Specialists' opinion regarding factors related to wet loads after steam sterilization.

BACKGROUND: Episodes of wet loads after steam sterilization are frequent; however, the factors related to these events are still unclear. AIM: To evaluate the strength of relationship of factors related to wet loads after steam sterilization. METHODS: By adapting the Delphi technique, steam sterilization specialists assigned a score for the relation strength of a list of 37 factors (f.01-37) related to wet load, grouped into: cycle parameters, sterilizer, steam, load, and environment. Sixty-seven specialists distributed on five continents participated in all phases of this study. FINDINGS: Certain factors related to wet loads are better established, such as vacuum depth in the drying phase, whereas others are still controversial, such as those related to the environment. The factor that obtained the highest average score was the vacuum depth in the drying phase (f.12), with a value of 4.28, and the lowest score of 2.66 was obtained in the delay time when the set reaches the value of vacuum or steam in the conditioning phase (f.05). CONCLUSION: Specialists' opinions diverge in most of the factors related to the occurrence of wet loads. The results obtained will enable further research and the establishment of normative requirements.

A survey to quantify wet loads after steam sterilization processes in healthcare facilities.

Wet loads after steam sterilization of medical devices in healthcare facilities are unacceptable. However, little is known about their frequency in daily practice. An online survey was distributed via four national sterilization associations, in Australia (Sterilising Research Advisory Council of Australia (Vic), Inc. (VIC SRACA)), Belgium (Vereniging sterilisatie in het ziekenhuis (VSZ)), Italy (Associazione Italiana Operatori Sanitari addetti alla Sterilizzazione - Società Scientifica (AIOS)), and The Netherlands (Vereniging van Deskundigen Steriele Medische Hulpmiddelen (VDSMH)). Seventy-eight percent of 125 hospital sterilization facilities recognized wet loads, occurring at frequencies ranging from monthly to every load. Usually, wet loads were identified by the presence of water droplets; these loads were repacked and resterilized. Given the pervasiveness of wet loads, and their impact on reprocessing times and costs, strategies to reduce their frequency are needed.