PENTAX Medical, a division of HOYA Group, has received a CE mark for its new automated pre-cleaning solution, the AquaTYPHOON. The device was developed in association with PlasmaBiotics and offers an alternative to the manual pre-cleaning step in endoscope reprocessing.

Enhancing hygiene with automated pre-cleaning

PENTAX Medical is committed to improving hygiene and patient safety by further enhancing reprocessing of reusable endoscopes, through developing new ways of pre-cleaning to reduce the risk of infection. As an alternative to manual pre-cleaning, the AquaTYPHOON does just that. It automatically cleans all endoscope channels, including the non-brushable ones, removing organic residues very effectively, supporting the automated endoscope reprocessing (AER) process following pre-cleaning.

Supporting reprocessing staff for increased efficiency

Endoscope reprocessing with the AquaTYPHOON requires less labour and time, which reduces the daily workload for staff and increases productivity. Depending on the endoscope type being used, the device reduces channel pre-cleaning time to just 2-7 minutes.

It has built-in validation and safety features that help prevent human errors. The automated routine, unlike manual pre-cleaning, is always fully in line with the protocol and the full pre-cleaning procedure is documented. The system also offers full traceability and can be connected to hospital networks.

Balancing patient safety, productivity and sustainability

The AquaTYPHOON lowers costs and environmental impact. As its pre-cleaning process combines only water and air, without the need for consumables or chemistry, it eliminates waste generation (brushes, syringes and detergent) and reduces water consumption.

Harald Huber, Global VP for Product and Category Management at PENTAX Medical, said: “At PENTAX Medical we believe in green endoscopy at maximum patient safety. The introduction of AquaTYPHOON is our contribution to reducing waste and water consumption during endoscope pre-cleaning while providing the highest safety through an automated process.”

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