FAQ
Recognized minimum exposure periods for sterilization of wrapped healthcare supplies are 30 minutes at 121°C (250°F) in a gravity displacement sterilizer or 4 minutes at 132°C (270°F) in a pre-vacuum sterilizer requirement. For this Hospital require a Automatic Sterilizer. i.e. pre-programmable, set parameters and cycles.
The Instruments which has been contacted with BLOOD must be requiring STERILIZING.If the Instruments has heat resistance then to use Steam Sterilizer (Autoclave), i.e. moist heat sterilizer and sterilize at 121 ° or 134° C at certain time duration.
Hospital requires a proper and gives preference for CSSD area at HOSPITAL. As per criteria and guideline Hospital should be allocate the area at least 7 sq.ft. per bed. The area also depends on the shape of the room area.
Small Hospital and limited bed capacity requirement a small size and less capacity of Sterilizer and other CSSD equipment.
The Mechanized Laundry and CSSD should ideally be located at ground floor and mostly adjacent or well connected to each other. They should have established linkages with other critical areas utilizing clean and sterilized articles such as labor room, wards, OPD, store, etc.
The Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) is a specialized area responsible for the collection, decontamination, assembling, packing, sterilization, storing and distribution of sterile goods and equipment to patient care areas.
Division of CSSD area
- Receiving area
- Cleaning/washing area
- Packing area
- Sterilization area
- Sterile storage area
- Administrative area
Other basic amenities area like potable drinking water, Separate toilet for males and females, changing area, Hand washing facility, fire safety arrangements and Adequate ventilation is present. There is a need for Separate changing area for males and females.
Need an adequate capacity RO/DM water Tank and supply reserve tank. Need an adequate capacity Electric Supply and nearby Electric Points and proper Voltage with earthling for CSSD. Drainage Lines and water pit point which should be on proper manner. The washer-disinfectors, sterilizers and the load generate heat, which is emitted into the working environment, and effective ventilation must therefore be taken into consideration in the planning stage. Planning for safety and enhances ergonomics in the day-to-day work. Automation systems designed with the user in mind further increase productivity by minimizing bottlenecks, manual handling and risk for human errors.
The increased focus on patient safety has led many customers to require traceability solutions; this is both about measuring results as well as about documentation and quality assurance. Traceability solutions require additional equipment, such as workstations for scanning barcodes, etc.
Disinfection and sterilization are both decontamination processes. While disinfection is the process of eliminating or reducing harmful microorganisms from inanimate objects and surfaces, sterilization is the process of killing all microorganisms.
Its purpose is to check the degree of steam penetration in the case of hollow objects and the efficacy of the air removal system. The test uses a Teflon tube open at one end only (length 1.5 m, internal diameter 2 mm), ending with a Teflon capsule, containing a chemical process indicator. EN 13060 requires for purposes of approval the employment of this apparatus to test cycles for sterilizing hollow load A (for example B cycles). The test is positive if the chemical indicator changes colour in line with the information given by the producer.
Sterilization of media, the centric purpose of autoclaves, is designed to reduce the presence of live pathogens that could contaminate the development of pharmaceutical drugs, invalidate the results of research institutions, or allow outside pathogens into vivarium laboratories. The death of the pathogen, whatever type it may be, is completed by the destruction of the structural and metabolic cell components required for replication. Without the ability to replicate or infect, the pathogen is no longer a threat to the environment around it. While specific pathogens or specific environments may require higher temperatures, 121°C is widely held as the minimum temperature for efficient sterilization. 121°C is necessary, because at 100°C (the boiling point of water under unadulterated atmospheric conditions) endospores are not killed and thus sterilization cannot be fully achieved. In fact, Geobacillus stearothermophilus is used as an indicator to confirm that a successful sterilization cycle was completed. Time, Pressure and Steam these three are the use in process for kills all pathogens.
Some times for Bio Medical Waste and some Liquid Media , etc… autoclave bags are used to hold biohazardous items until it is time to be sterilized in an autoclave. The high-density propylene that they are typically made of can withstand temperatures up to 135°C, the high end of nearly all autoclave cycle parameters. These high temperature autoclavable bags are manufactured from heavy gauge polypropylene material that is not only more puncture-resistant than polyethylene, but also withstands autoclaving at temperatures up to 136°C (250°F). Their ability to contain is completely unaffected at standard autoclave temperature (121°C).
Sterilization in an autoclave (often aptly referred to as a steam sterilizer) works through the manipulation of four aspects vital to effective sterilization: time, temperature, pressure & Vacuum, and steam. They all play an important role in the process of effective sterilization: Time: Proper time ensures that the pathogens have been in the presence of a sterilizing environment (steam at temperature) for a long enough time to facilitate the proper killing of all pathogens. Temperature: Proper temperature of the steam that comes in contact with all pathogens, a minimum of 121°C, ensures the proper destruction of the pathogen’s ability to reproduce. Pressure & vacuum: Manipulating the pressure in an autoclave’s pre-vacuum cycle ensures that no air pockets are left remaining in the sterilizing chamber. Air pockets provide insulation to pathogens from the sterilizing environment and are removed during pressure ramping so that the pathogens do not escape proper sterilization. Steam: Transfer of heat is most efficiently done using steam. The steam fills the chamber so that it can come in contact with the entirety of the sterilization load.
When using standard self – sealing pouches (Class 4 Recommended), they can be placed paper side up on the tray (when there are only a few – no overlapping) or up on their side with paper to paper, plastic to plastic.
Packing items is done to provide an effective barrier against potential contamination and maintain sterility. Unpacked items should be used immediately, or cleaned and sterilized again before use. Packed items can be stored in a clean, dry place and will remain sterile until they are used.
This is used to test the efficacy of the air removal system and that the hydraulic system is perfectly air-tight. The test is defined according to EN 13060, which lies down that there must be a cycle that carries out this test automatically on all autoclaves that have a vacuum phase for removing air. For this test at least the vacuum phase is carried out as in the highest performing cycle offered by the machine, then the chamber is kept in isolation for a certain length of time and the increase in pressure due to any re-entry of air is checked to make sure it is lower than a pre-defined value.