Central Service - Issue 3/06

EDITORIAL

NEWS UPDATE

What’s New in Standardisation: EN 285:2006
Sterile with a Smile - EFHSS Congress in Lillehammer
The "Sparkling Egg" Award 2006
Dealing with Globalisation - Extracts from the Opening Speech to the EFHSS Congress
EFHSS becomes World Forum
28th National Sterilisation Days in Tours, France
Making Cleaning a Top Priority. 3rd International Basle Symposium
Infection Control - Close Cooperation is Key. EDANA’s conference "IN CONTROL!" in Prague

MAIN ARTICLES

S. Edouard, G. Bassin, S. Corvaisier:
Investigation of the Cleaning Performance in Washer-Disinfectors: Sensitivity of Three Soil Tests to the Cleaning Parameters
(Zentr Steril 2006; 14 (3): 197-215)

Abstract
Pursuant to standard EN ISO 15883, investigation of cleaning performances in washer-disinfectors (WDs) can be carried out with soil tests. The latter should be able to detect any shortcomings in the WDs. The sensitivity of three commercially available tests (STF®, Soil test® and Tosi®) to different parameters was investigated. (washer-disinfector: Miele G7828, detergents: Neodisher). On the basis of preliminary experiments, it was possible to produce a cartography and determine the critical positions and orientations in terms of the WD design. A standard was set for the five supplementary parameters (concentration, duration, temperature, spray action and water quality) which are the chief determinants of the cleaning quality. Apart from the last parameter, the standard of the other four was lowered alternately and the results recorded. Supplementary experiments enabled us to study the influence exerted by the test soil support, cleaning accessories, pre-disinfection, detergents and by the Tosi batch number. In total, 35 programmes and 138 cycles were executed (469 tests). These experiments demonstrated optimal sensitivity of the Soil test (despite the poorly standardised and difficult implementation method) and opposite and complementary sensitivities of Tosi and STF. The supplementary experiments highlighted the influence exerted by different factors, including the test soil support, mobility of the test within the cleaning accessories, preliminary exposure of the tests to certain pre-disinfectants, the choice of detergent product and the test batch number (only in the case of the Tosi test); this batch was executed with a known batch of the detergent product and identical WD operating parameters. These results are valid only for the WD-detergents’ pair tested. To date, no soil test has proved to be satisfactory or capable of assuring, in an efficient and practical manner, routine investigation of cleaning performances in WDs. While the Soil test is important in terms of qualification, it plays only a limited role in routine use.

C. Witte:
Evaluation of Sterilisation Processes and Potential Applications for Low-Temperature Processes in the Hospital
(Zentr Steril 2006; 14 (3): 216-226)

Abstract
In terms of principle of action and relevant parameters, the various sterilization processes differ immensely from each other. The choice of a process for a particular application is based primarily on the constructional design and the material properties of the items to be sterilized. The article describes evaluation of sterilization processes on the basis of a spatial model.

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