Sterilizing instruments assembled

[Scarlette Sloan]

Hello all,

I'm having some difficultly getting the OR staff to comply :( Haven't we all had that battle :eek: Well my Director said she wanted to see it in writing were retractors, like a rib spreader or a bookwalter or omni track needs to be unassembled BEFORE it goes into the autoclave. I have looked in my AAMI sterilization, part 1 and my in my IAHCSMM central service manual 5th edition. All I could find is " Must allow effective penetration and direct contact of the sterilizing agent to every surface and every fiber of all contents of packaging". Does anyone have anything in writing that clearly spells out " no metal on metal" ...ie like rib spreaders being sterilized assembled and the scrub tech removing the blades on the field, under side of the metal is not considered sterile???? Am I correct? Anything that can come apart on the sterile field must be autoclaved apart???

Thanks so much for your input, I do appreciate it.

Scarlette

[Uprooted Scrub]

Scarlette:

On p. 197 of the Central Service Tech Manual (6th Ed) it states: "Instruments with removable parts should be disassembled prior to sterilization...opened".

Hope this helps.

Blaine

[fredwykoff]

check with the manu factured of the instruments.

[sonny1388]

I actually have this posted on our community board right now, as we have just implemented this to a higher degree. AAMI 5.6.2.7 of ST46 states "Multipart instruments should be disassembled for sterilization unless the device manufacturer has provided validated instructions to the contrary."
Also, AAMI ST42 5.4.2.6 states "Instruments that can be disassembled should be processed as separate components".

hope this helps!

[Scarlette Sloan]

Scarlette:

On p. 197 of the Central Service Tech Manual (6th Ed) it states: "Instruments with removable parts should be disassembled prior to sterilization...opened".

Hope this helps.

Blaine

Do you know if and where it is in the 5th ed. I don't have the 6th here at work. We are meeting with the dr.'s today:eek:
Thanks
Scarlette

[Uprooted Scrub]

Scarlette:

If you'd like I can fax the page to you. Please call if you do want the page faxed. 978-521-8166.

Blaine

[sonny1388]

exactly what I was going to say, I can certainly fax the pages to you from ours, e-mail or call if that will work for you!

[Harvey Johnson]

If you have an ASHCSP 4th edition Tech manual it is on page 82.
Not to hijack your thread, Scarlette, I'm curious, those who have tech manuals from both orginzations do you rate one above the other for content or ease as a reference tool?

[nancy42]

Here we sterilize apart some retracters only if the retractor will not come apart in surgery.