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I was wondering if anyone knows what the recommended infection control guidelines are for when a nail drill should be serviced.

We have a Berchtold S 35 drill and upon discussion in the workplace there is no agreement whether or not drills should be serviced on a regular basis.

Does anyone service their nail drill regularly like a steriliser? Or is the nail drill only serviced when there is an apparent fault?

Looking forward to your recommendations

Tracy

I don't know of any specific guidelines around the issue of infection control, however all staff are respossible for the regular cleaning of the hand piece, wiping it between patients, checking the mesh filter and changing of the dust bags. (sounds obvious, but you would be surprised at how many complain their drill is not working only to find the dust bag is full!!) Also the silver part of the handpiece can be sterilised, which we try to do at the end of a session.

Ideally we would like to have all our drills serviced regularly on an annual basis, but in reality it actually happens every other year. (Canonbury do it for us, with a two week turnaround time). The difficulties we have in getting them done more often is down to logistics of getting the staff to let them go long enough and also getting them dropped off to a central point for sending off, not to mention collection when they come back.


Nikki

Hi Does anyone know a supplier of suda nail drill bags in oz? I have tried the big two suppliers and they dont know( or dont keep them)
many thanks

If you want to save dust bags, try reverse sucking the dust out through a vacuum cleaner fitted with bug filters of course. Regarding servicing, I've seen advice suggesting a yearly return to suppliers. If you look at the bank statement you'll realise the cheapest policy is to have two drills and wait until one fails and then send it back. Like cars, there's a lucrative market returning to main agents when there's no need to.

Hi Timbo

Any joy in finding Suda dust bags? we have a couple of the drills but am rapidly running out of bags?

Regards
Stuart Blyth

repairsonly (thats us) repairs all brands of Nail Drills in Australia. We can supply Filter Bags for most brands and models. Please visit our website www.repairsonly.com.au Routine maintenance is a good practice and leads to longer machine life and less downtime. If a drill is 'run into the ground', the repair costs are much higher because minor problems become larger problems, and in turn create new problems. We offer a 'Routine Service' for $99. This includes bearing replacements, electrical testing, adjustments/calibration and full cleaning and inspection. Turnaround time is usually 24 hours depending on parts availability.

Hi, has anyone out looked at applying dental/vet drills to podiatry? I have recently tried the exercise. The vet dental drill (pneumatic drives) have both extraction (dust removal) and irrigation (chlorhex solution) systems. However, for to have extraction then you need high speed hand piece 20000+ rpm. Much greater than I would use.

I use a dental drill bien air with spray and a dental turbine (200 000 rpm).



This is a Patient Chair f1 3000 fixable floor from Guy Capron.
With the spray, I don't need extraction dust.

Hi, we also have the berchtold drills. I recently took off the covers, overlying the inside electronics is foam, amasing what a vacuum of that did!. Depends on how often the dust bag has been changed as to the inside state.

AK Surgical in Melbourne did stock SUDA drills and supplies? Not sure if they still do but worth a phone call

Good luck

__________________
Heather J Bassett
137 Wheatsheaf Road
Glenroy 3046
Victoria
Australia

Repairs Only (that's me!) repairs all brands of Podiatry Drills (www.repairsonly.com.au ). In relation to a comment regarding an accumulation of dust inside a drill, I consider this to be a problem with most brands of drill. The filter bag is only capable of capturing the largest of the nail dust particles. Some micro-fine dust manages to get through. This dust travels through the vacuum motor, and is 'splattered' throughout the inside of the unit, and over sensitive electronic components.. Apart from the nail dust, other products from the vacuum motor such as copper and carbon are also deposited primarily inside the machine, and are also blown out through the vents and into the air you breathe. In relation to the build-up of deposits within the machine, I have actually seen the beginnings of a fire inside a well known brand of drill- the carbon deposits were causing arcing between 240 Volt components. DBS medical (dbsmedical.com) are soon to release a Podiatry Drill which has an exhaust system that is directed into a second 'activated carbon filter'. This means there are no deposits of nail dust, carbon or copper inside the machine, or in the air that you and your patients breathe.

Technician,

Thanks for the information on the new drill.

Any information if this will be available to the UK market?

Regards,

__________________
:)
twirly

Mandy Brooks
Brooks Podiatry
S64 0DE

Suffering a fondness for odd things.

Hi Twirly, Yes, I understand that the Avalon drills will be available in the UK. If you send an e-mail to my address (richard@repairsonly.com.au), I will forward a picture of it. Regards, Richard

My understanding is that the Berchtold S35 handpiece should be deassembled on a regular basis. One Pod that I worked for insisted on doing this daily. I thought that was overkill and that it might damage the handpiece. We do this mnthly which I think is a bit too long. Briggate will service the handpiece if required. Didn't know of any sterilisation prorocol. Didn't think the handpiece could be autoclaved.
Cheers Lorraine

Hi Lorraine.
Your post is very interesting,servicing,cleaning(disinfecting),steri lising,from my point of view these are all seperate functions and all should be regularly attended to.Servicing,requires a general dismantling of the complete drill ,checking the suction motor for potential faults i.e. worn carbon brushes,commutator wear,worn bearings and excess carbon deposits which can arc and burn out the motor.
The printed circuit board (pcb)should be cleaned and power values should be checked ,particularly if a dust bag has had excessive nail dust inside the bag and exited back into the motor''white christmas''.
The handpiece,it gets dropped ,caught in gloves,has to suffer bent burs worn mandrels and lack of lubrication,no doubt this is why they should be dismantled and serviced also.Cleaning/disinfecting generally removal of dust shrouds to clean excess dust from around the handpiece,the suction tube between the console should also be shaken to remove any dust caught in the bends or corrugations of the tube.
Sterilisation,Australian standards 4187-1994,section 12.4.4 indicates that handpieces used in podiatry should sterilised after each use,this,in my opinion has only been practical with high speed(350,000rpm)dental and surgical handpieces ,where the clinic may have numerous units which are used and lubricated then sterilised after each use.Podiatry handpieces ,unless stamped autoclavable 134oC should not be autoclaved as very few inner components are stainless and will rust causing overheating and siezure.
Current standards,4187 and 4815 relate to handpieces used for "invasive"Podiatry should be autoclaved after each use I feel that comment relates to high speed surgical handpieces,sagital saws and more technical equipment used in more complex procedures other than general podiatry.
Perhaps someone out there could clarify the word "invasive" within this context.
Servicing-every 12 months
Cleaning-each day,perhaps even between clients with a cotton bud to dislodge
nail dust adhering to the inner surfaces of the suction cowling .
Sterilising-multiple handpieces,lubrication before sterilising,should only be attempted within a class "B"steriliser.
Test&Tag- A test&tag should be carried out at the time of service also,do not confuse this with a service
How many times a year is your car serviced ?

Regards Alan