The Reduction of Infection in the Ultrasound Probes

The Reduction of Infection in the Ultrasound Probes

Introduction

The foremost purpose of this report is to highlight the ways of reduction of infection in ultrasound probe. Ultrasound probe is the equipment that is used in medical diagnostic test that contains transducers which emit high frequency sound waves. This technology is used to produce internal body images. Ultra sound probe is the most important part of the ultra sound machine as it makes the sound waves and then receives the echoes. It works on the principle called the piezoelectric effect which was invented in 1880 by Pierre and Jacques.

Summary of the Proposal

The ultrasound probes are held useful in the identifying the disease and at the same time, it also leads towards some Nosocomial infections. This infection is drastically increasing in the hospital settings due to the increased use of ultra sound for the diagnosis purpose these days. This infection is prevailing through the ultra sound transducers and the coupling gel. This nosocomial infection is spreading through the infected and dirty probes and the contaminated coupling gels.

In order to get the disinfected probes, medical and healthcare settings are required to use wipes such as paper wipes, soap wipes and towel wipes with the all other cautions to ensure the patient safety and quality care. Although single wipes in some cases are not enough to make the transducer bacteria or infection free. In case of high risk patients such as those patients with the unhealed or open wounds, pre existing infections, burns etc. in such cases, extra ordinary care is required such as use of double wipes and washing the probe with the tap water and other chemicals in order to prevent cross infections.

The main objective of this study is to analyze the effects of using the infected probes over the patient and the methods to prevent the infections and ensuring the life of patient. A number of methods have been recognized in the study in order to deal with the infected probes or transducers. Medical cautions and special care at the time of examining the patient is held the most important thing that needs much consideration. It has been identified in the study that this infection spreads through one patient to another. And a great number of people have been infected with this chronic nosocomial infection. It has also been observed that doctors and health care providers do not give much importance to the cleaning of the transducers which lead the patients towards the death and other disorders which get prominent after some time of the exposure. So there is found to be great deal of need to educate the health care providers about the disastrous impact of infectious probes and other medical equipments. It is required that after the contact with the suspected infected patient all of the equipment and machines that were being used for the examination purposes should be cleaned with the paper wipes and then with the ...