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plastic can be compro-
mised and lenses can fog.
For these and other high-
maintenance items, low-
temperature sterilization
bridges the gap to ensure
infection prevention. Here's
an overview of your non-
steam options and their
guiding principles.
Sterilizing alternatives
Low-temperature sterilization options employ gaseous or chemical elements, as
opposed to the autoclave's high-temperature steam exposure, in order to elimi-
nate microbial life from surgical instruments. Besides their methods of action,
the 4 main types — ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, liquid chemi-
cal sterilants and ozone — also differ in their most effective uses, the length of
their sterilization cycles and their applicable cautions.
• Ethylene oxide (EtO)
is a time-tested gas sterilization method that has been in
use for more than a century, originally as a chemical weapon and agricultural
pesticide before it was applied to medical instrument reprocessing. Its effective-
ness in killing bacteria, spores and other microscopic matter and its ability to
thoroughly penetrate interior spaces are a big reason why it's still used in hospi-
tals' sterile processing departments today, especially on lumened and channeled
instruments. Some endoscope manufacturers specify EtO only for their repro-
cessing.
But its cycle time can be a big drawback for facilities that demand quick turn-
arounds. EtO takes 2 hours or more to permeate wrapped packages and instru-
ment channels. Then an aeration cycle of 12 hours is required to exhaust the
toxic compound. Its use also necessitates the installation of a high-powered ven-
tilation system to evacuate fumes. Some states regulate the standard to which
R E P R O C E S S I N G
CHECK THE RECORD
It's important for sterile
processing techs to
monitor their processes.
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