Protect your investments

Surgical instruments are a significant investment for every equine practice. It is important to consider how to protect that investment while at the same time, protecting the health of your patients. Equine veterinarians, like yourself, rely on well-manufactured instruments to perform essential procedures. While instruments should last for years, their longevity depends on how they are cared for in their lifetime.

Due to an inadequate cleaning protocol, instruments reach the end of their useful life prematurely or worse, they may become corroded, which allows for the adherence of bacteria, resulting in contamination. Enabling contamination may consequently result in patient infection, which in turn costs you time, money and potentially your client's trust.

Establish a clean routine

Below are some tips that your practice can implement today to ensure your instruments last for years and are safe for use on your patients.

The importance of cleaning your instruments should not be underestimated. Proper cleaning prevents cross-contamination and allows for the instrument to be properly sterilized.

Always begin the cleaning process within 10 minutes of finishing a surgical procedure. This will prevent bio-burden from drying on the instrument. Soil left on an instrument prior to autoclaving may shield bacteria, allowing them to survive the sterilization process and may also cause corrosion.
If you are unable to clean instruments immediately, using an enzymatic spray and keeping the instruments moist will prevent bio-burden from drying on and causing corrosion. As an equine vet, you may often be in the field, and this spray can be used on-the-go.
While manual cleaning is a good first step, ultrasonic cleaning is far more effective than manual cleaning alone and will remove even microscopic traces of bio-burden trapped in serrations or hinges.

Surgical instruments should always be cleaned using pH neutral cleaners specifically labeled for instrument cleaning.

Harsh cleaners such as chlorhexidine, bleach and peroxide will cause corrosion over time.
Cleaning solutions should be changed at least once per day to ensure that they are still effective and not contaminated.
Instruments should never be allowed to soak in any liquid for prolonged periods of time. This includes cold sterile solutions and milk baths.
Instruments should be visually inspected after each use for defects.
Any instruments that are pitted, corroded, cracked or otherwise damaged should be removed from the surgical program and replaced at the first signs of an issue.
Defects in the instrument may harbor harmful bacteria and should be considered a health risk to your patients.

Take the repair route

Beyond cleaning, keeping your instruments in top shape with necessary repairs and adjustments will lengthen their life span and viability. It is recommended to send instruments into a reputable repair facility for servicing at least twice yearly. Typically speaking, the cost of repair is less than the cost of a replacement tool.

A good repair technician will recommend the replacement of any instruments that are corroded, cracked, worn or damaged beyond reasonable repair.
Regular maintenance also helps circumvent large scale repairs and pre-mature replacement of instruments.

Proper instrument maintenance makes you more efficient. Consider a pair of needle drivers that has worn inserts, so the needle continually slips. It could take 20 or 30 percent longer to perform a procedure. Investing in replacing inserts on a regular basis can improve efficiency during the procedure.

And having an expert replace those inserts is essential to its dependability. Clients expect you to bring high quality and expertise to every procedure. Your instruments are an extension of your care and maintaining them properly helps your care for animals at the highest level.

Trust the process

At Securos, efficiency extends to the repair process as well. We understand equine veterinarians are busy, often mobile, and run lean operations, so we want to make the most of your time. “Besides the quality of our instruments, our process of servicing instruments is really where we excel,” remarks Amanda Esposito, Product Manager, Securos. “We have several competitors that offer repair services, but I’m not aware of any other that offers the same convenience as Securos, which includes our reusable boxes.”

Instrument repair steps with Securos

Customer reaches out to Securos sales team or submits online work order form
Sales team sends a UPS Ground shipping label, which covers free inbound shipping to Securos
First time customers ship instruments in their own box or customer can obtain a repair box from their territory manager
Once the instruments are serviced, they're put into a reusable repair box and shipped back to the customer
Return shipping costs are built into invoice for repairs
Customer keeps the reusable repair box and uses it for their next repair order

All Securos instruments are serviced for free for the lifetime of the instrument, except replacement consumable parts and extensive cleaning services, which incur a small cost. If you use other brands, don’t worry. We also service instruments from other manufacturers for a small fee.

Long-term gain

Investing in a Securos instrument is an investment in durability. Securos' high-quality means our products are intended to outlast mid-range offerings. And pairing with repair services to keep instruments in good working order will prolong their life. An investment in a Securos product can lead to fewer replacement costs down the road. “We have exacting standards, and I truly mean that when it comes to the repair services. They are very precise,” says Esposito.

Proper instrument care will help to prolong the useful life of your instruments and safeguard the health of your patients as well. Developing a complete instrument cleaning and care protocol for your hospital will save you time and money, protecting your investment for years to come.