11.4
BIOASSAY
Together with other chemical tests, a bioassay may be required. This assay consists in
sterilising one or more vials containing biological spores, together with the normal items to be
sterilised. On completion of the cycle, remove the vials and leave them to cool for a few
minutes (following the manufacturer's instructions for the control procedure). Sterilised vials should
normally be broken using the special tools supplied by the manufacturer and then
inserted into a specific incubator: together with these, another vial that has not undergone
sterilisation should be added for comparison. After the incubation period, the difference in colour in
the sterilised vials will indicate whether the cycle was successful.
CHAPTER 12: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STERILISATION
12.1
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STERILISATION
In order to prolong the life of both autoclave components and instruments, recommended
procedures should be followed as well as local health authority instructions. Below is a list of
some precautions to be followed.
1. Instruments should be cleaned with appropriate disinfectants immediately after use.
2. Brush the instruments to remove any residue.
3. Rinse the instruments in running water at room temperature.
4. Submit the instruments to ultrasonic bath treatment.
5. Rinse the instruments in demineralised water at room temperature.
6. Dry the instruments thoroughly.
7. Place the instruments on the sterilizer tray, so that the bags do not overlap. If you need to
sterilise instruments which are not wrapped in bags, the tray should be covered with suitable
napkins, to ensure that each sterilised instrument is perfectly dried. Follow the manufacturers'
instructions for each instrument.
8. Instruments such as scissors or forceps should be opened slightly.
Mirrors should be positioned face down.
9. Place bags with the paper side up.
10. If empty containers are sterilised, place them upside down to prevent water from
accumulating.
The instructions listed above show how important the correct preparation of
instruments is to successful sterilisation. Even a single instrument carrying traces
of disinfectant placed in the steriliser may cause damage to the
sterilisation chamber and the instruments inside. In such a case, the
sterilisation process might be adversely affected even if no alarm is
triggered.
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MAINTENANCE AND USE MANUAL
EN
zetaclave B