Atos Medical Provox Dilator 17 Manual page 16

damage or destroy the device and shall not be
used at any time.
• Make sure that the diameter of the dilator is
adequate for the puncture. Over-dilatation
may result in leakage around the voice
prosthesis.
• Never use excessive force to insert or
remove the dilator from the puncture, this
may cause bleeding or a false route.
• Do not use a contaminated dilator. A
contaminated dilator may cause infection
and inflammation.
• Do not pull the safety medallion during
removal. See Operating instruction.
• Do not use the dilator for a too long period
of time as this may damage the esophagus
(food pipe) wall.
Professional use:
• Patients on anticoagulant therapy should
be carefully evaluated for the risk of
hemorrhage prior to dilatation of the TE
puncture.
Home care use:
To reduce the risk of infection:
• Make sure that your hands are thoroughly
clean and dry before using your hands in
the area of your tracheostoma, and before
handling your voice prosthesis and/or
accessories
• Clean and disinfect the device after each use
according to instructions in section Cleaning
and sterilization below.
• If the dilator looks dirty or has air dried in a an
area with a risk of contamination the dilator
should be both cleaned and disinfected
before use. A risk of contamination could
exist if the device has been in contact
with a pet, dropped on the floor or other
gross contamination, or if someone has a
respiratory infection.
16