EDGE Surgical Launches Universal Depth Gauge – A Breakthrough in Orthopedics

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  • The Top 5 Reasons to STOP Using Reusable Depth Gauges in Foot and Ankle Surgery

    The Top 5 Reasons to STOP Using Reusable Depth Gauges in Foot and Ankle Surgery

    Orthopedic foot and ankle surgery demands precision. For example, accurate measurement and screw selection directly impacts fixation stability, joint function, and patient recovery. While many surgeons still rely on traditional reusable depth gauges—tools that introduce avoidable risks and inefficiencies – the tide is turning. It’s time to move beyond these outdated instruments. Here are the top five reasons to leading orthopedic surgeons and moving away from reusable depth gauges.

    1. It’s inaccurate and wasting OR time

    Reusable depth gauges are prone to measurement errors that can lead to longer procedures, potentially wasted screws, and the need for additional imaging.

    Studies show that manual gauges often lead to screw changes intraoperatively, adding time under anesthesia.

    In the tight, complex anatomy of the foot and ankle—where millimeters matter for avoiding tendon irritation or joint penetration—inaccuracy can impact down workflow. An electronic, digital, single-use alternative like EDG®  deliver clear, digital readings that eliminate mismeasurement, keeping cases on schedule.

    2. It may not be as clean and sterile as you think, increasing infection risk

    Reprocessing reusable depth gauges is more challenging than it appears. Their narrow lumens and multiple components trap debris. A 2018 study at a major trauma center found that 91.7% of cleaned and sterilized depth gauges failed visual inspection (with debris in the lumen visible via borescope), while biochemical tests detected protein and hemoglobin residues.

    Surgical site infections (SSIs) in foot and ankle procedures already carry high stakes due to poor vascularity in some areas and weight-bearing demands. Even low-level bioburden transfer can contribute to complications. A single-use, sterile depth gauge eliminates this issue entirely—no reprocessing, no residual risk.

    3. The hook is probably bent

    Repeated use, sterilization cycles, and contact with cortical bone gradually deform the slender probe and dull the hook on reusable gauges. A slight bend skews readings, forcing surgeons to double-check or rely on fluoroscopy.

    In foot and ankle cases involving small fragments or delicate plating, this wear undermines confidence. A single-use design maintain a sharp, reliable hook every time, ensuring the hook catches the far cortex accurately without compromise.

    4. Other surgeons have stopped using them

    Leading orthopedic surgeons, particularly in trauma and extremity specialties, are transitioning to single-use electronic depth gauges. Early adopters report smoother workflows, fewer delays, and greater confidence in measurements. Institutions are recognizing that analog gauges are outdated—difficult to sterilize, inaccurate over time, and a source of hidden OR delays and liability.

    Hospitals benefit too: reduced sterile processing department (SPD) burden, fewer tray issues, and lower secondary infection risks. The shift mirrors broader trends toward single-use instruments in orthopedics for safety and efficiency.

    5. Your patients deserve better

    Patients expect the highest standard of care. Using tools known to harbor potential contaminants or deliver inconsistent measurements falls short of that. In foot and ankle surgery, where complications like prominent hardware, nonunion, or infection can prolong recovery and affect mobility, every improvement counts.

    Switching to EDGE Surgical’s Ortho EDG®— a single-use digital depth gauge—provides sterile precision, saves time, and minimizes risks. It’s a small change with outsized benefits for outcomes, efficiency, and peace of mind.

    The evidence is clear: reusable depth gauges introduce unnecessary risk and variability. Foot and ankle surgeons ready to elevate their practice should explore the EDG®. Your OR team, hospital administrators, and—most importantly—your patients will thank you.

    Ready to move to the next generation in depth gauge? Visit us during FPMA 2026 at booth 25 or visit www.edgesurgical.com to learn more about the Ortho EDG® and how it can transform your procedures.

  • Sterile Processing – A Costly Exercise (Part 2)

    Sterile Processing – A Costly Exercise (Part 2)

    In the first part of our series, we look at the challenges facing sterile processing teams as they work with limited resources, complex instructions and tight deadlines to ensure surgical equipment is ready for use.  Now, we’ll look at the impacts and why it’s time for a change.  

    Hospital Impacts Make the News

    With SPD understaffed, struggling with large numbers of IFUs, and being expected to respond quickly, issues can persist, leading not only to patient impacts, but dramatic costs to the hospital.

