Recently, I read a book about Hedy Lamarr, born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, an Austro-Hungarian-born American actress and inventor. She was a film star during Hollywood's Golden Age. In 1942, she received a patent with composer George Antheil for a “frequency hopping, spread-spectrum communication system” designed to make radio-guided torpedoes harder to detect or jam during World War II. She never received a dollar for her invention, which was dismissed by the military because they couldn’t accept the intelligence of a woman...
Monday, one of our sales reps reported a wash indicator failure at a local facility currently using our cleaners and our Case Soil indicator. We knew it was an opportunity to solve a problem and possibly improve their process. The wash indicator is supposed to fail when something in the wash sequence isn’t right. It’s your first alert that something is wrong...
Shorter cycles, less rinses have been discussed for some time at AAMI working groups and amongst healthcare professionals. Most agree that adequate contact time and rinsing is good practice for manual and automated processes. Detergents lift but rinsing removes the soil. Now manufacturers of new washer/disinfectors have gone even further by promoting cycles preset in their new machines which eliminate rinse steps and rinse times
By now you are likely aware of the supply chain crisis, global warming, and the challenges of the post pandemic world. All that we need now is a UPS strike, the cherry on top of a not so pleasant cake. At Case Medical we share your concerns, and we’re here to help. As a manufacturer of medical devices and products for instrument processing, we know that if we don’t have the necessary...
We can all agree that stopping pollution is a good thing to do. And an excellent way to start is by reducing the “chemical footprint,” a simple expression that considers the quantity and harshness of chemicals used in healthcare processes. Think of the analogy of adding too much salt to the soup, too much detergent to the washer, dumping too many...
The Dirty Dozen list: What does it say about the world we live in when strawberries, and now blue berries, those gems of nutrition, are included in the list of 12 non-organic fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides according to the Environmental Working Group? Or that 98% of Americans have potentially toxic chemicals detected in their blood.
On July 4, 1776, the original 13 colonies claimed independence from Great Britain. The issuance of the Declaration of Independence eventually led to the formation of the United States. Each year we celebrate on the Fourth of July, our Independence Day, but did you know the fireworks came a year after the Declaration of Independence was issued and adopted by the Continental Congress. The first fireworks on the 4th of July were from a 1777 celebration in Philadelphia.
Last Thursday we got confirmation of the destruction of the submersible Titan and the loss of all onboard. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of those lost to what was a completely avoidable fate. Was this a tragedy of simple mechanical failure or is there more to consider? Indeed, catastrophic implosion at great depth is a disaster, but what is the root cause of the failure?
Consider the job the egg has to do; top of the list is protect the contents from physical damage and maintain the sterile environment within. Hmmm, sound familiar. Structurally the egg is incredibly strong. The reason is the egg's arched shape. Engineers and architects know that an arch is one of the strongest forms around. The smooth curve of an arch can support the weight of buildings and bridges for hundreds of years. Look at a SteriTite container, you’ll see the arched curves throughout, the rounded corners of lid and base, the arch like form of the lid channel...
Once upon a time, Case Medical designed and manufactured custom graphics trays (loaners) for other medical device companies at a time when sterilization modalities were evolving. Users were advocating for a replacement for wrap to avoid tears, OR delays and cancelled cases. No one wanted to wrap anymore. But, was there any sealed container that could adapt to future needs?