PENTAX Medical Europe expands product offering: Empowering healthcare providers with the power of choice

JOHANNESBURG and TOKYO, Dec. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Providing innovative endoscopic solutions means understanding clinicians' needs to optimally treat patients, based on their specific condition. PENTAX Medical is expanding its offering, to present clinicians and healthcare providers with the power of choice. PENTAX Medical provides a range of equipment to treat each and every patient in the most optimal way, in order to minimise the risk of infection. The portfolio includes the PENTAX Medical ONE Pulmo™ single-use bronchoscope, and will soon include the Slim DEC™ Duodenoscope (ED32-i10; OE-A65), PlasmaTYPHOON™+, and PENTAX Medical DEC™ hygiene pack.

Michael Unger, General Manager Marketing, Product and Business Development EMEA, explains: "Our main aim is to provide healthcare providers with more choice and additional options to treat each patient in the best way possible, whether for a routine or emergency procedure. As a smart innovator in the field, we are offering intelligent and innovative solutions for the best possible treatment of patients. As always, improved hygiene and patient safety are pivotal in our research and development."

Choosing the best solution: Enhanced drying and storage

To treat patients for standard procedures, reusable and semi-disposable endoscopes combined with endoscope drying and storage using the PlasmaTYPHOON™ and PlasmaBAG™ system, allow the possibility to minimise the risk of infection while maximising strong therapeutic performance intervention and the best in class imaging with each procedure. PENTAX Medical now offers a carbon neutral PlasmaBAG, offsetting all carbon emissions emitted during the production process.

This month the second generation of the PlasmaTYPHOON system will be launched, the PlasmaTYPHOON+.^[1] Both systems accelerate endoscope reprocessing by substantially reducing drying times from hours to just minutes, while maintaining the disinfected state of endoscopes for up to 31 days.^[2] The newest generation PlasmaTYPHOON+ dries even faster than before, in 1- 3 minutes, and offers a more intuitive user experience making processes safer and easier for reprocessing staff. In turn, the small footprint required for endoscope drying and storage greatly reduces costs and space needed. PlasmaTYPHOON+ also provides additional support in daily processes, offering full traceability both printed and digital with audit-ready data-records.

Reusable, semi-disposable and disposable solutions: the physician's choice

A semi-disposable endoscope solution provides all the benefits of reusable endoscopes in combination with single-use hygiene consumables to further enhance infection prevention. Healthcare providers can continue minimising the risk of contamination, with innovations such as the disposable elevator cap (DEC) on PENTAX Medical's DEC video Duodenoscope, the PENTAX Medical Single Use Valve Set, and PROfILE single use cleaning brushes. These single-use consumables address three main areas of concern for potential infection risk: the distal tip or elevator, the valves, and the channels.

Through evaluating unmet clinical needs, the Slim DEC Duodenoscope (ED32-i10; OE-A65) will soon be launched, recognising the necessity for a duodenoscope that serves paediatric patients and adults with narrow anatomies. The Slim DEC provides consistent therapeutic performance, outstanding visualisation, and reduces the risk of cross-contamination. Moreover, PENTAX Medical will soon be launching the PENTAX Medical DEC Hygiene Pack, which combines all necessary pieces into one ready-to-use package, further improving infection prevention and workflow. 

High quality care without compromise in pulmonary care

To support physicians in providing the highest quality care even in the most urgent and critical situations,  PENTAX Medical introduced ONE Pulmo in Europe: the single-use bronchoscope with superior suction power and HD image quality.

Dr. Erik van der Heijden, Associate Professor of Interventional Pulmonology at the Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen, the Netherlands, shared his experience: "The PENTAX Medical ONE Pulmo has the 'clinical-grade' high-resolution image quality. The endoscope feels like a reusable bronchoscope and the large working channel allows for better combined suction and sampling in a slimmer scope."

Importance of continuous innovation and collaboration

Real change comes from understanding the healthcare landscape – and reshaping it. PENTAX Medical is enhancing its strong commitment to address medical device hygiene challenges by continually innovating products, optimising processes, and integrating feedback from the market. Rainer Burkard, Chief Executive Officer EMEA & Chief Commercial Officer Americas, explains, "Hygiene has always been one of the key drivers in our product development and it continues to shape our future endeavours. At PENTAX Medical we listen and we care – market feedback shapes every step of the way. Listening to our customer's perspectives has confirmed our approach to continue focusing on infection prevention in endoscopy. Starting December, we will be launching a series of new, innovative products for the next twelve months and hygiene always has been a relevant aspect when developing them."

The PENTAX Medical Hygiene Event will be hosted in early 2022, where more will be shared about this roadmap and new products will be announced.

[1] Limited release in 2021 with other markets to follow in 2022
[2] Validated for up to 744 storage hours (31 days) according to NF EN 16442 norm. The maximum storage time may be subject to local regulations on endoscope storage

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