|  | Public Health Safety | Public Health

The Methods for the Sterilization of Medical Equipment

Sterilization kills all viruses and bacteria. When bacteria and viruses are introduced into the body while a person is undergoing surgery or another medical procedure, serious infections can result. Because such a person has an already compromised immune system, pathogens -- the medical term for viruses and bacteria -- can invade the person's body while the doctor is administering medical care. Medical professionals can sterilize medical equipment using various methods.

  1. Autoclave

    • The autoclave sterilization method involves a pressurized chamber that medical professionals use to sterilize medical equipment, dental equipment and surgical equipment. Charles Chamberland invented this method back in 1879. A medical professional performs this procedure by placing the medical equipment inside a chamber and subjecting the equipment to steam at a very high temperature -- well above the boiling point. It is not the steam alone that actually sterilizes the equipment, but the combination of the high temperatures and the pressure as well.

    Dry Heat

    • Because very intense heat destroys pathogens, the dry heat sterilization method -- which uses extremely high temperatures -- is very effective. Medical professionals use two types of dry heat sterilizers. The first is the toaster oven method and the other is the Cox dry heat sterilizer. The Cox dry heat sterilizer method takes about six minutes to complete. Depending on what kind of medical supply is being sterilized, the dry heat method is not appropriate for all supplies and instruments.

    Gas Plasma

    • The gas plasma sterilization method was introduced in the 1980s due to the limitations of other methods. The gas plasma method doesn't leave any toxins or residue on the equipment following the sterilization process. Medical professionals perform this procedure by using a chamber to insert the medical equipment into, then adding hydrogen peroxide into the chamber. The hydrogen peroxide within the enclosed chamber then converts into a gaseous form, thus removing bacteria and viruses that may be present. This process is repeated three times, ensuring complete removal of all contaminants.

    Bleach

    • Bleach also sterilizes medical equipment. This method eliminates bacteria and viruses from surfaces when medical professionals use 100 parts of water mixed with one part of pure bleach. Medical professionals perform this procedure on equipment such as stethoscopes, thermometers, syringes and needles. Many places in the world that do not have access to other methods rely on this as their main method for killing micro-organisms.

Public Health - Related Articles