Ultrasound Transducer Disinfection in many Cases insufficient - New ‘Trophon EPR’ Device offers unique Solution

Hamburg, December 5, 2008: Current methods of ultrasound transducer disinfection are in many cases not sufficient for clinical practice. This is the latest alarming result issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading US public health agency, in its recently published Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (1). The guideline is the CDC’s response to the rapidly evolving epidemiology of hospital-acquired infections such as Clostridium difficile (2) or MRSA (3).

In light of this global threat, and with regard to the millions of ultrasound examinations conducted each day, Nanosonics’ newest product innovation represents a long-needed milestone in the development of medical devices: due to its unique technology, the Trophon EPR completely satisfies all requirements of the new CDC guideline.

Whereas current methods for high-level disinfection of contaminated transvaginal and transrectal transducers (e.g. aldehydes, alcohol or chlorine) show considerable drawbacks, the Trophon EPR has been custom designed to disinfect intracavity and surface ultrasound transducers, while combining speed, safety and convenience. It delivers high-level disinfection plus (HLD+), including sporicidal efficacy, in only six minutes operating time. The fully automated device can be used directly at the point of care, is easy to operate and is environmentally friendly, leaving water and oxygen as the only by-products.

The Trophon EPR was officially presented at this year’s MEDICA, which took place in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 19 to 22 November, 2008. “We recognised the danger presented by the inadequate disinfection of ultrasound transducers, and know that the Trophon EPR will be indispensable for the urgently needed hygiene necessary in the medical sector, to guarantee the safety of each and every patient”, explained David Radford, Director and CEO of Nanosonics Limited, Australia, prior to the impending market launch.

The product technology has been validated by major OEM’s (e.g. Philips) and dealer commitments have already been approved in several European countries. The European launch of the Trophon EPR is scheduled to start in the first half of 2009. For more information about Nanosonics, the Trophon EPR and its platform technology (NanoNebulant™) please visit the Company’s websites at www.nanosonics.eu and www.trophon.com.au.

(1) Rutala WA, Weber DJ, Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/sterile.html.
(2) Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Press release, Orlando, 11 November 2008: Intestinal infection afflicts 13 of 1,000 hospital patients; infection rates 6.5–20 times greater than previous estimates, new study says.
(3) Orsi GB. MRSA: an old and new enemy. Healthcare Infection 2008; 13:73-75.

About Nanosonics

The company is of Australian origin, located in Alexandria, Sydney, with European headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. Nanosonics has been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (NAN) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (OQM) since 2007.

The company owns intellectual property relating to unique disinfection and sterilisation technologies, which can be suited to a variety of markets including the healthcare industry, food processing, room and space decontamination, and manufacturing.

Nanosonics is currently focused on developing infection control solutions for the global healthcare market. Initial applications are designed for the reprocessing of reusable medical instruments. The Trophon EPR is specifically designed to disinfect intracavity and surface ultrasound probes. Based on the NanoNebulant™ technology it surpasses the limitations of current methods by killing the most resilient micro-organisms, in a fast, safe and convenient way.

World Headquarters
Nanosonics Ltd.
Unit 24, 566 Gardeners Road
Alexandria NSW 2015
Australia

www.nanosonics.com.au

European Headquarters
Nanosonics Europe GmbH
Falkenried 88, House E
20251 Hamburg
Germany

www.nanosonics.eu

Media Contact Europe
pluspool GmbH
Ballindamm 26
20095 Hamburg
Germany

nikola.heimann@plus-pool.de

This release was published on openPR.