Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.
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4 5 M AY 2 0 1 4 | S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E these systems must treat the fumes, and some require facilities to obtain pesti- cide licenses for EtO's use. • Hydrogen peroxide gas plasma is a widely used sterilizer because of the rapid cycles it allows. Vaporized hydrogen peroxide circulating in the sterilization chamber becomes ionized by radiofrequency energy to create a plasma reaction that eliminates the microbial colonization in wrapped packages. This can be completed in approximately 30 to 70 minutes, depending on the cycle, and does- n't require the post-cycle ventilation that EtO does. But plasma sterilization doesn't deliver a high rate of penetration, so there are limits to the lengths and diameters of lumens that can be effectively reprocessed in the systems. Be sure to consult the instructions for use from both sterilizer and instrument manufacturers to verify which devices are most suited for hydrogen peroxide gas plasma processing. • Liquid chemical sterilants , along with plasma sterilization, is the low-tempera- ture option most commonly used in ambulatory surgical facilities. This is largely due to the fact that the 2 methods offer rapid-cycle sterilization: with liquid chemical immersion, in less than 30 minutes. The range of available solutions includes glutaraldehyde, orthophthaldehyde, peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite. Immersion is conducted either manually or through a mechanical system. Since items that are sterilized through a soak in chemical solutions cannot be wrapped before or following the process, they must be transported to the sterile field and used immediately after their immersion. In this way, liquid chemical sterilization resembles immediate-use sterilization, and is subject to rules — including the amount, concentration and exposure time of the solution — that must be followed explicitly. The improper use of liquid chemical sterilants and high-level disinfectants was spotlighted during the investigation and prosecution of the Las Vegas endoscopist whose center sparked a hepatitis C outbreak in 2007 among his patients through cross-contamination. R E P R O C E S S I N G Less aborts is more productive. V-PRO maX can increase productivity and decrease cost for the sterile processing department by providing more reliable performance and greater fl exibility. t-PXTFOTJUJWJUZUPNPJTUVSFNJOJNJ[FT aborted cycles* t1MBTNBGSFFQSPDFTTFMJNJOBUFTUIFOFFEGPS a coil that can contribute to aborted cycles t1SPDFTTBnFYJCMFFOEPTDPQF"/%OPOMVNFOFE load up to 24 pounds in just 35 minutes To learn more about V-PRO maX, call 800-548-4873 or visit steris.com For information about the 3000+ devices that can be sterilized in V-PRO maX, visit steris.com/products/vpro ª45&3*4$PSQPSBUJPO"MMSJHIUTSFTFSWFE7BDVVNQVNQJTVTFEUPSFNPWFFYDFTTNPJTUVSFEVSJOHUIFDPOEJUJPOJOHQIBTF 1405_InfectionControl_Layout 1 5/2/14 11:06 AM Page 45