to demonstrate in colorful tanemania, how many disadvantages xenex has....
The use of UV light to disinfect/decontaminate patient rooms faces a few problems including the fact that the light’s effectiveness is affected by an object’s distance from the light source, the age of the light source, and the wavelength emitted.
It is also generally understood that direct radiation is required to kill microorganisms— that is, a sufficient amount of UV radiation must strike the surface/microorganism to achieve disinfection.
In certain areas, such as the underside of some tables or the back of some closets, the amount of UV radiation that reaches microbes might be insufficient to kill them unless the surface can be irradiated for the necessary time. Also, because UV light could potentially irritate or damage the retinas, safety precautions are necessary to limit human exposure to UV light.
In addition, there is a concern about the long-term effects UV light will have on the surfaces found in healthcare facilities.[/color] Both of the UV-based system vendors covered in this article have conducted materialaging tests; the findings are included in A
Look at Three Products, below. We recommend that any material durability concerns be discussed with the supplier.
XENEX PX-UV
Xenex Healthcare Services (Austin, Texas) produces the Pulsed Xenon UV (PX-UV) device, which disinfects using UV light. The PX-UV uses a xenon-based lamp that emits broadband UV light (UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C) at 200 to 350 nm in highenergy pulses during the treatment cycle. For maximum effectiveness, the room or area to be treated must be cleaned before the system is used.
The PX-UV is a self-contained unit that can be operated via remote control. It also is portable, so it can be used throughout a healthcare facility by appropriately trained personnel. Cycle times and placement of the device in the room are predetermined by Xenex representatives, who review each proposed use site before use. According to product literature, cycle time varies based on room size and confi guration, although a recently published communication (Stibich et al. 2011) reported an operating time of four minutes at each of three positions (12 minutes total) for a standard patient room.
Because the light is extremely bright, interior windows and door cracks must be covered before a cycle is initiated. The flashes produce a sound similar to that of an old-style flashbulb, which can be heard at the doorway to the room but not in adjacent rooms.
During operation, warning signs are deployed, and a door sensor can be used to automatically shut down the system if the door is opened. The user can initiate the cycle using the unit controls or via remote control. Xenex provides on-site user training and creation of site-specifi c user protocols (i.e., cycle times, PX-UV room placement).
The xenon lamps have an expected life of three to four months, based on use (number of rooms treated and room size). The PX-UV device monitors lamp usage and indicates when replacement is needed. The current list price for the PX-UV device was not provided; however, based on information from ECRI Institute’s SELECTplus client database, a lease agreement price is in the area of $3,000 per month for 36 months. Xenex declined to provide replacement lamp cost, but for leased systems, it is included in the monthly price.
In material-aging tests, Xenex reports that the equivalent of three years of routine use in an average room resulted in no detectable damage to most surfaces, though minor paper fading was noted.
The use of UV light to disinfect/decontaminate patient rooms faces a few problems including the fact that the light’s effectiveness is affected by an object’s distance from the light source, the age of the light source, and the wavelength emitted.
It is also generally understood that direct radiation is required to kill microorganisms— that is, a sufficient amount of UV radiation must strike the surface/microorganism to achieve disinfection.
In certain areas, such as the underside of some tables or the back of some closets, the amount of UV radiation that reaches microbes might be insufficient to kill them unless the surface can be irradiated for the necessary time. Also, because UV light could potentially irritate or damage the retinas, safety precautions are necessary to limit human exposure to UV light.
In addition, there is a concern about the long-term effects UV light will have on the surfaces found in healthcare facilities.[/color] Both of the UV-based system vendors covered in this article have conducted materialaging tests; the findings are included in A
Look at Three Products, below. We recommend that any material durability concerns be discussed with the supplier.
XENEX PX-UV
Xenex Healthcare Services (Austin, Texas) produces the Pulsed Xenon UV (PX-UV) device, which disinfects using UV light. The PX-UV uses a xenon-based lamp that emits broadband UV light (UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C) at 200 to 350 nm in highenergy pulses during the treatment cycle. For maximum effectiveness, the room or area to be treated must be cleaned before the system is used.
The PX-UV is a self-contained unit that can be operated via remote control. It also is portable, so it can be used throughout a healthcare facility by appropriately trained personnel. Cycle times and placement of the device in the room are predetermined by Xenex representatives, who review each proposed use site before use. According to product literature, cycle time varies based on room size and confi guration, although a recently published communication (Stibich et al. 2011) reported an operating time of four minutes at each of three positions (12 minutes total) for a standard patient room.
Because the light is extremely bright, interior windows and door cracks must be covered before a cycle is initiated. The flashes produce a sound similar to that of an old-style flashbulb, which can be heard at the doorway to the room but not in adjacent rooms.
During operation, warning signs are deployed, and a door sensor can be used to automatically shut down the system if the door is opened. The user can initiate the cycle using the unit controls or via remote control. Xenex provides on-site user training and creation of site-specifi c user protocols (i.e., cycle times, PX-UV room placement).
The xenon lamps have an expected life of three to four months, based on use (number of rooms treated and room size). The PX-UV device monitors lamp usage and indicates when replacement is needed. The current list price for the PX-UV device was not provided; however, based on information from ECRI Institute’s SELECTplus client database, a lease agreement price is in the area of $3,000 per month for 36 months. Xenex declined to provide replacement lamp cost, but for leased systems, it is included in the monthly price.
In material-aging tests, Xenex reports that the equivalent of three years of routine use in an average room resulted in no detectable damage to most surfaces, though minor paper fading was noted.
