Product News: Miele unveils undercounter washer-disinfectors for medical instruments and devices

Miele Professional, a global leader in state-of-the-art, premium commercial-grade appliances, has unveiled its newest solution for cleaning and disinfecting medical and surgical instruments in Canada. Miele’s PG 8582 and PG 8592 Medical Undercounter washer-disinfectors are available now and feature application specific wash programs, tailored process chemicals and flexible basket configurations. The new machines offer the ideal solution to medical instrument and device reprocessing for a range of applications, such as ophthalmology, ENT, plastic surgery and OBGYN/fertility.

The reprocessing of medical instruments and equipment – and the safety of staff members who handle, prepare and pack them – is critical for all medical and clinical facilities. Healthcare professionals face increasingly complex practice management issues, with busy schedules, staff shortages and patient care demands. But amid those time constraints, staff must continue to meet certain disinfection regulations and uphold the standards associated with the washing and disinfecting of devices and instruments. 

“The preparation of medical instruments and devices for the sterilization process is only as good as the initial cleaning and disinfection process,” said Steve Timpano, V.P., Professional Division, Canada. “Whether it be in a hospital or clinic, we understand the necessity of fully disinfected instruments and equipment, and have built and tested our machines to provide a consistently clean end-result every time, providing peace of mind on infection control.”

Incorrect disinfection can lead to the spread of dangerous infections for both patients and staff. Proper reprocessing decreases the chance of cross contamination and the spread of germs. According to the World Health Organization, “…the advantages of using such a process [mechanical cleaning] for the cleaning and thermal disinfection of medical devices include faster throughput of devices, greater consistency of results, and higher standards for cleaning that can be validated and less risk to staff.” Washer-disinfectors can help to fully disinfect medical instruments, while decreasing the staff’s risk of injury or contamination that might occur with hand washing or reprocessing. 

Miele’s PG 8582 and PG 8592 Medical Undercounter washer-disinfectors are built to optimize infection control 

• Crevice-free wash cabinets are laser-welded to minimize deposit build-up and prevent staining.  
• Multi-stage filtration system helps remove dirt particles from wash water.
• Heating elements are installed outside the wash chamber, reducing germs and residue. 

Washing and disinfecting

• Variable-speed heat pump delivers aligned wash pressure according to cycle requirements and program settings.
• In the Vario TD program, thermal disinfection is performed at a temperature of 93˚C (199˚F).
• Specific programming and wash cycles for varied medical applications, such as the Anesthetic instruments (AN) or the Operating Room Shoes programs, among others. 

Process chemicals 

• Tailored process chemicals achieve thorough and gentle cleaning.
• Integrated dispenser pumps dispense process chemicals automatically and precisely.

Flexible accessories available

• Various upper and lower basket configurations for wash optimization.
• Inserts and accessories for a wide range of instruments and applications.

Safety monitoring

• Spray arm monitoring instantly detects build-up of foam or obstacles in its path. 
• Monitoring of the rotation speed of the spray arm ensures reliable cleaning performance.
• Wash pressure monitoring guarantees best process operations. 

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