Indiana Hospital is First in the U.S. to Acquire New STERRAD 200 System From ASP

IRVINE, Calif. -- Advanced Sterilization Products

(ASP), a division of Ethicon, Inc., and a leading developer of

instrument processing technologies, today announced that Clarian

Health Partners' Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis is the first

hospital in the United States to acquire a STERRAD 200 System, a

new large-capacity, low-temperature sterilization system designed to

meet the demands of high-volume healthcare facilities.

The new STERRAD 200 System, which received Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) marketing clearance in August 2003, utilizes the same

proven hydrogen peroxide gas plasma technology developed by ASP for

the STERRAD 100S and STERRAD 50 Systems. It features a large-capacity

chamber that can quickly process 150 liters in just 75 minutes,

increasing efficiency and helping to reduce costs for healthcare

facilities. The STERRAD 200 System was installed at Methodist Hospital

Jan. 20, 2004.

"We are pleased that Methodist Hospital is the first U.S. user of

the new STERRAD 200 System," said Larry Creech, vice president of

perioperative services for Clarian Health Partners. "We are very

familiar with the STERRAD System, having used the technology since

1995. The new system will play a key role in processing our large

inventory of expensive and delicate medical devices and surgical

instruments. Last year alone, we spent almost $1 million on new

instruments. In addition, its large volume will translate into cost

savings on a per-load basis. With the new system, we expect to save

more than $100,000 annually, while increasing efficiency and enhancing

patient and employee safety."

According to JoEllen Barr, director of OR support services for

Clarian, the acquisition of the STERRAD 200 System also is a logical

move for the hospital based on the high volume of instruments

processed each day. "The unit is in the central sterile processing

area, which supports both surgical and clinical areas of the hospital,

so its large capacity is a key benefit," Barr said. "In addition, it

supports Clarian's continuing focus and national leadership on patient

and employee safety. Our goal is to eliminate the use of ethylene

oxide (EtO), which is a toxic substance and requires special venting.

The EtO process is lengthy and requires several hours of aeration to

eliminate the possibility of toxic residues on sterilized items. There

is significant expense associated with environmental monitoring of

work areas utilizing EtO to ensure the safety of sterile processing

staff. As a result, we continually evaluate what items can be moved

from EtO to the STERRAD System."

The STERRAD 200 System's cycle time is up to 12 times faster than

an EtO cycle, providing rapid instrument turnaround and increasing

utilization of heat- and moisture-sensitive devices. The large chamber

size enhances efficiency by increasing the amount of instruments

processed in a cycle, reducing the staff time needed to load and

unload the chamber.

According to Santi Corsaro, worldwide president of ASP, the

company is pleased and proud to have Methodist Hospital as the first

medical center in the United States to use the STERRAD 200 System.

"Methodist Hospital is a top-level medical center committed to

providing the highest quality patient care," Corsaro said. "Its focus

on innovation and leading-edge technology is reflected by its

acquisition of the STERRAD 200, and we are confident the system will

contribute to increased productivity and efficiency at Methodist."

The STERRAD Sterilization System, which is compatible with a wide

range of medical devices and surgical instruments, is based on a

patented process involving the generation of low-temperature gas

plasma from hydrogen peroxide. The system is safe for staff, patients,

and the environment; its by-products are ordinary oxygen and water.

The STERRAD 200 System is designed to leave no toxic residues on surgical

instruments or equipment, eliminating the need for a lengthy aeration

phase, and sterile instruments may be used immediately following the

sterilization cycle or stored for use when needed. Currently, there

are more than 6,000 units in use worldwide, and 23.3 million cycles

have been safely run to date.

Methodist Hospital, a part of Clarian Health Partners, is one of

only two regional Level 1 trauma centers in Indiana, has 775 staffed

beds, and is one of the largest teaching hospitals in the area. The

hospital specializes in numerous treatment areas, including adult

cardiovascular services provided in the new Clarian Cardiovascular

Center. Methodist physicians and staff performed the first open-heart

surgery in Indiana in 1965. The hospital also is considered a

neurosurgery center of excellence, as well as an expert in organ

transplantation, urology, neurology, orthopedics, and pediatrics.

Methodist also staffs the LifeLine helicopter ambulances and houses

the Indiana Poison Center.

Advanced Sterilization Products, a division of Ethicon, Inc., a

Johnson & Johnson company, manufactures and markets a full range of

innovative sterilization and disinfection technologies that safely and

effectively meet the needs of healthcare providers and patients alike.