Reprocessing of Single-Use Medical Devices: Clinical and Financial Results

Abstract

Introduction: Excellent results regarding clinical efficacy and cost reduction are achieved by using certified reprocessed single-use medical devices (SUMDs). This explains why this practice is common in most hospitals across the USA and Germany. However, this is not a common practice at a national level and there are no reports regarding its use in Portugal. We present our experience using these methods at Centro Hospitalar de São João (CHSJ) in Porto. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical results and the financial impact of the use of 2 SUMDs, original and reprocessed, namely the linear suture machine GIA CovidienTM and Harmonic ACE® scissors. Method: A group of 733 patients operated in 2014 was evaluated. Of these patients, 316 were operated on with reprocessed SUMDs and 417 with original SUMDs. Variables referring to the clinical and financial results were analyzed through clinical and management information provided by Unidade de Gestão Autónoma de Cirurgia. A comparison between groups was performed using the χ2 test and the Mann-Whitney test. Results: Indicators related to clinical efficacy show that the use of these SUMDs, professionally reprocessed, did not represent any added risk in comparison to the use of original devices. Regarding costs, there is a very significant difference between the use of a new medical device and that of a reprocessed one. In the case of the Harmonic ACE® scissors and of the linear suture machine GIA CovidienTM, savings were up to 50% per device. Conclusion: This study, the first in Portugal, confirms the economic advantages of reprocessing these 2 devices. The financial benefit was obtained with maintenance of the same clinical results as the ones achieved using original devices. These results are in line with the published literature, proving the validity of using SUMDs after professionally certified reprocessing.