Sterility Maintenance Assessment of Moist/Wet Material After Steam Sterilization and 30-day Storage

Authors

  • Giovana Abrahão de Araújo Moriya Universidade de São Paulo; Escola de Enfermagem
  • Kazuko Uchikawa Graziano Universidade de São Paulo; Escola de Enfermagem

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692010000400018

Keywords:

Sterilization, Surgical Instruments, Contamination, Cross Infection

Abstract

Moist/wet materials stored after autoclaving are considered contaminated and not recommended for use. This study evaluates the maintenance of sterility in moist/wet material after being submitted to steam sterilization and stored for a period of 30 days. Aiming to support decision-making in emergency situations, 40 surgical boxes packed in nonwoven cloth covering Spunbound, Metblouwn, Spunbound (SMS): half (the experimental group) were placed in an autoclave but the drying phase was interrupted, yielding moist/wet materials and the other half (the negative control group) underwent the complete cycle. The external parts of each surgical box were deliberately contaminated with Serratia marcescens and subsequently stored for 30 days. After this period, the boxes' contents were submitted to sterility tests and no growth was observed. The presence of moisture inside the surgical boxes did not interfere with maintaining their sterility.

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Published

2010-08-01

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 4 (2010)

Section

Original Articles

License

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Including names of authors whose contribution does not fit into the above criteria cannot be justified. Those names can be included in the Acknowledgements section.
 Authors are fully responsible for the concepts disseminated in their manuscripts, which do not necessarily reflect the editors’ and editorial board’s opinion.

 

How to Cite

Sterility Maintenance Assessment of Moist/Wet Material After Steam Sterilization and 30-day Storage . (2010). Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 18(4), 786-791. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692010000400018