    Within just the last year, multiple hospitals have had to stop, pause, cancel, delay or relocate surgeries due to issues with non-sterile, contaminated, or improperly processed surgical instruments. These incidents often stem from (SPD) backlogs, staffing shortages, inadequate cleaning, or equipment failures.  Some examples include:

    • UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (Aurora, Colorado) – July 2025 – Colorado’s largest hospital paused all non-emergency surgeries for about a week after state inspectors found hundreds of contaminated surgical instrument sets left unprocessed daily in the SPD. Issues included massive backlogs (17 carts with 11–30 dirty trays each), dried blood/tissue on instruments, biofilm formation from delayed reprocessing, staffing shortages reducing capacity, and failure to follow sterilization protocols.
    • Barnes-Jewish Hospital (St. Louis, Missouri) – Early 2026 – Healthcare workers raised alarms about contaminated/dirty surgical tools and instrument shortages. The hospital acknowledged canceled, delayed, rescheduled, or relocated surgeries (reportedly around 150 impacted, though exact totals varied in coverage). Issues involved sterile processing shortfalls leading to “isolated shortages” of usable instruments. This occurred amid broader whistleblower concerns about SPD practices in the region.
    • Portneuf Medical Center (Pocatello, Idaho) – 2025 – Investigations revealed dirty surgical instruments with visible tissue fragments/biological material during procedures (e.g., one case aborted mid-surgery after contamination on the back table). This led to rescheduled surgeries, patient impacts (including extended hospital stays), increased surgical site infection concerns, and state/federal scrutiny. Whistleblower lawsuits followed, alleging retaliation for reporting SPD failures. Corrective actions included restricting vendor access and “hard stops” for unfamiliar instruments.

    These stoppages likely cost the hospitals tens of millions of dollars, impact patient safety, surgeon dissatisfaction and easily build the case for more single-use, sterile instruments.

    Move to Single-Patient-Use, Sterile Depth Gauges

    A particularly difficult product for sterile processing teams to properly clean and sterilize is the reusable depth gauge.  A staple of plate and screw surgeries for decades, these devices contain nooks and crannies that, even if the IFUs and cleaning instructions are followed, still have a likelihood of retaining some level of contamination, increasing risk to the patient and the hospital.

    The Electronic Depth Gauge (EDG) from EDGE Surgical eliminates the uncertainties of traditional reusable depth gauges.  As the first sterile-packaged, single-patient-use electronic depth gauge, the EDG significantly reduces contamination risk, standardizes measurements, and enhances surgical consistency.

    Featuring a clear digital display, the EDG delivers precise and repeatable depth readings—eliminating guesswork, minimizing repeated measurements, and preventing the use of incorrect screws. Its patented hook design ensures stable placement, providing consistent and accurate results with every use.

    The EDG offers universal compatibility with major plate-and-screw systems used in orthopedic trauma, reconstruction, and extremity procedures. With the EDG, surgeons benefit from a sterile, accurate, and easy-to-read depth gauge every time.

    The EDG is sterile, more precise, easier to read, and purpose-built for the demands of the modern operating room.

    Sterile processing teams perform essential, high-responsibility work under growing constraints. Chronic understaffing, burnout, and the impractical complexity of IFUs create an environment where errors and delays become more likely—ultimately affecting patient safety and hospital operations.

    Single-use sterile devices like the EDG help to alleviate these burdens: simplifying workflows, reducing error-prone steps, and delivering reliable sterility without the constant reprocessing demands.  As healthcare evolves, supporting SPD teams through smarter device choices isn’t just operational—it’s a commitment to the safety and efficiency patients deserve. Hospitals that invest in single-use options may find they not only ease immediate pressures but also achieve stronger long-term outcomes for staff, surgeons, and patients alike.

    Contact us today to start the move to sterile devices.

  • Sterile Processing – A Costly Exercise (Part 1)

    Sterile Processing – A Costly Exercise (Part 1)

    Sterile processing departments (SPDs) are the unseen backbone of safe surgical care. Following surgery, these teams ensure every instrument is properly cleaned, sterilized, and ready for the operating room. Chronic understaffing, overwhelming workloads, and overly complex Instructions for Use (IFU) documents create persistent strain—impacting both staff well-being and patient outcomes. These challenges create risks to both patient safety and hospital liability.   

    In the first part of our two-part blog series, we’ll explore the challenges SPD teams face trying to keep up in the fast-paced surgical environment.  

    The Strain of Understaffing and Overburdened Teams 

    Surgical Directions published a whitepaper, “Unseen but Essential: The Sterile Processing Knowledge Demand and Staffing Crisis”, discussing the impacts these issues in sterile processing are having on patient safety and the hospital. 

    The article notes that the popular assumption that SPD teams are just there to wash tools grossly underestimates the skill and knowledge required to perform the role successfully. It goes on to note that, “Research has found that SSIs occur in 2-5% of all surgical patients and are frequently linked to contaminated instruments or improper sterilization. These infections increase hospital stays, drive up healthcare costs, and in some cases, result in long-term disability or death for patients.”  

    According to an article from Moab Healthcare, “In late 2025 and early 2026, multiple investigative reports exposed what frontline teams have been warning about for years: contaminated, damaged, and improperly reprocessed surgical instruments reaching patients despite prior internal alerts. In each case, corrective actions were eventually implemented—but only after patient risk, operational disruption, and public scrutiny had already occurred.”  

