How to decontaminate your ultrasound device after imaging COVID-19 patients

SARS-CoV-2 is known to survive on hard surfaces for a few hours and up to several days. So how do you effectively decontaminate your ultrasound device between patients in order to avoid cross-infection? In this video, from our COVID Mini: Handheld Echocardiography course, you'll learn a systematic method for cleaning your device that will keep you and your patients safe.

After completing this course, you will know how to use point-of-care cardiac ultrasound to rapidly assess hemodynamic effects to guide your management of COVID-19, while preventing cross-infection.

In this Medmastery lesson, we will discuss the importance of decontaminating handheld devices when scanning patients with suspected or proven coronavirus infection. There is evolving evidence that the novel coronavirus can survive on hard surfaces from hours to days, therefore it is important to consider appropriate and thorough decontamination of the device when used in between patients.

Firstly, check the manufacturer's instructions that the cleaning products will not harm your equipment. Consideration should be given to the appropriate vendor approved cleaning products to sufficiently decontaminate the equipment. If there is any doubt contact the manufacturer. Second, check that the cleaning product you're using has the correct ingredients and sufficient quantities for effective decontamination of the SARS coronavirus two.

Ingredients such as sodium hypochlorite and 70% isopropyl alcohol if safe to use for the device can be used to clean the equipment between patients, ensuring there is enough contact time for the agent. Whilst disinfecting these devices, PP should be worn within designated areas to minimize the risk of cross infection.

You may also consider designating specific scanners to be used only in certain clinical areas to prevent transferring a communicable disease around the healthcare environment. For example, the scanners used on the COVID ward might be used exclusively on that ward and not used elsewhere in the hospital.

As always, it is important to practice standard infection control measures, such as thorough hand washing for at least 20 seconds after touching the device, to minimize the spread of infection.