How to Ensure Your Medical Device’s Effectiveness is Not Compromised

The medical industry continues to produce increasingly fine-tuned devices capable of fine-tuned measurement, delicate handling, or intricate work.

At the same time, many of these instruments are increasingly fragile, and are often very susceptible to changes in their environment, especially during shipping or storage. As a medical device manufacturer or supplier, you may face the growing challenge of protecting your devices from environmental damage and degradation during shipping and storage. A vacuum sealer can help you prevent many of the issues that may cause your instruments to lose effectiveness.

Elements present in the air can compromise the functionality of many types of medical devices. Moisture and oxygen create an environment in which bacteria and mold can thrive, and can alter the chemistry of embedded pharmacopeia. Devices with sensitive optics or electronics can be damaged by the presence of dust or particulate matter in the air. In all of these cases, damage and deterioration can be prevented by controlling the atmosphere in which a medical device is kept until it reaches its point of use.

Sealing your devices’ packaging with a vacuum sealer allows you to fine-tune the environment in which the device is kept until it is needed.

The V-402 series vacuum sealer has an internal air compressor, eliminating the need to attach an external air supply. Because air compressors can generate moisture through condensation, it also comes standard with a dry filter that removes water droplets from the air and filters out dust and particulates before they can reach the vacuum pump or piping within the vacuum sealer. Users can individually tune the pressure inside the bags being sealed, for optimal precision; values can also be pre-programmed with the pressures established during the validation procedure, making it easy to ensure uniform vacuum pressure and packaging for identical items.

Transportation and shipping presents another set of challenges for the functionality of your devices. Even the most carefully packed boxes and crates can allow their contents to slide and jostle about in transit, as packing materials settle and boxes are loaded or unloaded. If you use one of the more common package delivery companies, you have probably already experienced the sometimes cavalier attitude with which parcel handlers approach the word “fragile.” For delicate instruments and devices, even minor chafing or slippage can result in damage to the device. A vacuum sealer does more than control the environment in which your device travels; it also draws the plastic bag tightly around the device, stabilizing it against the sort of slippage or rubbing that can cause damage.

If your company produces or supplies a wide variety of medical devices, some of them may benefit from vacuum sealing more than others.

Fortunately, the V-402 vacuum sealer is versatile, allowing you to choose whether a vacuum is necessary for an individual device when sealing it. Fragile or sensitive devices can be vacuum-sealed, and you can select the seal-only mode option for more durable items.

The V-402 is an impulse sealer, which has certain advantages over other types of vacuum sealer. Unlike constant heat sealers in which the heating element remains hot at all times, the sealing bar of the V-402 only becomes hot when activated to seal a package using the foot pedal. This offers a distinct set of advantage over constant heat models. Impulse sealers are much more energy efficient, as the current is only traveling through the sealing bar while a bag is being sealed; also, as the bar heats up instantly when activated, there is no energy wasting warm-up time. The fact that the sealing bar is only hot while in use is an important safety feature, significantly reducing the risk of burn injuries compared to constant heat models. The bag remains in place under the sealing bar even after the current is removed and the bar cools, allowing the bag to cool and fuse under pressure for a smooth and even seal.

The recipients of your medical products and devices rely on them arriving in optimal working condition, and there are so many things that can go wrong once a device is shipped and is out of your hands. Environmental conditions inside the packaging can deteriorate pharmacological or electronic components and degrade the effectiveness of the device, or careless handling on the part of the delivery company can cause shifting and movement that can lead to damage. However, using a vacuum sealer to pack and seal your devices before they are transported to their point of use can help prevent much of this damage by removing moisture, dust, and oxygen from around the device and securing it against friction and sliding. When your devices arrive at their destinations intact, you are better able to fulfill your clients’ trust and secure your reputation as a reliable supplier of the equipment they need.