5 2 S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E A U G U S T 2 0 1 6
between procedures. It became obvious to Mr. Henderson that efficient fluid
waste management pays off. "The way you bank dollars is through improving
turnover times," he says.
4
Focus on efficiency and safety
The key to getting the best results out of fluid waste management is to
match the methods to the needs of the case. "Various collection devices
work best for different procedures," says Ms. Wilson. Given the advance notice
afforded by elective surgery, it should be possible to know which procedures are
likely to be the messiest and what'll be needed to clean up during each one.
"Think about the length and severity of the case and how invasive it's going to
be when you decide what you need as far as fluid management is concerned,"
says Mr. Henderson. "What would be most efficient and effective? Everybody
would love a mobile col-
lection unit, but does
everybody need it? Is it
overkill?"
Take, for instance, a
knee arthroscopy. The
use of a tourniquet keeps
the blood in check, so
lower pump pressure and
less fluid is needed in the
joint space. Single-use
absorbent pads are a
practical solution,
although they get very
heavy when they're filled
with fluid. For quick
scopes, disposable Chux