    Understaffing remains one of the most urgent issues facing SPDs. Hospitals frequently report persistent vacancies, with positions staying unfilled for weeks or months due to low pay relative to the job’s demands, limited career advancement, rigorous certification requirements, and physically and mentally taxing work. The result is heightened pressure on existing staff, leading to burnout, reduced morale, and compromised processing quality.  

    Surgical volumes can surge unpredictably, forcing already lean teams to scramble. This often means longer hours, rushed processes, and shortcuts that increase the risk of errors—such as incomplete cleaning or misassembled trays.  

    Under-resourced SPDs also face higher regulatory risks, including Joint Commission citations, and downstream effects like lost revenue and staff dissatisfaction. 

    Complicated, Large Numbers of Instructions for Use (IFU) Documents 

    According to One Tray’s article, “The Anatomy of a Compliant Department, “Despite all the labor and money that goes into writing and reviewing device IFUs, the sad reality is that the majority of Sterile Processing Techs will never get the time or chance to read it.  They follow the standard procedures of their department, maybe not even aware that IFUs exist for all these instruments.  If they have a question about how to wash a particular scope, they go ask their tenured coworker rather than turning to the IFU.  The co-worker shares the “way we’ve always done it,” and they move on.”  

    Even well-staffed teams struggle with the complexity of manufacturer IFUs. These documents often contain contradictory steps, unrealistic expectations (such as precise brushing counts or extended rinsing times that don’t align with real-world time constraints), and varying requirements across instruments—even within the same tray or from the same maker. Specialized tools called for in IFUs may be unlabeled or unavailable, and device designs frequently include hidden lumens, grooves, or cavities that standard cleaning methods can’t fully address.  

    A 2025 study, “Unseen threats: Lumens 2.0 study reveals the hidden challenges of cleaning lumened surgical instruments conducted at a major academic medical center”, highlighted in Infection Control Today , noted that inspection of instruments  with a borescope show contamination ranging from rust colored patches to debris, and persistent contamination after up to 3 rounds of cleaning.  

    In our next post, we’ll look at the impacts the challenges are having on hospitals and what can be done to alleviate the pressures on Sterile Processing.  

  • Mismeasurements in Plate and Screw Surgery are Costing you More than you Realize 

    Mismeasurements in Plate and Screw Surgery are Costing you More than you Realize 

    In orthopedic surgery, precision is critical. One of the factors affecting the success of surgical procedures is the selection of the right-sized screw. Using an incorrect size can not only lead to patient discomfort, potential non-union or the need for revision surgery, but also has a financial impact on the hospital through wasted operating room (OR) time and wasted materials. 

    The Financial Burden of Wasted Screws 

    While numbers can vary, surgical screws can cost as much as $100 in the United States. With the complexity of plate and screw surgeries, Orthopedic surgeons are likely to use multiple screws per procedure, often of different sizes. If an incorrect size screw is selected, it will need to be removed and replaced. Obviously, the surgeon will try to use that screw later in the case, where practical, but it’s not always feasible, resulting in unnecessary expenses in the disposal of the screw. In either case, the time wasted is lost.  

    Consider the scenario where an incorrect screw size is used. If a surgeon needs to switch to a different screw, the cost of the single wasted screw can easily reach $100.  That seems small in the overall cost of healthcare, but what if it occurred multiple times each day?  

    Wasted Operating Room Time 

    Operating room time is one of the most significant costs incurred in healthcare. There are a variety of studies that attempt to calculate the average cost of running an OR in the United States.  A General Surgery News Article estimated the range between $22 to $133 per minute, with an average of about $62 per minute. Extra OR time because of an incorrect size screw leads to prolonged procedures and escalating costs. 

    For instance, a delay of just 15 minutes in an orthopedic procedure can cost, on average, $930 and up to nearly $2000, impacting budgeting for surgical departments. Not only does this financial burden affect the hospital, but it can also disrupt scheduling subsequent surgeries, leading to a domino effect. 

    A Better Depth Gauge Is Needed 

    Incorrect screw selection can be traced back to a single medical device – the traditional, reusable depth gauge.  This instrument has been a staple of orthopedic surgical trays for decades and has seen very little innovation.  In addition to the complexity of cleaning these devices, the reusable depth gauge has been noted to be notoriously difficult to read, creating scenarios where the incorrect screw is selected. 

    With the EDG® from EDGE Surgical, this issue is practically eliminated. The EDG features a digital readout, clearly indicating the measurement for the surgeon to select the proper screw.   

    With investment in advanced technologies, such as the EDG, hospitals can significantly reduce the likelihood of mismeasurement. This not only minimizes wasted resources but also optimizes OR time. If this improves screw sizing accuracy enough to eliminate even half of the mismeasurements, the potential savings could amount to thousands of dollars monthly.  

