Symmetry Medical Inc. has announced that its subsidiary, Symmetry Surgical, has launched its FlashPak Evolution valve at the 60th Congress of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) in San Diego. The Evolution valve is the latest enhancement to Symmetry’s immediate-use (flash) sterilization product, FlashPak. The new valve’s stainless steel construction is designed for ease of use and simplicity of care, with no daily venting required and a seal with three times the closing force of legacy valves.
Symmetry Surgical Enhances Sterilization Product
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“The Evolution valve brings a new level of innovation to the reliable sterilization achieved with the FlashPak family of products, which clinicians have trusted for more than 25 years, ” said Chris Huntington, chief operating officer, Symmetry Surgical, in the March5, 2013 news release. “The FlashPak has been a staple in the industry for more than two decades. The Evolution valve builds on its rich history, addressing the needs of a modern operating room by providing enhanced convenience and high-quality performance. As a result, our customers will be able to deliver sterile instruments within minutes with reduced maintenance requirements.”
Chris Huntington told OTW, “Orthopedic teams can expect that their SPD teams will have the same reliable sterilization that has traditionally been provided by our FlashPak product. The new valve offers a strong seal, with no need for the daily venting required with legacy valves, for a more streamlined overall immediate use sterilization process.”
Asked about how much time the FlashPak could save, Huntington commented to OTW, “Exposure times comply with AAMI ST79 guidelines for mixed porous and non-porous loads. Installation and operation of the container are now streamlined, reducing any variability from operator usage. We are celebrating 25 years of FlashPak and this newest innovation addresses the needs of the modern healthcare facility by providing enhanced convenience and high quality performance.”
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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