The Principles of Medical Device Decontamination

Whilst the general principles of decontamination described previously in Chapter 2 ‘Decontamination Life Cycle’ apply to these devices, special consideration may be required to ensure devices are decontaminated effectively. Consideration should be given to the following aspects of the decontamination process to ensure the healthcare facility is fully equipped to undertake the reprocessing of these complex devices. • Specialist equipment and machinery that may be required to undertake decontamination in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions (brushes, ultrasonic cleaners, washer-disinfector carriages, validated wash cycles, specific types of detergents, specific sterilisation types and cycles) • Training for staff involved in the specialist decontamination processes. • Training for clinical staff in the preparation of devices prior to reprocessing at the Central Decontamination Facility. The manufacturers of medical devices are required to validate and describe both manual and automated decontamination stages in their reprocessing instructions in accordance with ISO 17664 1 and the ISO 15883 2 series of standards. Consequently, any instructions, limitations and restrictions of reprocessing provided by the manufacturer should be adhered to. Automated/Validated systems are always preferred over manual systems for decontamination purposes. The validation systems present the healthcare organisation with optimum assurance and subsequently presents less risks of HAI’s to patients. If such systems cannot be employed, robust staff training, audit and risk assessment must ensure there is a risk reduction and provide assurance of a consistent and repeatable process.

i Endowrist instruments are tiny, computer-enhanced mechanical wrists designed to provide surgeons with natural dexterity while operating through small incisions. Patented design by Intuitive Surgical for the Da Vinci Robot systems. https://www. sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/da-vinci-surgical-system

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