    Calculating the Potential Costs 

    To understand the financial impact of traditional depth gauges, let’s consider an orthopedic practice where an average of 10 surgeries per week involves screw placement. If, on average, 2 surgeries per week experience delays of 15 minutes and a wasted screw due to mismeasurement that could not be reused, the costs could average about $8000 a month and reach as much as $16000 per month.  

    Conclusion 

    Mismeasurements in orthopedic surgery happen frequently, mainly due to the unreliable, antiquated, reusable depth gauge. In a field where precision is crucial and costs are continuously under scrutiny, investing in accurate measurement tools offers a pathway toward not only improved patient outcomes but also sound fiscal management. Aligning surgical practices with the right tools can ultimately lead to better surgical performance, reducing errors and enhancing patient safety while ensuring that hospital resources are used efficiently. 

    The financial implications of using the wrong size screw in orthopedic surgery can be significant, in both wasted screws and extended operating room time. Adopting the electronic digital depth gauge (EDG) from EDGE can virtually eliminate the issue, saving time and money.

    Visit our calculator to learn more about the impact EDG can have at your hospital.

  • Understanding EDGE’s Universal Depth Gauge: A Deep Dive into Dynamic Calibration Technology  

    Understanding EDGE’s Universal Depth Gauge: A Deep Dive into Dynamic Calibration Technology  

    EDGE recently announced the release of our Universal Depth Gauge, powered by Dynamic Calibration technology.  While the concept is simple, we received a few inquiries about how it works.  Let’s explore this technology to understand how it transforms traditional OR practices and supports major plate and screw systems.  

    Too Many Depth Gauges  

     Open Reduction and Internal Fixation procedures come in many shapes and sizes. The traditional depth gauge, with its rigid analog design, does not handle this variety elegantly, requiring unique depth gauges for every screw diameter, plating system, construct, and manufacturer. These one-dimensional tools are not interchangeable, despite serving the same purpose and often appear virtually indistinguishable from one another. With dozens or even hundreds of depth gauges to manage, non-interchangeable tools are often lost, incorrectly sorted, or damaged. This introduces several challenges:  

    • Risk of Mismeasurement: Surgeons often unknowingly use the wrong depth gauge, leading to inaccuracies and increased risk during the procedure. While it is the responsibility of the surgical team to ensure the right tools are in the OR, visual differences between depth gauges can be challenging to discern.  
    • Sterile Processing Department (SPD) Challenges: Each additional gauge complicates the cleaning and sterilization process. SPD teams must accurately track which gauges belong to which systems, and any mismatch increases the risk of surgical complications. Further, a lack of familiarity with certain designs can exacerbate infection risk, as the disassembly and cleaning procedures can vary significantly.  

    This complexity highlights the need for a more intuitive solution that simplifies surgical workflows.  

    Too Much Complexity  

    Plate and screw vendors offer a variety of systems, requiring dozens of depth gauges to be inventoried. An ankle plate and a wrist plate, both with the same screw diameter, both from the same manufacturer, often require two separate depth gauges to ensure accuracy. This inefficiency challenges the OR team and the SPD team tasked with cleaning, sterilizing, and pairing the right depth gauge to the right system.    

    EDG® Simplifies and Streamlines  

    With the Electronic Depth Gauge by EDGE Surgical, the need for multiple depth gauges is eliminated. Dynamic Calibration enables the surgeon to quickly configure the depth gauge in real-time to match the plate and screw system, regardless of vendor.   

    How it works  

    Each single-patient-use EDG comes with a user-friendly guide conveniently included in the sterile packaging, within reach during the procedure. The surgeon simply matches the vendor to the corresponding calibration setting as listed in the guide; with a single button press, the correct measurement is displayed digitally. This ability to easily switch between calibration settings makes EDG the first universal depth gauge in history, eliminating the need for multiple depth gauges.  

    Eliminating Unnecessary Confusion  

    The Universal Depth Gauge from EDGE Surgical represents an advancement in orthopedic surgery. By harnessing the power of dynamic calibration technology, it not only simplifies the instrumentation needed for complex procedures but also enhances patient safety through improved accuracy.  

    If you’re interested in learning more about how the EDG® can benefit your surgical practice, visit www.edgesurgical.com.   

  • Borescopes: Coming to a Decontamination Area Near You 

    Borescopes: Coming to a Decontamination Area Near You 

    A recent AORN article, Key Takeaways: 3 New Instrument Cleaning Guideline Updates to Improve Sterilization & Safety, highlights new guidelines for care and cleaning of surgical instruments, noting the strengthened recommendations for borescope inspections of instruments.  

    As we noted previously, reusable medical instruments, especially the depth gauge, can be difficult to clean and sterilize, often retaining debris.  The reusable depth gauge is particularly challenging, as it requires disassembly, cleaning, sterilization, and reassembly, adding complexity and risk of missing parts or incorrect assembly.  

