Fibre products maker Ahlstrom has secured the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its next-generation sterilisation wrap dubbed Reliance Fusion.
The Reliance Fusion wrap is designed to boost efficiency in the sterilisation of surgical equipment trays at hospitals, thereby further enhancing patients’ safety.
It prevents microorganisms from easily gaining access to the tray contents, enables sterilisation, offers physical protection, and preserves the sterility of surgical tools up to the point of use.
Reliance Fusion combines the properties of cellulose-based and polypropylene-based materials.
The combined material is said to allow a significant reduction in drying time due to its higher throughput and labour and energy savings features.
According to the Finland-based Ahlstrom, this also lessens the possibility of wet packs and increases the efficiency of tray sterilisation at hospitals’ central sterilisation service department (CSSD).
Ahlstrom medical business vice president Kim Anders said: “Honouring Ahlstrom’s rich history and decades of experience in nonwoven manufacturing, we are thrilled to announce the launch of Reliance Fusion – a solution to reduce wet packs and gain efficiency within sterile processing.
“We are confident that Reliance Fusion will have a positive impact within healthcare, improving operational efficiencies and patient outcomes while empowering healthcare professionals to deliver the highest standard of care.”
The Reliance Fusion portfolio consists of two sterilisation wrap options, which include Reliance Fusion Light for light-to-medium duty applications, and Reliance Fusion Heavy for heavy-duty usages.
Under conditions of high tray weight, both alternatives provide improved pre-vacuum steam drying time performance, said the company.
The fibre products maker stated that Reliance Fusion can reduce the requirement for various wrap types and simplify the sterilisation process while also significantly lowering the number of products that must be kept in stock.