About 1000 participants met on site in Berlin at the beginning of May to discuss the latest developments in hospital hygiene. Two sessions also dealt with sterile supply: "Reprocessing of medical devices" and "Cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation". To kick off the symposium Dr. Christian Jäkel reported about "New legal regulations for the reprocessing of single-use medical devices in Germany and Europe".
The Central Sterilising Club held their Annual Scientific Meeting this year in Stratford upon Avon at the beginning of April. Read a first short report here. Many delegates were again able to participate on site and in person – hopefully a start to an almost normal conference season.
In his Editorial, Christophe Lambert elaborates on this question and discusses the fact that there is still no “cleaning assurance level”. On this basis, single use appears to have a bright future.
The Congress of the German Society for Hospital Hygiene, which took place from 12 to 14 April as an online-only event, featured two sessions on medical device reprocessing. The first lectures dealt with reprocessing of thermolabile flexible endoscopes.
From the Field
Background: Recent incidents of infections received from contaminated arthroscopic shavers and flexible endoscopes have led to changes in how sterile processing professionals visually inspect these medical devices. Certain shaver manufacturers have updated their Instructions for Use (IFU) to require the use of additional tools to inspect their medical devices.
Materials and methods: This three-phase study explores the development and implementation of new technologies in the area of enhanced visual inspection of medical devices. Phase 1 examines the results of surveys taken on the process of visual inspection of orthopedic shavers. Phase 2 outlines results of a small-scale inspection of orthopedic shavers in healthcare facilities.
Phase 3 details the implementation and inspection results of a borescopic examination step added into the processing procedures for a large health care facility.
Background: Recent incidents of infections received from contaminated arthroscopic shavers and flexible endoscopes have led to changes in how sterile processing professionals visually inspect these medical devices. Certain shaver manufacturers have updated their Instructions for Use (IFU) to require the use of additional tools to inspect their medical devices.
Materials and methods: This three-phase study explores the development and implementation of new technologies in the area of enhanced visual inspection of medical devices. Phase 1 examines the results of surveys taken on the process of visual inspection of orthopedic shavers. Phase 2 outlines results of a small-scale inspection of orthopedic shavers in healthcare facilities.
Phase 3 details the implementation and inspection results of a borescopic examination step added into the processing procedures for a large health care facility.