    What is a Borescope? 

    With applications across many industries, the borescope is a visual inspection tool for non-destructive testing and optical examination of hard-to-reach areas.  Borescopes have been widely used across industries such as: 

    • Aerospace and Aviation: Used for inspecting aircraft engines, turbines, and other critical components.   
    • Automotive Industry: Inspect internal engine components, such as cylinders and valves, for signs of damage or wear.  
    • Manufacturing: In manufacturing, borescopes inspect the internal surfaces of machined or cast parts.  
    • Oil and Gas: Borescopes are crucial in the oil and gas industry for inspecting pipelines, valves, and other equipment.  

    Borescopes allow for quick assessments of internal conditions, helping to prevent costly breakdowns and ensuring operational safety across these industries and many others.  

    Borescopes in medicine – finding what lies beneath 

    In a recent article in Infection Control Today, “What Lies Beneath: Why Borescopes Are Essential for Verifying Surgical Instrument Cleanliness”, the author highlights the importance of borescopes as “an indispensable tool for sterile processing teams, offering the only reliable way to verify internal cleanliness and improve sterile processing effectiveness to prevent patient harm.”  

    The article notes that IFUs are not always sufficient guidelines for cleaning, and the design of instruments makes cleaning extremely difficult.  The use of borescopes becomes essential for SPD teams to verify internal cleanliness.  

    More time lost in Sterile Processing 

    For cannulated instruments, the cleaning and sterilization process generally involves a labor-intensive process that includes cleaning with a brush and flushing with a bulb syringe.  The introduction of a borescope for inspection created more work, additional tasks to check off, and challenges in quality control. 

    The use of borescopes as part of the inspection process may only be the beginning. Borescopes are becoming a requirement for arthroscopic shavers, and there is an expectation that Frazier and Yankaur suctions are not far behind.  Soon, all long-cannulated Ortho and spine instruments will have these requirements, only adding to the SPD workload.  

    Move to single-patient-use instruments whenever possible 

    The need to use borescopes to verify that medical instruments are clean highlights the larger problem.  Reusable devices quite simply bring an inherent risk.  The SPD team works hard, with limited staff and unreliable IFUs, to clean instruments, many of which are simply too complex to clean. Adding more inspection requirements only increases the burden.  

    Moving to single-patient-use instruments whenever possible.  This ensures sterility, eliminates the need for cleaning, and removes the need to verify cleanliness and sterility with a borescope.   

    The reusable depth gauge is a particularly difficult device to clean.  It only makes sense to switch to the single-patient-use digital depth gauge by EDG(R). Arriving double-packaged, EDG(R) eliminates the risk of contamination that comes from reusable depth gauges, ultimately leading to one less instrument for SPD to clean. 

    Learn more about the digital depth gauge for EDGE Surgical today! 

  • Depth Gauges – A Hidden Cost in Orthopedic Surgery

    Depth Gauges – A Hidden Cost in Orthopedic Surgery

    Lurking in your surgical trays is a device that could be quietly costing your hospital more than a million dollars.  While it is a modest looking instrument, only used for a few minutes during surgery, the reusable depth gauge adds not only costs and risk to orthopedic ORs across the United States, but has impacts that ripple across departments in the hospital including supply chains, sterility processing, and risk management.  It’s time for a change.

    Risk and Cost in the OR

    Nothing frustrates surgeons more, nor creates more danger for a patient than discovering a contaminated instrument. And yet, this happens every day in orthopedic ORs.  Often the source of contamination in the reusable depth gauge.

    Though it looks simple, the depth gauge’s hidden nooks, crannies, and narrow cannulations trap bioburden in places reprocessing tools cannot reach. Well-trained SPD teams struggle to fully clean its internal features, and reassemble all the parts, creating avoidable risk for patients and uncertainty for the surgical team.

    Contaminated surgical instruments led to surgical site infections; they have caused hospitals to suspend surgeries, creating liability risks. [link to other blog post]

    Beyond the risk of infection, OR surgeons often struggle to read the analog measurements from the depth gauge, leading to multiple measurement attempts, wasted screws, or the need to use fluoroscopy on the patient, all extending precious OR time.  Even a 5-minute delay can have a quantifiable impact on the hospital’s bottom line.

    The Burden on the SPD Team

    Sterility processing departments are notoriously understaffed and regularly asked to do more with less.  The depth gauge is a particularly difficult instrument to thoroughly clean and sterilize.  Their intricate moving parts—sliding sleeves, calibrated markings, and tiny crevices—make thorough cleaning challenging. A 2018 study titled “Residual Bioburden After Standard Cleaning of the Reusable Orthopedic Depth Gauge” demonstrated that bioburden residue remained on gauges even after routine cleaning. The investigation uncovered this residue on 16.7% of devices, with 92% failing visual inspection for debris.

