without being emptied. "Depending on our case load, we may per-
form several arthroscopies in a row," says Ms. Leggett. "At our facili-
ty, we rely heavily on the suction unit to expedite our schedule."
Orthopedic surgeons at Indiana Surgery Center North of the
Community Health Network in Indianapolis use an integrated inflow
and outflow fluid management system to deliver the minimal
amount of irrigation fluid needed to maintain consistent and con-
stant distension of joint space, while also limiting fluid runoff,
according to Teresa Nosek, RN, BSN, CNOR, ONC, orthopedic spe-
cialty coordinator. She says the smart arthroscopy pump has signifi-
cantly reduced the amount of fluid irrigation used during shoulder
and knee cases and, in turn, the amount of runoff collected by the
facility's mobile collection devices.
"We're not using as much irrigation fluid, so there's less mess on
the floor to clean up at the end of the case," says Ms. Nosek. "We
only have to change the unit's filter between cases."
Time well spent
Operating faster — and safer — is ultimately best for patient care.
"The longer patients are anesthetized, the higher the complication
risks," says Sonia Ramamoorthy, MD, chief of the division of colon
and rectal Surgery at University of California, San Diego. "We need to
tap into the technology that reduces the length of anesthesia. Every
minute saved in the OR can have a significant positive impact on out-
comes."
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