“Surgical instruments that cannot be thoroughly cleaned of debris cannot then be sterilized effectively for patient use.” 1
A Look At The Inside
The development and marketing of new products for medical and surgical device inspection has greatly improved the ability of sterile processing personnel to assess the cleanliness and condition of instruments. We now can see areas, with lighted magnification, that we were unable to visualize before.
What you might see on the inside – MAGNIFIED
Cleaning is not always successful
This image shows remaining bioburden/fat after “successful” decontamination following the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning, then performing a 3-in-1 test for lumen devices to verify the cleaning process.
Here are the results of one study with a summary of findings at three clinical sites.
- In total, 118 suction instruments were inspected with a borescope after reprocessing.
- Only 23 of the 118 (20%) passed the cleanliness verification.
- Only 8 suction instruments (1 with soil and 7 with debris) failed the normal cleanliness verification and were removed from sets.
The other samples, which had been contaminated with chemical residue and rust, would have all been reprocessed and sent to the O.R. for the next procedure. This could have resulted in a risk to the patient.
Some of the common causes of discoloration and corrosion of reprocessed instruments:
- Chemicals in pre-treatment cleaning agents
- Encrusted debris
- Poor rinsing
- Inadequate lubrication
- Poor water quality used in steam sterilizer, washers and ultrasonic cleaners
(Joan M Spear, 2021, Analysis of sterilized lumens with a borescope)
Presented by:
Joan Spear
(MBA, RN, CNOR, CRCST)
Independent Consultant
Operating Room & Sterile Processing
Sheryl Eder
(MSN,RN, CNOR, CRCST, CHL)
Assistant Chief of Perioperative
and Sterile Processing Service at AORN Expo 2022
Make The Switch
Switching to single-use suctions is the only way to ensure instrument performance and sterility from one procedure to the next.
BOSS Instruments, the official US distributor of Eakin Surgical single-use products, offers a wide range of cost-effective, high-quality suctions with an extensive choice of length, lumen size and tip finish.
Features and Benefits of Single-Use Suctions
- Individually sterile-packaged and sold in a convenient dispenser box of 25
- Well-crafted of high-quality materials for an ergonomic feel
- Offered in both dissecting and atraumatic tips
- Guaranteed clean and free of contaminants for each use
Hit the Chat button below and connect with BOSS today for a FREE trial!
1 AORN J 96 (August 2012), 152-162. ©AORN, Inc, 2012