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    Steam sterilization is commonly used in healthcare facilities due to its low cost and effectiveness at killing microbes, though it is less commonly used for sterilizing disposable medical devices due to the high temperatures involved. While steam sterilization has high temperatures, it is a simple and inexpensive process that yields little waste. It is particularly suitable for combination medical devices that contain drugs, as other sterilization methods like ethylene oxide and radiation can damage drug compounds. Steam sterilization equipment costs significantly less than alternative sterilization methods like ethylene oxide or radiation.

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    Steam sterilization is commonly used in healthcare facilities due to its low cost and effectiveness at killing microbes, though it is less commonly used for sterilizing disposable medical devices due to the high temperatures involved. While steam sterilization has high temperatures, it is a simple and inexpensive process that yields little waste. It is particularly suitable for combination medical devices that contain drugs, as other sterilization methods like ethylene oxide and radiation can damage drug compounds. Steam sterilization equipment costs significantly less than alternative sterilization methods like ethylene oxide or radiation.

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    8 views1 page

    Robyn Ringe2

    Uploaded by

    robynringer2978
    Steam sterilization is commonly used in healthcare facilities due to its low cost and effectiveness at killing microbes, though it is less commonly used for sterilizing disposable medical devices due to the high temperatures involved. While steam sterilization has high temperatures, it is a simple and inexpensive process that yields little waste. It is particularly suitable for combination medical devices that contain drugs, as other sterilization methods like ethylene oxide and radiation can damage drug compounds. Steam sterilization equipment costs significantly less than alternative sterilization methods like ethylene oxide or radiation.

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    of 1

    Robyn Ringer

    Surgical Principles

    February 18, 2009

    Alissa Blackledge

    The use of steam for sterilization is fairly widespread; however, steam is seldom used as a
    sterilization method by the medical device industry. Most disposable plastic devices are
    terminally sterilized by ethylene oxide (EtO) or radiation. These processes provide low
    temperatures that most plastics can tolerate. Steam, however, is the most commonly used
    sterilization method in many healthcare facilities.
    Despite its use of high temperatures, steam is a simple and inexpensive sterilization method with
    many benefits. It yields little waste (entropy is its only by-product). It is also efficacious in terms
    of its ability to kill microbial organisms.
    With the growing complexity of medical device and drug combinations, it is essential to consider
    steam. These combination devices, such as drugs in syringes, drugs on catheters, and drug-
    eluting stents, often require steam sterilization because EtO cannot sterilize liquids and
    irradiation breaks down many drug compounds.
    Risks and Challenges
    Steam sterilization has long been used in hospitals as well as in the pharmaceutical, aseptic
    processing, and food industries. In many ways, it has been a victim of its own successes. For
    example, steam is most often characterized by its overkill. It uses extremely high temperatures to
    inactivate highly resistant nonpathogenic thermophile spores and, more recently, extremely
    resistant prions, that other sterilization methods cannot destroy. Its simplicity and low capital
    cost make it an inexpensive, attractive, and viable sterilization method. Typical steam
    sterilization equipment costs less than one-third as much as an EtO chamber system and
    controller. It costs less than one-fourth as much as gamma or E-beam equipment and facilities.
    Sterilization exposure times can range from as short as 3 minutes at 134°C to as long as 3 hours
    at 101°–111°C, depending upon the bioburden (see Table I). Hospitals use steam at 134°C for 3
    minutes for flash sterilization in emergency situations and 121°C for 15 minutes on a routine
    basis.

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