Bahir Dar University

CMHS
School of Pharmacy
Medical Supplies, Equipment’s & Reagents

Course code: Phar4163

Course ECTS: 3
By: Tefera M.(B.Pharm,
MSc.
Email:
[email protected]
m
1 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 Course outline
1. Medical Supplies and Equipment
Definition of Terms
Surgical Dressings
Medicinal Gases
Other Medical Supplies
Sutures and Ligatures
 Infection Control, Sterilization and Care of Surgical
Instruments
 Equipment used in Surgery, Anaesthesia,
Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, ENT (Group
Assignment).
2 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 Outline……
2. Diagnostic Supplies and Reagents
Different Diagnostic Supplies
Diagnostic Imaging Drugs
Non-Imaging In-Vivo Diagnostic Drugs.
Reagents Used in the Medical Laboratory
Self-Care Diagnostic Devices
3. Medical Supplies and Equipment's used in Veterinary Medicine
(Reading Assignment)
 Peculiar characteristics of Supplies Used in Veterinary Medicine
 Equipments Used for Oral Administration of Drugs
 Equipments Used for Intravenous Administration
 Materials Used for Administration of Topical Medication

3 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Assessment mechanisms
 Quiz -10%
 Assignment - 15%
 Mid - 35%
 Final exam - 40%

4 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 1. Medical Supplies and Equipment’s

5 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Brain Storming

Health Care with out Health Technology???

6 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Introduction
 Health technology (medical devices or drugs) has become a
critical component of health care
it enables health-care providers to diagnose, treat, monitor
and provide therapy to patients within an appropriate
environment of care.
 Drugs, medical supplies and equipment account for a high
proportion of health care costs.
 Health services need to choose appropriate supplies, and
equipment to:
 meet priority health needs
 avoid wasting limited resources.
7 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 Definitions
 Health technology: the application of organized knowledge
and skills in the form of devices, medicines, vaccines,
procedures and systems
developed to solve a health problem and improve quality
of life.
 Medical device: an instrument, apparatus or machine that
is used for:
 the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness or disease
 detecting, measuring, restoring, correcting or modifying the
structure or function of the body for some health purpose.
8 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 Medical device classification

9 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Ethiopia

10 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Cont’d…

 Medical equipment: subset of medical devices that used

to diagnosis and treatment of disease or rehabilitation
following disease or injury;
it can be used either alone or in combination with
other.
 It is capital equipment and durable items that last for
several years, e.g. beds, examination tables, sterilizers,
microscopes.
it excludes implantable, disposable or single-use medical
devices.
11 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
  Supplies: are items that need replacing on a
routine basis, including:
 Consumables: are essential for an item to
perform its basic function, e.g. immersion oil is
essential for microscopes.
 are also items that are used within a short time, e.g.
cotton wool.
 Disposables: are items designed for single use.
 should only be used once and not be re-used. e.g.
disposable syringes and needles
 Reusables: are items designed to be used more
12 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
than once.
  Cleaning: the process of removing visible material, such as
dirt, grease, blood and body fluids and reducing the number
of infectious micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and
spores).
 Disinfection: the process of removing or reducing the number
of micro-organisms to levels that are no longer harmful.
It kills viruses, fungi and bacteria but not spores such as tetanus.
It is safe for items that are used for some purposes but not for
those where all organisms must be destroyed.
 Sterilization: the process of destroying or removing all forms
of living organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and
spores.
13 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
  Reagents: are chemicals and biological agents
that are used in laboratory testing for detecting or
measuring an analyte, the substance being
measured or determined.
It can be further subcategorized into liquid and
solid reagents.
E.g. reagents for hematologic tests, immunological
tests, clinical chemistry tests, parasitological
test, microbiological test…
14 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 Surgical Dressings

15 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

  Surgical dressing: a term applied to a wide
range of materials used for dressing wounds or
injured or diseased tissues.
 They are used as coverings, absorbents,
protective or supports for injured or diseased
tissues.

