Sterilization: Chapter 13 - Lesson 1

Chapter 13 - Lesson 1
Sterilization
Maintaining a sterile field of operation reduces the chance of infection.
Introduction Contamination is what occurs when there is a break in

sterility or asepsis. Contamination allows microorgan-
Sterilization is the process of killing all microorganisms to enter a surgical site.
isms (bacterial, viral, and fungal) with the use of ei-
ther physical or chemical agents. A disinfectant is a Sterilization of items used to perform surgery is a ma-
chemical substance that kills microorganisms on in- jor factor in maintaining asepsis during surgery.
animate objects, such as exam tables and surgical in-
struments. An antiseptic is a chemical that is applied Brief History of Sterilization
to a living body to inhibit the growth of microorgan-
isms. Hand sanitizers are antiseptics. Asepsis is the In the late 1860s, Louis Pasteur, a French chemist,
absence of harmful microorganisms in living tissue. proved that bacteria were a cause of disease in hu-
Skin can never be completely sterile. The inside of the mans and animals. He also developed the process of
body contains no bacteria and is referred to as aseptic. pasteurization which uses heat to kill microorganisms
Chapter 13 - Sterilization & Disinfection 297

in milk. His theories led Joseph Lister, an English
surgeon, to develop “antiseptic technique” for per-
forming surgery. Aseptic veterinary surgery began to
be practiced in the 1940s. The use of surgical gowns,
caps, masks, and gloves became routine in the 1960s.
Microorganisms and Infection

Wound infection is a common post-operative compli-
cation and dependent on numerous factors. Maintain-
ing a sterile operating field is the factor the veterinar-
ian and veterinary staff has the most control over. A
surgical patient will never be completely sterile. There
will always be bacteria present. However, a critical
number of bacteria are required to cause an infection.
This number is 105 microorganisms per gram (100,000
organisms/g) of tissue or milliliter of fluid. As long as
bacterial numbers do not exceed this number, the nor-
mal immune defenses of the body can prevent infec-
tion. The goal of asepsis is to prevent the addition of
bacteria to the surgical site.
Methods of Sterilization The use of surgical gowns, caps, masks, and

gloves inhibits the spread of harmful bacteria.
Exposure to harmful microorganisms can be prevented
by utilizing the correct sterilization methods. Though
they are invisible to the naked eye, organisms capable
of causing infection are everywhere. Sterile bandages,
instruments, and equipment are necessary for prevent-
ing infection in animals receiving veterinary care.
Steam
The use of steam under pressure is most commonly

used by veterinary hospitals to sterilize items. The
three factors that dictate the success of steam steriliza-
tion are temperature, pressure and exposure time. In-
creasing pressure of steam in a closed container causes
the temperature of the steam to rise. When microbes
are exposed to the correct temperature and pressure
for the right amount of time, they are destroyed and
the items they were on become sterile. The device
used for steam sterilization is called an autoclave. The
minimum time, temperature, and pressure required to
sterilize items is 10 minutes at 275 ºF or 15 minutes
at 250 ºF and 15 pounds per square inch of pressure.
Heat sterilizer.
298 Chapter 13 - Sterilization & Disinfection

Chemical (Gas)
Some items will be destroyed when exposed to the

temperatures and pressures required for steam ster-
ilization. These items include plastics, power cables
and endoscopes. Ethylene oxide is a gas that can be
used to sterilize these types of items. Exposure to the
gas at under appropriate conditions results in sterility.
Ethylene oxide is flammable, carcinogenic, can cause
numerous health problems and is environmentally
harmful. Use of it is strictly regulated.
Plasma
Gas sterilizer.
A safer method of sterilizing heat-sensitive items is
plasma sterilization. This method uses reactive ions,
electrons and neutrons to sterilize items in about 45
minutes at temperatures as low as 122 ºF.
Ionizing Radiation
Most prepackaged sterile items like surgical gloves Antiseptics

and suture packets have been sterilized with ionizing
radiation. Exposure of these items to a radioactive Ideal antiseptics used in patient treatment prevent the
source, such as cobalt 60, destroys microorganisms. growth of microorganisms, without necessarily de-
This process is expensive and limited to commercial stroying them, and do not harm the patient.
use.
Characteristics of an ideal antiseptic include:
Cold Chemical
• Active against pathogens
Cold chemical sterilization is a common and inex- • Non-irritating
pensive method of sterilizing items that cannot be • Cleansing
exposed to steam sterilization. The most common • Cost effective
chemical used is glutaraldehyde. A 2 % glutaralde- • Long shelf life
hyde solution is noncorrosive to metal and delicate • Safe for patient and handler
equipment like endoscopes. Immersion times in the • Stable in the presence of organic matter
solution vary depending on the item. Items should
be thoroughly rinsed with sterile water prior to being References
used on a patient.
Block, S. S. (1991). Disinfection, sterilization, and
Storage of Sterile Equipment preservation. Malvern, PA: Lea & Febiger.
It is important to store sterilized instruments and sup- Fossum T. W. (2007). Sterilization and Disinfection,
plies in a manner that maintains their aseptic condi- In: Small animal surgery (pp. 9-10). St. Louis,
tion. Keep them in a dust-free, clean environment un- MO: Mosby Elsevier.
til use.
Chapter 13 - Sterilization & Disinfection 299

Questions Activity
1. Describe where infectious organisms live. 1. Observe and describe the methods being used in
2. Contrast sterilization and antiseptics. the veterinary clinic to:
3. Describe the characteristics of an ideal antiseptic. a. Disinfect exam and surgery tables.
4. What are the major methods of sterilization? b. Sterilize syringes, needles, and surgical instru-
5. What factors form the relationship most important ments.
in heat sterilization? c. Apply antiseptics in patient treatment.
6. What is an example of sterilizing a substance at a
temperature lower than its boiling point?
7. What commercial technique is used to sterilize
heat-sensitive hospital supplies and materials?
300 Chapter 13 - Sterilization & Disinfection

Sterilization: Chapter 13 - Lesson 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sterilization: Chapter 13 - Lesson 1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sterilization: Chapter 13 - Lesson 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are the major methods of sterilizing medical equipment?

What factors are important for effective steam sterilization?

Chapter 13 - Lesson 1

Maintaining a sterile field of operation reduces the chance of infection.

Introduction Contamination is what occurs when there is a break in

Chapter 13 - Sterilization & Disinfection 297

Microorganisms and Infection

Methods of Sterilization The use of surgical gowns, caps, masks, and

The use of steam under pressure is most commonly

298 Chapter 13 - Sterilization & Disinfection

Some items will be destroyed when exposed to the

Most prepackaged sterile items like surgical gloves Antiseptics

Chapter 13 - Sterilization & Disinfection 299

300 Chapter 13 - Sterilization & Disinfection

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.