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Hi Joe
I would also try to avoid the flash steriliser option. Michael’s points are all valid and point to an equally important one, cost effectiveness of maintaining a piece of equipment and validated process used rarely.
There is also a reliance on staff being familiar with the process so maintaining competence will be an issue.Speaking of controversial opinions and food for thought.
See attached flow chart produced by NHS Wales on dealing with dropped instruments in the absence of flash sterilisers.
The limited decontamination in theatre as a final option is “interesting”Kind regards
Ken Chapman
Infection Prevention and Control Clinical Coordinator________________________________
Hi Joe
I will confess to not having placed a flash sterilizer in an OT for many, many years (have removed them all!), but if one was required one of the main factors to consider is how the ‘flashed’ instruments get transported from the steriliser into the OT.
If you use a container system of some sort, the instruments inside will be protected from the environment and handling once sterilised, and so the transport from the steriliser to the OR is not as compromised (although it is very difficult to validate this consistently). The other option is ‘open’ trays or racks that are carried from the steriliser to the OR. This would mean that you need to safeguard the instruments from environmental and handling contamination for the whole passage from the steriliser to the OR. That is fraught with difficulties (opening doors, scrubbed staff walking through ancillary areas), Almost impossible to validate a process like that and is one of the reasons we stopped doing flash sterilisation in OT.
I know this is probably not helpful to you here, but I personally would do everything in my power NOT to support a flash sterilization process, as I believe they compromise the sterility of critical instruments, and cannot be easily validated. More instrument availability would be what I would look at exploring to try and reduce the likelihood of needing a process like this..
Isn’t this forum great for getting opinions of others? That’s mine. 🙂
Cheers
Michael
Michael Wishart | Infection Control Coordinator, CICP-E
St Vincent’s Private Hospital Northside | 627 Rode Road CHERMSIDE QLD 4032
T +61 7 3326 3068 | F +61 7 3607 2226
E michael.wishart@svha.org.au |
Good morning
Just wondering if anyone has set up an area in the operating theatre for a benchtop ‘flash’ steriliser? This would be used if reprocessing was performed offsite (outsourced). It would only be used for a dropped or suspected compromised sterility RMD that is of limited supply. Not routinely used.
I have heard some conflicting opinions on what is required.
I believe from reading AS/NZS 4187:2014 that a designated area must include an area for cleaning, drying and the sterility would not be compromised when it is removed from the benchtop ‘flash’ steriliser. This would not be an endoscopy reprocessing room as has been suggested (but I will accept another opinion)!
I am uncertain on what the air handling system should be eg HEPA filtration and the same as recommended for sterilisation areas.
AS/NZS 4187:2014 continues to put challenges in our path……………….it is all down to interpretation of the whole document and not just little sections!
I would value some advice from a colleague who has installed a benchtop ‘flash’ steriliser in the operating theatre.
Thank you
Joe
INFECTION CONTROL REVIEW PTY LTD
Joe-Anne Bendall Consulting
ABN 98630512284
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