MUNDELEIN, Ill., April 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To help prevent the possibility of harmful, often fatal ventilator disconnections, Medline Industries, Inc., has launched the new Phoneris® inner cannula and Aeroflex® ventilator circuit connector, an innovative system providing an improved design for connecting a tracheostomy patient to the ventilator.
Although the incidence of ventilator-related events is relatively rare, when they do occur they often result in serious injury. When these events take place, more than half are related to accidental disconnection of the tubing from the patients to the ventilator, according to the Joint Commission.
Patients who need help breathing sometimes have a tracheotomy – a surgical opening through the front of the patient's neck and into the trachea, or windpipe. A tracheostomy tube is inserted in the trachea and connected to a machine that supports breathing called a ventilator. Keeping the tracheostomy tube securely and safely connected to the ventilator is crucial to the health of the patient. If the tube becomes disconnected, the patient no longer has an oxygen source.
The Phoneris inner cannula, which is a curved tube that is inserted in the tracheostomy tube's outer cannula, features innovative longer thumb tabs that easily lock the inner cannula to the outer cannula with a positive click to confirm the secure connection and to prevent disconnection. Similarly, the Aeroflex circuit connector features positive click jaws that make a positive click sound, ensuring the inner cannula is safely connected to the ventilator circuit.
The Aeroflex also offers a 360-degree swivel for comfortable patient movement with less tension on the inner cannula. If the ventilator is moved or twisted, the connector will move along with it, again minimizing the likelihood of disconnection.
"The Phoneris and Aeroflex system provides a high level of patient comfort and safety because it is designed to reduce the chance of an accidental disconnection of the ventilator circuit," said Noah Baran, product manager for Medline's respiratory division. "This new system can also increase staff efficiency by decreasing the incidence and urgency of unplanned disconnections, which can put major stress on the patient, medical staff and family members."
When an accidental disconnection occurs, consequences can be serious, and often deadly. Patients can experience respiratory distress, loss of positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP), which is the pressure needed to maintain the partial inflation of the lungs to improve oxygenation, requiring hours of recovery time, staff, family and caregiver stress, and opportunity of circuit exposure to environmental pathogens. Circuit disconnections have also been identified as a contributing cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and potential progression to sentinel (death or serious injury) events and their liability.
About Medline
As the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, Medline manufactures and distributes more than 125,000 products to hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery centers, physician offices, home care dealers, agencies and major retail outlets. Recently named one of the "100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare," Medline is headquartered in Mundelein, Ill.and has more than 1,100 dedicated sales representatives nationwide to support its broad product line, clinical programs and cost management services. For more information, visit www.medline.com.
Ann Fahey, (847) 643-3011 John Marks, (847) 643-3309
afahey@medline.com jmarks@medline.com
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The following pictures are available for download:
| [Image] | Phoneris and Aeroflex |