EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Replacement Touniquets

We are looking to replace our existing pneumatic tourniquets, and I wondered if anyone else went through the same process recently?
Did you have to go to tender? - just wondered as most companies supply the equipment FOC, provided you purchase their cuffs over a set period!!

It depends if you use disposal torniquet cuffs, which can be expensive. We use the VBM machines from Freelance Surgical with re-useable cuffs and have'nt had any problems accept the odd o-ring!

Because the price of torniquets were under the tender costs we brought them on an individual basis, otherwise you spend alot of wasted time chasing the NHS paper train!!

We are about to start the process ourselves, one reason is that Infection Control are pushing us toward single use cuffs based on DOH "advice" regarding infected/potentially infected cases.

Has anyone been through the process and "guessed" at quantities of single use items required, if so how did you generate the guess?! With the change to our operating department data collection software I'm told it will be impossible to get any proper data from the past year regarding cases using tourniquet!

Anetic Aid Manufacture Torniquets

http://www.aneticaid.co.uk/main.php?cPath=9&osCsid=0355b4fcb026a3c8a9ad2c5ea0c21355

Dom

We were very interested in getting single use cuff's but its a mine-field once you start to guess or calculate estimated cuff usage.

The manufacturers will give you a price on how many you use per year, with the equipment being given free (usually). The problem is with our trust is that is a fine line between infection control and finance!!

Good luck, Talltim!