Sterilization process and measures to combat COVID-19

In medical environments and whenever medical devices are used, it is necessary to ensure a high standard of instrument sterilization. Putting the safety and health of doctors, operators and patients first is a duty and a necessity. Only by carrying out the entire sterilization process correctly can the spread of the virus be stopped. This is particularly important not only in medical and dental practices, but also in nursing homes, where patients are particularly vulnerable to the current Coronavirus pandemic.

Euronda Pro System has always guaranteed the highest levels of safety during the entire sterilization process. This is because the use of Pro System machines allows for the application of an advanced, effective, efficient and repeatable protocol that makes it possible to automate and organise work effectively, minimise the possibility of human error and reduce time, consumption and costs. In addition, Pro System offers the possibility of complete, comprehensible tracking of each individual phase, from thermodisinfection to sterilization, as well as packaging, both on paper and digitally. Traceability guarantees safety for both operators and patients. On the one hand, traceability provides an “element of evidence” for the professional in the event of a legal dispute. On the other, it is intended to act as a “seal of guarantee” for patients who, given the increased awareness of its importance, need to be reassured that the steps in the sterilization process have been carried out correctly.

Core elements in the sterilization process are the thermodisinfector and the autoclave, which ensure cleaning, disinfection and sterilization thanks to a tested, validated process.

Specifically, the Eurosafe 60 thermodisinfector programs that include pre-wash, wash with enzymatic detergents and thermal disinfection ensure a reduction of the infectious potential of the Coronavirus. The Eurosafe 60 thermodisinfector can be used to disinfect various medical devices, and minimises the risk of infection thanks to mechanisation.

It is important to remember that manual cleaning involves risks primarily related to the safety of the operator, but also the possibility of invalidating all the other phases of the sterilization process, if it is not carried out effectively.

Surgical masks are a disposable Medical Device. In this case, sterilization is not only inadvisable but also unwise, because the process subjects the mask to a stress that affects its filtration efficiency, altering the structure of the material that makes up the particulate and antibacterial filter.

Euronda autoclaves can be used for any sterilizable medical device.

With regard to FFP2/FFP3 respirators, Euronda specifies that:

•     the FFP2 respirators currently distributed by Euronda are disposable and cannot be reused;
•     FFP2/FFP3 respirators cannot be sterilized unless this is clearly specified on the manufacturer’s data sheet. In any other case, Euronda advises against the reuse and sterilization of FFP2/FFP3 masks.

In the light of the current Coronavirus pandemic, it is important to reiterate that the sterilization process is totally effective against Covid-19. The procedure does not need to be changed or modified, but it may be useful to focus on the following aspects:

• take care to keep the areas of the sterilization room contaminated areas completely separate from sterile areas;
• operators must be equipped with appropriate Protective Equipment for operations with contaminated material;
• the decontamination phase must be carried out carefully. This involves the total immersion of the instruments in a disinfectant solution in order to remove pathogenic microorganisms present on the instrument;
• reduce hand washing as much as possible in favour of a mechanical cleaning process – by means of ultrasound or better still, using a thermodisinfector – which limits the risks both in terms of operator safety and the precision of the operation;
• practices should be equipped with a thermodisinfector to limit the handling of potentially infected medical instruments;
• check the chemical indicator on the pouches after sterilization to make sure it has been carried out correctly;
• check the number of cycles carried out weekly by your autoclave in order to assess whether it is appropriate to acquire a second autoclave to avoid loads that exceed the recommended capacity and to ensure you always have a working autoclave even when one is undergoing maintenance and/or malfunctioning;
• perform a Vacuum Test, Helix Test and/or Bowie & Dick Test daily.