Surgical instrument sterilization is essential for eliminating microorganisms from medical tools prior to surgery, thereby reducing the risk of surgical site infections. The process includes cleaning instruments, using methods like autoclaving or ethylene oxide for sterilization, and ensuring a clean environment. Proper sterilization standards are critical to avoid increased healthcare costs and preventable fatalities.

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Surgical Instrument
Sterilization

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Surgical instrument sterilization is a process that removes all
microorganisms from medical instruments before a surgery can
take place. Proper sterilization ensures that all equipment has
been thoroughly cleaned, sanitized and sterilized, and minimizes
the risk of preventable surgical site infections (SSI).
There are multiple different options for sterilization including an
autoclave sterilizer, ethylene oxide, or dry heat. Deciding which
method to use depends on the instruments that need to be
sterilized. However, the process begins before sterilization itself.
Surgical Instrument Sterilization

3. The first step is to clean the medical instruments. This includes rinsing them under
warm running water to remove any leftover debris from surgery like blood, body
fluids and tissues. After rinsing, they should undergo manual or ultrasonic cleaning, or
go through an automatic washer.
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Before the Sterilization
Process Begins
The instruments should then be air-dried in a clean
and dry environment. This cleaning is not itself
sterilization. The next step is to specifically destroy
microorganisms that remain on the instruments’
surfaces.

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Main Methods of Sterilization
• Autoclave Sterilizer
• Ethylene Oxide
• Dry Heat
Alternative Methods of Sterilization
• Microwaves
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Ozone Gas
• Formaldehyde Gas

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The Importance of Sterilization
Proper surgical instrument sterilization is imperative in any
healthcare setting. Failing to adhere to proper sterile
processing standards can result in increased healthcare costs,
hospital length of stays, and preventable fatalities. For
additional support, companies like Surgical Solutions can help
manage mission-critical surgical services including sterilization.