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Story of HLD-Station

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A process triggered by the necessity

To state simply; high level disinfection (HLD) of a Nasopharyngoscope with safety of the patient and the care giver in a community-based Otolaryngology practice is a serious responsibility and a challenge. In 2018 after a review of BEST CLINICAL PRACTICES in a community-based office of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery we decided to find the best solutions to mitigate the inherent problems in the instrument re-processing protocols. For reprocessing the small instruments, we implemented Pouch Sterilization. Reprocessing the flexible Nasopharyngoscope presented significant challenges. We realized the necessity of a large counter to accommodate large plastic tubs for the leak test and to hold the disinfectant solution. We also recognized the inherent risks for the damage to the delicate fiber bundles of the scopes, the need to hold large volumes of the disinfectant solution and the inherent health risks from the evaporating chemical into the office environment. The search for solutions lead to a variety of experiments and consultations with the material science engineers, Public Health officials and the manufacturers of different components. The result was the creation of a customized Borosilicate glass tube system with sturdy extruded Aluminum frame, Polycarbonate tube holding plates and a shield to protect disinfectant solution from UV photo degradation; we called it HLD-Station. Initially, this system was adopted by 10 otolaryngologists and the result was unanimous approval of its efficiency in space saving, reprocessing and the safety of the patients and the care givers. We presented this project as a poster session in the annual meeting of Canadian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (CSOHNS) in 2019 that also provided very encouraging feed backs from the audiences around the world. Consequently, we applied for a Design Registration with Canadian Patent office and attempted to find a medical equipment company to take over the manufacturing and distribution of this product. We were unable to hold their interest because of our pre-condition of keeping the final cost of the product affordable to the individual practitioners. A less than 150% profit margin was an unacceptable proposition. Finally, we have decided to get this desirable product in as many community-based Otolaryngology offices as possible with only the manufacturing cost of the system and a nominal service charge. The primary objective of this project has always been the promotion of the BEST CLINICAL PRACTICES and, unconditionally remains so.

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