16 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Functions:
 Provide an environment for moist wound
healing
 Prevent maceration by permitting evaporation
or absorption
 Reduce heat loss, odor, pain (increase patient
comfort)
 Provide compression and reducing edema
 Provide mechanical support
 Improve appearance of the wound site
17 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Selection of a wound Dressing
 surgical dressing should be selected based on:
 the degree of exudation
 presence of likelihood of infection
 anatomical site
 the state of wound repair

18 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Ideal Wound Dressings

19 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Surgical dressings classification
 Primary dressing: is the initial layer come into
direct contact with the wound surface (usually
reinforced to absorb the wound secretion)
 Provide absorptive capacity of secondary dressing
 Prevent desiccation and infection
 Prevent adhesion of the secondary dressing to the
wound.
E.g., Plain gauze, Impregnated gauze, Film
dressing…
20 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 Cont’d…
 Secondary dressing: placed over a primary
dressing
Provide further protection, absorptive capacity,
compression (firmness) or occlusion.
E.g., surgical cotton (absorbent), surgical gauze,
bandages, adhesive tapes…
 Some dressings are solely primary or secondary
in nature, others have the characteristics of
both.
21 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 Primary dressings
1. Plain gauze
Stick to all but clean, incised wounds
Although this property has been used to
debride exudative, infected, and necrotic
wounds, this practice may be painful and is
often counter productive, causing the removal of
granulation tissue and new epithelium

22 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 2. Impregnated gauze
 Impregnation used to reduce its adherence to wounds
 Cotton, rayon, or cellulose acetate gauze has
been impregnated
 Coatings may wear off, necessitating a dressing
change
When used with an appropriate secondary
dressing, these dressings may be used in heavily
exudating wounds
23 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 3. Film dressing:
 Transparent film, occlusive or semi occlusive
 Made of films of polyurethane with acrylic or polyether adhesives.
 Semipermeable membrane to water vapor & oxygen and yet are
water proof
 Permits bathing and observation of the wound
 In lightly exuding wounds ,they permit enough evaporation to
promote moist wound healing & prevent maceration
 Shouldn’t be used in infected or heavily exuding wounds.
 they may wrinkle, forming channels for microbial entrance
 poor absorptive capacity

24 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Secondary dressings
Include: absorbents, bandages and adhesive tapes
1)Absorbents:
 Required to absorb and retain a wide range of fluids
from the blood and serous exudate of damaged tissue
Surgical cotton, surgical gauzes,…
 They are available in a number of forms:
 Fibrous (staple) absorbents
 Fabric absorbents
 Fiber plus fabric absorbents
 Wound dressing pads
25 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 A. Surgical cotton:
 Absorbent cotton is a practically pure, white cellulose fiber
 Prepared from the raw by processes that remove natural
waxes and all impurities (making hydrophilic)
rendered absorbent
 It absorbs water readily
Its absorbency may decrease by prolonged storage,
moisture, heat, dust
absorbent cotton is available in the form of rolls and balls

26 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Cont’d…
 Raw cotton fiber, mechanically cleaned of dirt
and carded into layers but not otherwise
treated, has a limited use for padding &
covering of unbroken surfaces
Purposes:
Absorbing wound exudates
Cleansing wounds, applying bactericidal
solution to the skin before surgery and in
obstetrics.
27 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 B. Surgical gauze:
 It is also known as “Absorbent Gauze USP”.
 It is a soft cotton cloth of plain weave
It Used to provide an absorbent material of
sufficient tensile strength for surgical dressings
Classified based on its mesh or number of threads
per inch
The closer-meshed gauze is required for extra
strength and greater protection.