    Impact on Patient Experience

    Patients are at the center of everything the hospital does.  Most hospitals have some patient centered mission or value statement as part of their website, for example, Cleveland clinc notes amount their care priorities to, “Care for the patient as if they are your own family.”  This focus on the patient permeates every hospital. 

    The reusable depth gauge adds unnecessary risk to achieving elevated patient care.  Potentially longer surgeries, surgical site infections, and other negative outcomes heighten risk and lessen the patient’s experience.

    EDG® Helps Remove Hidden Costs            

    The Electronic Depth Gauge (EDG) from EDGE Surgical removes the unknowns of the reusable depth gauge. EDG is the first sterile-packaged, single-patient-use electronic depth gauge designed to mitigate contamination risk, standardize measurement, and improve surgical consistency.

    The EDG features a digital display that delivers precise, repeatable depth readings, removing guesswork, reducing repeated measurements, and preventing wasted screws. Its patented hook structure stabilizes placement for consistent and accurate results every time.

    EDG boasts universal compatibility with major plate-and-screw systems used across orthopedic trauma, reconstruction, and extremity procedures.

    With EDG, surgeons are assured of a sterile, accurate, easy-to-read depth gauge.  Supply chain benefits from reduced implant waste and fewer unplanned tray replacements.  SPD gains relief from an instrument they cannot reliably clean.  Risk management and infection prevention gain a clear path to lower exposure.  OR leadership gains a tool that helps keep rooms running on schedule.

    EDG is always sterile, more precise, easier to read, and built for the modern operating room.

    Ready to learn more? Contact Us today!

     

  • Are Your Surgical Tools Really Clean and Sterile? They May Not Be.

    Are Your Surgical Tools Really Clean and Sterile? They May Not Be.

    Surgery is often portrayed as a flawless, high‑tech ballet where every instrument gleams under bright lights, guaranteeing a sterile environment for the patient. Yet a growing body of research—and real‑world incidents—suggests that the reality is far messier. Even after rigorous sterilization protocols, surgical instruments can become contaminated, leading to serious infections, costly lawsuits, and, in tragic cases, loss of life. Below we explore the evidence, highlight notable failures, and discuss why hospitals need to rethink how they guarantee sterility.

    Post‑Sterilization Contamination Is Real

    A 2012 study on Surgical Site Infections Linked to Contaminated Surgical Instruments found a direct correlation between post‑sterilization contamination of instrument sets and an increased rate of surgical site infections in orthopedic and ophthalmic patients. The author’s findings reveal that, even after instruments had left sterilization, microbial analysis showed contamination on packaging and the instruments themselves.

    “Post‑sterilization contamination of sets containing surgical instruments was linked with an increased rate of deep surgical site infections in orthopedic and ophthalmic patients.”

    This finding shatters the assumption that once an instrument is labeled “sterile,” the risk ends there.

    Even Perfect Reprocessing Can Fail Against MDR Pathogens

    The CDC’s 2023 report, Medical Device‑Associated Healthcare Infections: Sterilization and the Potential of Novel Biological Approaches to Ensure Patient Safety, paints an alarming picture. It highlights cases where multidrug‑resistant (MDR) pathogens caused infections despite no identifiable non‑compliance in reprocessing.

    “Alarmingly, medical device HAIs associated with MDR pathogens have occurred where no identifiable non‑compliance in reprocessing occurred.” These incidents that, even when sterile reprocessing is performed following compliant protocols, there is still a risk of contamination.

    Incomplete Disinfection Leads to Person‑to‑Person Transmission

    A 2022 observational study from a major teaching hospital in a resource‑limited country highlighted another dimension of the problem: incomplete disinfection and sterilization can facilitate direct transmission of pathogens between patients.

    “Incomplete disinfection and sterilization of surgical devices have led to person–person transmission through contaminated devices of pathogens.”

    Resource constraints often mean fewer staff, limited equipment, and rushed workflows—all factors that increase the likelihood of missing something.

    Real‑World Consequences: The Porter Adventist Hospital Scandal

    Research and case studies become starkly tangible when we look at actual hospital failures. In 2019, Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver was forced to suspend surgeries after discovering contaminated surgical equipment. The fallout was dramatic:

    The Denver Post coverage highlighted how lapses in tracking, inadequate cleaning validation, and poor staff training culminated in a public health disaster. This incident illustrates that the stakes extend far beyond abstract statistics; lives and livelihoods hang in the balance.

    • Hundreds of infections were traced back to the faulty instruments.
    • At least one death was directly linked to the contamination.
    • The hospital faced >$40 million in lawsuits, a financial hit that dwarfs any internal cost‑saving measures.

    The Dirty Depth Gauge Study: A Micro‑Look at Residual Bioburden

    Even specialized tools aren’t immune. A 2018 study on the Residual Bioburden After Standard Cleaning of the Reusable Orthopedic Depth Gauge revealed measurable microbial remnants after routine cleaning. While the depth gauge is a niche instrument, its contamination mirrors broader trends across the surgical suite.

