Prolonged exposure of surgical instruments to dried on blood, fat, carbohydrates, starches, and protein can damage the surface and shorten their life.
Removing gross debris from surgical instruments as soon as possible following a surgical procedure will reduce the staining, pitting, and corrosion of surgical instruments.
Using an enzyme detergent “foam” surgical instrument cleaner will reduce the risk of dangerous spills and splashing during transportation. Using a “foam” product rather than a “spray” product will eliminate the aerosols caused by spraying and will lay down a thicker layer of cleaning concentrate.
During soaking, ultrasonic cleaning, and cleaning with a washer decontaminator, the surface of surgical instruments should be exposed, with hinged surgical instruments in the open position.
If an instrument is not properly cleaned, it is not safe to handle during the prep & pack process, and it cannot be sterilized. “Clean” includes the removal of stains.
Apply a “high level”, “multi-tiered” combination enzyme detergent surgical instrument cleaner as soon as possible, following the surgical procedure.
Abrasives or hard metal brushes should not be used to clean surgical instruments.
Surgical Instruments should not be exposed to saline, acid, alkaline, or other corrosive solutions, including alkaline acid neutralizer instrument cleaners.
Lower grade surgical instruments should not be mixed with higher quality “surgical grade” instruments as this can facilitate corrosion due to the dissimilar metals.
Wire bristle brushes should not be used to clean surgical instruments. A high quality combination enzyme detergent surgical instrument cleaner will rapidly breakdown even dried on debris for easy removal.
Soaking soiled surgical instruments in a water-based solution overnight is a major cause of rusting, pitting, and spotting on surgical instruments. It is safe and effective to use a high quality combination enzyme detergent foam surgical instrument cleaner to clean, condition and protect surgical instruments.
When using an enzyme foam surgical instrument cleaner, the product must be “multi-tiered” with protease, amylase, lipase, and carbohydrase enzymes to remove all forms of bioburden from surgical instruments and scopes including: blood, fat, carbohydrates, starches, and protein.
Single and “duel” enzyme instrument cleaners cost less but are a poor investment.
When bioburden dries onto surgical instruments, it breaks down and turns to salt. This will cause rust, pitting, and corrosion on the instruments. Using a “high level”, “multi-tiered” enzymatic detergent delivers a highly concentrates product that will breakdown all forms of bioburden. Using an instrument cleaner with surface “conditioners” will condition and protect the surface during brief or extended soaking periods.
Note: manufacturers frequently misuse the word “detergent” inferring that the product contains “detergent cleaning chemicals” when they do not.
Using a “combination” enzyme detergent surgical instrument cleaner breaks down and removes bioburden, cleans the surface, removes stains, and conditions the surface to prevent staining and corrosion and pitting.
“Free rinsing” instrument cleaners will condition the source water and counter the effects of hard water for spotless cleaning.
