From NAN Germany

Infection prevention

Avoid transmission of SARS-CoV-2

by ultrasonic probes

Recommendations for intensive care therapy in patients with COVID-19 explain bedside ultrasound as the preferred imaging method for the diagnosis and therapy of patients with viral pneumonia.¹

Ultrasonic diagnostics is of high importance for status and follow-up in patients with COVID-19

Sonography is widely used in the treatment of patients with COVID-19:

• Thoracic and lung sonography – monitoring of fluid accumulation in the lungs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and evaluation of pneumothorax (with longer ventilation duration)
• Transthoracic echocardiography - Assessment of myocardial damage as a complication of COVID-19
• Ultrasonic pleural puncture – localization and control of needle guidance for drainage of liquid during pleural effusion
• Ultrasonic vascular access – Rapid and safe creation of a functioning vessel access to the installation of central venous, peripheral venous and arterial catheters

Minimization of infection transmission by ultrasonic probes

Initial study results have shown that the new SARS-CoV-2 can also be transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces.² For this reason, the sound head used for lung sonography should be classified as a possible contaminated medical device.

According to recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute on hygiene measures in the context of the treatment and care of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, all medical devices with direct contact with the patient should be used patient-related and should preferably be treated by thermal disinfection procedures.³

Robert Koch Institute recommends thermal disinfection

The automated trophon2 disinfection system offers the possibility to process ultrasonic probes with constant, reproducible efficacy in a validated process. Time and organisational effort of manual disinfection is no longer necessary, so that the personnel retention can be significantly reduced.

Automated chemothermal disinfection with trophon2 ensures:

• Highly effective, non-toxic disinfection
• Complete disinfection of the entire probe, with sound head and handle
• Validated processes with defined performance counters
• Automated management of critical process parameters (contact time, temperature, dosage)
• Independent cycle testing by chemical indicator
• Use at point-of-care to optimize clinical process

trophon2 inactivated SARS-CoV-2

Due to the high infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, there is a risk that, in the event of poor manual disinfection, the entire surface of the sound head will not be treated safely and without any consequential risk for users and other critically ill patients.

Significant time pressure can mean that the application times listed at the VAH as well as other performance-critical, difficult-to-document process parameters are not taken into account.

trophon2 is effective against:^4,5

• Enveloped and uncovered viruses
• Vegetative bacteria
• Mushrooms
• Mycobacteria

trophon2 – protects you and your patients from the risk of cross-contamination by SARS-CoV-2.

Infection prevention: Avoid transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by ultrasonic probes

Get individual advice here and get to know the manifold possibilities of integrating trophon2 into your work processes.

References

1. Kluge S, Janssens U, Welte T et al. : Recommendations for intensive care therapy of patients with COVID-19. Med Klin IntensiveMed Notfmed (2020). doi: 10.1007/s00063-020-00674-3

2. Van Doremalen N, Morris DH, Holbrook M et al.: Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1. N Engl J Med 2020; 382: 1564-1567. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2004973

3. Recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute on hygiene measures in the context of the treatment and care of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, as of 24.04.2020 – www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Hygiene.html

4. Heeg P, Gauer J: Automatic, validated, non-toxic high-level disinfection (HLD) of trans transducers. Central sterilization 2014, 22 (1): 25-39.

5. Becker B, Bischoff B, Brill FHH et al.: Virus effectiveness of a nebulization system of hydrogen peroxide (trophon® EPR) according to European and German test methods. GMS Hygiene and Infection Control 2017, 12: Doc02. doi: 10.3205/dgkh000287