Use of Autoclaves for Medical Instruments
Autoclaves are basically used to sterilize medical and laboratory equipment at a very high temperature. Many medical tools at present are made of stainless steel and glass. Basically these manufacturing materials are resistant to pressure and high temperature, which is a very important factor for using an autoclave to sterilize such equipment. The use of autoclaves on medical instruments makes the instruments free from any bacteria and can be used again for the next patient. To ensure that medical and laboratory items are sterilized properly, take note the following as a guide.
Before sterilizing, clean the instruments and make sure that they are free from any debris, residual matter or organic tissue. During the cleaning, rinse the instruments for about 30 seconds and make sure that they are thoroughly dry before placing them into the sterilization pouch. Seal the pouch properly and label each with the name of the instrument, your name and date. Keep the instruments apart before closing the autoclave and place canisters or containers upside down to ensure complete sterilization of each instrument.
Sterilizer trays must not be overloaded and each tray must be distanced apart for proper steam circulation during the process. After the process, keep a record of the details such as the date and time of sterilization, length of time, name of the instrument, heat of sterilizer, your initials and the result of the process. For a better understanding of how to use autocalves, why not watch autoclave manuals which are available online?