ABSTRACT
Since notification from the DHSS that the Lantor Cube (DHSS 1986) has been accepted, and approved as equivalent to the towel pack for the daily Bowie and Dick testing of porous load autoclaves, considerable interest has been shown in cost comparison between the Lantor cube and the towel pack.
Subject(s)
Central Supply, Hospital/economics , Sterilization/standards , Costs and Cost Analysis , United KingdomABSTRACT
Sampling of untreated anaesthetic circuits showed heavy bacterial contamination. Daily or twice daily sessional exchange of circuits (i.e. use of one circuit for up to nine patients) considerably reduced the extent of contamination. Equipment was effectively treated by steam at high or low temperature or by immersion in glutaraldehyde. Steam at high temperature (134 degrees C) damaged reservoir bags on repeated treatment, whereas low temperature steam (68 degrees C) was satisfactory. Treatment with glutaraldehyde was also satisfactory, but slightly less reliable and its smell was difficult to remove from the equipment after repeated immersion.
Subject(s)
Anesthesiology/instrumentation , Decontamination/methods , Surgical Wound Infection/prevention & control , Hospitals , Humans , United KingdomABSTRACT
A contaminated endoscope may infect patients at upper-gastrointestinal-tract endoscopy (oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy and endoscopic cholangio-pancreatography) either by the transmission of infection from one patient to another or by inoculation of potentially pathogenic bacteria which have multiplied in the instrument and ancillary equipment during storage. These dangers can be eliminated by careful disinfection with glutaraldehyde, other aldehyde disinfectants, or povidone-iodine. Few centres in Britain are using an effective disinfection procedure and of those who have used glutaraldehyde (the most widely employed) 37% have had serious problems with staff sensitivity. A quick, effective, and safe method for the disinfection of fibreoptic instruments is urgently needed.
Subject(s)
Digestive System/microbiology , Disinfection/methods , Endoscopy , Infection Control , Sterilization/methods , Cross Infection/prevention & control , Endoscopy/adverse effects , Pseudomonas/growth & development , United KingdomSubject(s)
Cystoscopes , Disinfection/methods , Sterilization/methods , Cold Temperature , Formaldehyde , SteamABSTRACT
This paper reports on tests of cleaning and disinfection of stainless steel bedpans which have been coated with either a silicone grease or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The coatings were applied manually using an aerosol spray (silicone grease and PTFE), and by an industrial process (PTFE). Soils used comprised (i) British Standard Soil (B.S., 1966), (ii) human serum albumin labelled with technetium-99m (HSA-Tc), and (iii) a suspension of Streptococcus faecalis in broth. Tests of cleaning and disinfection were carried out in automatic washing and steam disinfector machines. Results show that aerosol spraying impairs the cleaning process but that bedpans coated by the industrial process with PTFE are superior to uncoated bedpans.
Subject(s)
Disinfection/methods , Sterilization/methods , Toilet Facilities , Equipment and Supplies, Hospital , Polytetrafluoroethylene , Silicones , Stainless SteelABSTRACT
A membrane filter was used for assessing the surface disinfecting activity of phenolic disinfectants and a chloroxylenol disinfectant. The influence of the type of organism, inoculum size, and hardness of water was investigated. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was chosen for the standardized test. Disinfectant solutions were prepared in water of 300 ppm hardness and applied for two and a half minutes and eight minutes to the bacteria deposited from filtration of 1 ml of a suspension containing 10-6 bacteria. The membrane filter test has certain advantages over many tests, eg, all organisms surviving after treatment can be counted and residual disinfectant is easily removed.
Subject(s)
Disinfectants/standards , Filtration/methods , Cell Count , Cell Survival , Chlorine , Detergents/pharmacology , Detergents/standards , Disinfectants/pharmacology , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Klebsiella/drug effects , Micropore Filters , Phenols/pharmacology , Phenols/standards , Proteus vulgaris/drug effects , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/drug effects , Staphylococcus/drug effects , Surface Properties , Water/analysis , Xylenes/pharmacology , Xylenes/standardsABSTRACT
Tests of effectiveness of disinfection of metal and polypropylene bedpans were made in a washer fitted with a steam generator. Broth cultures of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus faecalis (approximately 4 x 10(8) organisms) were sealed in lengths of capillary tubing and attached to the surface of the pans. In other tests, pans were contaminated with an artificial soil containing Str. faecalis (10(8) organisms/ml). In both series of tests, counts of surviving organisms were made at the end of the washing and disinfection cycle. The tests using capillary tubes showed that the Gram-negative bacilli were effectively killed, but not necessarily Gram-positive cocci. However, when incorporated in standard soil, Str. faecalis was killed or removed during the cycle. The results indicate that the disinfection process was effective for metal bedpans, but less so for polypropylene. Possible disadvantages and modification of the machine are suggested.