Introduction
In the medical and dental fields, various devices and procedures inherently generate aerosols, potentially posing risks to patient and practitioner safety. These aerosols can carry pathogens and increase the likelihood of airborne transmission of infectious diseases. At ARE Labs, we offer specialized services to meticulously measure, quantify, and analyze these aerosols, ensuring a safer healthcare environment. Devices and procedures which may generate aerosols include but are not limited to:
Dental Drills and Ultrasonic Scalers: Used in dental procedures, these tools can create aerosols from saliva and other fluids in the mouth.
Suction Devices: Used during various medical and dental procedures, suction devices can aerosolize saliva, blood, and other bodily fluids.
Electrosurgical Units: Used in various surgical procedures to cut tissue or stop bleeding, these units can produce surgical smoke that may contain aerosolized particles.
Medical Lasers: Similar to electrosurgical units, medical lasers can create plumes of smoke that might contain aerosolized particles.
Bronchoscopy: This procedure involves inserting a bronchoscope into the airways, typically the lungs, which can lead to aerosol generation.
Testing for these procedures and devices includes many different types of testing that can be tailored to each clients unique needs this testing can include:
Precision Measurement and Quantification:
Aerosol Characterization: We employ advanced technologies to characterize the aerosols produced by medical and dental devices and procedures. This includes determining particle size distribution, concentration, and composition, which are vital for assessing potential health risks.
Real-Time Aerosol Monitoring: Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, we provide real-time monitoring of aerosol generation, offering valuable insights into the dynamics of aerosol dispersion during medical and dental procedures.
Evaluating Mitigation Strategies:
Efficacy of Mitigation Features: Our expertise extends to evaluating the effectiveness of built-in mitigation features of devices, such as suction systems in dental units or air filtration mechanisms in medical equipment. We assess how well these features contain or reduce aerosol spread.
Environmental Controls Assessment: Beyond device-specific features, we also analyze environmental controls like room ventilation, air purifiers, and protective barriers to understand their role in minimizing aerosol risks.
Regulatory Compliance and Safety Assurance:
Compliance with Health Standards: Our testing protocols are designed to ensure that medical and dental devices and practices comply with relevant health and safety standards, including those set by regulatory bodies like the CDC, OSHA, and ADA.
Customized Testing Solutions: Recognizing the unique challenges presented by different medical and dental settings, we tailor our testing solutions to meet specific needs, ensuring comprehensive safety evaluations.
Recommendations for Improvement: Based on our findings, we provide actionable recommendations to enhance aerosol mitigation strategies, contributing to improved patient and staff safety.
