A Vascular Doppler System Designed for Optimal Prevention of Cross-Contamination

Using vascular Doppler systems in sterile environments presents many challenges due to the ways in which they’re designed to require direct contact with the skin or vessels. This contact can risk contamination if not properly sterilized, and even though guidelines exist in the U.S. for proper sterilization and infection control for Doppler probes, one study found a high degree of noncompliance with these guidelines in U.S. healthcare facilities. Surface probes used in invasive procedures were not high-level disinfected or sterilized 15%-78% of the time, and 5%-47% did not use sterile gel during invasive procedures. Alarmingly, 20% of participants were “aware of instances where an ultrasound probe was used but not correctly reprocessed.”¹

These findings aren’t surprising, as several characteristics of traditional Doppler systems make it difficult to adhere to infection control guidelines. Cumbersome and difficult-to-maintain vascular Doppler systems have become the status quo, but vascular surgeons are due for an upgrade. The intuitive design of VascuChek^® reflects feedback from leading vascular surgeons to solve many of the challenges plaguing vascular screening workflows for decades.

Challenges with Using Traditional Doppler Systems in Sterile Environments

• Clunky Cords and Wires: Traditional Doppler systems come with many cables and cords. With the cords in the way, it’s difficult to reach across the length of the patient to get an accurate blood flow check because the cords and wiring could compromise the sterile field.
  • SOLUTION: The VascuChek wireless, surgical vascular Doppler reduces the risk of breaching sterile boundaries by eliminating the need for an awkward, tethered transceiver box and assistance from a second operator.
• Reusable Probes: Traditional Doppler systems often use reusable probes that come into direct contact with the patient. It’s labor-intensive to ensure thorough sterilization of these probes between uses, and this additional step creates more room for human error.
  • SOLUTION: VascuChek’s single-use, disposable surgical Doppler probes each include a sheath covering the transceiver to eliminate cross-contamination risks and protect the sterile field during surgical procedures. The probes for clinical use don’t require a sheath, they are extremely easy to connect – they just click into place.
• Complex Design: The crevices, buttons, and seams typical of traditional Doppler systems make it easy for bacteria to harbor.
  • SOLUTION: The portable VascuChek handheld vascular Doppler is fully encapsulated in a sterile sheath, preventing contact with bodily fluids.
• Workflow Disruption: Traditional Doppler systems introduce contamination risks by their need to be fully covered with sterile drapes or manipulated in ways that add complexity to sterile workflows, including the need to have someone outside the sterile field to turn on/off the Doppler.
  • SOLUTION: VascuChek is fully encapsulated in a sterile drape built onto the sterile, surgical probe. However, because the sensor is fully sterilized, it is not draped, eliminating the need to put gel inside and outside of the drape to ensure full contact with the vasculature.
• Unreliable Battery Life: Other vascular Doppler systems are known to have subpar battery life. If a probe or console fails, it can take up to 15 minutes to find a replacement, and any extra time operating in a sterile environment leads to a higher risk of contamination due to longer exposure to potential bacteria.
  • SOLUTION: VascuChek’s reliable, rechargeable Doppler system decreases system failure and reduces the potential for contamination while teams search for replacements.
• Difficulty Hearing Blood Flow: With traditional Doppler systems, circulating nurses either have to hold bulky, outdated equipment above the sterile field and close to physicians’ ears to get accurate readings, risking contamination, or hang the equipment from the IV pole to free up their hands for other tasks, which isn’t a secure solution.
  • SOLUTION: VascuChek allows clinicians to listen to blood flow clearly by using 8 MHz Doppler technology to produce sound representing blood flow within a vessel directly through the handheld device without interruption.

By addressing the most common challenges with traditional Doppler systems and simplifying blood flow checks with lighter, more user-friendly equipment, VascuChek has minimized many of the scenarios that previously led to contamination risks, reducing cross-contamination in intraoperative and subcutaneous surgical environments. Simultaneously, the cordless doppler ensures accuracy with its improved user control. By further enhancing vascular surgical efficiency with more convenient probe technology, prolonged battery life, and fewer disruptions, VascuChek significantly lowers operational costs.

The industry is rethinking how to improve vascular screenings with the introduction of VascuChek – a Doppler system that delivers safety, efficiency, reliability, ease of use, and cost effectiveness without comprising the sterile field. If you’d like to learn more about how to simplify your vascular screenings, contact us today to sign up for one of our many demo options and experience the future of vascular Doppler screening today.