Contaminated surgical instruments, shortages at the Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) and even “hygiene scandals”. No matter what we call it — mistakes in the cleaning, disinfecting or sterilizing of surgical instruments can be catastrophic. They allow bacteria to seep into fresh wounds and, in the worst case, can be fatal for the patient. This is why negative events in this extremely sensitive hospital sector often make headlines.

Sterilizer Autoclaving is the most effective way to clean and sterilize surgical instruments. The sterilization process eliminates all types of microorganisms. Eliminating all microorganisms ensures that items such as gloves, instruments, implants and other items used by patients are free of disease and infection-causing bacteria.

Sterilizer Autoclaves put these instruments under extreme heat and pressure to kill any bacteria that might be present. Autoclaves do an excellent job of cleaning, but once opened, care must be taken to handle the instruments so as not to re-contaminate them and remain sterile. Even if proper guidelines are followed, surgical instruments will not remain sterile forever.

How to store the sterilized instruments?

The shelf life of sterilized sterile instruments varies with humidity, temperature, and other factors. There are ways to keep these instruments sterile for a long time.

First, make sure you dry the instrument before disinfecting it. This helps ensure that the autoclave is able to dry out all the moisture it applies and that no excess moisture remains on the instrument after the autoclave process.

Secondly, bags and sachets should be used and sealed together with the instrument. Without packaging or bags, instruments are immediately contaminated as soon as they are exposed to outside air and new bacteria begin to grow. Ensure that suitable autoclaved bags are used for your equipment and instruments and that they are properly sealed.

Finally, if the process is performed correctly, properly sterilized and packaged instruments should remain sterile for approximately 30 days. If the device has been in place for more than 30 days or if the package is damaged in any way, it should be re-sterilized in an autoclave before being used on the patient.