11
EN
X. Cleaning and Disinfection
1. Cleaning
The
LARYVOX
®
Hands-Free Valve
must be cleaned thoroughly at least twice
a day, and in situations with strong secretion production correspondingly more
often, to prevent functional impairment of the speaking valve by adhering
residues of secretions and to minimise the risk of infection.
Cleaning Steps
• Carefully remove the speaking valve by twisting and at the same time pulling
it out of the adapter of the tracheostomy tube or from the retaining ring of the
base plate.
•
Then remove any filter systems that have been used.
• A mild, pH-neutral washing lotion can be used for cleaning the speaking
valve. We recommend using the special cannula-cleaning powder
OPTIBRUSH
®
CLEAN (REF 31110) as directed by the manufacturer. We
recommend the use of the cannula-cleaning tub OPTIBRUSH
®
CONT (REF
31200) to facilitate the cleaning procedure.
• After cleaning, rinse the speaking valve thoroughly several times with clear
water and then dry it with a clean, soft, lint-free cloth. Do not use any sharp-
edged cleaning utensils!
• Alternatively, cleaning by thermal disinfection at not more than 65 °C is also
possible. Use clean water with a temperature of not more than 65 °C for this
purpose. Make sure that the temperature is kept constant (use a thermometer
to monitor the temperature) and never under any circumstances expose
the tubes to boiling water for disinfection. This could seriously damage the
speaking valve.
2. Chemical Disinfection Instructions
•
Disinfection should always be done if ordered by a physician due to specific
health concerns caused by disease, infection, or your specific situation.
• In order to reduce risks of infection, disinfecting is generally indicated to
prevent cross-infection and in inpatient situations (e.g. hospitals, nursing
homes, and/or other health care facilities) to reduce risks of infection.
Disinfection steps
• For disinfection, the speaking valve must be immersed in a disinfectant
solution for 10 to 15 minutes following the cleaning procedure described
above.
• Only use OPTICIT
®
tube disinfectant (REF 31180; not available in the USA)
for this, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. As an alternative, we
recommend a disinfectant based on glutaric dialdehyde as active ingredient
(also available in the USA). Always observe the area of application and
spectrum of activity specified for the disinfectant by the manufacturer.
• After disinfection, the
LARYVOX
®
Hands-Free Valve
must be rinsed inside
and out very thoroughly with sterile or chilled, boiled water and then dried.
