lynn White, clinical research manager in emergency medicine at Ohio State University Medical Centre, coordinated the 34 medic crews involved in the Columbus study. “Everyone thought the device was a great idea and that its ability to provide compressions of much higher quality than those administered by humans would be lifesaving,” said White. “The results are certainly not what we anticipated at the onset of the study.”

The study involved 1,071 people who experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Columbus, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and Vancouver and Calgary, Canada. The study, originally planned to last 12-18 months, was halted in March 2005, nine months after it began, when it became apparent that the study device was not improving long-term outcomes.

Using Device To Give CPR Does Not Improve Survival

The study device, the AutoPulse Resuscitation System, consists of a short backboard with a band fi tted over the chest of the patient in cardiac arrest. At the push of a button, the band constricts the chest and delivers 80 compressions per minute.

In a controlled laboratory setting, the device produced greater blood fl ow to the heart and brain than manual CPR. But when deployed in real-life emergencies, as provided in the study, researchers found that patients were less likely to survive if they received compressions from the device. In the AutoPulse group, survival to discharge from the hospital was 5.8 percent, while survival to discharge in the manual group was 9.9 percent.

Michael Sayre, a physician in emergency medicine at Ohio State University Medical Center and principal investigator of the Columbus study site, said investigators involved in the study agree the idea of using devices to provide mechanical chest compressions should not be abandoned, but that further evaluation is needed, perhaps to improve design of the device or the way it is used.

“Given that so few people survive cardiac arrest, we need high quality research to learn how to save more lives,” said Sayre.

The study was sponsored by Revivant Corporation, now part of ZOLL Medical, maker of the AutoPulse Resuscitation Device used in the study. Revivant provided the

$15,000 devices and funding for the study. Source: Medical News Today

HOSPITALS ‘LIABLE’ FOR THROWING MONEY AWAY

A campaign has been launched to help NHS Trusts abandon a “throwaway culture” and address confusion over MHRA guidelines on liability for re-sold equipment.

The campaign includes a liability helpline, 01666 822577, for advice and discussions on grey areas surrounding liability.

A further step in the campaign will be the organisation of a series of seminars and round table debates including advice on liability issues, general disposal policy and ways of maximising returns on surplus equipment.

At the seminars, Trust representatives and other interested parties will be able to discuss their concerns, formulate policies and target the government.

Hilditch say that while over 120 NHS Trusts and private hospitals use their services to place old equipment into hospitals in developing nations, many hospitals do not have a disposal policy or just dump old equipment into landfi ll sites.

Trust managers are paying heavy landfi ll fees to dump equipment worth an estimated £50 million instead of selling it to save taxpayers’ money, says Hilditch, and also denying developing nations lifesaving equipment.

When the new WEEE Directive becomes law, hospitals could pay up to eight times more in skip fees.

Michael Hilditch, managing director, argues: “In the face of the NHS spending crisis, it is alarming that a lack of clarity is causing paralysis and fear over a way for Trusts to claw back funds.

“Given that the recycling method of disposal will become far more complex and ridden with liability problems under the new WEEE rules, the re-use method needs to be given more support”.


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SMARTER ELECTROMEDICAL TESTINGAT GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL

Advanced electromedical test technology is helping one of the world’s foremost treatment centres for sick children ensure the safety of patient connected electronic medical devices and equipment.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust (GOSH) in London is an international centre of excellence for treating sick children. The 150-year-old hospital treats 100,000 children each year and has pioneered considerable ground breaking medical research in a number of paediatric areas.

To ensure the availability of safe and effective medical technology for patient care, the hospital’s Biomedical Engineering department uses an innovative ‘braincell’ concept developed by Rigel Medical as part of a formal preventative maintenance protocol that covers some 18,000 electromedical devices.

This new braincell technology is linked to the Rigel 277 electromedical tester and uses smart RFID data tags to extend the concept of traditional bar code test systems for the automatic identifi cation and testing of medical equipment.

At GOSH, a central medical equipment register automatically identifi es those electromedical devices due for periodic safety testing in line with the IEC technical standards.

When the brain cell attached to a medical device is scanned with a simple read/write probe, the Rigel 277 tester automatically recalls the previous test information and prompts the test engineer to repeat the required test sequence, signifi cantly reducing test time and eliminating the possibility of test errors.

When the test is completed, test data is transmitted back from the instrument to be held in the smart tag, enabling service records to be automatically updated after each test routine and to remain with the equipment for its lifetime.

The large data storage capacity of the tags mean that all product information including asset ID, test class, site and location, previous test date, test engineer, Applied Part confi guration and a 4-line comment fi eld can be recorded and stay with the item.

GOSH also has a specialist internal mechanical and engineering section that designs and develops customised medical instrumentation, used particularly by research departments and in clinical applications. Electrical safety testing is carried out as a matter of course on the development of all new equipment and also following any repairs or modifi cations to medical equipment.

Bhaskar Patil, head of Medical Electronics and Mechanical Engineering at GOSH said: “We have a very well developed planned maintenance system to ensure the safety of all medical devices used in the hospital.

“Clearly in such a busy hospital environment our equipment is in almost constant use and heavy demands are made on our medical devices. We therefore aim for a 5% maximum downtime for any equipment needing maintenance, repair or testing.

