Flexible Reamers
Flexible Reamers are used in Orthopedic procedures, often passing deep into bones, so it's crucial to ensure they are clean and functional to prevent injury or infection. Given the construction of these devices, they can be particularly challenging to clean, making thorough inspections even more important.
Some points to consider when inspecting these devices with a borescope:
Preparation:
- Ensure borescope is appropriately sized for cannulas to be inspected
Areas to inspect:
- Drill points
- Cutting flutes
- Joints between coupled parts of reamer shaft (some models may use spun wire to facilitate flexibility instead of movable sections, so be sure to note between wire strands with this type)
- Inner surface of reamer cannula
What to look for:
- Damage
- Drill points worn or chipped
- Cutting flutes worn or chipped
- Surface scratched or gouged
- Pitting from corrosion
- Debris
- Filaments from cleaning implements
- Bone fragments or marrow
- Tissue fragments
- Blood clots
- Metal/plastic shavings from instrumentation
- Discoloration
- Dried blood
- Rust/corrosion
- Base metal showing through stainless steel layer
- Hard water spots/mineral deposits
- Droplets
- Blood
- Fatty liquids/synovial fluid
- Irrigation fluid
- Cleaning fluid or simethicone
- Rinse water
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