How to Disinfect and Sterilize Surgical Tools

There is a wide array of options available for disinfecting and sterilizing surgical tools used in the ER or even at home. Processes range from autoclaving, to the use of chemicals such as ethylene oxide and formaldehyde. Each available option comes with its pros and cons, but they all help achieve the goal of making surgical tools safe for use. Before disinfection or sterilization, it is important to clean your surgical tools. Cleaning with water and detergent either manually or mechanically helps remove dirt, debris, or other biological tools that may interfere with the disinfection and sterilization process. People don’t realize the incredible complications with not using sterilized surgical tools.

Disinfection of Surgical Tools

Disinfecting your surgical tools involve the use of chemical and thermal methods to treat your surgical instruments. Most surgical instruments are not susceptible to heat, thereby making the use of heat the ideal method of disinfecting your surgical tools. Boiling the tools in water at 100oC is often the preferred heating method to destroy all vegetative microbial life present. However, you should be careful not to bring the water to a rolling boil, as this could cause your instrument to bounce around and get damaged. And, after boiling, ensure that you remove the instruments to avoid recontamination. Chemicals such as 2% glutaraldehyde and 6% hydrogen peroxide can be used to disinfect instruments that can be damaged by heat. There are three levels of disinfection: Low, Intermediate, and High level of disinfection, which can destroy different types and vegetative stages of microorganisms but cannot destroy bacterial spores.

Sterilization of Surgical Tools

Sterilizing your surgical tools involves the use of chemical sterilant (ethylene gas, etc.), dry heat, or moist heat (autoclaving) to destroy all the microbial life, including bacterial spores, present on and in the tool. Autoclaving is the most common method used, and it involves the use of saturated steam under pressure to sterilize instruments. When autoclaving, ensure that instrument are opened and arrange them properly to allow steam reach all the surfaces.

Proper care and treatment of your surgical tools by disinfecting and sterilizing them does not only make them safe for use in surgeries and research but also help to maintain them and lengthen their usable life. SurgicalTools.com offers you the highest quality surgical instruments that you can reuse for a long time even after repeated disinfection and sterilization.