Good morning,

I had the idea to buy a STERIS system for the desinfection of rigid cytoscopes and laparoscopes. But how about the working channels of the scopes and the trocars? There's no connection point for them te flush them trough.

Is the system suitable for rigid scopes with channels? Are the channels in contact with the peracetic acid and are they correctly rinsed afterwards?

Apr. Griet Missant

Elisabeth ziekenhuis
Gentsesteenweg 132
8340 Sijsele-Damme

Good morning Ms Missant,
Steris System 1 is suitable to sterilize your rigid scopes with channels. The devices should be positioned in the container to ensure that all surfaces will be exposed to the sterilant use dilution. All devices should be completely disassembled into the smallest components possible, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Valves should be set to the open position; stopcocks should be disammbled and placed in the mesh bag. Instruments should be positioned in the container with open jaws.
The container should be loaded so that advantage could be taken of the gravity flow of the sterilant use dilution. All rigid instruments should be positioned to allow the sterilant use dilution to flow upward through the narrow lumens. Quick Connect kits are available for most flexible devices with internal channels.
If the instruments are properly positioned in the container, all channels will be in contact with the peracetic use dilution (12 minutes), and will be correctly rinced afterwards (4 times with sterile water).

Bart Luyckx
Hospithera

Dear Ms Missant

Your concern is real. In an article published in the AJIC (American Journal of Infection Control) in 1998, volume 26 number 4, pages 393-398 some concerns were also formulated ("...is limited by diffusion of the chemical sterilant into the interior of the lumen test unit"). Air bubbles or air lock were suggested as a possible cause.

Yours sincerely

Dr Ives Verheyleweghen MD
Omnilabo nv
Belgium