Welcome to Hentura, LLC

INFORMATION

What is BladePouch?

BladePouch, a disposable plastic bag to isolate contaminated equipment such as  laryngoscope blade, oral airway, endotracheal tube, etc.   Unique design and construction maintains the opening in a tent-like configuration thus enabling easy one-handed insertion of the soiled blade right after intubation. For use by Anesthesiologists, CRNA, or anyone who intubates.  A convenient way to store contaminated laryngoscope blade, oral airways and more.  Prevents cross-contamination of the handle and the surrounding.

Why?

Expeditious confirmation of intubation of the trachea (versus the esophagus) and the prevention of unintended extubation of ETT (therefore the continuous attention to the ETT) is of utmost importance and takes precedence over all other activities until the ETT is secured. In other words, gotta take care of the tube first.  Can’t worry about the dirty blade right now.  But, not anymore.  Now you can quickly place the dirty blade into BladePouch with just one hand,

You got data to back that up?

 A New Approach to Pathogen Containment in the Operating Room: Sheathing the Layngoscope after Intubation. 

--- Anesthesia & Analgesia, Nov 2015. Vol 121 - Issue 5: p 1209-1214, Birnbach, et al.  [Pubmed] [Anesth&Analgesia]

"Sheathing the laryngoscope after intubation reduces contamination." 

How?

  • Before intubation, dispense a pouch from the box by grasping the pouch along the top center-fold.
  • Place the pouch in an open-configuration nearby such as on the patient’s chest or next to the patient’s head.
  • After intubation, insert the blade portion of the laryngoscope into the pouch.
  • Fold the laryngoscope handle against the exterior of the pouch to turn off the scope light and also to prevent the blade tip from touching the handle.
  • After the placement confirmation and securing the endotracheal tube, the laryngoscope still in the pouch can be relocated for safekeeping in case it is needed later,
  • When no longer needed, discard the blade by detaching the blade from the handle while keeping the blade still in the pouch

Also,

  • Prior to extubation, place a new pouch in an open-configuration near the patient.
  • Upon extubation, insert the soiled end of the endotracheal tube and/or the oral airway into the pouch to contain the biomaterial and to prevent contamination of the surrounding.
  • Discard the pouch along with the soiled endotracheal tube.

But I do this ...

“I put the blade into a basin, or a bucket.”

A basin or bucket does not prevent the blade tip from touching the handle.   Often, the blade tip contacts the handle while merely trying to disengage.   Unless the basin or bucket is single-use, the blade cannot be used again.  Single-use basins or buckets cost significantly more than a BladePouch.   The basin or bucket is usually located by the back table, which requires stepping or turning away from the patient.  Inserting a blade into the BladePouch can be done instantaneously with one hand while the other hand is still holding the ETT.  The laryngoscope is immediately available for re-use, if needed.

“I put the blade back into the original packaging or ETT packaging.”

This is a two-handed process.  It takes longer and takes attention away from the patient.  The small opening often results in smudging saliva around the package opening or the exterior.   The BladePouch maintains its wide opening in a tent-like configuration enabling an instantaneous one-handed insertion of the blade.  The longer base of the BladePouch extends beyond the hinge of laryngoscope ensuring that no part of the laryngoscope contacts the table.  One day, a laryngoscope may come in a BladePouch-like packaging with the unique features built-in.  Please talk to your suppliers.

“I put my glove over it.”

This is a two-handed process.  Unless using double gloves, your hand is now exposed.  A glove turned inside-out over the blade does not isolate the bio-material as well as a BladePouch.   Often the glove does not completely cover the blade.  A BladePouch is specifically designed and constructed to ensure easy insertion and proper isolation of the soiled blade.

“I hand over the laryngoscope to my assistant.”  (I wish I could work there.)

Do you know what your assistant does with the blade?  Make sure he puts it into a BladePouch!

“I use a disposable blade or diposable laryngoscope.”

BladePouch is useful whether or not the blade or the entire laryngoscope is disposable.   After intubation, we must confirm correct ETT placement first.  We need a place to keep the laryngoscope isolated, even if briefly.  BladePouch provides a convenient place to store the laryngoscope available for immediate re-use.  This could result in not having to open another scope.

How to deploy BladePouch,


 Don't do this ... do this instead.

The following are actual unprompted photos.  Although many of us try to dispose of the blade properly, at times there are more urgent things to take care of first, so sometimes we end up spreading contamination.  BladePouch makes it quicker and easier to reduce contamination.

Instead of that... how about this?
Instead of that... how about this?
Instead of that... how about this?
Instead of that... how about this?
Instead of that... how about this?
Instead of that... how about this?

 

Still not convinced?

Search youtube for "intubation" and watch what people do with the laryngoscope after intubation.

BladePouch provides a convenient place to put a soiled laryngoscope and a reminder not to contaminate.