Synoptics Health has announced positive results for its prototype technology used for detecting proteins on reusable stainless steel surgical instruments. ProReveal has been shown to perform effectively in beta tests at Sterile Services Departments (SSDs) in pioneering UK Hospitals, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and University College London Hospitals (UCLH).
Users cover a reprocessed surgical instrument with reagent spray and place in a ProReveal imaging system
which automatically reveals and measures any residual contaminating proteins. The built-in software will indicate a pass or fail of the decontamination process.
The patented technology has been developed over four years in partnership with Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and has been tested as part of Department of Health commissioned studies at SSDs in GOSH and UCLH. Results have shown that the technology can detect less than 50ng of residual protein on a reprocessed surgical instrument.
Sylvia Martin, Decontamination and Sterile Services Manager at UCLH stated: “I found the OPA fluorescence method enlightening as it is a visible way of seeing what’s really on surgical instruments. When you see the results with the OPA test you can’t dispute how sensitive it is. This method if it becomes more widely trialled could represent a quality enhancement that will improve patient care.”
Margaret Hollis, Head of Decontamination at GOSH added: “OPA fluorescence detection has been known for some years but the commercial development of the ProReveal system is a whole new approach. I believe when this technology is more widely statistically tested, it could potentially become a new standard for testing the cleanliness of surgical instruments.”
