Are instruments used in post mortem's routinely processed through Sterile Services outside the UK?
thank you for your responses,
Jayne North

Dear Jayne

I just received an answer to your question from Ilse Voigt, Germany. So I can tell you that in Switzerland and Germany instruments used for autopsy are routinely processed in the Pathology Department by the post mortem technicians.

Best regards
Josy Holdener

Dear,

In the hospital I work in - AZ St Jan, Brugge, Belgium - instruments used in autopsies are immersed in a low level disinfectant (LLD) solution, cleaned and dried. It concerns only a few instruments that are kept in situ. When prelevations are taken e.g. bone or when try-out operations are performed, instrument sets of the operation theatre are used. These undergo the normal cleaning, disinfection and sterilization processes. I have to admit I've never thought on these instruments. The LLD procedure isn't satisfactory at all compared with the measures taken in the CSSD for reprocessing, certainly not when we care for the safety of the personnel. The installation and use of a washer-disinfector for instruments seems to be, for me anyway, the right solution (I already gave that advise to the department). In "Central Service, Issue 2/2003" appeared in this context an interesting article by Urs Rosenberg: "Thermal disinfection - Ao concept and the biological background".

Best regards,
Wim Renders

Dear Jayne,

In the Netherlands we never mix the post mortum instruments with our regular surgical instruments. They are not allowed to come near the CSSD. The same thing for the instruments used on animals for surgical try-outs. All instruments stay at their point of use and are there cleaned, disinfected and when necessary sterilized.

Best regards René Vis

Dear,

We haven't special regulations for post mortem instruments in Poland. After autopsies they are immersed in a low level desinfectant solution (glutaraldehyde solution), cleaned and dried. They are not allowed to come to CSSD.

Teresa Salinska