Investigation of Sterilizers Causing Wet Loads Through Root Cause Analysis

Belimed Incorporated sterilizers are used in the sterile processing department (SPD) to decontaminate operating room instruments and tools used during surgery. There are 3 phases to the sterilization process: conditioning, exposure, and the exhaust phases. During the conditioning phase, air is removed from the chamber using a vacuum system; otherwise, it would inhibit steam contact with the instruments being cleaned. Steam is then released to fill the space in the chamber during the exposure phase, increasing the pressure and temperature inside to a desired level. This sterilizes the items inside over a fixed period based on the predetermined settings. Finally, during the exhaust phase, the drain is opened to release steam, which lowers the pressure inside the vessel and allows the items to dry.1 The quality of sterilization steam is vital for operating room (OR) surgeries to proceed as planned. During the month of July, our New England–based teaching hospital witnessed multiple wet loads, which resulted in the cancellation of several surgeries and delaying pivotal patient care. These wet loads were caused by condensation of equipment after being sterilized as A/C units are placed too close to the sterilizer units. Also contributing to wet loads was the temperature of incoming cold-water lines being out of specification by 4 degrees. Warm water causes inefficient vacuum pumps, which prevents the air in the system from being removed during the conditioning phase. Additional ...

Source: Journal of Clinical Engineering - March 25, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Tags: FEATURE ARTICLES Source Type: research