IndoSurgicals Private Limited

STERILIZATI
ON
Sterilization
Sterilization refers to any process that removes,
kills, or deactivates all forms of life - in particular
referring to microorganisms such as

 Fungi
 Bacteria
 Spores
 Unicellular eukaryotic organisms such as
Plasmodium, etc.
 Other biological agents like prions
Objects Need Sterilization
 Specific surface
 Fluid
 Air

Sterilization Methods
 Heat
 Chemicals
 Irradiation
 Filtration
Sterilization Vs Disinfection
Sterilization is distinct from disinfection,
sanitization, and pasteurization, in that
those methods reduce rather than
eliminate all forms of life and biological
agents present. After sterilization, an
object is referred to as being sterile or
aseptic.
Sterilization by Heat
 Dry-heat sterilization - 260°C to 320°C for 1 hrs -
Dry heat destroys microorganisms by causing
denaturation of proteins.

 Moist-heat sterilization - 121°C–129°C at 15 psi

for 15 minutes - Moist heat destroys
microorganisms by the irreversible denaturation of
enzymes and structural proteins. Pressure serves
as a means to obtain the high temperatures
necessary to quickly kill microorganisms.
What is denaturation of protein?
Advantages & Disadvantages for dry
heat sterilization
Advantages
 A dry heat cabinet is easy to install and has relatively low operating
costs;
 It penetrates materials
 It is nontoxic and does not harm the environment;
 And it is noncorrosive for metal and sharp instruments.

Disadvantages
 Time consuming method because of slow rate of heat penetration and
microbial killing.
 High temperatures are not suitable for most materials e.g. plastic and
rubber items cannot be dry-heat sterilized because temperatures used
(160–170°C) are too high for these materials.
 The time and temperature required will vary for different substances and
overexposure may ruin some substances.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Moist
Heat Sterilization
Advantages of Steam Sterilization Method
 Nontoxic to patient, staff, environment
 Cycle easy to control and monitor
 Rapidly microbicidal
 Rapid cycle time
 Penetrates medical packing, device lumens

Disadvantages of Steam Sterilization Method

 Deleterious for heat-sensitive instruments
 Microsurgical instruments damaged by repeated exposure
 May leave instruments wet, causing them to rust
 Potential for burns
Chemicals Sterilization
There are a lot of modern hospital and laboratory instruments and tools such as a custom tray
that are susceptible to heat. This means they have some components that should not be
exposed to high temperature. These components are rubber, plastic, glass, and other similar
elements.

To sterilize them without using heat, the recommended alternative is through chemical
sterilization. Chemical sterilization is the process of using low temperature chemicals to kill,
eliminate, and remove all germs, viruses, and bacteria. This can be in the form of gas or liquid
chemicals.

Chemical sterilization uses the following elements and compounds:

Advantages & Disadvantages of
Chemical Sterilization
Advantage:
Low temperature, low cost, no complex
equipment, no toxic residue, fast

Disadvantage:
Induce structural biochemical property
change, leave toxic residue, flammable,
explosive, carcinogenic
Gamma Irradiation Sterilization
- Gamma irradiation is a physical/chemical means of
sterilization, because it kills bacteria by breaking down
bacterial DNA, inhibiting bacterial division. Energy of gamma
rays passes through the equipment, disrupting the pathogens
that cause contamination. These changes at the molecular
level cause the death of contaminating organisms or render
such organisms incapable of reproduction. The gamma
irradiation process does not create residuals or impart
radioactivity in the processed items. Complete penetration
can be achieved depending on the thickness of the material.

- Ultraviolet Sterilization - 200 nm to 390 nm

Advantages & Disadvantages of Gamma
Irradiation
Advantages
•Gamma rays have a high penetration power so materials can be sterilized
after filling them in the final container
•The method is suitable for all types of materials such as dry, moist and
even frozen items
•The method is considered to be reliable and can be accurately controlled

Disadvantages
•There is some risk involved since exposure to radiation may be harmful to
workers
•It can produce undesirable changes in medicine such as color, solubility
and texture of the product
•It can actually damage the material it’s meant to sterilize
•It’s expensive
Sterilization by Filtration
Filtration is the preferred method of sterilizing heat sensitive
liquid and gases without exposure to denaturing heat. Rather
than destroying contaminating microorganisms, it simply
removes them. It is the method of choice for sterilizing
antibiotic solutions, toxic chemicals, radioisotopes, vaccines,
and carbohydrates, which are all heat-sensitive.
Bacteria Size - 0.5 μm to 5 μm , Virus Size 20 nm – 200 nm

- Most commonly used membrane filter has the pore size of

0.22μm and 0.45μm.

- HEPA filters typically remove 0.3 μm test particles with an

efficiency of at least 99.97% including most microorganisms,
from the airstream