    This study is a reminder of the limitations of the reusable digital depth gauge.  The device is difficult to clean and sterilize, often requiring a complex disassembly and reassembly, that results in missing or incomplete assemblies.  Even after disassembling, cleaning, sterilizing, and re-assembling, the device has been shown to retain bioburden, putting patients at risk.

    Move to Sterile, Single Use Devices when possible

    With SPD teams pushed to the limit and bioburden concerns across instruments, it only makes good business sense to look for instruments that are sterile packaged for single patient use. 

    Sterile packaging ensures that the instrument arrives not only clean but sterilized and safe to use. This can ultimately relieve the burden of an overworked, understaffed SPD team and ease the concerns of infection control. 

    EDGE saw the issues with existing depth gauges and designed a solution that is easy for surgeons and helps improve patient outcomes. EDG®, the world’s first universal, digital depth gauge, is a sterile, single-patient use depth gauge that not only eliminates contamination concerns but delivers surgical teams a next-generation depth gauge with an easy-to-read display, patented hook, and patent-pending technology to support virtually any plate and screw vendor.

    Ensuring the sterility of reusable instruments is complex and increases risk and liability to the institution.  Moving to sterile, single-use instruments like EDG(R) is the safe, obvious choice.

    Learn how EDG® compares with reusable depth gauges.

  • Are Depth Gauges Costing Your Hospital $1,000,000? Mark Copeland’s Analysis says yes

    Are Depth Gauges Costing Your Hospital $1,000,000? Mark Copeland’s Analysis says yes

    In operating rooms across the country (and the world), orthopedic surgeons are helping their patients return to normal function.  Whether the patient is experiences a fracture of the Distal Radius, Tibial Plateau, Distal Femur, or Distal Humerus, the use of a depth gauge is critical to ensure the proper screw is used to ensure a successful procedure the first time.  

    Depth gauges have been used since as early as the 1940s, improving in accuracy and ergonomics over the last 70+ years.  

    We had the opportunity to speak with Mark Copeland, the Value Analysis Whisperer, who brings more than 20 years of experience in medical devices, about the details of his value analysis on the ‘not so hidden’ costs of traditional depth gauges.  

    Q. What made you investigate Depth Gauges as a cost in Orthopedic Surgeries? 

    Mark Copeland. It’s an interesting story.  The team at EDGe reached out to me with a theory that current, reusable depth gauges were costing hospitals far more than the hospital realized.  I was intrigued.  How could something as presumably simple as a depth gauge be a major cost? While an important part of an Orthopedic Surgery, it’s used for only a few minutes.  Can it really be a hidden cost?  And I was as surprised as anyone when I started my analysis, but it is a significant cost and creates an opportunity for hospitals.   

    Q. What do you see as problems with traditional depth gauges?  

    Mark Copeland. As I started to research, I realized the problems these depth gauges cause are multifactorial.  Depth Gauges are VERY difficult for the sterile processing department (SPD) to clean, and bioburden is often found in the instrument intraoperatively.  This is a major contamination and reportable event and delays the OR during the case.   Furthermore, operating rooms accumulate hundreds of wasted hours remeasuring, inserting and wasting screws and taking repeat X-rays.  Believe it or not, depth gauges are VERY hard to read as they age, and this adds to the surgeon’s frustration and mismeasured screws (and longer OR times and more radiation). 

    Finally, while simple-looking, depth gauges are complicated to disassemble, clean, sterilize and reassemble.  Many look the same but have different Instructions for Use, leading to confusion and errors in Sterile Processing.  This risks falling compliance regarding following the Instructions for Use and are at risk for a finding/citation.  The annual expense by hospitals replacing bent, broken, lost or assembling incompatible depth gauge components alone is surprising.  

    Q. What sort of variables did you consider in creating your analysis?  

    Mark Copeland: To help surgeons and hospitals build a clear business case, I was able to summarize the annual effects of traditional depth gauges to a few areas. Specific to the OR, traditional depth gauges impact the following: 

    • Time lost 
    • Implants wasted 
    • Implant costs 
    • Other Delays 

    For the SPD, I was focused on: 

    • Time 
    • Productivity 
    • Depth Gauges Lost. 

    Other, more difficult variables to quantify, but extremely important to the hospital are the risk of infection and reduction in radiation.   

    Q. With those details, is it really possible that depth gauges can be costing hospitals $1 million a year?  

    Mark Copeland: Yes, absolutely.  Obviously, there are determining variables around that cost, and I work closely with each hospital to use their numbers.  It may actually be higher for a hospital in a major city like New York or Boston, and lower for more rural hospitals, but in both cases the costs are significant and easily create the case for a better depth gauge.  