“The use of the Rigel braincell system plays an integral part of this process by providing fast one-touch re-testing of medical equipment, reducing paperwork and giving our engineers the ability to work at maximum effi ciency.”

The braincells and the hand-held read/write module are available as accessories to the multipurpose Rigel 277 medical equipment tester. Specifi cally designed to test in accordance with all main industry standards, including IEC/EN 60601-1, MDA DB9801 and IEC/EN 61010, the Rigel 277 Plus can test electromedical equipment with multi type applied parts in a single test routine.

Rigel Medical is part of the Seaward Group. For further details please visit: www.rigelmedical.com or e-mail [email protected]. Please quote ‘OTJ’

Continuous Improvement and Redesign – Evita 4 edition

The ventilator Evita 4 edition is the result of the continuous improvement of the acknowledged Dräger Evita 4 ventilator. With design refi nements and software enhancements, the Evita 4 edition takes this popular ICU ventilator to yet another level.

The more ergonomically placed display offers easy access to the hose system, fl ow sensor and expiration valve. This helps even more to speed up routine tasks ranging from calibration to maintenance. A drawer makes frequently needed items like fl ow sensors or operating instructions more accessible.

The integrated option “software 4.0 plus” allows respiratory loops to be displayed full screen, frozen and scrolled with a cursor to thoroughly evaluate the lung mechanics. Rapid Shallow Breathing index, Negative Inspiratory Force index and VTASB contribute to improved consistency in weaning. In the case of external fl ow sources, sensor tolerances can be easily adapted to prevent nuisance alarms. Options – such as ATC®, PPS, NIV and NeoFlow – can be added, depending on the department’s individual demands. Because Evita 4 edition accommodates both conventional and non-invasive ventilation, it also helps to minimise the potential for infections by enhancing recovery times and reducing the length of stay. Due to an improved algorithm, non-invasive ventilation is now even more responsive to variable leakages. Quicker leakage “learning” and more responsive leakage compensation further enhance the patient-ventilator interaction.

With its new design, the Evita 4 edition also fi ts into the Dräger Medical CareArea Solution concept and can be integrated with monitoring, information management, architectural systems and smart accessories.

Website www.draeger-medical.com When responding to articles please quote ‘OTJ’

14 THE OPERATING THEATRE JOURNAL www.otjonline.com 14

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CuttingCuttingEdge in NZ?Edge in NZ?

Operating Room NursesYou’ve heard all about New Zealand and its enviable lifestyle. Wellnow it can all be yours!We are recruiting Registered Nurses for our adult and paediatric theatres. We have over 25 theatres covering neurosurgery,cardiothoracic, transplants, vascular, general, urology, orthopaedics,ORL, obstetrics and gynaecology.Senior Clinicians will be in London on 27 & 28 July conducting interviews, so contact us now to book a space. For further information please call Lauren Porten on +64 9 638 0364 or email: [email protected]

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To apply online, please go to www.aucklandhealthcareers.co.nz

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New SonoSite regional sales managers for London

SonoSite Ltd is delighted to announce the appointment of two new regional sales managers for the London area. Covering south of the River Thames, Lee Murray has a degree in B Eng (Hons) in Materials Science and Engineering from Bath University, and has worked with Tissue Science Laboratories, Biotronik and Med Tel over the last eight years, with a fantastic track record in building customer relationships and sales success. Jan Murphy, who will cover north of the River, started her career as a Registered General Nurse and Midwife, and has enjoyed 14 years of high achievement in the medical sales industry with AMO (Allergan), Agilent (Diametric), Medtronic, Nellcor Puritan Bennett and Wyeth Laboratories.

Such is the success of SonoSite since it opened its direct offi ce in the UK in 2000; competition for these positions was high. Jan and Lee were selected from a highly qualifi ed fi eld of applicants including sonographers, sales managers and engineers from the ultrasound world. Both were felt to have the edge needed to cope with the fast pace and varied clinical arena of SonoSite product advancements in 2006 and beyond.

For more information about SonoSite products, please contact:Sonosite, Alexander House, 40A Wilbury Way, Hitchin, SG4 OAP Tel: 01462 444 800, Fax: 01462 444 801, E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.sonosite.com

Lee Murray and Jan Murphy

When responding please quote ‘OTJ’

Dräger Medical introduces own

disposable hose systemDräger Medical is expanding its accessories portfolio with its own disposable hose systems. They are designed primarily to garner optimal performance from ventilation and anaesthesia systems. The goal – better and safer treatment. Another benefi t – a simplifi ed purchasing process. The new hose systems also meet all the relevant standards, making them just right for use with systems from other manufacturers.

The main idea behind the development of this new product line is to enable clinicians to fully realise the performance potential of Dräger Medical systems, thereby improving patient treatment. This is made possible by connecting Dräger components to Dräger devices. A great deal of value is placed on biocompatibility and resistance to anaesthetic gases. All the gas components are PVC-free.

With the inclusion of its own system of disposable hoses into its existing product portfolio, Dräger Medical continues to grow as a solutions provider, thus simplifying the purchasing process for the hospital. Now there’s just one supplier, one partner, for life-support and monitoring systems as well as the relevant accessories.

The new disposable hose systems will fi rst be available for ICU and perioperative equipment. The accessories portfolio will eventually expand to cover all care areas.

Website www.draeger-medical.com When responding please quote ‘OTJ’


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