All invasive procedures involve contact by a medical device or surgical instrument with a patient's sterile tissue or mucous membranes. The level of disinfection or sterilization is dependent on the intended use of the object: critical (items that contact sterile tissue such as surgical instruments), semicritical (items that contact mucous membrane such as endoscopes), and noncritical (devices ...

BACKGROUND I investigated the effects of steam sterilization on light intensity of reusable fiberoptic laryngoscope blades. METHODS Six new reusable fiberoptic Macintosh laryngoscope blades were steam sterilized. The light intensity was measured, the tip of the blades was photographed, and the light intensity of six new plastic disposable Macintosh laryngoscope blades was also measured. RES...

The work presented here is with a view to improving performance of sterilization services in hospitals. We carried out a survey in a large number of health establishments in the Rhône-Alpes region in France. Based on the results of this survey and a detailed study of a specific service, we have built a generic model. The generic nature of the model relies on a common structure with a high level...

Undetected air leaks in a high-vacuum sterilizer can defeat the sterilization process. For this reason the maintenance and supervision of these sterilizers needs expert engineering care. The importance of controlling the high-vacuum sterilization process from the centre of a load rather than the chamber drain is emphasized, and a method of detecting any failure in a high-vacuum process is descr...

Laparoscopic tubal ligation is an effective means of permanent sterilization. The recently released CREST study underscores the need for proper patient selection and counseling.

Ethylene oxide (EO) is a well-known sterilizing agent. However, only recently has its use significantly emerged, based on its range of applications in the field of new medical device development and sterilization. This paper describes the progress in terms of EO sterilization and concludes that it remains a promising field to explore and develop. The EO action mechanism and toxicity are analyze...

In this study, sterilization of tubular medical instruments such as catheter and breathing circuit was studied using a wire-type dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) under atmospheric pressure condition. To investigate sterilization factors of DBD under the air condition, we carried out the sterilization experiments using Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores under various gas conditions, such as ...

Based on the case of Rosa, a nine-year-old girl who was denied a therapeutic abortion, this article analyzes the role played by the social in medical practice. For that purpose, it compares the different application of two similar pieces of legislation in Costa Rica, where both the practice of abortion and sterilization are restricted to the protection of health and life by the Penal Code. As a...

PURPOSE To compare three sterilization methods (autoclave, gamma irradiation and ethylene oxide) over non demineralized lyophilized bone allografts. METHODS Bone allografts were implanted on paravertebral muscles of 21 rats. After 30 days animals were sacrificed and grafts underwent comparative analysis regarding histomorphometric and macroscopic parameters. RESULTS Allografts that underwen...

BACKGROUND HIV and other blood borne infections can be transmitted through the use of improperly sterilized and disinfected sharp equipments. METHODS A cross sectional study was conducted from January to June, 2010 to assess the potential risk of HIV transmission in barbering practice in Ethiopia from public health and microbiological perspectives. Barbers in barbershop were interviewed using...