    Q. So, hospitals may be spending $1 million a year on depth gauges. What should they do?  

    Mark Copeland: Uncovering spending this significant creates a tremendous opportunity for hospitals to re-examine their current depth gauges and explore single-use, digital depth gauges, like EDGe surgical.  The use of a digital depth gauge helps to eliminate many of these costs while eliminating bioburden risks.   

    Q. How can hospitals contact you for an analysis of their operating rooms? 

    Mark Copeland.  Hospitals can visit my website https://www.valueanalysisexpert.com/ and schedule a call with me.   

  • It’s Time to Change Your Depth Gauge – Introducing the Digital Depth Gauge by EDGE  

    It’s Time to Change Your Depth Gauge – Introducing the Digital Depth Gauge by EDGE  

    For far too long, orthopedic surgeons and sterile‑processing teams have been forced to rely on antiquated mechanical depth gauges. These bulky, hard‑to‑read instruments not only slow down procedures but also pose cleaning challenges, increase costs, and elevate the risk of infection for patients. EDGE has responded with a modern, low‑risk alternative: a single‑use digital depth gauge designed specifically for plate and screw surgeries.

    A Century‑Old Tool Meets Modern Demands

    For more than a hundred years, the classic depth gauge has been a staple in the operating room. Its simple, reusable design made it an obvious choice for measuring to determine the length of screws before implantation. Yet the very qualities that once made it indispensable—its metal construction, manual readout, and reusable nature—have become liabilities in today’s fast‑paced, surgical environment.

    Common Pain Points of Traditional Gauges

    • Easily Bent Over Time – The extendable tip is a delicate component that can deform after repeated use, compromising measurement accuracy.
    • Dulling Hook – The hook at the tip wears down, making it harder to catch.
    • Challenging to Clean and Sterilize – Its complex geometry creates hidden crevices where bioburden can linger despite rigorous cleaning protocols.
    • Instructions for Use – “IFU’S” are the new “rules” Sterile Processing must follow and depth gauges are often conspicuously absent from Manufacturer’s Guidance.
    • Different depth gauges – Certain depth gauges should be disassembled before being washed.  Others are designed not to come apart… And telling the difference is nearly impossible for OR and SPD staff alike.
    • Difficult to Read – The analog scale resembles a miniature tape measure; OR lighting creates glare that can make reading the measurement difficult.

    These shortcomings translate into tangible consequences for the operating room, the hospital’s bottom line, and, most importantly, patient outcomes.

    Why Every Minute Matters

    OR time is one of the most expensive resources in healthcare, often approaching $100 per minute depending on the facility. A wasted screw wastes valuable minutes, inflates supply costs, and prolongs anesthesia exposure. When precision is non‑negotiable, minor delays and inefficiencies can have a ripple effect.

    Risks to Patients and Facilities

    • Infection Hazard – Inadequate cleaning of the depth gauge can leave residual bioburden, increasing the chances of a surgical‑site infection (SSI). SSIs frequently require additional interventions, extended hospital stays, and repeat surgeries.
    • IFU Non-Compliance – Oversight teams, such as the Joint Commission, are asking SPD staff to document IFU compliance.  Lack of compliance can lead to a costly, time-consuming and embarrassing citation.
    • Wasted Screws  – Incorrect screw selection leads to discarded implants, driving up material expenses and contributing to unnecessary waste.
    • Workflow Disruption – Re‑measuring interrupts the surgical flow, adding stress and radiation exposure to the team.

    Surgeons, OR managers, SPD teams and patients alike demand a more reliable, sterile solution.

    Enter the EDG® Ortho Digital Depth Gauge

    EDGE’s EDG® Ortho is a single‑use, digital depth gauge that directly addresses the flaws of its traditional predecessor. Adopted by leading orthopedic surgeons, the device delivers key advantages:

    1. Instant, High‑Definition Readout – A bright LCD screen presents measurements in real time, eliminating guesswork even under suboptimal lighting.
    2. Accurate Measurement Eliminates Wasted Screws  – With an easy-to-read, accurate readout, the correct measurement is displayed the first time, eliminating the need to remeasure.
    3. Always Sterile – As a single-use instrument, the EDG Ortho eliminates any bioburden or sterility risks. 

    Collectively, these benefits translate into measurable gains: reduced OR time, lower infection risk, lower fluro exposure/radiation and fewer wasted screws—all of which improve both patient outcomes and can contribute to the financial health of the institution.

    A New Chapter for EDGE Surgical

    We’re thrilled to launch the EDGE Surgical Blog, a space where we’ll share insights on both our product and trends that impact depth gauge technology. Our goal is to share information about EDGE and our digital depth gauge technology and the value it can bring. 

    A digital, single‑use depth gauge is not just a technology upgrade; it’s an investment in the reduction of contamination risk, of wasted screws, and of OR time.

    Learn more about the EDG® Ortho by visiting our product comparison page.