- Infectious secretions from contagious diseases such as COVID 19, tuberculosis (TB), and influenza poses high risk for healthcare workers.
- Their exposure to the high-risk hazard while handling the waste can soon be controlled with a canister bag that solidifies the secretions rapidly, making disposal safer.
- For the safe management of infected respiratory secretions, the researchers at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), have come up with a method for safe handling and disposal of respiratory secretions in hospitals for ICU patients or those with copious respiratory secretions treated in the wards.
- They have developed canister bags lined with super-absorbent material containing an effective disinfectant, named “AcryloSorb”.
- When the patient is admitted to the hospital, secretions are sucked into bottles or canisters using vacuum line and discarded through the waste fluid disposal system after subjecting to decontamination process.
- There is a high risk of contamination during the handling, and the disposal needs well-equipped sluice rooms with disinfection facilities.
- The safety threat and manpower issues will be manifold in less equipped hospitals or temporary isolation wards set up during pandemics.
- The canister bags can absorb 500 ml of secretions and solidify it immediately.
- In addition to that, the whole system will be decontaminated within no time because of the presence of disinfectant.
- Solidification and immediate disinfection that occurs inside these bags eliminate risk of secondary infections by avoiding spilling and aerosol formation, and thereby protect healthcare workers and promote safe workplace management.
