Clean Air Cocoon can reduce surgical infections by 84 percent

Nimbic Systems has an Air Barrier System (ABS) which delivers HEPA-filtered clean air immediately adjacent to the surgery site, creating an airflow layer directly over the surgical wound. A pilot trial on hip replacements showed the ABS reduced infection at the incision site by 84 percent. Further trials are planned for spinal and femoral procedures.

Many surgical procedures leave patients with a high risk of infection, especially after prosthesis implant operations like hip replacements. These can be life threatening and infections contracted in hospitals, such as Staphylococci and MRSA, are becoming increasingly difficult to treat.

With many resistant to antibiotics, infections also represent an enormous cost burden. Treating one patient for post surgery infection can cost up to US$100,000. Not to mention the patient’s considerable physical, emotional, and economic hardships. Diabetics and the elderly are at greater postoperative risk and present even more of a challenge.

The ABS produces a clean air cocoon measuring 20″ x 6″ x 2″ (Image: Nimbic Systems)

The simple mobile unit dispenses purified air through a flexible nozzle which can be fixed adjacent to the patient’s incision. It then potentially shields the wound by producing a non turbulent flow of filtered air, controlling the environment and reducing the presence of infection causing microorganisms.

The ABS Nozzle is intended to be used only where:
(1) it can be placed on an anatomical surface with no gap between the bottom of the nozzle and the surface,
(2) the incision plane is parallel to the direction of airflow, and
(3) the incision dimensions are within: 6” (15.2 cm) in width and 20” (50.8 cm) in length.

The estimated hospital costs of hospital-acquired infection in the United States is about $30 billion each year.

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