The Principles of Medical Device Decontamination

Minimal Invasive Surgery and Complex Instrumentation 4

Introduction

The last several decades have seen advancements in operating theatre care evidenced by a shift towards endoscopic, laparoscopic, arthroscopic and robot- assisted surgical procedures and the advent of new surgical tools and techniques. Instruments for minimally invasive and robotic assisted surgery, along with other increasingly complex surgical devices, provide surgeons with expanded clinical treatment options and offer patients surgical care with better clinical outcomes. This includes reduced opportunity for post-operative infection, faster procedures and recovery times, leading ultimately to improved patient experience and potentially lower healthcare costs.

Many of these surgical instruments have complex mechanical designs and can raise concern for reprocessing. For example, robotic assisted instruments, have articulated wrist joints that mimic the full range of movement of the surgeon’s hand. Wrist movement is controlled by metal cables that travel within the instrument shaft and terminate at the instrument head where their movement is controlled by the robot.

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