Monitoring and improving the effectiveness of cleaning medical and surgical devices

Am J Infect Control. 2013 May;41(5 Suppl):S56-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2012.12.006.

Abstract

The overall risk of infection from medical devices is very low, but high infection transmission rates have been related to inadequate reprocessing of arthroscopic shavers and flexible duodenoscopes. Monitoring of manual and automated cleaning is needed to ensure that inadequately cleaned medical devices are recleaned prior to disinfection or sterilization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Arthroscopes / microbiology
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control*
  • Duodenoscopes / microbiology
  • Equipment Contamination / prevention & control*
  • Equipment Reuse / standards*
  • Humans
  • Sterilization / methods*
  • Sterilization / standards
  • Surgical Instruments / microbiology*