28 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 2)Bandages:
A bandage is a piece of material used either to
support a medical device such as a dressing or
splint, or on its own to provide support to the
body.
Used to hold dressings in place by providing
support or pressure.
Could be elastic or inelastic or rigid to be applied
after shaping for immobilization

29 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Purposes:
 To prevent contamination of wound by holding
dressings in position.
 To provide support to the part that is injured,
dislocated joint.
 To prevent & control hemorrhage.
 To restrict movement/immobilize a fracture or a
dislocation.
 To maintain pressure e.g. elastic bandages
30
applied to the improve venous return.
Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 1. Common gauze roller bandages
each bandage is in one continuous
piece, tightly rolled and substantially free from
loose threads
Made from absorbent gauze

31 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 2. Muslin bandage rolls
 are made of heavier unbleached material

 very strong and used wherever gauze bandages do not

provide sufficient strength or support
 Frequently used to hold splints or bulky compression
dressings in place

32 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 3.Elastic bandages: are made in several types
a. Woven elastic bandage
 is made of heavy elastic webbing containing rubber
threads
 good support & pressure are provided by this type

b. Crepe bandage
 It is elastic but contains no rubber
 Its elasticity is due to a special weave that allows it to
stretch to particularly twice its length

33 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Crepe bandage……
 Its elasticity makes it especially serviceable in
bandaging varicose veins, sprains, etc
 Because it conforms closely to skin or joint
services, lies flat and yet allows limited motion
and stretches in the case of swelling so that
circulation is not impaired

34 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 c. High-Bulk Bandage
is made of multiple layers (typically six) of
crimped cotton gauze
the high bulk is designed to provide padding
protection in wound dressing applications
also provides the absorbent capacity of a cotton
dressing component

35 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 d. Compression Bandage
It is composed of cotton knitted or woven with either
viscose, polyurethane, nylon, or elasthane threads
Comfortable and easy to apply
Used primarily to maintain controlled levels of
pressure when compression therapy is required
They should be utilized with caution on patients with
marked peripheral ischemia or impaired arterial blood
supply
Example; Tensopress, Yeinopress, Setopress
36 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 4. Triangular bandages (Cravat bandage)
Made by cutting a square of bleached muslin
diagonally from corner to corner, forming two right
triangles of equal size & shape
Its used in first aid work for head dressings and arm
slings and as temporary splints for broken bones
It is used for maintaining compressions on a head
wound for keeping body parts, such as shoulders,
stationary during the healing process
37 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 5. Tube bandages
Applied using an applicator, & is woven in a
continuous
circle
Used to hold dressings or splints onto limbs, or to
provide
support to sprains, and it stops the bleeding

38 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 6.Orthopedic bandages
used to provide immobilization and support
in the treatment of broken bones and in
certain conditions of bones & joints
 Plaster of Paris - impregnated gauze, has
been the standard material for this purpose
more recently introduced are synthetic cast
materials made of polyester, cotton or
fiberglass
39 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 III. Adhesive tapes
 Adhesive tapes available today may be
divided into two broad categories:
 those with a rubber-based
adhesive &
 those with an acrylate
adhesive

40 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 Rubber adhesives are commonly used when
strength of backing, superior adhesion and
economy are required; e.g., athletic strapping
Acrylate adhesives are used widely in surgical
dressing applications, when reduced skin
trauma is required, as in operative &
postoperative procedures

41 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 A. Acrylate adhesives
have been accepted widely for use as surgical
tapes, owing largely to what may be termed
their hypoallergenic nature
have a non woven or fabric backing
the acrylics have an excellent shelf-life because
they are not affected by heat, light, or air;
factors that tend to degrade rubber-base
adhesives
42 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
  Acrylate adhesives combine the proper balance
of tack and long-term adhesion
 their molecular structure permits the passage
of water vapor, so they are non-occlusive and
thus when coated on a porous backing material
do not cause over-hydration in the stratum
corneum
 skin moisture passes normally through
adhesive & backing material
43 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
 A. Rubber-Based Adhesives
 they are backed with cloth & plastic
 Used principally where heavy support & a high
level of adhesion are required
 the adhesive tape masses consist:
Elastomer
Rosin or modified rosin
Antioxidants
Plasticizers
Fillers& Coloring agents
44 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025
  Dressings may also be classified as:
1. Fibers e.g. cotton
2. Fabrics e.g. Absorbent Gauze
3. Bandages e.g. Elastic Bandages
4. Self adhesive plasters e.g. ZnO plasters
5. Compound dressings

45 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025

 !!!
ks
a n
T h

46 Tefera M. (B.Pharm, MSc) 04/25/2025