Instrument Sterilization
In the United States, approximately 46.5 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Each procedure involves contact by a medical device or surgical instrument with a patient’s sterile tissue or mucous membranes. A major risk of all such procedures is the introduction of pathogens that can lead to infection. Click here for more information about the importance of instrument sterilization.[1]
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Tools & Resources
Guidelines for Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities
Thorough cleaning is required before high-level disinfection and sterilization because inorganic and organic materials that remain on the surfaces of instruments interfere with the effectiveness of these processes.
Read more.[
2]
Disinfection and Sterilization
of Medical Devices
Sterilization of medical instruments destroys all microorganisms on the surface of an article or in a fluid to prevent disease transmission. Click here to review sterilization technologies used in healthcare settings .[3]
Best Practices in Action!
Cleaning Protocols for Medical Instruments and Devices: Protecting Yourself and Your Patients
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[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/introduction.html
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization–Cleaning. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/cleaning.html
[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization–Sterilization. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/sterilization/index.html
This material was prepared by Health Services Advisory Group, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for California, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. Publication No. CA-11SOW-ASC-07052017-01