Manual and Automated Cleaning Are Equally Effective for the Removal of Organic Contaminants From Laparoscopic Instruments.

OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of manual and automated methods for cleaning laparoscopic instruments. DESIGN Experimental laboratory study. METHODS We evaluated 4 methods of cleaning laparoscopic instruments: (1) manual-only cleaning and rinsing with potable tap water; (2) manual cleaning and rinsing with potable tap water, followed by ultrasonic cleaning without rinsing; (3) manual cleaning and rinsing with potable tap water followed by ultrasonic cleaning and rinsing with potable tap water; and (4) manual cleaning and rinsing with potable tap water, followed by ultrasonic cleaning and rinsing: first with potable tap water and then with sterile distilled water. Organic residues of protein, hemoglobin, and carbohydrates were evaluated using spectrophotometry. RESULTS The various cleaning methods tested did not result in statistically significant differences (P>.05) in the levels of investigated organic residues. CONCLUSIONS All cleaning and rinsing methods tested were found to be effective in reducing the levels of organic residues on laparoscopic instruments. Thus, there is no advantage gained by supplementing manual-only cleaning with automated ultrasonic cleaning, nor was there a difference between rinsing with potable tap versus sterile distilled water. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:58-63.

[Sterilization with ozone in health care: an integrative literature review]. / Ozônio na esterilização de produtos para assistência à saúde: revisão integrativa da literatura.

The objective of this integrative literature review was to find evidence to support using ozone as a sterilizing agent for health products. The search was performed on the following bases: MEDLINE, SCOPUS, COCHRANE, COMPENDEX, INSPEC and ENGINEERING RESEARCH DATABASE; using ozone and sterilization as descriptors. Five articles were found between 1990 and 2008, which tested ozone as a sterilizer. All studies used the same type of investigation (experimental laboratory study) and achieved sterilization with ozone, but with different scopes and products, besides using different methodological procedures. Considering the ever-growing technology for new products, with the vast range of forms and materials, the findings point at ozone sterilization as a promising method, but still in an initial phase of investigation. Further experimental studies are needed to provide broader evidence regarding the possibilities and limitations of ozone sterilization.