Recommendation of the Tristel Wipes System

RNS Number : 2385G

Tristel PLC

06 May 2014

 



TRISTEL plc

("Tristel", "Group" or the "Company")

Recommendation of the Tristel Wipes System by the

Russian Society of Ear, Nose and Throat ("ENT, or Otorhinolaryngology") Surgeons

Tristel plc (AIM: TSTL), the manufacturer of infection prevention, contamination control and hygiene products, has had its Wipes System recommended in an article published in the April 2014 issue of the peer-viewed Journal "Russian Otorhinolaryngology",  titled 'Modern and Traditional Methods for High Level Disinfection of Endoscopes used in ENT practice'. E.V. Osipenko, I.V. Kastyro".  The Journal was published to coincide with the III St. Petersburg International Forum of Russian Otorhinolaryngologists, held in St. Petersburg at which Tristel was an exhibitor.

The use of endoscopes within ENT has become common practice and most procedures are performed in the out-patient area. Between 20 and 40 patients are typically examined each day in a busy ENT department. As a consequence there are high potential risks of the transfer of infection between patients and medical staff.   Reference is made in the article to the clinical relevance of viruses, in particular that of HPV virus, and that high-level disinfection of these instruments with a very effective disinfection system is imperative.

The article examines the current practice for decontaminating the specialist endoscopes used in ENT.  These diagnostic instruments are unique in their design because they are small, heat sensitive and have no internal lumen running through them. As a result, well established practices for the decontamination of larger and more complex endoscopes used in departments like gastroenterology (gastroscopes) and respiratory medicine (bronchoscopes) are often not applicable to the ENT setting.

Prior to the publication of the article there were no guidelines in Russia for the decontamination of ENT endoscopes. Traditional methods of disinfection vary from soaking the instrument in an open tray to placing them in an automated endoscope washing machine, the former method being the most prevalent. The two traditional methods have considerable drawbacks:  soaking is very basic and prone to user error, but is inexpensive; a washing machine requires large capital investment and has high running costs. 

The article recognises the widespread international acceptance of the Tristel Wipes System. It is acknowledged in the guidelines of the ENT societies of the United Kingdom and Italy. The Wipes System is designed specifically for the decontamination of the heat-sensitive non-lumened endoscopes used in ENT.

Paul Swinney, Chief Executive Officer, comments: "We first registered our Wipes System in Russia two years ago.  Just as we have experienced in all the markets in which we have introduced the Wipes, it takes several years before our novel and innovative approach to decontaminating ENT endoscopes gains widespread acceptance.  The tipping point is recognition of its merits by the clinical specialty which has now happened in Russia.  We have a well-established branch operation in Moscow and look forward to building our presence in this substantial market.

"In the United Kingdom sales of the Wipes System have reached £2.8m in the first nine months of the current year and in two overseas markets alone (Germany and Australasia) they have exceeded £1.2m in the same period.  The Wipes System is sold in 32 countries."

Tristel plc	www.tristel.com
Paul Swinney, Chief Executive	Tel: [phone]
Liz Dixon, Finance Director
finnCap
Geoff Nash / Charlotte Stranner, Corporate Finance	Tel: [phone]
Simon Starr, Corporate Broking
Walbrook PR Ltd	Tel: [phone] or [e-mail]
Paul McManus	Mob: [phone]
Lianne Cawthorne	Mob: [phone]

 

END

 

 

NRALLFVEEFIFIIS