In the medical field, patient safety is paramount. From surgical procedures to preserving pharmaceuticals, maintaining a safe environment is crucial. One technology that plays a significant role in upholding patient safety behind the scenes is the use of Nitrogen Generators. In this blog post, we will explore how these are utilised in various medical applications and how they contribute to ensuring the well-being of patients.
Medical Instrument Sterilization: Effective sterilization has been the cornerstone of the medical world since Louis Pasteur, Joseph Lister and Robert Koch spearheaded germ theory in the 19th century. Nitrogen is utilised in autoclaves and sterilization chambers to displace oxygen and create an inert atmosphere. By reducing the presence of oxygen, nitrogen generators help minimize the risk of combustion during the sterilization process, enhancing safety while ensuring the efficacy of the sterilization procedure.
Cryogenic Storage: Cryogenic storage is essential for preserving biological samples, vaccines, and pharmaceuticals. The most widely used Cryogenic preserver is Liquid nitrogen or LN2 due to is low temperatures but also less energy intensive that other cryogenic fluids. By filling the storage containers with LN2, the oxygen content is reduced, minimizing the risk of oxidation and degradation of sensitive medical materials. LN2 is also able to rapidly cool substances placed in it, this speed aids in the preservation process by reducing the size of water crystals formed when freezing maintaining the integrity of biological substances placed herein.
Surgical Applications: In surgical procedures, nitrogen generators play a vital role in powering some of the surgical tools used inside surgical suites. The nitrogen is low humidity and low oxygen ensuring that there is little cause for concern that a tool will seize up during a procedure due to internal corrosion plus the low oxygen at pressure means there is not a possibility of combustion as the tools heat up.
As with anything medical Nitrogen needs to be used where is provides the most benefits to the paitnents and the medical professionals. Whether it's sterilizing medical instruments, cryogenic storage, surgical tools, the utilization of nitrogen in bottles or from generators are one extra item in the arsenal for better healthcare outcomes.
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