Sterilization is the reference method recommended to ensure the asepsia of an instrument used to perform cures. Chemical disinfection has shown itself to be highly effective in this process for endoscope equipment without there being definitive references about its efficiency on instruments used for cures.
Objective: Evaluate the efficiency of chemical disinfection on instruments used for cures, with the reference method being sterilization.
Methods: Prospective study in which the efficiency of glutaraldehyde-phenolate is compared to sterilization on 9 sets of instruments used for cures, each one having a dissection clamp and a Kocher clamp, used in 122 cures carried out in different wards at the León Hospital. Their efficiency was evaluated by means of microbiological studies after cures were performed and after disinfection or sterilization occurred.
Results: There were no positive cultures after either the disinfection or the sterilization. The existence of positive cultures after cures was related to the type of wound treated, clean wounds were always negative while dirty wounds were frequently positive (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Chemical disinfection with glutaraldehyde-phenolate is as efficient as sterilization in assuring the asepsia of instruments, while offering some clear advantages compared to sterilization since this chemical disinfection has a low cost, its use avoids the need to have duplicate instrument sets, it provides a longer life for these instruments and does not require moving instruments from their work site, thus preventing their loss.