The Principles of Medical Device Decontamination

weight and size of load, restrictions on materials which can be processed, cycle times, operating costs and servicing and validation requirements. The total cycle time must be considered, not only the sterilization stage since aeration of loads after processing can take several hours to reduce sterilization residuals to a safe acceptable level (regulations will apply). Whether the sterilizer needs to be installed in a special area with specific ventilation requirements should be considered since the cost of installation and operation will add to the initial purchase costs. Is the sterilizer free standing or does it require installation into a permanent position with supporting services such as ventilation, extraction, steam, compressed air, mains water, drainage etc, all of which will add capital installation costs. Most LTS systems utilise a toxic gas or vapour and so the purchaser should thoroughly investigate what abatement methods are included in the sterilizer technology and what safety precautions are needed to avoid operator exposure. The user should also bear in mind additional environmental and personal monitoring requirements such as alarm systems which sound if the sterilising gas concentration exceeds safe environmental limits. Similarly discharge of toxic waste into the environment as gas or liquid waste through the drainage systems must be investigated since there will be national and local regulations governing such discharges. Once a thorough analysis is made of the purchase, installation, validation, routine testing, operating requirements and costs, a sound decision can be made. When having to make such decisions the advice of the Authorising Engineer (Decontamination) and members of the infection prevention and control team, and environmental and occupational safety teams should be sought.

Alternative Decontamination Technologies and Processes

The healthcare environment is a constantly evolving environment and the use of technological innovations will continue at pace. The need to employ systems which continue to tackle and adapt to the challenge of preventing the threat of Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAIs) will result in alternative decontamination technologies evolving. Medical devices used in non-invasive and semi-invasive procedures have become more complex and require effective decontamination systems.

The advancement of ultrasound scanning technology has given rise to an increased

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