Instrument Care

Even tap water can stain an instrument. Tap water contains a high concentration of minerals which can be seen as a fine deposit on the instrument surface

The cleansers and cleaning agents you use could also be a cause of corrosion. Strong substances ,as well as those containing a chemical make-up of acid or alkaline-based solution, can lead to pitting and staining. Do not use Betadine@ Solution, dish soap, laundry soap, or surgeons hand scrub.
These products will cause spotting and corrosion. Using an instrument cleaning brush is a good idea , especially for jaw serrations teeth, and hinged areas.

The washing process should begin within 10 minutes after surgery, even if sterilization will take place much later. Washing instruments within a few minutes of surgery is your best defense against corrosion, pitting and staining .

All surgical instruments must be sterilized prior to surgery to prevent infection. But even sterilization can leave contaminants behind if instruments are not properly cleaned. To prevent this, sterilize instruments with the ratchets open. This allows for better steam penetration. Plus it prevents the box locks (hinge area) from cracking. If using a pan or tray, we recommend perforated. This will also enable better steam penetration, and aids in more effective drying as well. For efficiency place heavy instruments at the bottom and lighter, more delicate instruments on top. If sterilizing in paper or plastic pouches, do not stack pouches on top of one another during sterilization .When possible, use a spiral metal letter holder as a standing aid. This will permit proper stem flow.

A method of cleaning that is a growing in popularity is ultrasonic cleaning. This method is, by far the most efficient and effective available today. Its ease of use and superior efficiency is quickly making ultrasonic cleaning is 16 times more efficient than hand-cleaning. Place instruments in the ultrasonic unit for 10-15 minutes and use a neutral pH solution. Here are a few more tips for ultrasonic cleaning.

• Before placing into the ultrasonic unit, clean instruments of all visible debris by washing them in an approved instrument cleaning solution.
• Don’t mix dissimilar metals ( such as aluminium and stainless ) in the same cycle.
• Make sure instruments have plenty of room. Don’t overload your ultrasonic cleaner. Instruments should be hanged so that they do not touch each other.
• As with all types of cleaning, open all instruments so ratchets and box locks are fully exposed to the cleaning process.
• Upon completion of the cycle, remove instruments immediately, and rinse them.
• Dry thoroughly with a towel, ensuring that no moisture is left on the instruments.

The use of water alkaline base solution IG-8017 in an ultrasonic cleaner is recommended. A neutral pH ultrasonic cleaner solution, when properly mixed, effectively reduces the surface tension of the solution and increases the ultrasonic cavitation process. The solution should be changed daily, or as soon as the solution appears dirty or murky. INDO-GEMAN provides the right type of Ultrasonic cleaner IG-8014 this is supplied with a hanging rack so that instruments can be hanged without touching each other. We also provide the correct alkaline based cleaning cleaning solution IG-8017 to provide optimum results.

Most hospitals and practices use the steam Autoclave for sterilizing instruments .If this is your method, there are a few important points to remember .First only use distilled water for filling your sterilizer resevoir. Tap water contains minerals that will cause staining , if left to stand or dry on the instrument. Second ,if your autoclave has a steam line filter, clean it regularly using the manufacturer’s recommendations as a minimum guide, Clean the inside of the chamber once a week. This will prevent build-up of scale and will allow the sterilizer to operate more efficiently. To clean the inside chamber:

• Turn the unit off and allow chamber to cool.
• Remove trays and racks.
• Using towels, remove any water laying in the autoclave.
• Using a stiff, nylon-bristle brush, brush the inside chamber very aggressively.
• After brushing, wipe the inside clean with clean towels.
• Finally, using a most towel, wipe the gasket clean on the inside of the door.

Wrapping of surgical instruments is essential in the sterilization process .If your practice use re-used towels and drapes, please be certain to use as little laundry detergent as little laundry detergent as possible. Towels and drapes can retain soap particles, During the autoclave cycle ,steam passes through the fabric, picking up these soap particles and depositing them on the surface of the instrument. One suggestion for preventing this is to run an exam rinse cycle to remove excess soap particles. Also if your instrument packs are coming out wet ,we suggest a towel be placed inside the pack to absorb moisture.

One of the easiest, yet most effective ways to keep instruments in excellent condition is to lubricate them after every cleaning process. Proper lubrication keeps instruments from rubbing and scraping thus preventing any form of dulling and strain to joints and hinges .Moving parts on instruments, such as joints, box locks ratchets, and screw joints should be lubricated regularly. Before autoclaving, lubricate all instruments that have moving parts .Only use surgical grade lubricants because they are steam-penetrable . INDO-GERMAN provides the correct lubricant IG-8016 comes in 10ml and 100ml.

This is not a recommended method of disinfection for high-quality surgical instruments. Immersing instruments for long periods of time in any solution can prove damaging. Never leave instruments in any solution for longer than 20 minutes. Do not immerse instruments with tungsten carbide inserts (gold handles ) in solutions containing Benzyl Ammonium Chloride (BAC). This chemical is known to loosen the tungsten carbide.

Proper maintenance of your surgical instruments ensures that you are providing the absolute highest quality standards during surgery. A good maintenance program protects the considerable financial investment you have made in these instruments and devices. Surgical instruments can be expensive but the cost of preventive care is minimal when compared to the cost of replacing instruments.