Spartan Medical Inc. broadens Single-Use Sterile Instrument Portfolio to Improve Outcomes, Increase Efficiency, and Generate Cost Savings

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Sep 16, 2024, 09:00 ET

ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Spartan Medical, Inc., a veteran-owned medical solutions company, has expanded the industry's most extensive range of single-use, sterile, pre-packaged (SSP) surgical instruments for use in the Veterans Administration (VA), the Department of Defense (DoD), and select civilian hospitals and Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) nationwide. Spartan's product portfolio of single-use, sterile med tech includes micro and minor surgical convenience kits, kerrison rongeurs, spinal and general surgical retractors, dural repair kits, synthetic biologics, and a wide range of orthopedic pre-sterilized implants and devices.

Spartan Medical Sterile Minor Surgical Kit

In addition to their well-documented ability to reduce Surgical Site Infections (SSI), this set of innovative SSP solutions can substantially reduce the number of reusable trays and instruments per surgery, driving increased Operating Room (OR) throughput, lowering overall costs to re-sterilize while reducing environmental impact.

As Spartan Medical's President Vince Proffitt explained, "when you have the opportunity to not only make the surgery safer for the patient but also improve the efficiency of a hospital's whole surgical system, converting to single-use sterile instruments is a clear winner. Driving surgical innovation doesn't always take the form of a flashy new implant — the most complex part of any surgery is the massive support system required to put the right tools in the right hands, well before they are needed." Using its 'target-backwards' problem-solving methodology, Spartan's SSP portfolio aims to streamline the sterilization, inventory, and set-up costs of preparing an OR for surgery. Mr. Proffitt continued, "improving this broader system is not only the greatest opportunity to improve surgical outcomes but also one of the best avenues to reduce the cost of surgical care."

Single-Use Sterile Instruments Reduce OR Time and Saves Costs

As a key part of its SSP portfolio development, Spartan worked directly with VA and DoD surgeons across the spectrum, from routine procedures to battlefield trauma. The endgame was to build pre-sterilized convenience kits containing the optimal mix of instruments needed for both microsurgical and minorsurgical procedures for the OR, clinic, as well as forward operating locations. Spartan developed customized convenience kits from scratch, based on direct surgeon feedback, in less than 120-days from concept to commercialization. Proffitt added, "We are a solutions-oriented company, and once we understand the surgeon preference, we will source the necessary items to meet the clinical need … and if we can't find it, we'll make it."

Spartan's SSP portfolio helps to reduce sterile processing delays, limits the impact of staff shortages in sterile processing departments, minimizes redundant capital purchases, and ensures required instruments are sterile and ready for use, on time, every time. Single-use instruments can save up to 30 minutes of total OR time,ⁱ reduce OR set-up time by 30%,ⁱⁱand avoid frequent delays in surgery due to reusable instrument unavailability.ⁱⁱⁱ

Single-use sterile instruments' efficiency improvements can dramatically increase OR utilization^iv and patient throughput, facilitating an extra procedure in up to 51% of days.^v They also result in direct cost savings — depending on the surgery type, the avoided staff time and sterilization requirements can save hundreds^vi to well over a thousand dollars^vii per procedure.

Single-Use Instruments Actually Reduce Environmental Impact

It is commonly — mistakenly — understood that sterile, pre-packaged instruments generate a greater environmental impact. In fact, when considering the full sterilization lifecycle and disposable plastic wrapping used to maintain sterility of each reusable metal tray, a published study found, "the environmental impact of [single-use sterile instruments] was significantly lower" than reusable instruments.^viii

Spartan Medical is excited to offer this innovative portfolio of single-use, sterile, pre-packaged surgical instruments as part of its mission to provide the world's finest medical products to our nation—particularly to our soldiers, veterans, and their families. All products and solutions referenced are currently available on contract at VA and DoD medical centers across the country and overseas.

About Spartan Medical, Inc.
Spartan Medical is a veteran-owned-and-operated government contractor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other local, state, and federal agencies. All senior executives have held leadership positions in both the public and private sector and employ the core strengths of solving complex problems through creative thinking, innovative solutions, and highly skilled flexible teams. Spartan Medical maintains its vanguard position by providing medical facilities with A-to-Z solutions that improve patient care and outcomes, especially for America's military and veteran communities. For ordering, specification, or further information, please contact our Customer Service team at [email protected] or call 888-240-8091.

Media Contact:
Sophia Morales
888-240-8091
[email protected]

ⁱ Siegel, G. W., et al. Cost Analysis and Surgical Site Infection Rates in Total Knee Arthroplasty Comparing Traditional vs. Single-Use Instrumentation. J Arthroplasty 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2015.05.037

ⁱⁱRomero, M, et al. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Palermo, citing Bugbee, et al. Single use instruments for implanting a contemporary total knee arthroplasty system are accurate, efficient, and safe. J Arthroplasty 2020: https://ljkzedo.ba/mgpdf/mg34/47_Romeo_1321_A.pdf

ⁱⁱⁱBouthors, C, et al. Single-use versus reusable medical devices in spinal fusion surgery: a hospital micro-costing analysis. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol. 2019 Dec: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31350650/

^ivRomero, M, et al. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Palermo, citing Bugbee, et al. Single use instruments for implanting a contemporary total knee arthroplasty system are accurate, efficient, and safe. J Arthroplasty 2020: https://ljkzedo.ba/mgpdf/mg34/47_Romeo_1321_A.pdf

^v Goldberg, M., et al., Logistical and Economic Advantages of Sterile-Packed, Single-Use Instruments for Total Knee Arthroplasty. Health Policy & Economics, Vol. 34, Issue 9. September 2019 (Additional procedure made possible in 51% of ORs with a 12-hour operating day). https://www.arthroplastyjournal.org/article/S0883-5403(19)30234-7/fulltext

^vi See Note 2, citing Siegel, et al. Cost analysis and surgical site infection rates in total knee arthroplasty comparing traditional vs. single-use instrumentation. J. Arthroplasty 2015 ($480-$600 savings per procedure).

^vii Goldberg, M., et al., Logistical and Economic Advantages of Sterile-Packed, Single-Use Instruments for Total Knee Arthroplasty. Health Policy & Economics, Vol. 34, Issue 9. September 2019 (average savings of $1,198 per procedure). https://www.arthroplastyjournal.org/article/S0883-5403(19)30234-7/fulltext

^viii Life cycle assessment of a disposable and reusable surgery instrument set for spinal fusion surgeries. A Leiden, et al. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, May 2020. Available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344920300264

SOURCE Spartan Medical Inc.