Dear Colleagues,

I have an unusual question to ask. As some CSSDs, my department procures swabs in thin cardboard dispensor boxes ready to be sterilised. We have only steam sterilisers at my CSSD. These dispensor boxes are packed by the manufacturer in cardboard boxes. I always insisted that the inside dispensor boxes be removed and placed inside sterilisation baskets and placed in autoclave. My staff are arguing that we should place the whole outside carton box with the dispensor boxes inside into the steriliser direct and not have to remove the dispensor boxes and place them back in carton boxes after sterilisation.
Are there any policies against this?

Mario Sant

Dear Mario

As the only approved sterile packaging material/methods are: Containers, Pouches, non-woven Wraps I am sure you know that your swaps in the dispenser boxes are passing the sterilizer process but are not or do not stay sterile. What is the intended us of the swabs! If they have to be sterile the safe method is either to buy them single packed (2 or 3 pieces) or pack them in your CSSD in pouches.
If they don't have to stay sterile if you just want to kill the possible spores/fungi on them, you still have to validate your current method.
Don't put the dispenser boxes with the cardboard boxes into the sterilizer, besides the even more questionable sterility (poor circulation of air/steam) the card boxes could, depending on the composition e.g. chloride, cause corrosion on stainless steel that will eventually lead to possible stress cracking of the chamber.
Mario in any case, do get into contact with your Infection control department

Best regards
Josy Holdener