Central Service - Issue 5/1999
NEWS UPDATE
- What's New in Standardisation; Biological Systems for Testing Sterilisers and Sterilisation Processes
- Information on External Contractors for Procurement, Materials Management and Logistics in Hospitals
- For Prevention of Hepatitis C Viral Infections in the Health Service
- Comission for Infection Epidemiology Newly Appointed at RKI
- New Dutch Society for Sterilisation Experts
REVIEW
A. C. P. de Bruijn*, J. Kastelein:
Single or Multiple Wrapping of Medical Devices: Procedure Assessment Trough Research
(Zentr Steril 1999; 7(5): 292-303)
Abstract
In hospitals, paper, non-woven sheets, containers and see-through pouches are commonly used for packing medical devices that are to be sterilised. The sheets are usually applied in a double layer package, whereas see-through pouches have many applications as single layer packages; containers are often used without inner wrap. However, all these packaging concepts have one goal in common: to keep the contents sterile. The paper at hand discusses factors that influence the conservation of sterility and suggests a method to determine the suitability of both packaging materials and methods in a given situation.
Key Words
Medical device, packaging material, wrapping, filter efficacy, microbial barrier
D. Goullet:
The Effect of Non-Conventional Transmissible Agents (Prions) on Disinfection and Sterilisation Processes
(Zentr Steril 1999; 7(5): 305-318)
Abstract
The resistance of non-conventional transmissible agents (NCTA) against common processes of disinfection (glutaraldehyde) and sterilisation (steam, EO, LTP) of medical devices as well as the risk of a transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) led national authorities to publish recommendations on how to handle that risk. The paper at hand gives a survey of the recommendations published in France, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Germany. As far as reprocessing reusable surgical devices is concerned these recommendations contain information on cleaning and chemical (soda, bleach, S.D.S.) as well as physical (autoclaving at 134 °C in a porous laod steriliser) inactivation.
As none of theses procedures guarantee absolute safety, surgical instruments that were used on contaminated tissues are to be destroyed by incineration. In these cases, single use devices should be used whenever possible. In the future our increasing knowledge of new pathogenic agents and their inactivation processes, will show whether or not the strict measures suggested are justifiable.
Key Words
Non-conventional transmissible agents, prions, inactivation, disinfection, sterilisation, medical device
EDUCATION
P. Heeg:
Series on Infectiology - Infections by Enteritis Salmonellae
INDUSTRY IN FOCUS
- MEDICA 99: The World's Leading Medical Fair
- Rapid Indicator
- One-Step
- Cordless Pressure Logger for Autoclaves and Sterilisers
- Validator 2000
- Sterile Items Documentation System for the CSSD
- Verification of Sterilisation Processes
- Thermo Loc
- Extended Kangaroo System
- The Ge-De 4656
- Mutual Recognition Agreements for Medical Devices
- Year 2000 Rollover: No Need to Stockpile Medical Devices
- The European Forum for Hospital Sterile Supply (EFHSS) has just opened a website that is to be found under www.efhss.com. Among others, the site features a number of national specialist societies within Europe.
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