Central Service - Issue 5/2009
 NEWS UPDATE
- What's New in Standardisation: Basic Standards and Group Standards
- World Congress of Sterile Supplies, Crete, 7 - 10 October 2009
- Optimisation of Sterile Supplies. P.E.G. Seminar in Mainz, 1 October 2009
- New Internet Site for Working Group Instrument Preparation (AKI)
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
N. Buchrieser, V. Buchrieser, T. Freundlinger, M. Gehrer, H. Getreuer, A. Gruber, M. Haljko, M. Hell, W. Koller, P. Lachner, T. Miorini*, H. Mittermayer, G. Palmisano, A. Percht, U. Prüfert-Freese, J. Schröttner, A. Steinhart, M. Suchom:
Comparison of Methods (and Test Soils) for Testing Washer-Disinfectors Used for Surgical Instruments under Everyday Conditions
(Zentr Steril 2009; 17 (5): 327-337)
Abstract
As part of the endeavours aimed at standardisation of the methodology employed for testing the washer-disinfectors (WDs) used for surgical instruments (ISO TC 198/ WG 13), the following comparative studies were conducted:
Comparison of the test soils and test methods listed by CEN ISO/TS 15883-5 for Austria, Sweden, United Kingdom and Germany (egg yolk) as well as the new German test method.
The tests were performed in a WD manufactured by the firm Miele (G 7836) and the test objects used were Crile arterial clamps and metal foil. The test soils were applied with a brush or (wire wound) metering bar (K-coater, Mayer rod) and were then positioned in the trays according to a predetermined pattern.
The test objects were withdrawn from the WD after the cleaning phase and inspected for any residual soils. In the case of test objects that were optically clean, semi-quantitative spot checks were carried out to investigate for the presence of any protein residues using the modified BCA method.
For the experimental design chosen the tests revealed, in descending order, the following level of difficulty encountered in removing the test soil (i.e. ranging from "makes stringent demands on the cleaning process" to "virtually no demands on the process"): Sweden L Austria L Germany "new" L United Kingdom L Germany "old".
These findings contradict in certain respects some of the articles already published on this topic, something that in all probability is due primarily to the fact that the latter were carried out under laboratory conditions. They did not take account of the fact that it was not only the respective types of test soils, but also the entire configuration of the various test methods, that had to be compared in order to permit well-founded conclusions for everyday practice.
REVIEW
D. Goullet:
Sterilisation: Light and Shadows
RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE QUALITY TASK GROUP (AK »QUALITÄT«)
Manual Reprocessing of Medical Devices (wish-wash workshop, DGSV Cogress, Fulda)
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