unused autoclave items - use by date?

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

albatross — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:57:51 GMT

thanks for everyone's input.
I've checked and put aside all over 3 months old, and have started to repack them - just the swabs and drapes to do.

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

dinkyd — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:00:38 GMT

We resterilse and repack all autoclav items every 3 months.Everything is also double bagged.Would always repack as they have been sitting for 3 months and packaging may be damaged from sharp instruments or holes in packing.

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Edwina [Eddie] Norbury — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:23:49 GMT

Wow we are really OOT. we re-sterilise our packs every 4 weeks.Something about latest info from America

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Nicola Smith — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:23:05 GMT

We had a kit the oher day where the outside of the bag indicator changed but not the TST on the inside. Never had that happen before and not sure why but proves why you should use them!

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Laura Ringsell — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 07:07:45 GMT

[quote user="sisterscope1"]

Incidently, class 5 or 6 chemical indicators are not routinely necessary for 'peel packed' items, use a process challenge device - cheaper and more meaningful.

[/quote]

Sisterscope - I love your replies they are so informative so thank you - for the un-educated amongst us what is a process challenge device and how do you get hold of them ??? I am guessing it is something you put in an empty autoclave to test the process...

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

sisterscope1 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:11:57 GMT

Just to throw a spanner in the works....

Outdating of sterile supplies is no longer considered to be time related but event related.

If a package is labelled as going 'out of date' 5/2/10, is it midnight, noon or sometime in the next week because we might need it and we haven't got round to re-sterilising it yet?

Event related outdating assumes, as is correct, that events compromise sterility not time. An event may be, but not limited to, a pack becoming damp/wet, splits, tears, punctures, excessive handling, etc etc. A package may be compromised as soon as it leaves the steriliser chamber, as in the case of wet packages, or in moments if handled inappropriately.

Time related outdating is largely based on studies, not repeated, by the Centre for Disease Control in 1970's when packaging materials were very different to those encountered today.

Regardless of method used, all packs must be inspected for integrity before presentation to the sterile field.

As an aside, double packaging was initially introduced to overcome some of the problems encountered with poor packaging materials. Nowadays, in terms of sterility maintenance it is not considered necessary. However, as an event related out dating system assumes that a package is considered sterile up until the point of use, it may also collect dust/debris during storage. Therefore double packaging allows for the outerwrap to be removed outside of the 'clean' area before presentation of the sterile equipment.

Incidently, class 5 or 6 chemical indicators are not routinely necessary for 'peel packed' items, use a process challenge device - cheaper and more meaningful.

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Gemma Preston — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:15:03 GMT

We check our items every week and anything over 3months is resterilised. We use a fresh bag as the bags we use are disposable but you can plastic type bags on a roll and you just use fresh tape but I prefer everything to be fresh then there less likelihood of damaged bags.

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Nick Shackleton — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:07:29 GMT

Our theatre tech can hardly keep up with every three months let alone ever 6 weeks

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

lskm 23 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:05:52 GMT

We must be over the top from what everybody has said as we redo ours every 6 weeks!

I was always taught 3 months, but we had someone come in who said they only lasted 6 weeks so we changed.

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Nick Shackleton — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:06:21 GMT

Everything is double bagged routinely! TST stripes too

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Kerry Spain — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:17:43 GMT

We use the 12 week rule and then double bagged items last for 6mths.

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Doolally — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:02:05 GMT

those who just put the bags back in and re-date..... how do you know its been done properly?as the indicators will have turned from before.....or do you stick a new TST strip to the outside so you know?

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Nick Shackleton — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:11:30 GMT

with what has been said before. We tend to repackage and re-autoclave!

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

christinam — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:31:28 GMT

I've always gone by/told to go by the 3 month rule, but I have been told by someone that research shows this is way over the top. If memory serves me correctly she told me yearly.

I also do put bags back in and re date, but only after checking the bag, but at the same time, now I am in a smaller practice, I know what we use regularly and what is not used, so on the whole correct stock rotation works the majority of the time, or any major/non frequent is usually scheduled the day before so can autoclave in time.

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

albatross — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:23:37 GMT

thanks,

I always thought that a wet bag was not sterile - but one place I worked didn't have a drying facility on their autoclave and so kit in drapes was placed on a radiator to dry off after sterilising - which I thought wasn't really right as the wet drape would touch the bag and then the bag was wet and had to dry on contact with the radiator.

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

Jo Mackenzie — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:44:25 GMT

The standard length of time is three months, I'm not aware of there being different times for different items.

I've always re-bagged to re-sterilize although I was never specificallyaught to do this, it was just always the done thing in the different practices I've worked in (apart from one which had stuff that was out of date 4 years ago and they would still happily use! I redid everything over the course of about 2 weeks and got complained at for using up autoclave bags!)

Re: unused autoclave items - use by date?

chris beasley — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:36:40 GMT

For all our Autoclaved instruments and drapes, they are re sterilized after 3mths. Because the bag is semi permable when wet, you need to remove them and place in a new bag before sterilizing.

Hope that helps